Tour of Seoul

Nearly two weeks ago we went north to tour Seoul.  We just wanted to know what it was like.  Determined to satisfy our curiosity, we set off (via bus from our base to Yongsan, the army base in Seoul) towards this larger than NYC metropolis to walk, watch, listen, and eat.

Upon exiting the base, we were welcomed by Itaewon, the Americanized area immediately outside Yongsan's gates.  It's interesting to be in a country so far from the U.S. and see so many things you recognize.  It's also a new kind of strange to see things you know (like Outback Steakhouse, Nike, and Quizno's) transformed into something uniquely Korean.

There are many things here we will have to go back to see such as a street filled with Korean furniture shops and another with nothing but international restaurants.

After touring Itaewon, we ventured onto the subway.  This was my first time ever on a subway, and it was quite exciting for me.  The whole process was an adventure from figuring out how to use the ATM-like machine to purchase tickets to navigating the stops and routes of the subway map and train and what to do with the card that was our ticket.  The Koreans we were met were very kind and helpful to us naive tourists.

In the area where you wait for the subway, they had locked cabinets containing gas masks.  The cabinet was a "break the glass in case of emergency" type of thing.  It's so surreal to see something like this, but at least it shows some preparation.

We took the subway to Seoul Station so we could see the "real" Seoul...my idea:)  I'm glad we went because this was probably the coolest part of the experience.  Back at Itaewon there was a mixture of Americans and Koreans, heavy on the Americans and western influences.  Near Seoul Station, however, was a completely different flavor.  We became instant minorities in both looks and language.  Even though we had no idea what we were doing and almost as little idea of where we were going ("the market"), it was really amazing to be walking the sidewalk and crossing the street with hundreds of Koreans in SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA!  It was fascinating to me that even when so much appears foreign here, there is so much we do know.  

We can read some of the words.

We recognize logos.

There is 7 Eleven.

We know where to cross the street and what the crosswalk symbols mean.

We can identify bathrooms.  

The sun still sets in the west.

We know what to do with a sidewalk.  

We can pick out landmarks to help us find our way back.

And as corny as it really, really sounds - everyone smiles in the same language.      

We were here in March 2012!

Hmm, which way to the market, I wonder?  We set pins on the maps on our phones like a trail of popcorn back to the subway station.

Not the world's most flattering picture, but here we are, Husband and I in downtown Seoul!

We meandered our way up hills, across streets, passed foreign embassies until we found the market.  It would be great if I had taken a photo of the market, but I'm not sure there would have been room for me to actually get my camera out and snap a shot.  It was like an outdoor mall of tiny outdoor storefronts filled with every kind of thing you could want especially clothes, shoes, belts, jewelry and so forth.  The Saturday afternoon had it absolutely packed with people.  Much of it was not as much uniquely Korean as it was "made in China".

The food stands, however, were completely Korean.  We wandered past them wide-eyed and wondering what they were serving.  I really wanted to try something, but with each stand we passed we just wondered aloud about it and traveled on for something that "looked good".  We never did find anything that looked good, but I think that's just because we didn't know what it was.  Next time we will have to just wonder through and try one of everything so we will know what tastes good.  

By this time we were hungry for more than street food.  It was time to head to Seoul Tower where we hoped to eat a meal at a restaurant up in the tower.

I have no idea what these buildings are, but I loved the juxtaposition of old and new.

We're on our way to the tower.

There it is!  Just "a little" farther to go.  We walked about a half mile farther from here.  Then we walked up stairs and stairs and stairs.  After that we rode the gondola to "the top".  We realized the top is not really the top, and walked up more stairs and stairs.

And that's when we saw this.  This is Seoul viewed from the first level of Seoul Tower, towards the north.  The view was so beautiful that I stopped literally in my tracks and uttered, "Wow." 

This prosperous city lies just a handful of miles to the south of an impoverished nation filled with people who are oppressed by a dictator who hides the world from them and them from the world.  Pray with me for the people of North Korea, that their eyes, ears, and hearts may be opened by Love and to Love.  

This is a pagoda all aglow outside the tower.

We ate a delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant in the tower, all with the gorgeous view as pictured above.  The night skyline was equally stunning.  After being filled with the view and good wine, we high-tailed it as fast as we could back to Yongsan to make our return bus home.  We made it with ten minutes to spare!