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Mate, any chance you could get out the way for a moment so I can
take my picture?
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Seoul is a massive city, so there was no shortage of things to see and do. A
few things near my accommodation was Bukchon Hanok model village, a maze of
hilly streets and traditional Korean homes.
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Sadly you can't just wander in and have a snoop around people's houses
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I wasn't really sure if I was looking at the "best" streets and village,
but suddenly I stumbled upon the Bukchon Observatory (and Tea Museum) where
for 6,000 Won (sounds like a fortune, but in reality it's about £3.50) you get
a free cup of tea, lovely views, and a chance to chill in a traditional tea
place. The tea was a bit shite (and no, I didn't ask for a cup of PG Tips with
milk), but the surroundings were very relaxing.
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| Shoes aff |
The tea museum wasn't really a museum as such ...
... but it did have a few oddities ...
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This is where PG Tips got their ideas from
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... including a collection of teaspoons to celebrate every Olympic games
from 1896 - 1988 (when South Korea hosted the games).
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Nothing says Olympic Games like a set of commemorative teaspoons
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And what better way to remember the horror of Hiroshima than with a
commemorative teaspoon
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Not far away was the National Folk Museum of Korea which celebrates the
history and lifestyle of the Korean people. It would have probably been
more meaningful to local people, but I did spot a few noteworthy exhibits
...
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Koreans seem to have a ceremony for everything. Even getting a
nickname or getting a hair bun.
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Sir and me in a traditional Korean school
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Elsewhere in Seoul, Annaliisa and I found a very friendly pub called Brew
3.14 where all the bar staff seemed to be European, and as usual, speak
perfect English.
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| £10 well spent |
The Ihwa mural village was a wee bit disappointing, although I'm not
sure we found all of them, and apparently a couple have been painted over by
locals, fed up with tourists peering through their windows.
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Such a shame Annaliisse lost a leg whilst acquiring those angel
wings
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On Sunday, I decided to have a wander round Gyeongbokgung Palace which
was built in the 14th century and housed the Joseon Royal Family for several
centuries. When I turned up, it was absolutely rammed. I've no idea what was
going on, but there were literally thousands of people dressed in
traditional Korean costumes which made wandering round the site very
enjoyable.
They also what I reckon was perhaps the Korean version of on Orange March
(sadly the guy doesn't bang his drum in this video but when he did, it
would have woken the dead). There was actually a large speaker explaining
in Korean and English what was going on, but it might as well have been in
Korean and Klingon for the amount I could understand of it.
All very enjoyable (except my shoebox of a hotel), but time to move on. I
had to abandon a trip to Japan due to my dodgy trial vaccine, but instead
I was hopping on the train to Gyeongju.
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