Angel’s Travel Diary

Finally, time to leave Seoul city; we checked out of our luxurious hotel (Hilton) and head off to the Seoul international airport; Incheon International.

Took the same airport limousine (bus) to the airport.

A couple of shots of the busy airport….

It was really busy, by the time our gate was opened for check in, we had to join in such a LONG queue for the Asiana Airlines (which is a subsidiary of the ANA - All Nippon Air) and flies frequently between Korea and Japan.

During our wait, my colleague told us that Manila Airport is worse; you can reach there as early as 3 hours ahead and believe it or not, you will just make it in time to board the plane. Reason is simple; the minute you step out of the cab and approach the entrance, you will be checked and scanned - your passport etc. Then you join the queue to check in, immigration, you get the whole picture. I seem to have the impression that you queue all the way in….

After checking in, I saw the eatery outlets and this again, is one Korean traditional food in the making.

Interesting, it’s another court food….pumpkin soft taffy or rather candy….

That’s all….off to Japan…..goodbye Seoul and here, I come Japan!

The cultural market in the previous post; all night views…now in the day…from my friend’s camera…

Most of the stalls were open when they were there!!! Yikes

View of the famous market in daylight….lots of people here….favourite shopping haven for tourists!

Cafe (I saw this at night..hehe)

Masks….tribal

A painter at work

Roadside stalls

Nice souvenirs

Shops selling collectibles and postcards

An adorable girlie bear on parade and people need to pay to take photo with her; this is a couple which took with her

Food….

Their meals in Korea on the first day….

Streets in Korea…..

The National Folk Museum of Korea is another interesting site which preserves the local and traditional lifestyle in the olden Korea and is another must see for visitors to the republic to know and understand the culture and origins of the country.

Actually it was quite near the Palace, so you can see the same buildings nearby as in the previous post

See this? Looks familiar?

Some badges from the museum as well….

Recycle bin in the museum (Don’t forget your civic consciousness wherever you are)

An old hut/stall

Sacks

An old resting place for the guards?

The hut for the hats and shoes….

Look at the shoes, they remind me of sampans

Huts….

Unique structures in the garden

Tribal mask

An official

Children’s museum

The traditional game played by the kids (looks like Sepak Takraw….but think this was sort of a well-known shuttle game as they also played this in Cambodia and Thailand)

The museum’s land

Straw hut

Clay pots

Warriors?

The restroom sign

Garden of statues

An interesting tour; don’t forget to drop by if you are there

Standing high and nigh in the city is the once famous and acclaimed palace which was one of the oldest and largest palaces amongst many others in the capital of the republic. Once mighty and tall, it is today a historic landmark to remember the monarchy system which once ruled the country.

The city houses many palaces; but this was the one not to be missed and if you are looking for any palaces to visit while on tour to this country, do remember to drop by Gyeongbokyung Palace, right in Seoul City - the capital of Republic of Korea.

It was really beautiful and truly an eye opener; as depicted by the pictures here; and do take note of the splendour and magnificent palace despite the blazing sun in the hot afternoon.

The palace guards have their shift change session a couple of times in a day; where they will march out in a formal procession (fall out) to change to a new set of guards…

This is a re-enactment of the act in the olden days

Their attire/uniform is almost similar as the guards in the China’s Imperial Palace….

Looks hot to me…..must be sweating like mad…

Really pitiful that they have got to stand like statues on display through shine and rain…..(why don’t people have sympathy..no compassion for them, they are also of flesh and blood, you know…)

A relief to be finally sheltered

The courtyard of the palace…

Stones….I think these are marks for the officials position….(don’t think these are tombstones)

Directory/map of the palace

There’s other visitors to the palace as well….

The court of the palace…

Other courts/residences in the palace

An entrance to another court

A time machine??? (I think this is an old astrological gadget to predict the time)

A map of the interior of the palace

Black Hole? Unknown…probably, one of those secret passage way to the dungeons or underground tunnels (they always build those for escapes)

Some fruit trees…..lots of people plucked them(according to my colleague)

Terracotta warriors in Korea??

These are cute….but they look haughty too…

A view of the palace structure

A tunnel with luminous writings on the wall, a special royal inscription written in ancient Korean…(looks suspiciously like old Chinese characters)

Some ancient badges which officials carry in the olden days…

Gyeongbokyung, Seoul City

Some pics of the Seoul City (from my colleague’s camera)

The Highway road in the city…..jam!!

Best way is to take public transport; bus..hehe

6 lanes for the roads…..that’s 2 sides of our road here in Malaysia!

City maps/directories

These are some stowed torches….don’t know where my colleague capture this

Buildings …think this was an Art center…