A G: Seoul Day 3 Part 2 by Gordon - Cheongwadae /Blue House 青瓦台，Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫，Cheonggye Plaza 清溪广场，City Hall 首尔市厅

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Seoul Day 3 Part 2 by Gordon - Cheongwadae /Blue House 青瓦台，Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫，Cheonggye Plaza 清溪广场，City Hall 首尔市厅

Seoul Day 3 Part 2

Cheongwadae /Blue House 青瓦台，Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫，Cheonggye Plaza 清溪广场 (世宗大王像)，Seoul City Hall 首尔市厅

~ Gordon

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

Hotel at Myeong-dong 明洞, Jongmyo Shrine 宗庙, Changdeokgung 昌德宫
Changyonggung 昌庆宫, Bukchon Hanok Village 北村韩屋村, National Folk Museum of Korea
Blue House 青瓦台, Gyeongbokgung 景福宫, Cheonggye Plaza 清溪广场, Seoul City Hall

Walked to the Blue House

Walking towards

the Blue House

Government Building

besides the Blue House

Government Building

besides the Blue House

Government Building

besides the Blue House

The Blue House

At the Blue House

The Blue House

From Bukchon Hanok Village, we walked and walked, and climbed uphill. Finally, we reached the Blue House 青瓦台. The Blue House houses the South Korean President. You can tell it is the Blue House from far far away because of its distinguishable huge blue rooftop. There are a lot of police guards. It is actually a traditional Korean style building, with only a few modern touches. Amazingly, it covers 62 acres of land, as it is a large complex of buildings.

Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫

神武门，景福宫

Entrance across the street

of the Blue House

神武门

神武门，景福宫

景福宫

凤阳门，咸和堂

舍元殿

长安堂

财成门

交泰殿

庆会楼

勤政殿

Roof of 勤政殿

兴礼门

光化门

光化门，景福宫

Gyeongbok Palace 景福宫 was ancient. It was the first palace out of the Five Grand Palaces, built by the first king of Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongbokgung established in 1395, 10 years before the next palace, Changdeokgung. This was built to house kings and queens, and sadly this was once destroyed.

Sejong Boulevard 世宗大道

光化门, the begginning of

Sejong Boulevard

Cabbage flower pot

纪念碑殿

At Sejong Boulevard

Statue of Sejong at Sejong Boulevard

Stattue of Sejong
at Sejong Boulevard

Sejong Boulevard 世宗大道 is a wide street, connecting Gyeongbok Palace and City Hall. The City Hall sits on the other side of Sejong Boulevard. A statue of Sejong sitting tall in the middle of Sejong Boulevard. Sejong is the fourth king in the Joseon Dynasty. He is famous for inventing the Korean Language, Hangul. Sejong Boulevard was really crowded.

Cheonggye Plaza on Sejong Boulevard

清溪广场

Late afternoon at 清溪川/Sejong Boulevard

清溪川

A bridge over 清溪川

清溪川 meets Sejong Boulevard

Walking along Sejong Boulevard, we reached a long river, Cheonggyecheon 清溪川, which runs 13.7 kilometers long, crossing Seoul city into Han River. This river wasn’t always in good condition. King Taejong, King Sejong, and King Yeongjo put efforts to repair and maintain it for several times. It was supposed to be an artificial drainage system for the rain, built of cement, but it wasn’t that good as well. This was the reason the river was constantly damaged, and then it became a sewer system. Now, the cement cover is gone. The beautiful river explores to the outside world again. Reopened in 2005, the river becomes a popular modern area in downtown Seoul.