First Trip to Seoul

I'm reposting this from Facebook for those of you who aren't down with social networking.


Today I took the KTX high-speed train to Seoul for my first real trip there. Not pictured: the Taco Bell in Hongdae where we ate lunch or the madcap cartoonishness that is Itaewon, which is something like a combination of foreign/western restaurants, bars and stores as they would be appreciated by actual foreigners and a caricature of that same thing for Korean people to experience. It's a pretty incredible city that I'm sure I'll be visiting many times.

Part of the skyline and the Han River, viewed from the KTX. That gold-clad building is the 63 Building, which was the tallest building outside of North America when it was built.

Hongdae, which seems to be sort of the Williamsburg of Seoul. Very hip area that supposedly has an awesome nightlife.

Gyeongbokgung Palace.

In the distance you can see Seoul Tower perched up on a hill.

Some of the many residences on the palace grounds.

Inside of the building above:

The changing of the guard:

A huge flea market filling the street leading away from the palace. Way off in the distance below that mountain you can see a dark green/blue roof, which is the Blue House, the president's residence.

King Sejong the Great, probably the most famous Korean monarch, who oversaw the creation of Hangul (the Korean alphabet) in the 15th century.