#Seoul & #SouthKorea

SEOUL FOR THE EYES & SOUL

The day I got to Seoul was like an explosion of impressions, colours and feelings. After a good “night” sleep I set out to explore my surroundings - my hotel was situated was Insadong, I'd say, the most authentic neighborhood of the entire city: streets packed with people from all over the planet, traditional Korean restaurants, shops of all sorts, teahouses, souvenirs and street food stands - it was all breathing life, I couldn't get enough of it! I took a glance at some of the art galleries and continued walking towards the palaces situated in the proximity: Unhyeongung & Changgyeonggung - the latter, the second biggest palace of the city, surrounded by the Bukchon village of Hanok traditional houses. Losing my way in the labyrinth of small Korean dwellings & crafts shops reigning over entire Seoul was all I felt like doing... a genuine feast for the eyes... and soul.

However, curiosity was forcing me to literally step on it and check out the most famous Korean symbol: the Gwanghwamun Gate and the 15th century built Gyeongbokgung Palace, with the numerous inner courtyards and passages... The coincidence that left me practically speechless was the fact that I had made my appearance right on time for the Changing of the ancient Royal Guards Ceremony!... A pretty impressive performance! After visiting the intricate palace, the pagoda and the National Folk Museum right next to it caught my eye - true to my traveler mission, I could resist the temptation to visit the place.

Returning to the Gwanghwamun Square with the mighty statue of king Sejong, the 15th century creator of the Korean alphabet, the streets lured me into the "new city", populated by skyscrapers hiding unexpected sights, such as the Yogyesa Buddhist Temple, an oasis of peace and tranquility in the heart of the CBC... The contrasts of the diverse streets, modern and archaic buildings, proportioned one next to the other in a natural way enchanted me.

People everywhere were happy to give me directions if I needed some - I was so touched by such sincerely friendly behaviour. Walking in this gigantic city, discovering its surprising sides every step of the way - all that is really addictive... 

Time was flying and I had one more objective for the day: check out Myeongdong, the modern shopping district jam-packed with skyscrapers and featuring a mix of everything you might expect to find in the centre of a Far East capital. I reached the Namsan Tower while realizing it was already getting dark... what a marathon my casual walk had turned into! The sight of a spicy Korean dinner was the only thing missing - so I headed for my welcoming Insadong and its traditional restaurants... I'd have the rest of my stay to explore the Seoul in detail.

Here one must try the Korean restaurant food as well as the streetfood available just about everywhere - going to the giant Noryangjin Fish Market turned out to be an awesome idea one of my Korean friends had, giving me the chance to taste fresh seafood and Korean authentic fish dishes.

Other highlights of Seoul are the markets I absolutely adored: in the proximity of the futurist Dongdaemun History & Culture Park there's the unique Dongdaemun Market with innumerable halls around it, places where you can find all kinds of edibles & eateries. The aromas stun and delight you at the same time: from fruit & vegetables to kimchi, fried fish cakes, bean paste filled pancakes, dumplings (fried or not), Korean pasta as well as rice cakes or other types of dry fruit. The traditional Hanbok tailors are situated on the first floor, awaiting not only engaged couples preparing for their wedding, but also Asian tradition fans from all over.

One of my favourite neighbourhoods in Seoul is, apart from my Insadong, Itaewon: the nightlife district. Western music everywhere, international restaurants (with cosmopolitan specialties reinterpreted according to Korean taste/expectation) - the spot is quite a sight!

Then there's the Ilsan Aquarium near the Ilsan lake, a bit far from the central area, but thanks to the fast and efficient subway, at a stone's throw.

The Namdaemun & the Hongdae districts are worth seeing, just as the various bridges over the river Han. Besides, there are so many art galleries, history and culture museums… not to mention the festivals one may happen to come across in different parts of town (I was lucky enough to witness the Kimchi festival, as well as the Insadong Expo dance & music performances). 

Needless to say, another popular pastime around here would be the Noraebang, a.k.a. Karaoke - little private "studios" equipped for singing sessions are very easy to find, and even easier (& cheap) to rent - no Seoul stay would be complete without that kind of Korean fun, anyway! 

In a nutshell, boredom is a sensation this metropole has no time to get used to… so it's absolutely my kind of city! Not even the controversial visit of the American president (it was the 3rd of November 2017) and the pro & contra manifestations it unleashed managed to tamper with the microclimate of this gigantic metropolitan mechanism. 
Seoul does things its own way, not allowing temporary recklessness to get the best of it... here, tradition and modernity set a different tempo.