Flying from Seattle to Seoul is a brain mashing experience in itself. I flew at midnight. The flight is around 12 hours, and you also move to being ahead by 16 hours. As you casually fly through the air a day just disappears. I stumbled off the plane to early morning Seoul after a sporadic little sleep, and Monday had disappeared… we were already at Tuesday. I lost Monday. But I found Seoul. That was a fair trade, I thought, as I caught the AREX express train. I headed into South Korea. I wanted to see what one of the biggest Metropolitan cities in the world might have in store.

Metro Map – It’s Simpler Than It Looks, Honestly

When I first looked at the Seoul Metro Map my eyesight nearly gave up. The Metro Map is a labyrinth. If you look up synonyms on Google for labyrinth it comes up with Seoul Metro Map. It took a day or two to get the hang of the metro, but its design is brilliant. I was to find it as a good friend as it guided all my stay around this huge city. Trust the Labyrinth!

After dropping luggage at the hotel I headed out to discover travel rule number #17 in full effect in Seoul. Travel rule #17 states that “the top tourist attraction you want to visit will be closed the day you arrive”. Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesday. The airplane Gods had stolen Monday. I was out of luck and moved a visit to the Palace onto my must-do list for tomorrow!

It’s not a problem though in Seoul, they just find another palace for you. Changdeokgung Palace. I toured the clean as a pin streets of Seoul. My walk would find its way there. First, I headed to Buckchon Hanok Village neighborhood as I wanted to see the restored Korean homes dating back centuries.

I got the local walking KakaoMap navigation app because this trip I have Holafly data and an E-sim.  It’s kinda weird now to have a phone that actually works in foreign countries and Holafly provides unlimited data.  I’m sure it won’t stop me getting lost or taking a wrong turn, but that’s where the fun is!

Seoul Offers A Warm Welcome

There are lots of travel spots and places to see. I mostly spend my time meandering through the streets of a new country.  The weather is a little cold but pleasant. I was quickly learning that South Korea is a pleasure to be around.  Ditto Korean people.

When looking at things to do for Seoul the Starfield Library kept coming up, it’s in the Coex shopping mall.  This all sounded a little weird.  I went anyway.  It’s a bit special.  I was beginning to learn that this country seems to do everything well. I don’t think they know how to do anything poorly, it’s probably against their Korean psyche. Starfield Library looks great all year round, but at Christmas it sparkles!

I did plan to visit a soccer stadium, as I usually find time for one in most cities. I wanted to see the FC Seoul stadium which was the 2002 host stadium for the FIFA World Cup. Though there was a game happening at 7pm, so the stadium was closed all day.  I didn’t have time to go to a game. That would have been fun. However, I had places to go and things to see. Maybe next time.

A Night View From Up High

Next up I took the 2917 stairs up to Namsan Tower as it went dark.  Seoul shines and from the way above Seoul and up above sea level at the top of Namsan Tower. Walking the meandering street checked if your feet and heart were ready. It led to the steps for the climb ahead.  The challenge of the steps can and should be measured to the impressiveness of the view.  Seoul lived up to that.  You can go by cable car up and down, but where’s the challenge in that?  On the way up each step you take, your heart rate raises another notch.  It was fun.

Coming back down was a different challenge – things always look different on the way down.  I took a wrong turn, was heading who knows where?  I wasn’t planning to wander the dark streets late at night, even though Seoul is as safe as safe.  Or did I read that wrong?  No, I’m sure, safe, yes safe, perfectly safe.  My navigation app didn’t seem to want to help, or maybe it’s just I have a terrible sense of direction!!

I did find my way back down to Myeondong Night Market and wanted to sample some street food.  There are so many choices, what to do?  I ended up with a scrumptious lamb kebab.  Back to the hotel for a bottle or two of the Terra local beer and then off to bed.  I’d spent most of my time here not knowing what day or time it was. I’m was not sure how the sleep thing would go.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

The next day brought a different set of things to do and see.  The Gyeongbokgung Palace was open, it’s Wednesday now and travel rule 17 has expired,  so I headed there first.  There is a ‘Changing of the Guard’ at 10am so I made sure I made it in time.  It’s just different, good different.  As it goes, palaces can be so, so on the enjoyment scale, but here in South Korea I loved it.  Many people visit and wear traditional Hanbok dress and it greatly adds to the spectacle.  To encourage people to do that entry is free to anyone wearing traditional dress.  I thought this was a super idea, congrats to the person who came up with that!

The photos, the atmosphere and the guards, everything here was terrific.  

Heading from the palace I found new local streets, seeing people and life in Seoul.  Winding my way to the magical mystery that is the Seoul Metro. It took a bit of Metro map studying as I found where I was and where I wanted to go.  Just 27 stops and one change of track to get myself to Lotte World Tower.  On my journey, I helped an old Korean lady struggling on the escalator with her shopping. It’s good to ensures the locals like the British. You never know.

Lotte Tower World

Lotte World Tower is one of those massive skyscrapers that goes over 100 floors and the views are amazing. I never tire of doing this things.  In most cities I find time to find the tallest buildings.  Seoul is so vast, and boy or boy do you get to see that.  As far as the eye can see the city bursts out everywhere.  It looks a bit like Lego, but it’s a construction wonder.

In the evening I wanted to go out for Korean BBQ, it’s a must do thing. And I decided I must do it. It’s not easy deciding where to go. However, I heard and read good things about the Wangbijip Restaurant. So, I set off in search of it in central Myeongdong.  Restaurants are not always easy to find, they are often upstairs, which is kinda weird for us westerners. It did take a couple of tries finding it, even though I knew I was in the right area. Don’t believe that street app.

Myeongdong District

The maze of Myeongdong is fabulous though, it’s such fun to wander around. I wasn’t remotely bothered that I hadn’t immediately been capable of finding the Korean BBQ restaurant.

Wangbijip Korean BBQ Restaurant

This is where it gets interesting.  The selection to order was easy, there’s a one person mix offering that made life simple.  Then comes the sides, I believe there were eleven, or it could have been twelve.  It’s a dining experiment of taste testing.  It’s roll of the dice as you enter the scale of not spicy to mega spicy.
It’s absolute fun though, and the beef was delicious.  You get the full experience of the BBQ being done before your very eyes. They don’t trust customers not to set fire to the place. I thought that was a wise move.  I had to focus on the challenge of trying all these options using chop sticks, kinda tricky :). Overall, a big thumbs up for my first Korean BBQ experience at Wangbijib Restaurant.

Meal For One?

Seoul My Soul

I like how it’s clean, the people are respectful and everything runs on time, works and lovely.  The place is gigantic, so I know I only got a flavor for here, but it’s fabulous.  What’s not to like.