-- Seoul
The road tracklog
Seoul
from 2010/11/26 to 2010/12/05
The Korean Air flight landed in Incheon at 5:15 pm Having only a hand luggage I passed the immigration & customs control without difficulty, very effective Korean. At 6:10 pm I took the bus N° 6011 for Anguk Station where I arrived one hour later, traffic was fluid. Thanks to the plan of Tea Guesthouse website I arrived there easily. Passers by seeing me with a plan in my hand came towards me to help me, very obliging Korean. The hotel is a traditional wooden house -hanok- The room is small but equipped with a computer, TV and a Wifi connection. Of course all is with the short-nap cloth of the ground, it is necessary to leave shoes outside. The temperature was negative.
The first stage on Sunday November 28 was devoted to find a tourist office to take documentation and information. The second stage was to locate a HSBC's ATM to withdraw money, in Korea all is paid in cash. I bought a subway T-money card, it benefits from taking a subway without buying a ticket and from giving some small savings. Then I began the visits. Two main attractions are located in the north of Han River. By walking along the avenue which leads to Gyeongbokgung I discovered the zero milestone where under dead leafs the distance to Paris was. In the medium of the esplanade is Admiral Yi Sun-sin's Statue who overcame the Japanese in 1592 with his vessels covered with metal -geobukseon-
The zero milestone
Seoul
28/11/2010
Admiral Yi Sun-sin's Statue
Seoul
28/11/2010
Gyeongbokgung has a very animated story. 600 years old it was destroyed by Japanese in 1592, rebuilt in 1865 it was again destroyed by Japanese during WWII. Its last restoration was completed in 2010. One of the most impressive buildings is Gyeonghoeru built on an artificial lake it was the banquet and reception spot.
Gyeongbokgung
Seoul
28/11/2010
Bronze
Seoul
28/11/2010
Parade
Seoul
28/11/2010
Gyeonghoeru
Seoul
28/11/2010
Seoul
28/11/2010
In the enclosure of this vast area are two very interesting museums, the National Folk Museum and the National De luxe hotel Museum whose visit is highly recommendable.
Sedan chair
Seoul
28/11/2010
Sedan chair
Seoul
28/11/2010
Sedan chair
Seoul
28/11/2010
The bier
Seoul
28/11/2010
The bier
Seoul
28/11/2010
Celadon
Seoul
28/11/2010
Ceiling decoration with two phenix
Seoul
28/11/2010
The second attraction was a World Heritage Site -Changdeokgung- the Secret Garden -Biwon- guided tour only, is a vast whole of buildings in a splendid forest sown in a hill landscape. It should be recalled that Korea is à.70% mountainous. The day was radiant, blue sky and temperature close to zero. In this time of noise of boots, Seoul did not have anything a city in a state of war. Population walked merrily in the parks.
Biwon
Seoul
28/11/2010
Biwon
Seoul
28/11/2010
It had snowed during the night. The next morning I went to the embassy of France to announce my presence in Korea and to inform me on current safety. At this occasion I learned that the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs had a page intended for the travellers to be registered near the centre of crisis, Ariadne's thread. The remainder of the morning was devoted in the looking for a travel agency to visit the DMZ at 38th parallel. Of course in this period of crisis with the North Korea visits were stopped.
Euljiro
Seoul
29/11/2010
The afternoon I visited Jongmyo preceded by a park where pensioners play -janggi- Chinese chess and -baduk- go game.
Janggi
Seoul
29/11/2010
Baduk
Seoul
29/11/2010
Script
Seoul
29/11/2010
In the sun
Seoul
29/11/2010
Jongmyo is a temple dedicated to the Royal Ancestral. The site is listed in the World Heritage, the oldest building dates back to 1395. Two long buildings house the 83 tablets containing the spirit of Kings and Queens of the Joseon dynasty. A ceremony chaired by the King was celebrated according to the Confucian ritual.
Guided tour
Seoul
29/11/2010
Pavilion
Seoul
29/11/2010
The spirit tablet
Seoul
29/11/2010
Jeongjeon
Seoul
29/11/2010
Jeongjeon
Seoul
29/11/2010
The last day of November was announced gloomy, the sky was covered. In fact the sun did not show, despite everything the temperature was lenient for the season, effect of greenhouse! The target was to visit the fortress of Suwon created in 1794 by King Jeongjo 2nd ruler of the Joseon dynasty. He had decided to transfer the capital of the kingdom from Seoul to Suwon, re-named Hwaseong, surrounded by long wall a 5,7 km listed on the World Heritage. Well restored it is a proof of the engineers' genius of the era. King Jeongjo died before the effective transfer of the capital.
Hwaseong Fortress
Suwon
30/11/2010
Jamganmun
Suwon
30/11/2010
Wall
Suwon
30/11/2010
Seobuk-gangnu
Suwon
30/11/2010
Squirrel
Suwon
30/11/2010
Inside the walls a palace was built, Hwaseong Haenggung, according to the plan of the Chinese palaces in Chang' an. It is a succession of courtyards organized in districts of dwellings and offices. The visit is interesting by setting in scene characters of the time in situation. Destroyed during the Japanese occupation it was skilfully rebuilt according to plans of time.
Hwaseong Haenggyng
Suwon
30/11/2010
Sinpungnu
Suwon
30/11/2010
Eunuque room
Suwon
30/11/2010
Hwaseong Haenggyng
Suwon
30/11/2010
Duiju
Suwon
30/11/2010
Further on a modern museum exhibits the construction of the fortress as well as the palace. Pleasant dioramas present various phases of their development.
King Jeongjo
Suwon
30/11/2010
King
Jeongjo
Suwon
30/11/2010
Diorama
Suwon
30/11/2010
I ended my stroll by a Buddhist monastery overhanging the city.
Buddha Sakyamuni
Suwon
30/11/2010
In the early morning without warning a dental onlay left its spot, first dental warning in five years. I decided to consult the dentist mentioned by Lonely Planet. As of the opening of the dentist's surgery I was accepted, with my great surprise there were four armchairs separated by a folding screen, the dentist going from one to other. The patient was prepared and finished by an assistant. After some English explanations cement was put to re-glue the onlay, to follow. I postponed my visit in Incheon at the following day, this day was devoted to two remarkable museums. Leeum Samsung Museum of Art exhibits ceramics from 12th and 15th century, paintings of Korean artists, a Dubuffet and Buddhist sculptures, and modern works. It is composed of three buildings of which one was conceived by the French architect Jean Nouvel.
Celadon
Leeum
Seoul
01/12/2010
Bleu & white porcelain
Leeum
Seoul
01/12/2010
A Hermit by Gim Hong-do
Leeum
Seoul
01/12/2010
Leeum
Seoul
01/12/2010
Le père conseille by Dubuffet
Leeum
Seoul
01/12/2010
The National Museum of Korea is an immense vessel in a tree-planted park. It presents the history of Korea from the first settlements to the last dynasty of Joseon. It would take several days to contemplate collections. I strolled rooms stopping in front of some parts. On the third floor ceramics of great beauties are exposed. Started with an incident of health the day proceeded in the cultural rapture. I returned harassed to the hotel, my knees in decayed. In spite of escalators staircases of the subway are frightening, Voltarène evening.
Neolithic
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
01/12/2010
Bronze age
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
01/12/2010
Avalokitesvara
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
01/12/2010
Celadon
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
01/12/2010
White porcelain
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
01/12/2010
On Thursday December 02 after 80 minutes of way by subway I unloaded in Incheon to walk the China Town. I must say in preamble that at that time of the year there was no soul, seldom in such a quarter. It is on hillside with a very sloping staircase to reach the top overhanging the port in a thick fog. On the plateau General MacArthur's statue was in majesty.
The 1st Paeru
China Town
Incheon
02/12/2010
Octagonal Pavilion
China Town
Incheon
02/12/2010
At the opposite a staircase went downwards to the colonial quarter where buildings of the first Japanese banks are still transformed into interesting museums.
58th Japan Bank
Colonial area
Incheon
02/12/2010
Streetscape
Colonial area
Incheon
02/12/2010
Back to China Town I went along a mural presenting traditional scenes of the novel "The Three Kingdoms".
Confucius statue
China Town
Incheon
02/12/2010
Mural painting
China Town
Incheon
02/12/2010
After a new move by subway towards Seoul I lunched tardily at the very colourful Gwangjang Market where the gravers offer typically Korean foods to visitors.
dus
Nokdu bindaetteok
Gwangjang market
Seoul
02/12/2010
My lunch
Gwangjang market
Seoul
02/12/2010
At dusk I traversed the walking tour of Seoul by Night proposed by the Lp. On December the shopping centre had put on its clothes of festivals for Xmas. It was enchantment of colours and light. The climax was N Seoul Tower with the "Soul of Light", projection by laser lights.
Hwangudan
Seoul by night
Seoul
02/12/2010
Fountain
Seoul by night
Seoul
02/12/2010
N Seoul Tower
Seoul by night
Seoul
02/12/2010
Bosingak
Seoul by night
Seoul
02/12/2010
By strolling towards the hotel I thought that Kim Jong-il, president of the North Korea -DPRK- was reached either of blindness or of stupidity by uttering its slogan: "The reunification is at the end of our bayonets". The standard of life in South Korea does not have any common measurement with that one in North Korea having undergone a famine a few years ago. Wikileaks Internet site revealed on December 2010 telegrams from embassies announcing that China would not be opposed to a reunification under the aegis of South Korea under certain conditions.
This morning a cold and prickly wind going down from the surrounding mountains swept Seoul, the blue sky was back. The first stage of the day was close to the hotel in the Bukchon quarter where old wooden houses -hanok- were either restored or rebuilt.
Bukchon: a Hanok Community
Seoul
03/12/2010
Bukchon: a Hanok Community
Seoul
03/12/2010
After a red-hot coffee to heat me I visited The War Memorial of Korea which recalls the wars since 600AD. Two floors are dedicated to the War of Korea. At a detour of rooms very well documented with videos in vernacular, Chinese or English languages, I discovered a panel giving manpower of the various armies having taken part under the UN banner, France paid a heavy tribute. In the hall a replica of the frightening warships -geobukseon- of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin is exhibited.
The War Memorial of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
The War Memorial of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
The War Memorial of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
Near to the National Museum of Korea I did not resist the pleasure of going back there, to consume without moderation.
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
National Museum of Korea
Seoul
03/12/2010
The week in Seoul passed quickly by hoping to have seen main attractions. This megalopolis was very easy to visit. I could not point out the kindness of Koreans, a city or subway map in hand to look like hesitant and a person, man or woman, approaches to help you. Frenchs and more particularly Parisians have to learn much.
