Sunday, December 3, 2017

Seoul Day 1 by Aaron - Yonggungsa Temple 龙宫寺, Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫, Myeongdong 明洞, and N Seoul Tower 南山首尔塔

Seoul Day 1

Yonggungsa Temple 龙宫寺, Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫, Insadong Street 仁寺洞, Myeongdong 明洞, and N Seoul Tower 南山首尔塔


~ Aaron

Trip to Asia: Day 1 - Seoul / Hong Kong
Day 2 - Hong Kong
Day 3 - Macau / Zhuhai
Day 4 - Yangshuo
Day 5 - Guilin
Day 6 - Beihai
Day 7 - Sanya
Day 8 - Sanya
Day 9 - Sanya
Day 10 - Sanya
Day 11 - Haikou
Day 12 - Zhuhai
Day 13 - Hong Kong / Seoul
Day 14 - Seoul
Seoul Day 1 : Incheon international airport, Gyeongbokgung Palace,Insa-dong
N Seoul Tower, Myeong-dong, Incheon international airport

Han River, Gyeongbok Palace
The guard changing ceremony, N Seoul Tower

Early morning of Seoul, at 6 AM
     My first day in Seoul was amazing. I went to the amazing Yonggungsa temple. I also visited the huge Gyeongbok Palace. The Insadong Street and Myeongdong were very popular places. The Seoul Tower is in a very tall mountain, Namsan Mountain. This was a wonderful day.

Yonggungsa Temple


Yonggungsa Temple

Yonggungsa  Temple

A tree at the
Yonggungsa  Temple



The bell of Yonggungsa  Temple

Yonggungsa  Temple

The inside of 
Yonggungsa  Temple


Yonggungsa  Temple

Stone tablets around the Yonggungsa Temple

The Yonggungsa Temple

Beautiful morning view at Yonggungsa Temple

Yonggungsa  Temple

A Buddha statue at the
Yonggungsa  Temple

Beautiful flowers at
Yonggungsa  Temple

The 1300 year old zelkova tree
at Yonggungsa  Temple
     The Yonggungsa Temple is very ancient. It was built in the year 670. It is a place to experience Korean Buddhism. This temple is mostly famous for the zelkova trees that are 1,300 years old and a tablet written by the grandfather of the last Korean emperor also gives the temple fame. As we were exploring the temple, we also saw a few jugs full of soy sauce. A giant statue of  Buddha stood in the middle of the temple.


Gyeongbok Palace


The entrance of
Gyeongbok Palace

The entrance of the
Gyeongbok Palace
光化门


兴礼门


兴礼门

兴礼门
The guard changing ceremony
at 光化门

Guard changing ceremony
at 光化门

Guard changing ceremony
at 光化门
Guard changing ceremony
at 光化门


Guard changing ceremony

at 光化门
兴礼门

The guardian of
勤政殿

The stairs of 勤政殿

The guardian of
勤政殿

The guardian of
勤政殿

勤政殿

勤政殿

勤政殿

勤政殿

勤政殿
思政殿

Beside the 思政殿

The inside of 思政殿

千秋殿

千秋殿
庆会楼

庆会楼

庆会楼
Walkway at the palace

The roof of
the palace










交泰殿

交泰殿


Beautiful view of the Gyeongbok Palace

庆会楼
     Gyeongbok Palace is a spectacular palace. It is the largest royal palace, and was built in 1395. This magnificent palace housed the royal family of Korea for some time. The palace was destroyed in 1592, and restored in 1867. We just happened to see the changing guard ceremony as we were leaving.

Insadong Street

Insadong Street
Free Transit Tour group picture
at Insadong Street

Lunch at Insadong Street

Traditional Korean restaurant
at Insadong Street

Lunch at Insadong Street


Myeongdong


Entrance of
Myeongdong

Seoul Tower
viewed from
Myeongdong

Seoul Tower
viewed from
Myeongdong

In Myeongdong


Inside Myeongdong

At the Myeongdong

In the Myeongdong

Seafood barbeque
At Myeongdong

At Myeongdong

At Myeongdong

Rose Ice Cream at Myeongdong

A popular bakery

Chestnut bread
red bean bread

chocolate bread

At Myeongdong
     The Insadong Street and Myeongdong are 2 popular shopping areas. Insadong has many antique shops, art galleries, and food. On the other hand, Myeongdong has more food, and is mostly cosmetic and jewelry shops. Insadong is a traditional street, while Myeongdong is an example of a more modern shopping street. These streets are examples of life then and now.


Seoul Tower

Driving towards
Seoul Tower

The Seoul Tower

Climbing towards
the Seoul Tower

Namsan Mountain
Wearing traditional Korean Clothes
for Seoul Culture Day

At the Seoul Tower





At the Seoul Tower Plaza

At the Seoul Tower Plaza

Viewing Seoul city from Seoul Tower

Viewing Seoul city from Seoul Tower





Wearing traditional Korean Clothes

Wearing traditional Korean Clothes

Tree of lovers' lock behind us

At Seoul Tower

At Seoul Tower

At Seoul Tower

Seoul city view
from Seoul Tower

Seoul city view from Seoul Tower

At Seoul Tower
     The Seoul Tower is very high. It is a communication and observation tower located on the Namsan Mountain in Seoul. Towering at about 240 meters high, it is the highest point in all of Seoul. The tower offers a good look of the rest of Seoul. While we were at the Seoul Tower, we wore traditional Korean clothes.
     This first day in Seoul was very exciting. The Yonggungsa temple had many reasons to be famous. The Gyeongbok Palace was a very interesting place with lots of history. The Insadong Street and Myeongdong were both crowded with people. The height of the Seoul Tower gives everyone a clear view of all of Seoul. I wish I could go through this day over and over again!

Guard Changing Ceremony at Gyeongbok Palace
and Seoul Tower View

Leaving for Asia
from Berkeley campus

Free Transit Tour
from Incheon airport, Seoul








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