I am all about experiencing the 'new' in Korea. I lived like a monk during a temple stay, introduced pork into my diet and learned to love Korean bbq, was poked and prodded by an oriental doctor at acupuncture sessions and mastered the confusing subway etiquette. But it is comforting at times to try something not so foreign, maybe something you loved as a child but have neglected for years.
I went skating in the City Hall area of Seoul a few short weeks ago. A friend and I hopped on the subway and arrived at the large public rink just as it was being cleaned and cleared of snow. We admired the holiday decorations and blasting Christmas music and were ushered into line to purchase tickets and rental skates. Although the rink was a popular evening destination, the line was not very long and we quickly were skated-up and ready to go.