2016/08/25
We are doing all the historical sight seeing near Seoul.
Initially I really wanted to rent a hanbok so I take nice pictures in front of all the attractions, but man, it was humid. I didn't think I could bear the heat so we decided to just head to our first location.
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First Stop: Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁
Gyeongbokgung palace is probably the most famous historical attraction when you think of Seoul.
Around the time we arrived it was also time for the royal guard changing ceremony in front of the Gwanghwamun gate. They do this a few times a day, so if you are interested, make sure to check the times before your trip!
the main gate to the palace Gwanghwamun
the guard changing ceremony
I really like the intricate and colourful paintings on the ceiling inside the main entrance hall, and the roof? as well.
This is a Gwanghwamun view from the other side. I found the contrast of the past and present from these two buildings very interesting.
Heungnyemun Gate
Now entering the main hall, Geunjeongjeon Hall...
These little stone pillars on both sides of the road inscribes the ranks of the court officials. From the highest to lowest, is where they should stand when called for meetings by the King.
This is where the King held meetings, and reception for foreign visitors. Therefore lavishly decorated.
Decorations on the ceiling is amazing as well.
And an attempt for a group picture in front of the palace. :)
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Second Stop: Hanul Poong-Kyoung 처마끝 하늘 풍경
For lunch we visited Hanul Poong-Kyoung. They specialize in traditional Korean cuisine and Imperial meals.
Since it ties in with our theme of the day we headed over to Insadong.
The experience, I should say was... interesting, and too long for me to insert into this post, so please click the link here for a detailed description!
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Third Stop: Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을
In the afternoon we arrived at Bukchon Hanok Village. This is one of the areas where the traditional Korean houses still stand today. It has become quite a tourist destination over the past few years. From the station, it is a little hike up the mountain to where the hanok village.
With our super slow walking, about 20 minutes later we could see parts of the village!
It was a beautiful sight! Very different from the city where we are staying.
The ambiance was so peaceful, the narrow roads, the red brick walls, kind of like we suddenly travelled back in time...
And then the crowd hits... sigh
It was impossible for me to get a clear picture without someone standing in my way. So after a few tries I gave up.
Here's the best picture I could get, ... though it wasn't even at Bukchon lol.
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Walking back down, we stumbled upon this Starbucks store.
Apparently its the only store with the Starbucks brand name written in Korean?
Don't quote me on that lol.
Strolling around the Samcheondong area before our next destination, I saw these in the store window.
These are a modern twist to the Korean traditional clothing. Something more casual and great idea for wearing the hanbok as more of an everyday look.
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Fourth Stop: Cafe Bora 카페 보라
After some shopping in the Samcheondong area, we came here for a little afternoon snack :)
I found this place while surfing Instagram.
They are famous for their purple yam desserts, and its lavender colour makes a very insta worthy picture! haha.
And if you're interested to see my experience of Cafe Bora in detail please click here!
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By the time we left the store, it was already dark outside.
I wasn't feeling the best so we decided to go back to our hotel for some rest after a long day of sightseeing.
*warning rant below*
So I started getting a really bad headache when we were at the Bukchon Hanok village, which then got worse and worse as the day went on. It was only a cloudy day but the weather was extremely humid. And something that didn't help with the situation was the lack of functioning a/c in Korea...
Every shop, restaurant, and even the mall did not have "cooling" a/c. I have never been sweating inside a mall in Asia before. What was worse was the subway stations. Considering it was the middle of summer where temperatures are usually in the 30's, there was no a/c in the underground subway walkways/stations. Which I did not understand at all, just imagine how stuffy it was with no sort of air flow in the tunnels.
The only place with "real" a/c was in the train itself. This was a sightseeing day, thus we were in and out the trains and stations quite frequently. Consequently from all the above reasons, I have got my first heat stroke. On my first day in Korea lol.
Definitely not what I was expecting hmm...
/okay end rant.
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Well other than that, it was a fun and eventful day haha.
Keep your eyes out for Day 3 AND 4 in the next post!
DAY 1 - TAIPEI -> SEOUL ARRIVAL -> MYEONGDONG DAY 2 - GYEONGBOKGUNG, HANOK VILLAGE, SAMCHEONGDONG DAY 3 & 4 - SINSADONG, ITAEWON, HONGDAE
♥ If you have any suggestions, questions or comments please let me know in the box below thanks :)
