5.3.2: Seoul
Day 233: Gyeongju to Seoul
Today Alex and I took the bus from Gyeongju to Seoul. When we arrived we found that the hostel we’d booked was full and we had to stay elsewhere. We got somewhere nearby but it wasn’t so nice so we decided to stay just one night and then go elsewhere tomorrow.
Day 234: Seoul
This morning we went to visit the prison where the Japanese held Koreans during the occupation. It reminded me a little of Hoa Lo in Hanoi and was even more biased. Later on we visited a palace called Changdeokgung and the hidden garden. In the evening we went for dinner at a nice Moroccan restaurant and smoked a shisha afterwards.
234.1. Photos from the palace and secret garden at Changdeokgung.
234.2. Strange building constructed of doors on the walk back home.
Day 235: Seoul
Today I supposed to meet with John and Rachel from Pusan who had come to Seoul for the weekend at an indoor amusement park. When we arrived we found it was quite expensive so we decided to go and walk in the hills instead.
235.1. The Lotte amusement park and the nearby fake Trevi Fountain.
235.2. From the walk in the hills above Seoul.
Day 236: Seoul
Today we went to visit the Imperial War Museum.
236.1. At the Imperial War Museum.
Day 237: Seoul
During the day we went to a modern art museum. In the evening I went with Alex and an English guy called Matt to a Doors theme bar. Afterwards we went and ate still squirming octopus with chilli and sesame oil and drank beers with some Korean guys at a store. Afterwards we went to a Jimjilbang to use the baths. It had a sauna as well and was very hot.
237.1. Spider statues at the Leeum Samsung Art Museum.
237.2. The octopus experience.
237.3. Enjoying one last beer in Asia.
Day 238: Seoul to Hong Kong
Today was my last day in Asia. Alex was also flying back to Thailand and left in the morning. I went to an internet café and discovered that my flight time had been changed to an earlier one without being told and I’d already missed it. I phoned BA in Seoul and luckily I managed to get on another flight to Hong Kong and still make my connecting flight. The flight back to England was a strange experience. I saw the sun rising continuously for about 6 hours. I arrived in London at 6:00 AM and it felt strange to be back. I was kind of sad that it was all over and hope to be able to go back some day soon even if next time it will likely only be for a short holiday.