Back to Seoul
So we went back to Seoul to see more last week and here are the pictures.
First of all, people are very helpful, even looking up the directions on a map on their phone.
Cute donut
Getting a buzz thing that vibrates when your order is ready isn't anything new, but this was the first time I've seen one that has TV on it. Although they showed commercials only.
Of course, we had to come to Gangnam - the fanciest place to be at in Seoul. Yes, this is the place Psy was singing about in his song Gangnam Style that got so popular before.
Samsung here is so much more than just a phone company. Here is their head quarter.
The tv is taller than me!
Trying out the cameras by taking pictures of doll houses
Cutting the hair is cheaper in Korea than in Sweden, so we treated ourself to a visit to the British brand Toni&Guy. They were good, I had both the professional hair dresser and his assistant working on my hair. They liked my hair a lot, hehe. I gave the hair dresser some free hands on the front part of my hair, suggesting he can cut bangs if he thinks it will suit me. He didn't cut bangs, but he went for a model look and divided my hair on top of my head instead of on the side like I usually have it. I tried to keep the hair that way for one and a half day, then I got tired of the hair falling down infront of my face so I just put on the cap. You will see pictures of me below, but first, to keep it the pictures in chronological order, I will show you some pictures of the palace museum.
The painting that was hung behind the emperor.
Map of one of the palaces, how big it was before. Unfortunately, it was burnt down by the Japanese during their first invasion in 1592-1598. The palace was not restored until 19th century, and only the main parts was restored.
Shelf for traditional eastern medicin
Palace, the front gate
Guards changing time
The emperor's seat
"The blue house" - where the president lives. Did you know that Korea's president right now is a woman? Girl power!
This is a mythological creature in China and Korea called Haetae (or xiezhi in Chinese). It can tell good from bad and protects from fire, so they were put on each side of the front gate to stop bad people from coming in.
This is the front gate, guanghuamen, and it was also destroyed by the Japanese once.
The square infront of the palace.
And a ridiculous amont of police men!
The police was standing on each side of the staty of King Sejong - the king who (together with scientists) invented the Korean alphabet during the 15th century. Can you see the difference of the charactes on this stone, and the ones on the palace gates? The ones on the palace gates was Chinese, because for a long time Chinese was used by highly educated people while the Korean alphabet was used by poor and women.
On each side of the squares was long rows of police buses. What were they doing there?
Probably overlooking the protest going on. It was a protest against the (in the protester's eyes) weak measures of the government after the tragical ferry accident a few months ago. But... the protesters was so few, and the police so many! A little bit too much maybe? However, the police men were probably people doing their service in the military so they weren't getting paid anyways.
King Sejong was one of the two most important historical figures in Korean history. The second is General Lee who fought and won every battle(!) at the sea against the Japanese. He basically won because he had invented a "turtle ship" that the Japanese couldn't destroy.
Oh? Some one famous?
The politican of the opposite party who ran for the president seat but lost during last election.
This was a natural stream before, that was closed down before and then restored recently.
City hall
Old city hall in the front and the new one in the back
Interesting building!
Such a run-down old building, and interestingly located right next to a fancy sky scraper.
Old Seoul station
New Seoul station
A bigger amount of protesters for the same reason as before in front of the station
Lights on the road
Namsam tower
It is belived that if you hang a locker with your and your lover's name on it at the top of Namsam mountain, yur love will last forever.
So much love...
That was it for the first day! More pictures are coming.
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