The title of the blog, The Road North, was inspired by Basho's 奥の細道 (Oku no Hosomichi) an account of his 150 day journey into the northern regions of Japan. The title, Oku no Hosomichi, has been variously translated as "The Narrow Road to Oku," "The Narrow Road to the Deep North," or "The Narrow Road to the Interior."
This summer my Road North will take me to Seoul. My original plan was to return to Japan again, but as the situation is still unsettled I decided to visit a new place and picked Seoul. I love big cities, love to walk, and love taking subways. Seoul, with one of the most extensive subway systems in the world, seems ideal. According to one source it is the 3rd largest in terms of riders, and length. Moscow is first, Tokyo second, then Seoul.
I'll be staying at the Hill House Hotel located in the Myeongdong area
Photo source: Tripadvisor.com
It's a 10 minute walk up hill from Exit #1 of Hoehyon Station and is near the base of Namsan ("South Mountain"). I have directions from others who have stayed there so, hopefully, it will not be too difficult to locate.
May 30, 2011
I survived the 10.5 hour plane ride and arrived safely in Seoul today. I took bus #6015 from Incheon airport to Namdaemun which is one of the larger outdoor shopping areas of Seoul. With a bit of luck and tips from other travellers that I read beforehand I was able to locate my hotel quite easily. It's about a 10 minute walk from the Hoehyeon subway station. The area around the hotel is rather interesting. It's really situated in the heart of Downtown Seoul near two major shopping areas--Namdaemun and Myeongdong. The immediate area around the hotel is rather quiet, but has a number of restaurants and shops that cater to the locals. There are several other hotels nearby. It's nothing fancy, but is quite reasonable for the price of $70 a night which includes the hotel taxes.
A quick walk from the hotel and you are in Namdaemun. It's an amazing, chaotic collection of shops, stalls, and food stands! Similar to Ameyoko in the Ueno area of Tokyo, but on a much larger scale. It's a dense maze of outdoor shops that's like a gigantic flea market. Right next to this is the more trendy shopping district called Myeongdong that's similar to some of the places in Tokyo I visited. There are a lot of Japanese tourists here and many of the hawkers shouted to me in Japanese.
A sculpture I saw while traveling from the airport to the hotel:
Namdaemun Market is about 10 minutes from my hotel.
There were a lot of stalls selling pig feet. Probably not good for the health conscious.
Food abounds!
More pig feet.
Everything you can imagine is on sale here.
This is the Myeongdong Cathedral situated in the heart of Downtown Seoul. The Catholic church has had a presence in Korea since the 1780s and this church was built in 1898. The church community is evidentally quite vibrant and maintains a strong presence in Seoul.
An outdoor food stall which you see a lot of in Korean movies and soap operas:
I had dinner at Pomato. For a quite reasonable price of 4,500 won or roughly $4.50 I had a bowl of beef noodle soup that came with rice and some side dishes--radish, kimchee (all you can eat), a boiled/marinated egg, and another vegetable which I couldn't recognize. It's about 5 minutes from the hotel.
May 31, 2011
I started the day with a "free" breakfast at the hotel which consisted of coffee, orange juice, toast and an egg. Here are some photos of the hotel room. The bed is spacious!
Large plasma TV. To the left is not a microwave, but a UV sterilizer.
Bathroom is quite spacious:
I started the day by walking the paths that line the Cheongaechuen Stream that runs through the city. I had just exited the Jonggak Station and was on my way to Insadong. It was raining.
Here I am on one of the bridges that cross the stream.
Insadong is one of the areas in Seoul that tries to maintain some of the traditional Korean crafts and culture alive. There was a lot of that, and many art galleries that had some contemporary artists. The Korean National Tourist organization provides this description:
- "Insa-dong Street is one of the most memorable attractions in Seoul and represents the focal point of Korean traditional culture and crafts. Stores in Insa-dong specialize in a wide variety of goods that can only be purchased or appreciated in Korea: hanbok (traditional clothing), hanji (traditional paper), traditional teas, pottery, and folk crafts."
A beautiful flower whose name I wish I knew:
Two lonely statues
One of the many alleys that line Insadong.
Artwork with graffiti which I think is actually encouraged. Graffiti was written all over the walls of this shopping complex.
I had a bowl of noodles and clams here, and, of course, a lot of kim chee for $6.
Happened to come across a movie being filmed:
This is Gyeonbokgung Palace which is near Insadong. Unfortunately, it was closed so I will return later. The air is quite smoggy and reminds me of the air in Los Angeles back when I was a kid. A fairly thick haze covers the city. The Korea Tourist Organization provides this information:
- "Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also commonly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace). Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the grandest of all five palaces."
In the Dongdaemun area, another large shopping, eating area:
This is Bosingak that housed a bell to notify people of the closing of the city gates and to warn residents of fires and other emergencies. It was built around 1396.
Theresa, I found a Korean spoon for you! It came with a chopstick--for $2. I bought 3 of them. At first I was only going to buy two, but the store clerk convinced me to buy 3 for $5.
This evening I planned to either take the cable car or walk up to Namsam mountain to see the N Seoul Tower and to catch a view of the city at night, but it rained so I just walked around the neighborhood again.
Trying to decide what to eat in Namdaemun Market:
Tempting:
Myeongdong--where the young people shop until the late hours even on weekdays:
June 1, 2011
I heard thunder last night and it was raining again in the morning though not heavily. Since it was a good day for indoor activities I decided to go to the National Museum of Korea which is an extremely large building that houses a lot of the cultural/historical heritage of Korea. Covering the Neolithic all the way to the Joseon period it's definitely worth it to get a sense of Korean history and how it was influenced by and influenced other countries such as China, Japan, and the Mongols. The architecture is quite amazing and is described by the museum:
"The basic concept of the new museum is to reinterpret traditional architectural spirit of
Korea in a contemporary way. An open plaza is to connect two separate buildings and to
make them appear as one grand building. The open plaza is designed to evoke maru
(wooden floor), a unique architectural element in Korea. Open to all visitors, it serves as
a gateway to all other points of the museum including the exhibition halls, special
gallery, and the staff office."
Korea in a contemporary way. An open plaza is to connect two separate buildings and to
make them appear as one grand building. The open plaza is designed to evoke maru
(wooden floor), a unique architectural element in Korea. Open to all visitors, it serves as
a gateway to all other points of the museum including the exhibition halls, special
gallery, and the staff office."
It's a large complex:
Some of the memorable treasures I saw:
An ornamental headress
A lion.
Painting
Me by a reproduction of a scholar's study
Buddhist statue
Namsan Mountain and N Seoul Tower
Well, the weather cleared in the evening so I decided to go up Namsan Mountain and the N Seoul Tower which is right behind my hotel. The N stands for New because it was remodeled back in 2005. The mountain has numerous hiking trails and is the home to many temples, pagodas and, of course, the Tower. I decided to take the cable car up. The round trip cost 7,500. Buses are cheaper and walking is cheapest, if you are in good shape. I saw bicyclists going up and down the trails, and lots of joggers! I plan to spend another day here hiking the trails and maybe even jogging, if I have the energy.
A pagado rest stop for weary hikers, joggers and monks.
Thousands of these locks have been left by boyfriends, girlfriends, old married couples, and partners expressing their true love to one another. I'm not sure how it got started, but it has become quite popular and N Seoul Tower has used it as a quite successful marketing strategy. There were a lot of couples who made the trip up just to place a lock here.
Lots of locks!
Here's a view of Seoul by day. It's quite hazy.
and at night
June 2, 2011
Gyeonbokgung Palace, National Folk Museum, and Hiking up Namsan Mountain
I had made the trip to Gyeonbokgung on Tuesday, but since it was closed I returned today. The KTO says:
- "Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also commonly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace). Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the grandest of all five palaces."
The area surrounding the palace is quite large, and included many structures beside the main one.
The plaza leading to the grand palace.
The changing of the guard.
National Folk Museum
Two cool looking wooden totem poles.
A reconstruction of a Korean wedding store circa 1960(?)
On the way up Namsan Mountain. Surprisingly, it didn't take that long--
about 40 minutes to walk up to the top.
June 3, 2011
Changdeokgung Palace, Jogyesa Temple, Gwangjung Market, Gyedong & Hongik University
It was another full day of touring again though I usually don't quite know where I will be going exactly until breakfast when I pore over my maps, and brochures trying to figure out the most efficient route to take.
My first stop was Changdeokgung Palace which the KTO describes as:
- "Changdeokgung Palace was the second royal villa built following the construction of Gyeongbukgung Palace in 1405. It was the principal palace for many of the Joseon kings and is the most well-preserved of the five remaining royal Joseon palaces."
In 1997 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Palace grounds covers a large area and has numerous structures.
This is the main palace.
The eaves of the roof are colorfully painted:
Near the palace is a neighborhood or district called Gyedong which had a number of coffee shops and trendy shops. I also noticed a number of traditional Guest Houses which, if I return to Seoul one day, I might consider staying in. They are probably similar to the Ryokans in Japan. The ones I saw were called Bukhon and Bongsan.
There were a lot of cute restaurants and coffee shops in the area.
Next stop was the Jogyesa Buddhist Temple which is located near the Insadong area and within walking distance of the Changdeogung Palace. It's a great place to go, if you need to get away from the hyperactivity of Seoul for a moment. The KTO says, "Jogyesa Temple is the center of Zen Buddhism in Korea, and is famous for being located in the city." A "baeksong" tree on the premises has been designated a National Monument. When I went there was a service going on and the buddhist chants by the monks and the faithful was quite amazing to hear especially when you consider it wasn't more than 100 feet from a busy Seoul street filled with pedestrians and traffic.
Notice the colorful, well I guess it's hard not to notice them, lanterns and what I think are prayer slips. You can also see the baeksong tree. The faithful were chanting and periodically bowing.
Some colorful decorations:
An awfully friendly looking young Buddha.
After resting here I decided to go to Gwanjang Market. I thought that I would never find anything larger than Namdaemun Market, but Gwanjang is another superlative when it comes to these unimaginably large markets with its maze of alleys, side streets and buildings all somehow interconnected to form what are really mini-cities. The entrepreneurial spirit is certainly alive and strong in Seoul. The elderly aren't relegated to the backrooms or resting at home. In fact they seem to make up a large portion of the labor force here selling, and cooking. Streetfoodie.com describes it like this:
- There’s something about the area between Jongno and Dongdaemun that sets it apart from the rest of central Seoul....It's here that you can find Gwangjang Market, Seoul’s oldest covered market. Specialising mainly in textiles, the market is a great place to go if you are after any kind of cut-price fabric or simply fancy a gawk at Korean industry at its most elemental. Traders do vigourous business amongst huge rolls of silks and linens, and narrow alleys and passages lead off into a warren of shops and restaurants."
A food lovers paradise, if you know how to order! I had some Kimbap or Gimbap which resemble Japanese sushi rolls for 2,500 won or roughly $2.50. I wasn't quite daring enough to try some of the more exciting dishes. However, on Saturday I will be taking a 4 hour food/drink tour that promises to introduce you to street food, and, hopefully, Soju and Makgeolli!
A word of warning to prospective travlers to Seoul. Cars, scooters, motorcycles go almost everywhere pedestrians go--sidewalks, alleys, markets, etc. No one bats an eyelash at all these vehicles whizzing around you at high speeds. I guess everyone is used to it. Here's an example of a scooter going right through the extremely crowded Gwanjang Market!
After a eating lunch here and people watching I headed to someplace slightly different--
Hongik University.
Hongik University has a very famous art department, but perhaps more interesting, at least to tourists, is the area surrounding the school. Again, a Korean tourist organization describes it:
- "Hongdae refers to the area stretching from Hongik Univ. Station (line 2) to the main entrance of Hongik University and is lined with unique coffee houses, small venues for indie rock concerts, live music bars, jazz and dance clubs. Hongik University itself is most famous for its art program and so naturally the area is full of arty boutiques, galleries, studios, craft shops and accessory stores, as well."
The main entrance to Hongik University.
Student artwork displayed on campus:
One of the streets surrounding the University. It's very lively, and I can imagine the nightlife must be quite amazing. Ahh, if only I were younger...
I had a hot dog at Mr. Wow's below:
I also have to confess that I spent 1.5 hours at a Starbucks near campus so that I could study for my Japanese final exam which takes place the day after I return from Korea. I studied along with the industrious Hongik University students!
It was getting late, and I decided to head home. Walking through Namdaemun Market again I came across this man dressed in colorful attire selling clothes. It seemed to work as he was surrounded by many eager shoppers.
Well, it's been another wonderfully exhausting day. Staying in large city like Seoul for an extended period time certainly allows one to get to know the place on a much more intimate basis and I'm really glad I have had the opportunity to do so.
June 4, 2011, Yongsan Electronics Market, and Night Dinner Tour
I went to the Yongsan Electronics Market that I thought might be somewhat similar to Tokyo's Akihabara, a large mega electronics center, but it wasn't quite the same. Yongsan seemed too neat, very unlike, the large, chaotic markets I've been too. Everything was neatly arranged in a large shopping mall type building. Oh well... In addition to electronics there some very large department stores right next door.
I went on a night dinner tour with 4 ladies from Singapore, and our tour guide, Markus. It was a great way to sample a variety of foods and drinks in a short period of time. First up was this small restaurant tucked away in one of the alleys of Insadong. It specializes in a Makgeolli that they produce themselves. According to the Korea Times:
- ``Makgeolli,'' a representative Korean traditional wine, may well be the oldest liquor in Korea. The pale white drink saw its heyday back in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and again in the 1970s and `80s for its rich taste, cheap cost and the food that went with it...'
The drink is a light in alcoholic content, but has a rich, slightly sweet taste which I really enjoyed. Tour members in front of the pub.
We had the makgeolli in these metal bowls, and had some tofu, another of their specialties, and kimchee.
Markus, our tour guide, buying some silkworm larvae for us to try. Yum!
The pot of freshly cooked silkworm larvae.
Markus dares us to try them which I did. They actually taste okay! It had a kind of nutty flavor.
For a closeup photo check out this link.
For a closeup photo check out this link.
We had some delicious barbecued pork and Soju which I've always wanted to try.
It tasted a lot like what we call Japanese sake.
It tasted a lot like what we call Japanese sake.
Next stop was a restaurant that specialized in a braised chicken that was a bit spicy, but again very good.
Happy diners!
Tasting some sweets on the way to the next restaurant.
A street vendor shows us one of her products. Markus tells us she's somewhat of a celebrity having been featured on some Korean tv shows.
Gwangjang Market's food stalls stay open until the wee hours. I guess when there are 15 million people are there at least some of them are hungry or partying until late at night!
Our next restaurant:
A group portrait.
We had a lot of fried foods and ginger soju.
Markus tries his best to explain what everything is.
Well, it was a great evening and I got to sample a lot of different types of Korean food and ate at places that I would leery of entering on my own, not knowing what to order or how to converse with the staff. I also met some very nice people from Singapore which I think might be my next trip...
June 5, 2011
Church, Namsangol Hanok Village, and a Traditional Korean Wedding
I am happy to report that I survived eating the silkworm larvae with no ill effects so I was able to go exploring this amazing city again. To atone for my sins of partying and drinking too much the night before I attended the English mass at Myeondong Cathedral. It was a beautiful, warm day, and it wasn't as hazy as it was earlier in the week. After church I visited Namsangol Hanok Village that had recreations of some traditional Korean houses, demonstrations of traditional crafts, and a large time capsule that was buried in 1994 in honor of Seoul's 600th anniversary that's to be opened in 2394. The Seoul Government's description:
- "Namsangol Hanok Village is a collection of five hanoks (traditional Korean houses) from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), recovered from different parts of the city and relocated to the northern foot of Namsan (Mt.). The interiors of each of these five houses reflect owners from different walks of life, from the middle class to the yangban (who were mainly high government officials, noblemen and aristocrats)."
A craftsperson making a basket.
Schoolchildren sitting ontop or the Seoul time capsule to be opened in 2394.
Sitting by some kimchee pots.
I'm fairly certain that this was an actual traditional Korean wedding ceremony, and not an reenactment. I wondered how they could maintain the solemnity of the occasion with the public watching.
Happy bride and groom.
Tea ceremony being demonstrated at Insandong,
Demonstrating tie-dyeing techniques.
Demonstrating traditional Korean hugs!
These girls were raising funds for a leukemia and cancer organization.
Cars have the right of way in Seoul.
Trying to drum up support for their business.
I have one more full day in Seoul tomorrow, and I know I'm going to miss it. It's a lively place with a never-ending stream of the old and the new, the traditional and the unusual coexisting next to one another. I've gotten comfortable here. Now I feel like learning Korean--maybe after I'm fluent in Japanese (which is still a LONG way off). The subway is terrific--haven't had one delay/problem since I've been here. Their T-Card is like our Clipper card and is very convenient and easy to use. The system itself is really huge and I have gotten lost in the stations a couple of times, but the signs are generally pretty good. People are courteous, and the level of crime must be low. To save a seat at restaurants people often just leave their purses on the seat. Imagine doing that in the States.
June 6, 2011
Dano Folk Festival, Food Fair presented by New Cooking School Graduates.
Dano Folk Festival, Food Fair presented by New Cooking School Graduates.
I had made big plans to visit various museums until I learned that today is one of the big holidays in Korea, Dano, which means a lot of the museums are closed. Luckily, I saw a poster for a Dano Festival which was being held at the Namsangol Hanok Village which I visited yesterday. A Korea tourist organization says:
- "Dano is one of Korea’s four most important holidays, other than New Year’s Day, Chuseok, and Hansik (Day of Cold Food). Dano is the day when the yang energy (the active, masculine cosmic principle in Chinese dualistic philosophy) is at its fullest, and many traditional events take place on this day."
During Dano "the yang energy (the active, masculine cosmic principle in Chinese dualistic philosophy) is at its fullest" (KTO) so they have wrestling exhibitions.
But the gentler, more feminine side comes out in this picture.
Another part of Dano involves washing one's hair with water infused with irises.
I don't know the tradition behind this.
Five beautiful dancers waiting to take the stage.
New Culinary graduates show off their cooking skills.
Thinking of going home.
Most likely I will take the subway back to Incheon airport tomorrow though I have to make my way to and through Seoul Station which is a huge complex.
It's about 6pm right now in Seoul so I get to make one more foray into the Seoul night life before I return home.
June 7, 2011
Well, this is it. Seoul is a wonderful city. I've had a great time here. I just wish I knew more of the language and had a chance to try more different kinds of dishes, but this is a good excuse to return someday and see other parts of the country. What I'll remember most is probably the Dinner Tour with Markus, and wandering through the different markets from Namdaemun to Myeondong. They are all different, but all have the high-energy that's so representative of the industrious and entrepreneurial spirit of the Korean people.
