After a 13 hour flight via Moscow I have made it to Seoul.
Bus ride (10,000 Won) from the airport to the nearest underground station and then a 5 minute walk to Lazy fox hostel. All very efficient and on time.
The underground system are fantastic over here, each line like London they are marked with a different colour, then there are numbers eg 1-9 of the different exits so as to know which is the closest door to the direction you need. When the train is coming to a stop it plays a fanfare to alert you to its arrival. Whilst walking between the different lines and the different exit there are shops full of clothes, phone accessories and bakeries not to mention ATM's and coffee areas. Anything that the commuter may need on route. To pay, use a T Money card which is loaded up at convenience stores such as 7-11.
Day 1 - 31st August
First stop was Gyeongbokgung palace which served as the principal palace until 1592, when it was burnt down during the Japanese invasions. The name translates as "Palace Greatly Blessed By Heaven" It was great to spend a few hours walking around the buildings. There are places you can buy or rent the national dress and if you wear them around the tourist places you get in free. I had my photo taken with a group of Taiwanese girls dressed up. They look so beautiful and manage to glide from place to place. The backdrop for the palace is hills so it makes it look even more magnificent and majestic whilst on the other side it is the new city skyscrapers.
Next stop was Gwanghwamun square to visit two statues, one of King Sejong who created the Korean alphabet and the other Admiral Yi Sunshin who defended the Japanese with help from the Chinese. They are the two most respected historical figures in Korea. Opposite is the American embassy and you certainly know something special is there due to the copious amounts of Police outside.
Day 2 - 1st September
Up at 8:15 to sample hostel breakfast, sweet white bread and fruit jam along with a fried egg which I cooked myself. Coffee is in sachets with powdered milk and sugar so gave that a miss. Infuture breakfast will also be taken out of the hostel.
First stop of the day was Bosingak Belfry which was historically used to tell the time. Nowadays it doesn't open until 11am and I had got there for 10:50 not realising and managed to set off all the alarms opening the gate and letting myself in. After being reprimanded in the nice Korean style it was suggested go drink coffee for 10 minutes. When I finally came back there were men in traditional costume carrying out the opening ceremony.
Back to Insa-dong to finish off the shopping street. I came on this travel experience wanting a couple of pictures for my living room (I like to buy at source) so I managed to find a hand painted one of birds and red blossom. Very beautiful. I also stopped at a Korean Teahouse to taste cinnamon punch tea. This consisted of cinnamon Tea, with korean expensive fruit good for health sounding like Jeu jeu in finished off with a little pink flower. I also ordered an ice cream equivalent, little did I know it was for sharing so I ate it all.
After having shopped for the morning I decided culture was back on the agenda and visited the Bukchon Hanok village which has all the old houses in. New style houses had been built around them so in true traditional Korean style its old and new next door to each other.
To finish off the day I decided to visit Gwangjang one of the largest food night markets. Here I ate freshly cooked Mackerel with traditional Korean accompaniments - Kimchi (fermented cabbage, great for the gut but not yet appreciating the taste), broccoli and beansprouts. Some form of leaf and also soup. This cost 7,000 Won just over £5.
On the way home via the subway I noticed a shop especially for the muffin eating men. Guess this is not one for us ladies....
