Day 806-819: Incheon to Seoul, S.Korea

 

 We have been floating on the sea for 18hrs with this view... 

I really don't mind watching ''television'' like this

 After the hassle of stairs, escalators, up and down the bus, custom officers almost wanted to strip down my bike and put it through the scanner (My pissed off expression works so I was allowed to roll it over instead).... I am finally in S.Korea!

An-nyeong-haseyo Han-gug (Hello Korea)

I know blue is cycle route but pink is...? 

The pleasure of cycling in S.Korea... no drivers honk me and they are polite, if need, they will patiently drive slowly behind me before overtaking... unlike the previous country where drivers hope I go to hell

Mad dash from Incheon to Seoul along the river, I arrived in the dark hungry and cashless. 

Luckily they have 24hrs convenient stores everywhere and opening the mooncake I brought over from China... Happy Mid-Autumn festival! Korea also celebrates mid-autumn for good harvest called Chuseok over 3 days public holiday

Changdeokgung Palace (UNESCO site)

 Built as a secondary palace to the main palace Gyeongbokgung

Allowing the tree to grow naturally 

Ranking system in ancient time where officials have to stand accordingly..from 1st rank to the very junior 9th rank

the time is?

Underfloor heating system

 Heating system

++++

The secret garden within the palace compound

 

 

 Carved out of one stone... walking through this gate gives one longevity

 Unlike other pavilion, this has double layer roof

details underneath the roof... 2 dragons playing ball

 The doorway on the right is higher which is for the men to pass through at times with their horses and the left is for the women which is lower

 

 Woman will look through this small door to count the number of pairs of shoes to know how many cups of tea to serve

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Changgyeong Palace

 

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Jongmyo Shrine (UNESCO site)

 Walkway for the spirit

 See a face on the trunk?

 The ritual ceremony that still take place once a year

 The hole in the middle of the tablet is for the spirit to move in and out

 Ceremonial clothing of the King

 The king's palanquin for moving inside the Jongmyo shrine

The shrine that houses former kings and queens of Joseon dynasty

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Deoksugung Palace

 Changing of guards

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Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace

Re-enactment of Royal guards changing duties

 

Folks museum

Dongjaseok - modified version of deity statue in temple placed n front of a tomb for protection
Muninseok - statue of scholar place in front of tomb for protection, always in pairs

Typical traditional home of a family

Folks belief of villages... praying to these for prosperity or abundance of crops often placed at the entrance of village or by the road to protect them / ward off evil spirits, ghosts or diseases

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Glimpse of the blue house that is located behind Gyeongbokgung ... residence of President

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Policemen & policewomen lined the streets

 Orderly protest going on... I've never seen so many policemen before

++++

 The 123 floor Lotte World Tower

 Typical alley

Ready for the name? Its called Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception

 Kitty just sitting here in the middle of the walkway facing the church...

 Ever so busy with shoppers @ Myeongdong

 A well known brand from Singapore that sells barbeque meat have made their presence in Korea!
100g for 6800won for chicken bbq meat

No smokeing - I like the fact that you are not supposed to 'Puff' on the streets

 Try throwing a coin in there...

 About the Cheong Gye Cheon stream

++++

Korean traditional costume

 Marriage

The bride in traditional costume

 Unique... rusting house

++++

Cafes dotting around... its everywhere that you'll never be lack of caffeine

 Need help?

++++

Bukchon Hanok Village - a traditional village in Seoul

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 Taking a ''stroll'' along the old city wall

 Have a read about the different types of construction

 Seoul skyline

 Reaching the N Seoul Tower

 Glimpse of the city wall (steep) up Bukhansan, the highest mountain in Seoul

 Love locks

 Standing at the very center of Seoulon Namsan mountain

 Beacon mount at Namsan - in ancient times used to inform the palace of urgent matters of the borders

 Sign of the fortress wall on the left

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A stroll around Buam-dong valley

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Graffiti alley near Hongdae

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Gangpul Cartoon Alley
 

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Garak Market - its so big that its better with a bicycle haha

 Its Huge and... expensive

***

 Namdaemum market

 Tteok - sweet rice cake

***

Tongin Market

 Korea sausage - Sundae
   very different from the sausages that we are familiar with

 Herbs

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Traditional market in residential area

 Banchan (side dishes)... if you don't want to make it yourself, they are easily available in the markets

 Different version of their sweet rice cakes... gonna try them all throughout this trip!

 Dried chilli... 

 I've never seen any possibility to buy just one garlic... it always come in big bunch or a bag of peeled garlics

- Street food -

Me likes Octopus!

 Sweet rice cake

 Bought one to try.... the size of this pear its half the length of my 1L bottle

One of the night, one of my host, Cha mum's friend made pumpkin soup... its thick with rice, red bean and glutinous rice balls in it... YUM!

***

Waking up to readily made breakfast with a sweet note from JB's wife Seon Min as they are off to work...

Enjoying dinner with JB's family over wine... mmm

 

A meal of ginseng chicken - just gonna try!

15 Sept 16: 75.77km [Sunny]