After spending more than 16 hours on planes beginning on Sunday, I couldn't have been happier to touch down in Seoul. Especially after the little boy sitting directly across the aisle from me puked everywhere with 45 minutes left of the flight... Stepping off the airplane was truly like entering another world full of foreign signage and different customs.
The first full day in the city was exciting, yet exhausting. After a late breakfast, I wandered through the Korean War Memorial, which is a touching and elaborate dedication to the war that ended in 1953.
From there, my sister and I headed to Changdeokgung Palace. Parts of the structure and the grounds had been rebuilt after the Japanese bombed it -- not once, but twice. Standing in the palace area, it was hard to believe the modern world was just a few steps away.
In another blast to the past, we visited Bukchon Hanok Village. The traditional village that's still home to many people is a quiet escape from Seoul. To rest from the steep walk, we stopped at an adorable little tea house (which apparently was also featured on The Bachelor).
However, the coolest experience so far was our fish market dinner. To score salmon sashimi, shrimp, scallops and fish soup, we bargained with vendors. After paying, we were led to a restaurant where the seafood was taken from us, prepared, and then served immediately. An adventurous dinner to end an adventurous day.
Can't wait to see what these next couple of weeks will bring!
No comments:
Post a Comment