South Korea: Seoul and Busan

Visited South Korea in October 2024. I wish I had kept the notes of my skeleton itinerary. As it is, I'm writing from memory using the photos I took

as a prompt.

I stayed at Hotel Lemong in the Jong no district of Seoul, a 10 minute walk from Jongno-3-ga Metro Station and close to the Cheonggyecheon Stream.

I wanted a fairly central hotel as it makes getting around a lot easier and this one fitted the bill very well.

I prefer public transport when travelling as it keeps costs down and Seoul has a good Metro system which takes you to many of the key attractions. The hotel

itself is tucked away down a little side street, yet close to the buzz of the city. It's a cozy hotel with smallish but adequate rooms. The communal area by reception is

nicely decorated with ample seating and complimentary tea and coffee. There's also a nice garden area for relaxing outside before or after a day of sightseeing.

The breakfast room in the basement is large and welcoming and breakfast was ample with a wide choice of local or international food to start your day on

a full stomach.

Directly opposite the hotel is a restaurant whose name I don't recall but I visited it more than once and absolutely enjoyed the food and the style of eating

which is typical of South Korea. There's a gas barbeque in the centre of each dining table. A range of banchan (small side dishes) is delivered to your table

along with ssam (wraps made with lettuce and sesame leaves). The meat of your choice is cut into small pieces and grilled slowly to your preference.

Admittedly, I had no idea how the food is supposed to be eaten but the very welcoming owner showed me how to wrap the meat inside the lettuce along with

bits of ssam to make a delicious and very satisfying eating experience. I loved it! There was a language barrier, as English is not always spoken by the locals, especially

the older generation but with few smiles, gestures and a bit of demonstration, the host succeeded in introducing me to the particular style of eating. Good food

at a good price and I left happy.

On the subject of food, I like trying the local dishes wherever I go. Problem is, I find that simply going to a new country plays games with my digestive tract. Eating unfamiliar,

or spicy food, often adds to the problem. For this reason, I'm sometimes limited as to how much local food I can eat without having stomach trouble. I eat as much as I can get

away with but on more than one occasion I've been happy to find a McDonalds, just to eat something familiar which I know will not upset my stomach. It's a case of striking the

right balance between what my stomach can tolerate and my culinary desires. I don't have any problem when visiting European countries though, which I suspect is largely because

European food is generally much more in keeping with my usual diet.

Gyeongbokgung and Chandeokgung Palaces

Both these palaces are within easy reach of one another and a relatively short hop on the very efficient metro system. The nearest metro station to my hotel was a 10 minute walk

from my hotel along wide bustling main roads with masses of traffic. As usual, I got lost on my first day but soon worked out the easiest route to the station. The problem with

being in a new place is that it's easy to get lost after taking one wrong turn and then spending ages getting back on the right track. Similarly, it takes me some time to familiarise

myself with the working of a new city's metro system. However, I've often found that a friendly local, spotting a lost and confused tourist, will offer assistance especially when it

comes to using the ticket machines. I purchased a 4 day travel pass which allowed for unlimited travel within the main areas of interest.

There is a reasonably priced fee for entry to the palaces but visitors who wear Hanbok (traditional Korean attire) get free admission. Hanbok can be rented near the palace entrance.

Once inside, it's usually worth joining a tour group. These are sometimes free and run by volunteers. It makes a big difference to the visit when you have a tour guide to explain

what's what and give you some insight into the history of the palaces. Having said that, tour guides sometimes chivvy you along faster (or slower) than you you might like. I

sometimes break off from the group or return later to spend time exploring at my leisure. I was lucky enough to be at the palace at the right time to see the changing of the guard,

which happens twice a day, at 10am and 2pm. I also returned at night when it's all lit up. It's definitely worth doing.

I think pictures are often much better at 'describing' things than long descriptions so here's a few of the palace visits, both day and night.

I visited in October, 2024, It was hot but not unbearable. I always carry plenty of water for sightseeing days and wear sun protection plus a hat or cap. I find it essential

in order to avoid sunburn or dehydration. I walk, walk and walk some more, wanting to see what's over there, what's next to it, behind it and beyond it. I'm like a child in

a sweet shop, excitedly wanting to see everything all at once and I don't stop until I'm satisfied that I've covered every inch of what sparks my interest. Consequently, it's tiring!

A satisfied type of tiring.

After leaving the palace, just over the road is a large paved area with some street side cafes, statues and monuments. The area is lively and nice to spend some time taking in

the atmosphere and sights.