June 23: Downtown Seoul Sightseeing
Kathy’s boss came around 11 to see about moving me to another apartment. But I hadn’t packed yet, so she said she’d come back at 12. She did and took me to the new apartment, around the corner from the current one. She then gave me advice on what to see in the city (e.g. Jogyesa Temple), and called to get information on touring the secret garden (Biwon).
Unfortunately, it is closed on Mondays (as are several sites in the city).
I had lunch at the gimbap place near the apartments, but the tuna gimbap was not as good here as it was in Bundang. And it was more expensive (2500 won). I got on the subway to the Gyeongbokgung stop. It seems I arrived at the palace just in time for the changing of the guard. It was much more elaborate (i.e. more people and with more colorful wardrobe) tha other places I’ve seen. There was also music played that sounded like a cat dying. I walked around the palace grounds, taking in the different royal family buildings (separate buildings for the king, queen, and princes) with the hills in the background and, for one building, a pond in the foreground.
After the palace, I went to the National Folk Museum (free admission), a museum dedicated to telling the history, culture, and customs from birth to death of the Korean people. From there, I walked to and through Insa-dong, a lovely, old neighborhood with narrow streets, tea houses, souvenirs, and traditional food. After much wandering and asking for help at the visitors center, I finally found the Jogyesa temple. It was a lovely temple, and for the first time in my many temple visits I heard a priest banging a drum.
After resting in Insa-dong with a cup of iced coffee I bought outside 7-11, I walked on through Myeong-dong, the hip and bustling neighborhood of high-end shops and restaurants. Myeong-dong was too crowded and hip for me, so I got out and onto the subway home.
Tags: Asia, Korea
admin
Leave a Reply