Rainy Sunday in Seoul

Today started off rainy and a bit chilly, so we decided to visit the National Museum of Korea.  This place is monolithic and filled with historical artifacts dating back to the neolithic period.  The museum is very well laid out and there were lots of teachers accompanying adorable groups of  small children. We stopped for some coffee and OJ in one of the museum's cafes, which was filled with groups of chatting ladies. We were the only men in the place! Paul took advantage of the cafe's Wifi to check in on the Notre Dame game.

The National Museum of Korea

From here, we took the subway up to Namdaemun (South Gate) Market to look for souvenirs and find some lunch.  There are tons of street vendors and little shops to explore in Seoul's markets. 

Namdaemun Market

Next we walked on to Deoksugung, which is an old Joseon period palace.  The grounds are very well maintained and the fall colors really shine through in this area.  Koreans especially love coming here to take pictures of themselves with huge super expensive cameras.  You couldn't walk 5 feet without being in someone's sights and ruining a picture.  Koreans seem to be pretty hardcore about everything they decide they want to do.  Be it old ladies hiking in enough gear to survive the Himalayas, to young photography aficionados buying cameras with big enough lenses to clearly photograph the craters of the moon.  Koreans love overkill!

Next we walked over to Cheonggyeocheon, which is one of the most amazing urban spaces on earth. Seoul used to be bisected by a huge elevated highway. From 2003 to 2005 the government tore down the traffic-choked highway and unearthed Cheonggyeo stream, creating a vibrant 8km long series of pathways, bridges, and public art. We happened to go during the annual Seoul Lantern Festival, so the stream was lined with elaborate lanterns illustrating the history of Korea. Hopefully we can make it back here at night time to see the lanterns lit up.

Popular Cheonggyecheon stream

Seoul Lantern Festival

After strolling for a while down the stream, we visited Tapgol Park and had beer, soju, and some tteokbokki (chewy tube-shaped rice cakes in chili sauce) in Insadong, which is another popular shopping neighborhood.  David was proud of himself for having his first successful Korean language exchange.  Answering questions from our waiter about where he was from and explaining his lack of proficiency in Korean.

Paul enjoying Tteokbokki in Insadong

 
We had a delicious dinner with Megan in Apgujeong, an upscale shopping district south of the river. This time it was Korean BBQ - succulent pieces of pork and beef that we grilled over hot coals at our table.

Finally, we took the train to Lotte World, an indoor/outdoor amusement park. Unfortunately, the outdoor roller coasters were closed because it was too late at night. Paul might have to try to get back there later this week to ride Atlantis Adventure, one of the top ranked steel coasters on earth.