around Seoul (by subway and on foot): Catherine, Gina, and i had a low-key day of tourism in Seoul, following an excellent itinerary suggested by Lindsay. We took the subway to Changdeokgung Palace, and found a place to get coffee and juice. Then we wandered around the palace grounds for an hour, until our timed-entry for the secret garden. Next, we walked to a vegan Korean restaurant, and then wandered around a craft store mall, got coffee again, and walked down a canal back to the subway. Then, back to the hotel to get our suitcases, and to Yongsan Station, where we met Lindsay and a couple of colleagues for dinner before our train. [Editorial note: google maps is very limited in South Korea, so i'm cutting myself some slack on the maps for the remainder of the trip. This is approximately where we went, but does not at all resemble how we got there.]
Korea has cuptop coffee bags too |
so satisfying! |
view from our room in Seoul Garden Hotel |
hallway of our hotel room |
another day, another road race |
runners at a street corner |
eye doctor |
i like this, it's clever |
a frictiony ramp down the stairs so you can drag your bike |
instructions in the subway |
complete with an actual supply of gas masks |
interior of subway |
decorative brickwork on the steps out of the subway |
a very decorative building at the end of an alley |
sign for the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, complete with turtles |
nice roof though |
street leading to Changdeokgung Palace |
a gravel area, a bench, flowers |
Catherine contemplates the open coffee shop we have finally found |
mugs and glasses |
look! coffee! we have it! |
traffic, and a tunnel |
entrance to Changdeokgung Palace |
many little roof creatures experiencing some drama |
the first thing we noticed is how colorful the beam endcaps were |
a stone wall with tidy mortar |
here, have some history of this palace |
a critter atop a post |
stone walkway down to a building |
Gina and Catherine embark on a journey across a big sand courtyard |
diagram of throne hall and courtyards |
decorative archway |
it was a warm day, and we definitely understood the psychological effect of walking across giant open courtyards to meet someone waiting in the shade |
markers in the courtyard |
a latticed shutter |
interior of throne hall |
detail of ceiling and post trim |
ceiling reflected in the floor |
giant courtyard, buildings of Seoul |
more decorative palace buildings |
colorful roof trim |
roof: shapes and patterns |
also note the little bird-spikes |
colorful animals at the gift shop |
paths and trees |
trees on stairs |
rhododendrons |
colorful shutters and roof endcaps |
roof with decorations |
roof with more of those parades of chasing critters |
ceiling tiles |
interior floor |
door with wood patterned frame |
grate with metal pattern |
all of the decoration is so colorful |
two rows of colorful roof beam endcaps |
patterned roof facade |
wood door with decorations above |
setting up for a concert |
balcony with patterned rail and stairs |
more multi-level decorative rails |
long line of decorative endcaps |
another interior space |
metal bowl |
rail going around a corner, and gravel underneath |
closeup of wood rail in front of shutters |
that line of critters again |
an alley between buildings |
stone and mortar |
this is a neat building also |
huh. a fruit |
look, just indulge me on these endcaps; they're neat |
entering the 'Secret Garden' portion of Changdeokgung Palace |
metal detail with many limbs |
even the garden edge covers are decorative |
a door in the wall (with decorative endcaps, needless to say) |
i don't think i have a photo of the ritualistically farmed silkworms, so i'd better just let you read this sign |
building complex in the secret garden |
building in the secret garden |
wood floor |
side of decorative archway |
tree island in a pond |
underside of balconies and roof |
fountainhead |
stone terraces (look, no mortar) |
do not go up these steps into the shadowy part of the forest |
pondside gazebo |
trees reflected in the pond |
there are open spaces in the garden too, but the shade helps |
this photo captions itself |
this tree is trying hard with the help of some metal supports |
this tree is trying hard with the help of a ... harpoon? |
gazebo with curved interior |
this sign says not to graffiti things (does it work?) |
pavilion ceiling with dragons |
tablet with writings of King Jeongjo, late 18th century, about the royal authority of the king |
building interior |
building ceiling (more colorful flowers) |
a path climbing in the garden |
anti-skid matting |
Catherine, waiting in the shade |
octagonal pattern on a brick wall |
veranda by a courtyard |
adjustable shade with a string |
interior corridor |
Catherine and Gina climbing through the garden |
hello insect |
the other side of the insect |
pretty sure that wasn't a snake or a wasp, but appreciate the heads-up |
path out of the garden |
another tree with a lot going on |
this, on the other hand, this you can beware of |
a bird with a blue stripe |
also not a snake or wasp |
stone walled area |
a Chinese juniper believed to be 750 years old |
this tree is trying the most hard |
rooftop coffee shop, on the street outside the palace |
street outside the palace |
stone statues |
urns |
archers on horseback, by an artist with some opinions about how gaits work |
Lindsay recommended this vegan restaurant to us, and it was eventually great, but first we messed up the Korean-language-only ordering kiosk and ordered four times |
victory! we have received one (1) set of side dishes |
Catherine's fried pseudo-chicken salad |
wheat gluten bulgogi; it was fantastic |
the restaurant was not thrilled with our incompetent ordering, but we had a nice meal |
our next stop is Ssamgil, a multistory craft market based around a central atrium |
ad for a playmobil event |
welcome to Ssamgil |
the walkway is a ramp, so you just slowly walk up past all the stores |
flower lamp at a store called violeds |
another flower lamp |
these dollhouse inhabitants are big readers |
watch with townscape |
multilingual watch |
snacktime |
view from the coffee shop window |
roofs, construction, and a hostel |
looking down at the Ssamgil atrium |
view as we go down an outer stairway |
wall decor |
Bricksand (we didn't try it) |
decorative fire extinguisher stand |
a kinetic sculpture at a very cool store we stopped in |
back on the street, another temple |
we walked along a canal before heading back to the hotel |
couldn't tell you |
view across the canal from street level |
children checking out some stepping stones across the canal |
walking along the canal itself |
a water feature |
ad for an exhibition of papercut art by Fujishiro Seiji |
a subway ad for an exhibition about the military history of the island of Dokdo between Korea and Japan (i am missing a ton of context here) |
sun on skyscrapers |
giant inflatable head of Anne of Green Gables on top of Yongsan Station (we'll get back to this, i promise) |
steps of Yongsan Station |
skyscraper under construction |
i got the mussel porridge at dinner, and enjoyed it |
Seoul to Gwangju (by train): we took the train with Lindsay and colleagues down the length of South Korea to their home in Gwangju.
Catherine and Lindsay, on the train to Gwangju! |
this building is shaped like an arch |
Seoul, on the north side of the Han River |
crossing the Han |
cartoon-style safety video on the train |
train passing mountains |
train passing flooded fields |
skyline in the distance |
skyline right here |
suddenly a bank of skyscrapers |
soon, a bank of skyscrapers |
fields and mountains |