Seoul, South Korea

June 2015

The main attraction with Seoul for me was I needed a long weekend getaway with a direct flight from Sydney. I was running out of options but Seoul kept popping up. People raved about the food, the culture and weather (early summer escape from a early winter here in Sydney). It was perfect. It was just what I  needed. I'm just disappointed I couldn't see what the rest of South Korea had to offer this time around.

Stay
The Plaza, Seoul. In the Business district across from City Hall and about 500 m from the closest subway entrance. The only issue was early morning coffee on the weekend took time to source!

Eat
I am not unfamiliar with Korean food (although I am sad to admit I didn't try Korean Fried Chicken until last year and I only try Bibimbap for the first time about 5 years ago!). But Korean food is so much more than that.

Do
Make sure you get your Tcard for easy train and bus travel, just top it up, tap on and tap off and you get to your destination in no time

Visit the DMZ, in particular the JSA

Stroll Apgujeong Street and Garosu-gil

Visit the Noryangjin Fish Markets

 Learn about Seoul's history at the Seoul Museum of History

Eat with the locals at the Gwangjang Markets

Stroll the Women's Street and check out the Pear Blossom Mural at Ewha Woman's University - my favourite part of Seoul

Visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace

Visit at Tea House - I enjoyed the iced Plum Tea at Dawon Tea House

Visit the traditional Hanok's

Try Myeong-dong for Hyper Shopping and eat street heaven

Enjoy the views at Namsan Park at the base of the N Seoul Tower

Visit the War Memorial of Korea

 Visit the Changdeokgung Palace with a tour of the Huwan or secret gardens

Enjoy the Namsangol Cultural Village lit by lanterns at night

Stroll Jeongdong-gil St, and enjoy coffee under the trees or in one of the many cafes - the coffee culture in Seoul is nearly as strong as their food culture

Hike the City Walls - 18 km in total, or do as I did and choose a section

Visit a dog cafe such as Bau House - although due to the strong smell this wasn't my cup of tea (or coffee)

Checkout the bright lights of Gangnam

Flashback: China 2002/2003

I visited China over the Christmas/New Year period of 2003/2004.

This was a trip prior digital camera (for me) and with no travel log/diary, so I don't have much details. But it's always fun to look at where you've been.

It was a whirlwind trip, only 9 days from Beijing, to Xian to Shanghai, all by train once I arrived in country.

 I was significantly under prepared for the weather, I spent the whole tour in the Forbidden City thinking I was going to get frostbite!

It was also the trip I discovered eggplant (no, seriously, I have no idea how I missed it before!) and Peaking Duck.

The Terracotta Warriors were only discovered in 1974, and were definitely the highlight of the trip.

By Xian is much more than this and a walk around the wall of the old city is worth it.

 I also am glad I visited this time of year, for Australian's good snow is hard to come by and there were very few people stupid enough to be visiting the Great Wall.

I'm not sure many of my Shanghai photos look like the Shanghai of today.

South East Asia Day 5

April 2008

After a bit of a sleep in we decided to head off to the Grand Palace, getting distracted by the Marble Temple along the way.

The Grand Palace has a dress code (covered legs and shoulders for both male and females), but don't be too worried if you don't have appropriate attire as it can be borrowed at the entrance.

We then went to see the Reclining Buddha, this impressed me the most, the size of their feet!

That evening we met with our Intrepid Tour group for the week and enjoyed a spectacular Thai dinner in one of the markets. Who said it's not safe to eat off the street?

South East Asia Day 4

April 2008

Today we headed off on our full day trip to the River Kwai. It was an instrumental part of WWII history and now a prime tourist location. We visited the WWII museum, the bridge, the war cemetery, then taking the train.

We had a floating buffet lunch before visiting some local waterfalls.

In the afternoon we visited the famous Buddhist Monastery and their wildlife refuge. Even getting up close and personal with the tigers in their care.

After a long, hot bus ride back to Bangkok we enjoyed a late dinner in Chinatown.