April 30th - Off to Seoul

This Friday, like the last, we headed out to see Seoul. This time instead of the express train we jumped in the van and fought traffic. The once 30 minute train ride now took almost 2 hours. It gave us some time to unwind, relax, and take in the changing scenery as we left the country and headed into the city.

Our first stop was the War Memorial of Korea, which I was especially excited to see. We were surprised to see many artifacts that once were foreign but now have become familiar (i.e. the turtle ship, bow and arrows, etc). Although we had been to many museums, this was the first museum which outlined the Korean War. Prior to coming on this trip, I had a limited knowledge about the Korean War. My great uncle, James Bachand, served in the Korean War, so I was particularly interested in knowing more about this tragic war. Many Korean citizens were displaced during and after the war and millions of Koreans lost their lives during the North Korean occupancy. After touring this prosperous beautiful country, for approx. 25 days, it's hard to believe that this occurred only approx. 50 years ago. I think that it just goes to show how determined, devoted, patriotic and hard-working the Korean people are. Outside, we were able to watch the Korean Army practice for an upcoming performance and then toured aircraft and tanks.

Next, was a long ride to the Changgyeonggung Palace, which was built in 1418 by King Sejong. The palace grounds included many buildings, botanical gardens, forested walking paths, ponds and much more. After a leisure stroll, we headed for a shopping district. This area was unlike our previous Seoul shopping experience. We walked down old one way streets, listened to street musicians and shopped in souvenir and antique stores. After shopping, we walked up a nearby alley and had dinner. It was always surprising to me how we always had something new on the table!! There is just so much food. And I have to say GOOD food!!! The restaurant had a cozy feel as it was open to outside. We once again battled traffic and began the long journey back to Seosan. It was like everyday: an amazing day!!!