Day 2 - Seoul, South Korea

So here I am again trying to catch up with my backlogs since there are several travels that I need to put here.

This time I woke up early around 8AM to cover my 2nd day itinerary.

So my 2nd day itinerary is mostly walking since most of them are near to each other. Also, I planned to visit some of the historic palaces in Seoul..

Deoksugung Palace

Seoul City Hall

Seoul Plaza 

Chyeonggyechon Stream

Gwanghamun Square

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Insadong

Changdeokgung Palace
Itaewon

I started with Deoksugung Palce to get there you just need to make your way to Seoul City Hall station and from there you can just walk towards Deoksu Palace. Since I arrived early and I havent taken my breakfast yet, I walked in Dunkin Donuts which is in front of Deoksu Palace. I find it very different from what we have here in the Philippines since most of them here are booths and only few stores that has coffee shop.

First stop is Deoksugung Palace. I was able to watched the opening of Royal Palace gates here.

Comprised of several buildings, all varying in construction, the premises of Deoksugung Palace were once occupied by various Korean royalty until the Japanese took control toward the turn of the 20th century. From beyond the looming entrance of Daehanmun, architectural highlights include Junghwajeon, the throne and audience hall, and Seokjojeon, the building bearing the markings of Western design. Also marking the premises is an art museum that plays host to several commercial exhibitions, a nicely secluded forested garden, a statue of King Sejong the Great, andJeonggwanheon, the attractive structure replete with European framework and home to where King Gojong held parties and entertained guests.

Second stop is Seoul City Hall. I was very impressed with their City Hall here I just cannot compare
what we have here and what they've got in Seoul. Upon enetring the building, my jaw dropped.
Everything in this building is amazing from design, construction etc. everything is so modern. I like the design they keep it modern yet environment friendly. They have free tours around Seoul City Hall and Seoul Library which I didnt not take as I have limited time but I think that was enough. If you're going there during Winter Season, their plaza turns out to be a big skating rink.

Chonggyecheon Stream os my third stop. I was so lucky that I met Filipino couple based in the US travelling in Seoul, we just sat there for minutes and talked while we are walking the stream. My astonishment with Korean people continues. I read in the historical books that this stream was so dirty before and it was already a main road after Japanese war but after 2005 their mayor decided to bring back the stream and they did not fail, it is one of the most visited places in Seoul.

Gwanghamun Square is just across the Chyeonggyecheon Stream and I bid my goodbyes to the lovely Filipino couple I met. Sometimes my selective amnesia occurs, I forgot again to get their contacts GRRRR 2nd time in a row. I guess I'm not good at it.

Standing in the middle of the square is the statue of Yi Sun-sin, greatest admiral during Joeson Dynasty and King Sejong the creator or Hanguel, the Korean language. Also, there is a big sun dial in front of him as this is one of the greatest korean inventions aside from Samsung and Kia.

I never anticipated that they have this cold weather during Spring so I have no choice but to buy hand gloves cause I really cant take it. It was my mistake not to buy the four palace ticket which is cheaper if you will sum up the normal ticket price per palace.

Gyeongbokgung Palace is a royal palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. First constructed in 1395, later burned and abandoned for almost three centuries, and then reconstructed in 1867, it was the main and largest palace of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty. The name means "Palace" Gung "Greatly Blessed by Heaven" Gyeongbok

Also, included on your ticket is a free passes to the Folk Museum of Korea.

Insa-dong is famous for selling traditional Korean souvenirs from antiques to paintings etc. I just bought t-shirts here for my nephews and after that I checked Starbucks (which is written in Hangeul) to dose myself a coffee since I'm a little bit sleepy.

It was a bit long walk from Insa-dong to Changdeokgung Palace but it was just exact since I was able to catch up free English tour. 

Changdeokgung was the most favored palace of many Joseon princes and retained many elements dating from the Three Kingdoms of Korea period that were not incorporated in the more contemporary Gyeongbokgung. One such element is the fact that the buildings of Changdeokgung blend with the natural topography of the site instead of imposing themselves upon it. It, like the other Five Grand Palaces in Seoul, was heavily damaged during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945). Currently, only about 30% of the pre-Japanese structures survive.

Along the tour, I met another Filipina girl travelling alone as well so I asked if we could join together and she's fine with that. She's been travelling around Korea for about 2 weeks , she went to Jeju and Busan. She told me that Jeju is a must visit because the view are breathtaking according to her and I said maybe in the future since it very difficult to access Jeju from Manila unless you will fly from Seoul or Busan.

It was a very long walk around Changdeokgung grounds and we also visited Biwon Garden which for me the highlight of this tour. Changdeokgung is also one of Korea's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some parts of famous Korean drama Dae Jang Geum was filmed in some parts of the area.

I tried to catch up Jongmyo Shrine to complete the Palace tour in Seoul but it was already late, the tour in Changdeokgung ended around 4PM and the palaces will close at that time. Nowhere to go, out of curiosity I went to Itaewon since its a popular shopping district in Seoul. There are some counterfeited goods and clothing, you just need to do some haggling. I heard that this is the red-light district of Seoul and there is an underground gay area but I didn't go there since I'm all alone so safety is my priority.

I went back to the guest house and upon changing clothes, I noticed that my left finger nail in toe was broken due to extensive walk. I didn't bring a nail cutter so I checked in a nearest convenience store and glad they have one so I bought it and went back to Myeong-dong to check comfortable shoes that I can use for tomorrow's tour, so it was a lesson learned for future travels. 



References:
www.wikipedia.org
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/

First International Travel - Seoul, South Korea

Okay... So this is my very first entry to my blog... I really want to do blog before but I'm not a techy person but my friend pushes me to set up a new blog and why not? I checked through youtube on how to make a blog and here it is! I already have one!

Let me start this blog to my first ever out of the country trip... Seoul, South Korea which coincidentally my first solo backpacking!

I choose South Korea simply because I'm a fan of Korean dramas, movies and my friend went there months ago, so I so envy him so much and he did it on his own, I immediately booked a ticket to Seoul without hesitation.

I'm undecided to pursue this travel because during that time there is on going dispute between North Korea and South Korea with Nokor launching missiles to Sokor, so I'm nervous about my safety there but still I pushed it thinking of the preparation I did for this trip.

I arrived in the Airport on time but the flight was delayed for an hour. Manila is 5 hours away from Incheon and they are 1 hour ahead. I arrived Incheon Airport around 10PM, here is the signage that I just landed to SK :), I wish I could have taken a lot of pictures of their airport since this is one of the best airports in the world, for which they are correct. In fact, they are currently expanding it to Terminal 3.

Upon riding the bus, I recognized this girl who I still remember during my Puerto Princesa trip last 2011, I cannot forget her since they had an argument with the other group in the tourist van that we're in and they are saying bad words to them in a local dialect which understood by my office mate and tell to that girl "I fully understood what you've said" and they are like whoaaaa!!! Enough said, so I approached her and asked if that was her and she confirmed it! We talked a lot while making our way to Seoul, but I forgot to get her email! Geeeezzzz!!! All I remember is that she's working in Taguig.

Travelling alone in a country that mostly does not speak in English is very difficult, so I encourage you to at least know some basic Korean phrases which will be helpful to you. I arrived in Seoul around 11 in the evening by bus, you can either take bus or train going to Seoul. If you want to take train, go to the 3rd floor of the airport and take AREX and get out in Hong Ik University station and from them check what line you're going to take (Green, Orange, Pink etc.). For bus, just make your way out of the airport and it's just located in the exit, check the bus stop where you would like to go. I arrived in Seoul around 11PM no traffic at all, and I drop off in Euljiro - 1 but I dont know where is the exact location of my guest house. I wander around the streets of Euljiro and thank God to that street sweeper who accompanied me in finding my guest house. Finally, I already find it but the guest house is closed I waited in the stairs for about 30 minutes. Lucky me, the reception arrived from a college party. I thought I'm going to sleep in the stairs. 

I woke up late since I arrived late and I already ruined my itinerary that I need to get up by 8AM but instead waking up 10AM. I immediately left the guest house and head to Lotte World in Jamsil (Green Line) as usual.. perks of travelling alone... I was lost again, thanks to that Indonesian guy who helped me to locate Lotte World.It is important that you pay attention to the voice prompt in the train they have it in English. Also, make sure that your map is handy so that you will not be lost. 

Ticket price is 50,000Won for a day tour / ride all you can which includes Magical Island & Lotte World Adventure. I like their Gyro Drop, Gyro Swing, Comet Express and their roller coaster called French Revolution that goes inside the buildings and it is indoor which rotates 360 degrees!

Here are some of the photos in Lotte World

After extreme and stomach twisting rides in Lotte Wold, I decided to go in my 2nd stop for the day Olympic Park but before that I noticed that Jamsil is celebrating their Cherry Blossom Festival which happens every 2nd week of April.They also have Cherry Blossom Festival in Yeuido with the same dates.

As we all know, Seoul hosted Olympics 1988 and it was the 2nd in Asia after Tokyo. Speaking of Olympics South Korea will be hosting aging Olympics, this time Winter Olympics 2018 in Pyeongchang province probably 3 hours from Seoul. Kim Yu Na is the face of Olympics and she is everywhere here from Subway stations to the streets of Seoul selling different kinds of products. I'm a huge fan of Olympics so I included this one on my itinerary. However, I arrived there around 6PM and the Museum is already closed and Olympic Park is getting darker. If want to go here, better to be early!

Since it's already dark in Olympic Park and I already make my way to Myeongdong, one of Seoul's main shopping and tourism district. I take Green Line (Euljiro -1)There are historical sites in Myeong-dong which are Myeongdong Theater and Myeongdong Cathedral but the highlight of this side trip is SHOPPING!!! There are a lot of shops here in Myeong-dong name it, they have it! From high end to mid retail price stores. The love of korean in cosmetics shows here because every cosmetic brand has two or more shops in Myeong-dong! If you love cosmetic products this might be your heaven! They give cheap prices and discounts, they are also giving away free products for any purchase in their stores.

Im so tired of roaming around shops in Meyong-dong. I just take my dinner there since there are several restaurants that offer Korean Food. I ordered Bulgogi since this is not spicy but they served Kimchi Soup (again language differences) and it was spicy!!! Everything is spicy including the side dishes!!! I have no choice but to eat it and ended up just taking pictures of it. I did not finished everything since I'm not a fan of spicy foods. So when I walked out everyone is looking at me, thinking that I didn't like their food but I do like their food maybe I was just shocked how spicy it was. 

So I finished my first day around 10 in the evening and their subway is only until around 9PM? so I walked for 30 minutes from Myeongdong going to Euljiro - 3 where my guesthouse is located.

Make sure to follow my 2nd day in Seoul...