Seoul Searching

We had the opportunity to visit Seoul over the weekend and even though it seemed like a quick trip, it still took us all day. It was our first time really "traveling" with Ella. And wow. I have to believe there aren't any handicapped people in Seoul because the lack of ramps, elevators, and the abundant amount of stairs was incredible. I'm just referring to the train stations/subways. I know they are not going to add elevators to historical palaces and such. By the time we actually arrived in Seoul, I was physically exhausted from carrying my almost 30 lb butterball turkey. Needless to say, we were able to take in one palace and have a late lunch before we called it quits. Seoul is a huge city and everything is very spread out. It will take a few visits there before I am able to see everything I want to see.

Ella was treated like Britney Spears' baby while we were there. I think it has to be the blonde hair. The Koreans flock to her and they all want to touch her and play with her hair. I normally don't care but we are at the start of a pretty big flu season and I cringe when they all come up and touch her. (mean, right?) I catch many Korean women ooohhhing and ahhhhing over her from a distance. They were giving up their seats on the subway so she could have a seat. They were giving her candy. Ella of course was having nothing to do with it. She was as shy as could be and would bury her head in my shoulder when they would talk to her.

All in all, not a very productive trip, but I was pretty fascinated with the beautiful Palace of Shining Happiness we visited. Tom wasn't impressed, but I liked it. I think he is used to the castles of Europe and this was nothing like the Neuschwanstein Castle. It was an open palace with it's own stream running through it. There were openings on the ground that lead to dungeons (which of course were locked up). There were soldiers in Joseon-era uniforms standing guard and we even caught the changing of guard ceremony. The palace once had 330 buildings and up to 3,000 staff before it was destroyed under the Japanese colonial rule. I am not really sure how Gyeongbokgung received it's name "Shining Happiness" as it seemed to have a very devastating history. From almost bankrupting the goverment to originally build it, to it being burnt down the first time, to the assassination and burning of the Queen, and then to it being destroyed a second time, it doesn't seem very "shiny happy" to me. But I wasn't around to experience all that so maybe they had a grand old time in there at some point;)

Waiting for the train at the subway station in Suwon. How cute are my two loves?

Here comes the train! Ella was calling it "Thomas" like the tank engine and saying "All Aboard!"

Me and E on the train to Seoul. Quite a comfy ride if I do say so myself!

Gyeongbokgung Palace "Shining Happiness" entrance

The soldiers standing guard at the front. Their composure is no different than the guards at Buckingham Palace in London. They take their job very seriously.

Once past the guards, this is the next building you see. The King's Sleeping quarters.

Look how tall these buildings were and the halls that surround it.

The stream is right behind me.

Tom working on his modeling skillzzzz

Taking a little break in the corridor

The beautiful painted details of the ceilings.

Ella taking a little jaunt around the palace corridors. She is a princess afterall. Probably felt it was her palace.

Dragon details on the corner of the rooftops

My favorite part of the palace was this building on it's own island. Beautiful scenery. Worth every penny to build a palace in such a spot.

Ella was so clearly intrigued by the history of it all, that she needed a snack break.

Daddy explaining the history of the palace to Ella...or telling her to look at the fish.

Changing of the guard ceremony

Ella slept through lunch so we felt the need to buy her (us) a smoothie from Smoothie King...a little touch of home:)

If you would like to see more photos of our trip, click here. It's still hard to believe I am here in South Korea. I feel so fortunate to be able to visit such a beautiful country and to be traveling again with Tom. It's like the good old days, but we added a new traveling buddy to our adventures!