After taking the train from Busan, we stayed 8 days in Seoul and found it quite an easy city to relax and spend time in. There is plenty to do however it doesn’t seem to have the same urgency we experienced in the major cities of Japan.
We started with a free walking tour hosted by a native of Seoul whose sole purpose was to share his city with others and help them to understand it. It was an excellent tour, he even managed to show us the location of the Canadian Embassy. never hurts to know.We finished off the tour at an observation floor where we had a great view of central Seoul. You can see the old and new (The Wave) City Hall, as well get a glimpse of the Outdoor Library.The reading theme is strong here in Seoul. This Outdoor Library is set up on weekends in the summer months and it was heartwarming to see how well used it was.People just relaxing and enjoying a book. In a city where the use of cell phones by everyone is a bit over the top, it was great to see.When we went to check out the largest underground mall in Asia, Starfield COEX Mall, we found the Starfield Library continued that reading theme in the mall.Just cool to see such an effort made to keep the printed word accessible and interesting.The standard ground level malls were pretty impressive as well.We did do some of the more conventional tourist things as well. The Changing of the Guard at the Gyeongbokgung Palace was quite impressive and colourful.The front gate and Changing of the Guard ceremony are free to everyone. However if you want to check out the Palace grounds there is a fee of $3CDN. It is so nice to be in a country that is more interested in sharing its culture than making a buck.If you wanted total immersion you could rent a traditional costume just outside the front gates and you then got free admission to the palace. Very cool to see. Though at times I felt like I was on the Korean equivalent of a Bridgerton TV set.It did make for some nice photo ops though.Because the entrance fee was so reasonable we headed back to the palace for sunset. It was wonderful as the numbers of people was much more to our taste.And nighttime images are always more impressive.It was so cool to just be wandering the back streets and happen to come across a blacksmith. What the heck! It is just too neat.From my previous experience in emergency services I was totally impressed with the level of emergency preparedness we witnessed everywhere in the city. In the metro system these cabinets were everywhere. In addition, when you are on the subways there are videos playing on the trains showing you what to do and how to utilize the supplies that are available. Absolutely awesome by my reckoning. I was sadly a bit excited by the possibility of being able to use the breathing apparatus they were providing. I know, I may need therapy.The one thing on my must do list for South Korea was to visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. When visiting South Korea it is important to remember that technically they are still at war with North Korea. Hence the focus on emergency preparedness as mentioned with the previous photo.The only way to visit the DMZ is by organized tour. We got to walk up one of the tunnels the North Koreans had been digging in preparation to attack the south again. Three of these tunnels have been discovered so far. Photography inside the tunnels is not allowed.It was amazing to see a fairground adjacent to part of the DMZ. Our guide pointed out that the families would come to the edge of the DMZ regularly to look toward where their family members were trapped in the north, and their families wanted something to do. It is incredible how humans can adjust to the most extreme conditions and continue to function in as normal a manner as is possible. We were able to look out toward North Korea and see the old bridges where Prisoners of war were exchanged and the bridges that were built in hopes of building economic ties with the North. Unfortunately the dictator in the north decided to simply destroy the bridges to assure their isolation.
It is quite dramatic when you see how effective isolating a population can be. If you Google nighttime satellite photos of Korea you will literally see that the North is living in the dark ages. South Korea is an economic and humanitarian success story and North Korea is a dictatorship, oppression, and isolation success story. It is an excellent example the world should pay closer attention to.
The natural place to visit after experiencing the DMZ is the War Memorial of Korea. The Korean War was the most successful mobilization the UN has ever accomplished. Their acknowledgment of the sacrifices of the responding nations is outstanding.This hall lists the name of all the UN soldiers that gave their lives to defend a freedom that we all take for granted.Honestly it chokes me up every time I see lists of Canadians that have given their lives to making the world a safer place.Every country that sent troops to Korea has their own pedestal showing the ultimate commitment that was made. South Korea has done an impressive job of acknowledging the sacrifice made to maintain their freedom. Exceptionally proud to be a Canadian as I walked the halls here.As we went to check out a park the day after our War Memorial visit we encountered this lineup of locals stretching 100’s of metres through the middle of the park. We assumed they must be lining up for tickets for the concert advertised on the stadium behind them. As it turned out we happened upon their memorial weekend celebrations for those lost during the Korean War. The social conscience of how fortunate they are is humbling. We could learn from these people.On a lighter note it was neat to check out the Olympic Park from the 1988 Summer Olympics. And of course we had to check out the Gangnam Area and see if we could find some Gangnam StyleThere are some lovely green spaces to be found in Seoul and we certainly enjoyed escaping the humidity in some of these areas.There is an elevated green space near the Seoul Train Station. This was the only area where we saw any evidence of homelessness. They were all concentrated near the station. But up on the green space, not a one.There was however a piano that anyone could come and play. We happened by there as a gentleman shared his skill. It was rather surreal to listen to this beautiful music in the centre of the city. Even the young fellow waiting his turn was a fair pianist. An incredible experience .On one of our last evenings in Seoul we made our way down to Banpo Bridge to see the longest bridge waterfall in the world and enjoy the lightshow.A great way to spend an evening. There was a brisk business of food delivery bringing dinners to the spectators. So cool.Seoul’s city mascot showed up in several areas we visited.
All in, we liked Seoul. It is a city that has adapted to living in an area that is less than 60 kilometres from a deranged dictator who wants to destroy them and they simply get on with living their best life. I truly admire them.
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