Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), Hyangwonjeong Pavilion and Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을)
My adventure in Seoul, South Korea, continued with a visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Once we exited the subway we were presented with a series of statues which displayed historical figures. With the contrast of office blocks and mountains in the background, these statues made quite the picture.
Once we arrived at the gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace we waited in line to take photos with the guards. Afterwards, we shuffled along to the watch the changing of the guards and got a fantastic view. It really was a fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone who is lucky enough to visit Seoul. As you can see from the photos below the colours are bold and vibrant. I particularly like the second photo below that I took during the parade.
On completion of the parade, we wandered into the grounds of Gyeongbokgung where we found a beautiful and elegant pond, in which lay Hwangwonjeong Pavilion. This site is one of the most picturesque views I have seen in my life and one that I will cherish forever. If you look carefully the greens on the pond are lilypads, which are even more beautiful in the spring when they blossom into pink lilies.
One thing I loved about travelling around Seoul was that things were fairly central and tourist sites quite close together so that you could see several things in one day if your legs permit you to do so! After exploring the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace we decided to go on the hunt to find Bukchon Hanok Village, in particular, a street that is famous for representing traditional Korea and its photogenic quality. The first photo below depicts this specific street. It was difficult to get a good photo as there are herds of tourists, especially Chinese in Korean traditional wear, trying to capture the same photo. The second photo shows me walking down a quieter street that was tucked away from the hustle of screaming tourists all demanding a photo.
I hope you enioyed my blog and pictures from my wonderful day exploring Seoul!
Nice pictures. It seems like you visited the palace at a good time. I remember coming here in winter 7 years ago and there was not much life around. Keep em coming :)
Thanks for your comment! I believe the South Korean tourism industry has improved and has been increasing a lot since 7 years ago and therefore it is likely that the atmosphere has changed! For example, there are more and more businesses that cater to the needs of tourists!