Seoul to Seoul (Hopefully not Couldn't Stand the Weather)

[Noel Mugavin]

Depart tonight at 11.55, Cathay Pacific via a short layover in Hong Kong.
Few days in Seoul before embarking on the Cross Country Bike Path - 633km Incheon - Busan. Monitoring the weather situation, hoping to get away with minimal impact of monsoon season. More than a slight concern with flash flooding and 128mm expected on the day I ride into Busan. We'll see what happens.
Few day sin Busan, then over to Kyushu and Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Back to Busan for a day, then finish off with a few more days in Seoul.
Other than the ride and a DMZ tour, not a hell of a lot planned, just happy to go with the flow.

 

[craven morehead]

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I hadn't told her yet

 

[love_the_life]

I hadn't told her yet
View attachment 334068

Oh dear - you will be in the doghouse

 

[JackMiles]

Nice SRV reference. Both superb albums.

 

[JackMiles]

Oh, and also sounds like a fantastic trip.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Been back a week, so time to get the trip report rolling.
Able to get award seats, and on a Cathay Pacific A350 through to Hong Kong, then a 777 through to Seoul.
11.55pm departure, originally scheduled for a Sunday night, couple of months out rescheduled for a Sturday night. Attempted to add another night on to my booking at Hotel Gracery, cost went up about 400 for the change; booked a night at the Namsan Hill instead for about 120 dollars.
16A, went to lie flat as soon as possible and got a good 5 hours sleep in.

Breakfast served about an hour and half out of Hong Kong

Bit of rain around, uneventful landing and then a 20 minute taxi to the gate. Not enough time to get to a lounge, grabbed a quick coffee at a little kiosk, which did a great job of burning the roof of my mouth.
Seat on the 777

Short 4 hour hop to Seoul, think another breakfast was on the menu.
Very quick and efficient immigration, grabbed my sim card, and my first bulgogi bibimbap of the trip.


About a 5 minute walk to the Arex Station, and a 12 dollar fare for the 45 minute express ride to Seoul Station.



About 4 or 5 sets of escalators to get up at Seoul Station, then out into the heat and sunshine.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Hotel was about a kilometre walk from the station, and once I completed my game of frogger to get over to the other side of the road; I would work out in subsequent days there is an underpass that would have made life a hell of a lot easier. I had a decision to turn either right or left. I went right, which in hindsight was not the correct decision.
A lot of steep hills, blind turns, and eventually spat out near the Namsan Hill Cable Car station.
Had my hotel in sight, now I had to go down and across a major road. not a great start, lugging a bag and about 35 degree heat.

There is a little cog car that can take you down the hill, however quite a few people waiting for it, and me with my bag made the choice to walk. Not the real thing, but nice to see.

After about an hour of walking, finally made it to the hotel. Much needed shower and a short nap.
Out for my first real explore of a new city.

In my walk came across Seoullo 7017, an elevated walkway much like the New York Highline, this one a converted highway overpass. Also worked out if I had have turned left from Seoul Station, life would have been a lot easier a few hours ago.



Sungnyemen Gate, and Hotel Gracery in the background
Started to fade fast, so back to the hotel and called it a night

 

[drron]

I remember our first trip to Seoul in the early 80s. organised by our neice who was and is a TA. She said it must be difficult getting to the City from the airport as the travel company has a transfers package for $150. I said we will take our chances. Sure enough as we were exiting the airport I noticed a sign giving directions to the free hotel busses. Got to the point and there was a bus for our hotel. Turned out much cheaper than buying transfers in Australia.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Woke up to a beautiful day, and decided to get some early morning exercise in by walking up Namsan Mountain to Seoul Tower.


Little way up the hill, and one of many exercise areas that are found around Korea.
Somewhere for the dog as well

I was no orphan climbing up or down the hill


Some beautiful views as you continue to ascend



The path does get quite steep at times


took about half an hour to get to the top of the hill


Still early, a few people around, but nothing open

 

[Noel Mugavin]

360 degree views and you get to take in just how huge Seoul is.



Can just make out Lotte Tower in the distance

Time to make my way back down, but no way I was going to have a go at the stairs that I came up on . Fortunately there is a road/walkway that takes you down the hill as well.




Clearer air to the west



Thought it would be nice to walk through the pine forrest. However, the trail became a bit too steep for me and my vertigo, so back to the main path.




Took a good hour and a half to 2 hours to walk down, as the road skirts the perimeter of the hill.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Grabbed my bag from the Namsan Hotel and made my way via Namdaemun market to Hotel Gracery to drop my bags.
Was my intention to visit the War Memorial of Korea, however on checking opening times realised it was a Monday, and like a lot of businesses/attractions are closed. So to Gyeongbokgung Palace it was. A walk straight up Sejongno, and through Gwanghwamun Square and the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
A little further up to the statue of King Sejong

And then to Gyeongbokgung Palace


Forecourt of the palace, then 3000 won, little less than 4 dollars, to get through the inside gate.


Lot of people dressed up in hanbok. Was extremely hot and would have been very uncomfortable. Sure I detected on the faces of a lot of males they were doing this to please their better halves.






This bloke had had enough


Ladies walked past the doorway at just the right time for me

 

[Noel Mugavin]

It's a huge complex and after about an hour I was all palaced out, so back on the frog and toad.
Cheonggyecheon, stream running through Seoul that was concreted over before the renewal process started in the 00's






Kept wandering and found my way into a restaurant in a little sides street and went for a pork stir fry

And the banchan



More wandering, and by now I was just churning up time before I could check in at the hotel

Namdaemun market

Sungnyemun

 

[Black Duck]

Enjoying your report thank you.

You may well know, but some years ago a madman tried to burn down Sungnyemun. Did a good job of destroying all but the stonework. The government, when trying to restore it could only find commercial mass made tiles. There was an man in his 80s who still did some work but had no market for handmade tiles so he was giving up and retiring. He was a tiny frail man then. He was charged with the job of making replacements. Fortunately the government found him a few apprentices and helped it happen. Such work is really heavy. I had the good fortune to visit him in the early months of the project. There were problems with the scale of work, weather and the speed it was wanted. They did solve it so all the tiles were proper handmade ones. He passed away a couple of years latter.

Looking forward to photos of your bike paths. While I am no rider there are some great and accessible tracks all over Korea.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Into the room

Reception is on the 11th floor, with rooms from 12 - 20, and office space 1- 10. Result, rooms with a view.


Had a soak in the huge bath, then a bit of a nap, and out for dinner and a trip up to Seoul Tower.
South Korea, so had to go for some fried chicken. Didn't realize I was getting a whole chook.


Took the cable car up this time, 11000 won for a round trip. Nice views, but unfortunately air quality wasn't great.


Toilet with a view.










Time to head back down, and as I was heading to the cable car, a group of about 60 11/12 year old school kids were moving the same way and got the the entry point before me. South Korean kids aren't as reserved as Japanese kids, and I wasn't looking forward to being in an enclosed space with them.
Decided to have a crack at walking down, got about 3 steps down and vertigo said no. Fortunately, the kids cleared pretty quickly, and was able to get int a gondola pretty quickly. Kicking myself a little bit that I had forgotten to take my mask, we were packed in pretty tightly. Big ride coming up and really couldn't afford to not be at 100 percent.
Off at the cable car station, kept walking and stumbles upon Myeondong and the night market

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Wandered for a little while, then meandered back in the general direction of the hotel.







City Hall. Bright light on the bottom left of the picture is a memorial/protest area calling for an inquiry into the Itaewon Halloween Disaster. On subsequent days when visiting the memorial it really is shocking to look at the pictures of the victims and to see how young they were.


A few minutes walk to the hotel from City Hall.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Woke to a clear and warm day, plan was to head to the War Memorial of Korea. Opening time wasn't until 9.30, so a bit of early morning wandering west of Seoul Station.

This old fella walked the same route, no footpath or waiting for lights to change for him.

Counter lever umbrellas on most street corners, welcome respite from the sun or rain.
I haven't been into Perth city for many years, but doubt nice things like that would last very long.

Many churches around Korea

Another shower at the hotel as was quite hot and sticky. Then an easy 3 stop subway ride to the War Memorial of Korea

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Grounds are stacked with plenty of planes, tanks, missiles, helicopters and boats.










Into the forecourt of the main building, and there are, for want of a better word, monuments dedicated to every country that participated in the war.






Into the entry hall of the main building

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Entry fee to the museum - nil.
Another piece of propaganda about the disputed Dokdo Islands. First First exposure was a video playing on the AREX into Seoul.


Turtle Boat


Very impressive displays, and a lot of information. In the end a bit of information overload, but well worth spending a few hours here.












Took off in the heat toward Itaewon, time for lunch and also for a little dark tourism.
Thankfully plenty of shade along the way,

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Walked to the alleyway where the Halloween crush occurred. Took the photo from the top of the alleyway, I was at the bottom, however the ladies in the photo were lining up for a photo shoot and I didn't feel right taking the photo from down there.

Roadway that runs along the top of the alleyway


Grabbed some lunch, by that time the ladies had finished up so a quick photo from the bottom of the alleyway.


Walk to the subway station and in a snapshot to the future got caught in a quick downpour.

Walked through Sungnyemun Gate.


Bit of a rest, then a bibimbap at a little side street restaurant near the hotel


Back on the subway and down to the Han River


Couple of K walk to Banpo Bridge for the rainbow fountain. 7/11 on the waterfront doing a roaring trade of instant ramen, so much so had a multiple hot water station set up outside the store.
On the lookout for angry snakes