NaomiBerry: Seoul Bombastic- Part Four

Day 12- Gyeongbukgong Palace & Cheonggyecheon Stream

Ohhh, this day was an amazing one. My friend, Jolene, had gone back to Singapore by then. So it was the first time I was alone ALONE in a foreign country. Because I had already been here for 11 days, with somebody, it was definitely the perfect introduction to solo travelling. So next time you wanna try solo travelling, but you don't have the guts to do it alone from the start, get someone to come with you for a few days, and then kick them back to their country. Hahahahahahaah, I did not do that to Jolene!

I had a wonderful day planned to go see the Jongmyo Shrine, Sungkyunkwan University and the charming looking palace set in between those two. (All in very close vicinity of each other) So walking out of Jong-no 3 station, I was rudely strucked/blocked by a forcefield of weird-ness. The feeling was indescribable, I just felt weird. The last time I checked my dad was a normal citizen, not a rich wealthy tycoon whose family members would forever be in danger of assassination. Ah! That's how I felt! I felt spied on.

I brushed off that feeling as hunger, went to grab a Kimbab and coffee (50p for Kimbab, £3 for coffee, that's how you gotta live in Korea). Got to Jongmyo shrine and found out you could only go in with a guided tour, which I narrowly missed. Me, someone who's forever being categorised as Japanese, decided to wait for the Japanese tour in 30 minutes. Walking about killing time was when I realised, EVERYWHERE I walked, just fell silent. I could've heard an ant lay her eggs. Silence. I felt like I stopped time everywhere I walked. I then looked at my surroundings and realised (I kid you not) every. single. being. was an old man. It wasn't even a normal amount of people (let alone men), but it was absolutely crowded with them! It was SUCH a strange experience. Everywhere I walked the men stopped everything they were doing and just gawped. The man sleeping on the streets, woke up as I walked past and GAWPED. Men stopped their Go-stop card games and GAWPED. I couldn't see a single female for like ever. Being absolutely freaked at this point, I dropped and smashed and shattered all plans to visit those three sites and RAN. Can someone please tell me why there was a congregation of men! There was a meeting going on. They were gathered there, I don't think female company was allowed/wanted.

While standing in the safety of female company of the subway station, I decided to go to Gyeongbukgong palace! I had previously gone already, but I only visited the outside. After blogging about that visit, I was asked by Ninamma about the name of a building in one of the pictures. I didn't know so I quickly Wikipedia-ed it and realised how absolutely beautiful the palace was inside! I didn't think it would've been thaaaaat stunning. But it is! So don't drop and smash and shatter any plans to visit the interial!

Gwanghwamun square

The drum was hit just as this photo was taken. And I just felt my insides crumble into dust. It was crazy loud! I think that's why those three people are laughing at me.

There were many many tour groups. They all seem to go in the same route. So I took a hipster opposite upside down route from the tour groups and successfully avoided them. So, do that too, if you can't stand tour groups.

I will never tire of the lovely colours!

Tranquility.

Wood, being supported by more wood. Communities should be built on this concept.

All my previous fears of old men from the morning disappeared after this photo made its mark on my memory card. <3

People were short during those times maybe.

Wheelbarrow.

Tranquility.

After spending way too much time thinking what it would be like to live in the palace, I went to Cheonggyecheon stream! After Mt. Namsan, I was most excited about this! (Totally not because of dramas again...)