I was lucky enough to enjoy
an extra long weekend recently and of course, me being me, I took this as a
sign to get away to yet another global destination. With a friend teaching in
Korea, a country famous for its food, industry, history and scenery, where
better than open my eyes to yet another culture.
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| Tranquil gardens of the Gyeongbokgung Palace |
Singapore had been my last stop in Asia for the opening of the iconic
Marina Bay Sands, a city where a language barrier was no real
issue. Korea on the other hand, is somewhat different. They are crying out for
English teachers and is now expected in the school syllabus but I found that
many of the older generation spoke only a limited amount of English. Although my language
skills are limited to that of European languages, I did try learning a few key
phrases in Korean but all of which were redundant once I was overwhelmed in
this grand city.
My adventures took me to the
Gyeongbokgung Palace, dated from 1395 it was rebuilt twice since, the most
recent after being destroyed during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The
tranquil surroundings of the palace gardens with the towering skyscrapers to
the South and mountainous forests to the North, tickets cost just 3000 won and
offer some beautiful photo opportunities.
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| Cheonggyecheon River in the heart of Seoul |
As the day grew dark, the
time had come to explore the menu options in this capital city. Knowing only
that there was a vast array of dishes to try, there would be no pizza or pasta
for me this trip. My first venture? A tiny little restaurant in the heart of
Insadong with a computer to order from. That still didn’t help the messy
conversation I had with the owner as she tried to explain what each dish was.
At least there were pictures so I threw caution to the wind and tried what she
suggested…..a bowl of cold noodles. Not my ideal meal, I have to admit but I
was determined to make the most of this and try whatever I could. I headed to
the Seoul Tourist Information for more advice on the next day’s adventure.
The lady at tourist
information was incredibly helpful. She was no doubt getting annoyed with my
constant questions about the best way to enjoy Bukhansan, one of Korea’s many
stunning National Parks. She assured me that the hike I wanted to do was
dangerous and advised me against it. What I really wanted to say was “but
danger’s my middle name”, instead I politely agreed, knowing my attitude is if
you tell me not to do something, I’m going to do it.
That night I relaxed in the hotel in preparation for my dangerous attempt at mountain climbing the next day.
Fearless ajummas, mountain kittens and Soju in part 2
Fearless ajummas, mountain kittens and Soju in part 2
