Annyeong ha se yo (Hello in Korean)
A good place to start when you are planning a trip to Korea is to learn a few words or key phrases. This is a good one!
Seoul is such an exciting place that I was bursting to write this after just the first day! Everything is so new to us, and larger than life. The concentration needed when speaking, reading and listening to a new language means that every night, we just crashed onto our hotel beds.
So where to start?
It's a hard choice when the people, the food, the coffee, the history, the culture, the language, the design, the architecture, the music, the media, the arts, are all so amazing I want to talk about everything. I’m going to try not to use too many superlatives, but that WILL be hard.
Founded in 18 BCE, nearly destroyed so many times by the Chinese, Japanese, Mongols, and almost entirely flattened during the Korean War, it is now racing at breakneck speed to enter the 22nd century with space-age buildings and high-tech infrastructure, high-speed trains, AMAZING bridges (think ‘Blade Runner’ for all the movie buffs). Street busking, gorilla concerts, fascinating museums, funky art galleries and sculptures, observatories with breath-taking views, beautiful green spaces, large parks and avenues of trees - maples, cherry blossoms, ginkgoes, pines, camellias (think Melbourne and Adelaide in Autumn) and the ever-present surrounding impressive mountains …
Cherry Blossoms in front of Seoul Tower.
Did I mention the coffee shops (every 20 metres or so)? Hot steaming or ice-cold coffee or tea along with buns, tarts, cakes, macaroons, and ports to charge every device possible! AND open till 10 pm or even 24/7! Coffee and chocolate are serious business here. My kind of place. ☕️
As a counterpoint, the older suburbs and markets survive with colourful street food, strip and narrow lanes, and busy full-to-the-brim little shops with every item you would ever want or not want to buy.
Also alongside this cool, modern K-Pop vibe are the many magnificent ancient UNESCO World Heritage listed palaces from 13 -14th century (similar to, but built before, the Chinese Hidden City). Wow, the changing of the guard is so much more exciting here than in other countries - drums, swords, arrows. Many people dress up in the traditional Hanbok dress and robes as the throng explores these huge complexes as well as the museums and well-preserved old Hanok villages made up of a maze of small wooden houses with thatched or tiled roofs. The city contains remnants of the old city walls, moon gates, many Buddhist temples bursting with chrysanthemums and just as many Christian churches.
An exciting ceremony to watch: The Changing of the Guards.
I could go on and on about the restaurants and the Korean sincere love of food, the friendly smiling courteous people, and of course I love the way the language flows.
My main takeaway .... you need a month in Seoul, not a few days! Reach out if I can assist you to plan your own Seoul journey.
Seoul, experience the magic for yourself.
