Seoul: A Microcosm of Tradition, Nature, and Humanity

After three years of the pandemic, this was my first overseas short trip. Completing a business trip, with sparse flights on Monday evening, I took advantage of the weekend, aside from the nucleic acid test, I arranged Changdeokgung on Saturday, booked a day tour through TripAdvisor on Sunday, and strolled around Namsan Park near the hotel on Monday.

In Seoul, transportation relies on a transit card. The nearby convenience stores only had Cashbee, which was fine. Local 7-Eleven, GS-25, etc., can top it up. I guess the T-money card bought at subway stations might be more common. However, Google Maps didn't seem as good as Baidu Maps; the local Kakao Maps might be better, but with China Mobile's signal, it was very unsatisfactory. Next time, I'll need to rent a portable Wi-Fi.

Compared to Gyeongbokgung, one of Seoul's top three palaces, this palace is much less known and smaller in scale.

I spent three hours leisurely walking and looking around. Compared to Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung has no hills, no rockeries, yellow earth ground, and low buildings. It felt like I was back in the scenes of Dae Jang Geum. Compared to the towering, magnificent, and golden Forbidden City, it offered a chance to see various auxiliary structures beyond the main hall: the side halls where officials rested, the pharmacy, the rear palace, the kitchen, etc. It had a different charm. What puzzled me was the lack of water features—doesn't that affect feng shui?

Under the blue sky and white clouds, these "palaces" appeared even more modest. I inexplicably thought of Kyoto... a place I miss.

There was a commemorative stamp on the ticket. There are still over 20 places to go—still need to work hard.

Unfortunately, I couldn't enter the Secret Garden because of the queue and because I needed to get back to the hotel with the nucleic acid test report to apply for the customs health code. A small regret—I'll revisit Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung together next time for further comparison.

I followed the bus here. I'd rather classify this place as a botanical garden. Along the garden paths, winding forward, I was dazzled by the reed flowers in the sunlight, stopped for the vibrant chrysanthemums, and didn't dare to step on the red leaves covering the ground. The large layout and small scenery complemented each other nicely. With rockeries and ponds, the eyes were filled with red leaves and swaying withered lotus, showcasing the deep autumn under the blazing sun—still brilliant, not bleak at all.

I bought an essential oil spray as a souvenir.

Nami Island—it's called the Nami Republic, but without sovereignty. Its shape is like a mallet, surrounded by water. On the island, there are small trains, bicycles, electric scooters, and various vehicles. Just off the ferry, with many people, I decided to walk first. Along the eastern coastline, stepping on paths of ginkgo and maple leaves, the crunching sound brought a lively atmosphere, startling the birds in the woods.

Unexpectedly, it only took 20 minutes to walk from one end of the mallet to the other. I quickly switched to another path, continued strolling to the dock, and then along the western coastline. I completely gave up the idea of using auxiliary transportation. There is no better choice than walking in nature under the warm autumn sun.

I saw young people queuing for ice cream and couldn't resist either.

Lunch: I ate outside the island with the crowd—it was quite shabby. Upon arriving on the island, I found the restaurants were all very nice, at least with good appearance. Several restaurants represented different cuisines. I regretted it slightly.

Before sunset, I arrived at this peculiar area—twisting and turning, every step seemed to showcase various French characteristics? Comparing it to Splendid China (which I haven't visited)?

However, this attraction wasn't my cup of tea—it felt somewhat fake, just packed into the itinerary.

After completing the nucleic acid test in the morning and having endured a very tough week of work and intensive cross-ocean travel, I didn't want to make any more efforts. On the way back to the hotel, I got off two stops early and finally strolled through Namsan Park—a leisure spot for locals. Near the TV tower, climbing the tower doesn't appeal to me. Wearing headphones and walking quietly in the forest is my favorite.

Oh my! Seoul National University is right in the city center, next to Lotte Department Store.

Seoul Station's long history (perhaps not that long) is all written on that old building.

Travel Diary Table of Contents: 1. Preface 2. Changdeokgung, the "Marginalized" Palace 3. Garden of Morning Calm 4. Nami Island, Mini Republic 5. Petite France 6. Namsan Park 7. Other Travel Information (Hotel Index, Strategy Index, Ticket Index, Website Navigation, Travel Index, Cruise Index, Corporate Travel Index, Affiliate Cooperation, Distribution Alliance, Friendship Links, Corporate Gift Card Procurement, Insurance Agency, Agency Cooperation, Hotel Franchise, Destination and Scenic Spot Cooperation, More Cooperation, About Ctrip, Ctrip Hot Topics, Contact Us, Careers, User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Business License, Security Center, Ctrip Content Center, Intellectual Property, Trip.com Group Algorithm Publicity)