South Korea Trip- Day 4

The first thing we did on our last day in Korea was visit an Amethyst store. There were a lot of lovely necklaces, rings and bracelets for sale but since I'm not quite into fancy things, I bought nothing. :P

After lunch, we were able to see the Blue House on the way. It is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean Head of State, the President of the Republic of Korea. 

We were headed to Geongbokgung Palace. 

Gyeongbokgung Palace, according to Wikipedia, is the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty and was built in 1395. There were a lot of tourists as well as Koreans who were dressed with their traditional clothes. They were a lovely sight.

Of course, the group has to have a photo before dispersing to explore the place.

Sadly, this is the first and last palace that is on our itinerary. There are other palaces in Seoul but maybe I can visit those if ever given the chance to visit South Korea again.

I'm really amazed of the different buildings in the palace complex. Distinct and unique Korean architecture all around me. 

This building in the middle of this lake is a very pleasant sight. There were cherry blossom petals that would fall from time to time. Quite magical, I would say.

Cute Korean family having their photo taken. What a charming sight! Everything here is picturesque.

Wincee couldn't help to have a photo with one Korean who was in a beautiful Hanbok. She was very pretty and graciously accepted our request.

Down the pathway was a huge cherry blossom. A lot of people were crowding around it because there were a lot of petals falling. It was amazing. And because this would be the last day we can see these lovely trees, we took a lot of photos. 

Time ran so fast and we were asked to come back to the bus. I can't stop admiring the place. It was my happiest memory in Seoul. Everything there was picture perfect.

Afterwards, we went to a supermarket to do our last minute grocery/ shopping and then headed to Incheon International Airport to catch our flight back to Bangkok. The fourth day was as memorable as the first. I feel very blessed to have been given the chance to travel with hospital staff and friends. I really miss South Korea and it will definitely still be on my list of travel.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

South Korea Trip - Day 3

We woke up to a another cold weather for our day 3 in South Korea. We were now in Seoul and our activity for the first half of the day was to visit a Duty Free Shop, Ginseng Shop, and a Jewellery Store.

One of the buses parked is our tour bus. We still can't get enough of the cherry blossom trees lining up the streets. 

For lunch, we headed to Myeongdong wherein we had a very delicious and heavy Barbecue Buffet. 

Our usual table mates in their cute mother and son shirts. :)

We were given around 2 hours to walk around Myeongdong. There were a lot of stores selling food, clothes and souvenirs. It is one of Seoul's main shopping and tourism district. We caught a few cute photos while walking around.

The street is also famous for having performers who practice and showcase their dancing skills. In this cold weather (that we're not used to), they are not as wrapped up as we were in our coats.

The rest of our afternoon was spent at shopping at a bigger Duty Free shop. It was a good exercise for slight shopaholics like us. We were able to buy the things that our friends asked us to buy and other gifts as well. Periodically, we would go out of the mall to walk in the streets and take more photos. 

After shopping and wonderful dinner, we went to N Seoul Tower. There were a lot of people who were also walking towards the tower through this walkway with lovely trees.

But before the trekking begins, we had to have a photo to capture the happy moment. 

I so love this photo with the tower looming up ahead behind those trees. I can feel the anticipation of seeing the tower for the first time. It's like seeing it but not seeing it clearly. 

Finally seeing the tower up front. Too bad it was very foggy because of the cold weather. We were not recommended to go up to the viewing deck. Despite this, we were happy to look around.

Love locks at the side of the tower. I have seen a few of these before but never have I placed a lock. Maybe in the future? :P

Ah what a dreamy place to be. Just looking at the view on this window still makes me happy. There were stores, souvenir shops, and food stalls on the grounds surrounding the building. There was even an area where a local artist can perform.

After, visiting N Seoul Tower, we headed to Dongdaemon to continue our (window) shopping and food tasting. It was very cold so from time to time we had to go into a coffee shop to get some warm cup. Never have I drank a lot of warm drinks in my life! haha.

We went back to our hotel at around pm. Again, tired and happy but worried because the next day is our last day in Korea. I'm excited to write about it soon! Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

My Happiest Memory in Seoul

I've always admired and wished to come to South Korea. This dream came true when a company offered for us hospital employees to have a 4 day tour. We diligently prepared our papers to apply for a Korean Visa and it was a great moment when we received it.

Aside from stepping into Korean soil, my happiest memory in Seoul was when we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The buildings inside this palace complex were beautifully maintained. I felt like being in a beautiful movie maybe because I can see that traditional Korean architecture reflected all around me. I particularly liked that there were a lot of people wearing Hanbok and they were a lovely sight. I especially loved this part of the palace because of the serene lake and Bugaksan Mountain as the stunning backdrop. Some Cherry Blossom petals would fall periodically because of the wind and it adds to that magical experience. Truly one of the most memorable trips I had. Hopefully I can come back and explore more of Seoul soon :-)