The blue travelling diaries

Today was Children's day, and a holiday here in Korea. We went to Gyeongbokgung Palace, and got there in time for the changing of the guard. I tell you, it's a long process. An enemy could attack and be done with the war during that time.

We started at Samseong Dung - which is where I stay. Look at the Subway map (needs flash, zoom in a couple of times). It's no. 219 on the green line. Headed down to Seoul National University of Education and switched to the Orange line to Gyeongbokgung (no 327) for the palace.

The palace is huge, and has a backdrop of mountains. There's a moat around one of the chambers, and also the museum of Seoul in there. We visited the museum, and then went out looking for lunch. Found it in a street market who's name i cannot remember.

We had a vegetarian dish - for once - with ginseng gin. That was followed by a Korean pizza. Served in a shallow basket rather than a pan, and made out of vegetables, dough, cheese, octopus and prawns. You eat it with chopsticks, and there's a soya sauce mixture that you dip the pieces into before eating.

After lunch went down to the Dongdaemun market and got some stuff from there.

On the way out saw a dance competition for children's day where this 8 year old girl (I thought she was 3) totally blew the crowd away. She danced really well.

Took the subway back, really exhausted by then, and came back to the hotel. Took a short nap and washed my clothes.

Later went looking for a veg dinner as Arun was with me, but the guy at the Taiwanese place that we went too looked at us very quizzically, trying to hold back a laugh. Finally went down to the mall to Mr. Pizza. Had spaghetti with cheese and meat sauce, bread sticks, garlic bread and a salad bowl with unlimited refills.

Long and tiring day. I don't quite have the stamina for sight seeing that I used to.

Radio here is all Korean, but Yahoo! Launchcast gives me a good selection.

Good night