A couple of weeks ago, we went to Seoul. Our youngest daughter was there at a summer session in Yonsei University, studying, among other things, Korean. Since it is only a 2 hour flight from Hangzhou to Seoul, we decided to go visit her there at the end of her study session. Cindy had more time in Korea, but due to work constraints I only had a long weekend. Still it was a great introduction to Korea, and to Seoul.
On our first day there, we went to the Leeum Samsung museum of art, while waiting for Maya to finish checking out of her dorm. There we saw some interesting Korean and foreign art, including Calder exhibit. After we met her and Jun Ho for lunch, we went to the National Museum of Korea. This place is HUGE, not just architecturally, which it is, but also in it's collection. One afternoon was certainly not enough time to do it justice. We could have easily spent a whole day there. I particularly enjoyed some of the recent history, and the historical furniture on display. Some of the art collections from around Asia were stunning as well.
That evening we went to dinner in the Hongdae area, and afterwards we walked through the streets a bit. It was a very lively section of the city at night, but it was very hot and humid, so we stopped to enjoy a cocktail at a little tiny bar which serves drinks in plastic bags "to go" or onsite. 
There were also people entertaining. This guy had a decent crowd around him listening to his singing.
The following day, we started off by going to see the palace, sort of the equivalent of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is much more approachable, and since it is smaller and there is more greenery, it is much more enjoyable to visit. We arrived just as the guards were being changed. But before we got there we walked up this big promenade which approaches the palace. Along the way we saw the statue of the King who invented (or had invented) the current Korean Script.
And there were displays of the national flower and other things as well. Unfortunately the morning was fairly grey and it started to rain just as we got inside the palace walls. After seeing the changing of the guard. 
So we headed off to the palace museum, where we got to see a lot of what life was like in the palace before the occupation by the Japanese in the early 1900s. They even had old photos of some of the royal family being held hostage during the negotiations with the Japanese about the occupation.
The inside of the palace is very well kept up and a beautiful place to just wander around.
I liked this set of rooms, it was for the Queen, and sat just in front of one of the gardens, you can see the garden scene painted on the walls, and the actual garden behind.
Of course they had to change the guards again just before we were leaving.
We spent basically most of a day there, and left only in time to meet some friends we had gotten to know in Bangalore, who are now living outside of Seoul. We went to dinner with them after visiting a famous Buddhist temple close to the palace.
The next day, in the morning we visited some of the Tombs at Seolleung, which is near to the Gangam section of town. The park is beautifully maintained, unfortunately some of the tombs are hard to get close to to really see, but this does help maintain them, so I understand.
It was really hot and humid, so we had a slow walk through the park, and saw all three tombs there.
As you can see, it really is right in the middle of the city, and accessible from the metro by about a 10 minute walk.
This was Jun Ho's last weekend of freedom before going into the Army. We met with his parents for a delicious Korean lunch in Gangam after visiting the tombs.
It was very nice to visit with them and reminisce about Bangalore. They had lived in Bangalore while we were there, and Jun Ho's father still runs a business there now.On our first day there, we went to the Leeum Samsung museum of art, while waiting for Maya to finish checking out of her dorm. There we saw some interesting Korean and foreign art, including Calder exhibit. After we met her and Jun Ho for lunch, we went to the National Museum of Korea. This place is HUGE, not just architecturally, which it is, but also in it's collection. One afternoon was certainly not enough time to do it justice. We could have easily spent a whole day there. I particularly enjoyed some of the recent history, and the historical furniture on display. Some of the art collections from around Asia were stunning as well.
That evening we went to dinner in the Hongdae area, and afterwards we walked through the streets a bit. It was a very lively section of the city at night, but it was very hot and humid, so we stopped to enjoy a cocktail at a little tiny bar which serves drinks in plastic bags "to go" or onsite. There were also people entertaining. This guy had a decent crowd around him listening to his singing. The following day, we started off by going to see the palace, sort of the equivalent of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is much more approachable, and since it is smaller and there is more greenery, it is much more enjoyable to visit. We arrived just as the guards were being changed. But before we got there we walked up this big promenade which approaches the palace. Along the way we saw the statue of the King who invented (or had invented) the current Korean Script.
And there were displays of the national flower and other things as well. Unfortunately the morning was fairly grey and it started to rain just as we got inside the palace walls. After seeing the changing of the guard. So we headed off to the palace museum, where we got to see a lot of what life was like in the palace before the occupation by the Japanese in the early 1900s. They even had old photos of some of the royal family being held hostage during the negotiations with the Japanese about the occupation.
The inside of the palace is very well kept up and a beautiful place to just wander around.
I liked this set of rooms, it was for the Queen, and sat just in front of one of the gardens, you can see the garden scene painted on the walls, and the actual garden behind.
Of course they had to change the guards again just before we were leaving.
We spent basically most of a day there, and left only in time to meet some friends we had gotten to know in Bangalore, who are now living outside of Seoul. We went to dinner with them after visiting a famous Buddhist temple close to the palace.
The next day, in the morning we visited some of the Tombs at Seolleung, which is near to the Gangam section of town. The park is beautifully maintained, unfortunately some of the tombs are hard to get close to to really see, but this does help maintain them, so I understand.
It was really hot and humid, so we had a slow walk through the park, and saw all three tombs there.
As you can see, it really is right in the middle of the city, and accessible from the metro by about a 10 minute walk.This was Jun Ho's last weekend of freedom before going into the Army. We met with his parents for a delicious Korean lunch in Gangam after visiting the tombs.
Unfortunately I had to leave the next morning, so after lunch we made a visit to the old part of town, near the palace, where they still have some traditional houses available for viewing. And then I had to get ready to go back to China.
But I have to say, I enjoyed Korea, and Seoul much more than I thought I would, and would be happy to go back again. As always, more photos on Flickr.
