On our fourth day in Seoul, we slept for as long as we could and took our time with breakfast. Our goal was to visit nearby areas — the Jongmyo Shrine, Unhyeongung, the War Memorial, and whichever other place struck our (read: my) fancy. Unhyeongung used to be where the crown prince Gojong stayed before… Continue reading We (unintentionally) gatecrashed a wedding in Unhyeongung
This is probably Getting Old Me talking — I could pull all-nighters in college, but now, in my early 30s, I’m finding it more difficult to stay up beyond 10 PM — but I have mentioned before that you should stay in Insa-dong when you are in Seoul. Why? Let’s recap: First, many sights are… Continue reading Why Insa-dong should be your base in Seoul
Changdeokgung, built in the 1400s, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung was also burnt down during the 1592 Japanese invasion — not by the Japanese, but by citizens angry at their king for abandoning them — but it was the first palace to be rebuilt, in 1610. The royal court was thus moved here. Now,… Continue reading Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung (Hint: Visit the Secret Garden!)
Sure — the pen is mightier than the sword. But to keep the Joseon dynasty strong and glorious, both pen and sword had to be wielded by its greatest people. Gwanghwamun Square features two large statues. One is of Yi Sun-shin in a very badass pose, which perfectly befits his accomplishments. Admiral Yi found glory in… Continue reading From Gwanghamun Square to Gyeongbokgung
Here’s how we described the Garden of Morning Calm upon seeing it: “This is a place our mothers would love.” We loved it too, of course, but in seeing all the flora, we also felt somewhat nostalgic for home. This pair of city-dwellers appreciated, once again, our moms’ green thumbs and other varied and… Continue reading What does the Garden of Morning Calm look like in the afternoon?
We were in the Gapyeong Tour Bus after having come from Nami Island. The tour guide was telling us all about our next stop. “Do you know who Do Min-Joon is? Because Do Min-Joon is waiting for you!” Oh hell, of course I know who Do Min-Joon is. But I suppressed a giggle because Husband… Continue reading Do Min-Joon is waiting for you in Petite France
Notes on visiting Nami Island, Petite France, and the Garden of Morning Calm in one day from Seoul: Preparations Reserve your ITX-Cheongchun tickets here. Print out your reservation form. This is not your ticket; more on this later. Print out a discount coupon (1 for each person) for Petite France here. This gives international tourists… Continue reading An Autumn Morning on Nami Island
So — we had spent the morning in Gangnam and a couple of hours in Ewha Womans University, and in the later afternoon I was dragging my husband to our last stop for the day — the Seoul World Cup Park. The Haneul Park stands on what used to be a landfill up to the early 90s. Massive… Continue reading The Haneul Park: How to turn a landfill into a tourist spot
…and by this, I don’t mean getting a brochure on course requirements or inquiring on enrollment for foreign nationals (although of course, you can totally do that). I mean, go to a university and sightsee, and envy the students a bit because they’re young and their school is lovely. As for us, we (I) decided to… Continue reading You should visit a university when you’re in Seoul
Day 2 Itinerary Notes Train from Anguk Sta. (Line 3), transfer at Seoul Natl Univ. of Education (Line 2) to Seolleung Sta., exit 8 walk for some five minutes along Seolleung-ro to the entrance to Seonjeongneung, the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty see the burial mounds of the Joseon kings and queen take a… Continue reading Half a Day in Gangnam
Ang Lakwatserang Guro 