With some national vacation days clustered in one week we decided to head off somewhere relatively close - South Korea. First stop was Seoul which to be honest I didn't know much about before arriving. The first impression is that it is big, very big. Driving into the centre from the airport you cross over a large river which is a big feature of any map of the area and into high rise buildings as far as the eye can see. Described as a mega-city it lives up to the name with 25 million people calling it home. Once we had found our hotel and settled in we wondered out to find some food and being near some lively shopping street there was plenty of activity and bustle to wonder through.
The following day the skies were grey but dry so we walked past the city hall and to some palace grounds with an imposing front gate. Here we watched the ceremonial changing of the guards along with several school parties.
Inside there were several building of much the same style as the forbidden city but here it was noticeable that the back drop was always a stark contrast to the old and traditional with high rise buildings and advertising screens looming into view.
From here we wondered through the streets to a small hill overlooking the central district. We took the cable car almost to the top and the a lift to the top of the look out tower so a view hardly earned in terms of effort but enjoyed none the less. From this vantage point we could see high rise buildings endlessly into the distance. These were nestled between sharp green ridges that segment the city somewhat but it certainly felt like a city for 25 million people.
At the base of the tower were some famous trees made of colourful locks people had donated - something about a romantic gesture, still they were pretty so we grabbed a snap.
In the evening we went to a very locals restaurant to try some Korean food. On each table there was a gas ring and the meat we ordered was placed there to cook in front of us. along with this were lots of small dishes and they certainly added spice! It wasn't the easiest place to take Alex with spitting fat from the hot plate and hot gas rings everywhere but we should say at this point that the locals took a real shine to him. Almost every time we stopped moving people gathered around him to say hello and make faces and this restaurant was no exception. This certainly made it easier as he was always being entertained and in turn was very entertaining!
The following day was grey and we had some light rain. We went for a riverside walk down a man made stream which again was an odd contrast to the tall buildings running alongside. At the end we headed north and stopped for a quick bite for lunch in a small cafe. Our final attraction was another, larger, palace with extensive grounds. With Alex happily dozing we weren't too please by the rough stones we had to bounce over but he survived still snoozing. Again the buildings were very similar to those we had seen in Beijing however I like the middle of the lake retreat which also captured some of the mountains in the background.
The second half of our holiday was on Jeju island, a short flight from Seoul. Here we had hoped for some sunshine, beach and general relaxing. The weather on the other hand had different ideas. We had booked into a very posh hotel thanks to our last minute organization but it turned out to be fun. Within the grounds there was a swimming pool, bars and restaurants of course but also a fake cliff side which at night treated everyone overlooking the inside to a magnificent sound, light and pyrotechnic show modeled on some features of Las Vegas casinos. Of course the problem with staying somewhere expensive without having breakfast included is that the price was a bit eye watering. Cue popping to the local shop in the morning and stocking up on milk and cereal for a cheaper alternative in the room. The only snag being a lack of bowl but a cheap pot noodle soon provided that!
Of course the pictures I picked were from our last day where the sunshine came out and we enjoyed the resort as it should have been. Before then we went for walks but it was either grey or raining. Jeju island itself is a little odd. In the middle is a serious mountain to offer out door activities and there is a walking trail circling the island split into 21 sections. What there is also an awful lot of is museums. It turns out that in an effort to offer tourists an alternative attraction when the weather is not so good the government give out large tax breaks to museums. This leads to all sorts of entertaining offerings, from museums on teddy bears, Leonardo Da Vinci, chocolate and indeed several dedicated to sex which given that this is a favoured honeymoon destination are apparently quite popular.
With the sun out at last we enjoyed our last day sitting by the pool and heading down to the beach lounge. Of course we took Alex for his first paddle in the sea but as the cold water washed over his feet it was fair to say he was less than impressed!
All too soon now that the sun had arrived it was the day to head back home. Only a week away but so much done - time for a holiday to recover from the vacation?
