Seoul

So, this week I went to South Korea with Fumie.

We got into Seoul on the monday afternoon and by the time we go to Dongdaemun where we were staying, it was dark. We had got a limosine bus from the airport, but when we got to Dondaemun we had to take a taxi because we had no clue where we were going. Alot of people speak some Japanese in Korea but not always English, so when the first taxi stopped we asked in Japanese. He took one look at us (especially me, I kind of stand out), heard us speak, and drove off. How rude. We eventually got to the hotel though. It was opposite a big gate, 'Heunginjinmun Gate' which looked pretty at night.

It was too late to really go anywhere so we wandered around looking for restaurants. We ended up having some sort of traditional Korean dish. I don't know the name of it (funnily cause I don't read Hangul!) but basically it was a tonne of vegetables and noodles and stuff in a big pan that was very very hot. It was also quite spicey. But we made it through, somehow.

On the Tuesday we went shopping in Myeong-dong, one of the main parts of the city.

I spotted Kwon Sang-woo♥ .... okay not HIM. But a picture of him. That was exciting. You don't see giant posters of Kwon Sang-woo very often :)
We shopped for a bit. (Well, I say WE shopped, I shopped a little and Fumie shopped... a lot.)
In the afternoon we went to some other shopping places nearby that were more cultural, souvenir shops and folk craft things.

We worked the subway out pretty quick really, despite the fact that we do not speak a word of Korean. I guess if you've conquered the Tokyo subway you can conquer anything.

In the evening we went up to Seoul Tower.

It's kind of like Tokyo Tower, only you go up in a cable car.(Well, I say its like Tokyo Tower, I've never actually BEEN there but whatever.)  

Seoul Tower has a great nightview.

On the Wednesday we spent the morning at Chandeokgung Palace.

Afterwards, we went to a neighbourhood called '北村散策' which is all old style Korean houses.

Finally we went to a folk museum nearby. Really just because it was there.

At this point it started snowing.

It was freezing the whole time by the way.

And I don't mean it was cold. I mean it was absolutely FREEZING.

So in the evening it snowed, shocking!

I do like Korea. A lot of people said to me its like Japan. They are wrong.

I don't think its like Japan at all. Korea is more what I imagine China to be like. It's nice but I don't think I could live there as easily as I live in Japan!!