Sightseeing in Seoul

Breakfast at our little hostel consists of toast, jam, tea, and coffee. Many restaurants – including our hostel – have a water dispenser with both cold and hot water available for free. So often, you don’t even have to pay for water at restaurants – how nice is that? The hot water is perfect for coffee or for their beloved noodles! :o) The subway covers almost the entire city, so we can avoid traffic. We got off at Anguk station, exit 3, and it was just a short walk to Bukchon Hanok Village, which is home to traditional Korean houses. The area is still inhabited by regular folks, so you have to be respectful. That’s why there’s no entrance fee. Unfortunately, the area isn’t densely packed with the old beautiful houses, so you have to wander around the narrow streets a bit. When houses are restored, it’s done in harmony with the old traditions. They have tiled roofs, the upper part of the walls is made of timber, and the lower part is granite. The doors are wooden with large iron nails, and there are hardly any windows. On both sides, within walking distance, are Seoul’s two famous palaces: Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. Gyeongbokgung has been rebuilt several times, so it doesn’t look “old” in the traditional sense. Entrance costs 3,000 won. Every hour, there’s a changing of the guard ceremony where the uniformed soldiers switch places. The Japanese destroyed it twice during their occupation – first in 1592 and again in 1895, when they occupied the country until 1945, when the USA dropped an atomic bomb on Japan, forcing them to retreat. You don’t have to pay to see the changing of the guard and the impressive uniformed soldiers; you can enjoy that right at the entrance gate, where you have access to a large courtyard. Seoul Tower is located in the southern part of the city, right in the middle of a park. Seoul is stunning in the evening when the thousands of lights and neon signs light up. I highly recommend taking a “city night walk” around the city, ending up at Seoul Tower. You can get to the tower on foot, by cable car, bus, or taxi. We took the subway, so the easiest option for us was to grab a taxi. We noticed several locals out in sports gear or cycling, getting their exercise. Others come here for a date, as it’s quite romantic to look out over the city. You can also commemorate your love at Seoul Tower. Up in the tower, you can hang a little wooden plaque with a love declaration on a large magnetic column. At the railing surrounding the tower, you can hang your own little padlock as a symbol of eternal love. There are two restaurants up in the tower, one Korean and one French, both with views over the entire city. There’s also an observation deck for those who just want to enjoy the view. Below the tower, there’s a shopping arcade where you can also grab a bite to eat – but with a less impressive view of the city. Entrance to the observation deck costs 7,000 won per ticket. The Korean restaurant costs 44,000 won per person, including entrance and buffet. The highest and most expensive restaurant is the French one, where the set menu costs 75,000 won. Of course, it has the best view, but if that sounds pricey, you can still enjoy a fantastic view of the city from the terrace around the tower, which is completely free. That’s where all the young couples stand, soaking in the scenery. We chose to eat at the Korean restaurant. We had a choice of four main dishes with a buffet. The quality of the food was good, but it was definitely the view we were paying for. We’ve had just as good food at smaller restaurants down in the city for much cheaper, but the view here is top-notch. We took the bus back down to the city, where we struck up a conversation with a local couple who had just celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary at the fancy French restaurant in Seoul Tower. He spoke excellent English due to his work in IT, where he had traveled to Denmark and the Netherlands. They pointed us towards an area called Itaewon, which supposedly has the highest concentration of tourists. You can’t really say there are many tourists in the country – most are from other Asian countries. Tourists from Europe are a rare sight, which is why the locals aren’t so good at English. So far, though, it seems like they’re better at English than people generally are in China. Even in Itaewon, there aren’t many tourists. The reason there are supposed to be many tourists here is that during the Korean War, the American military had a base in this area. So, you’ll especially meet American tourists here – including at Seoul Pub. The place has a great atmosphere and is a nice mix of locals and tourists. The bartenders are also good at English. We chatted with a Korean businessman who gave us his card, so we could always reach out if we needed help. Just like in China, he had taken an English name because the Korean words can be a challenge for anyone other than the locals :o) His name was Steven.