Second day, National museum and the Korean-like Korean palace
As the title tells, we first went to the National museum. It had free entrance (yes!) and was very big, spacious and had exhibitions on three floors. But just the first floor about Korean history took us three-four hours to go through, including a short lunch break.
Namsam tower in the background
A statue with a turtle in the bottom and a luck-bringing dragon on the top
A crown made of gold, with the front part shaped like a deer horn. the historicans are not sure who used these kind of crown, if it was the royal family or someone great within the imperial palace or perhaps shamanists. It only exists 8 crowns like this in Korea, but these crowns have been found in Turkey too, sugesting some form of trading must have existed.
When trading was done with further western countries, it usually was through the "silk road". It is the middle line in the picture, going through China among others. The trading was done so far as to Rome!
Halfway through the history, we took a lunch break and went to the nearest convenience store. While we in Sweden can get a sandwhich at most for something to eat other than candies at the convenience stores, most of the convenience stores in Korea even sells lunch boxes and provides microwaves to heat the lunch up!
Back to the musem, here is the emperor's seat. I didn't take many pictures in the museum, wasn't sure of how interested you would be in it. After the musem visit, we went to one of the two biggest palaces in Seoul. Compared to the one we went to yesterday, that was heavily influenced of Chinese style, this one is more Korean in artchitecture and design. The main differences is that while the Chinese style has a lot of decorations and is very colourful, the Korean style is relatively simple. Also, the Korean roofs are even more bent, both at the middle of the roof and at the end.
The visit to the palace started with a tour to the secret garden behind the main buildings, and wasn't really a secret, but more of a secluded place for the emperor's family to enjoy.
This small house has two pillars in the water like a pair of human legs, symbolising us.
While the round island in the middle of the pond symbolises the earth. And the temple up high is heaven.
A gate made of stone in one piece, standing firm and therefore symbolising eternal life. The owman in the front is our guide, dressed in humble Korean traditional clothes.
A pagoda shaped as a fan
The emperor had a rice field in the secret garden so he could try out the life of a farmer.
These buildings have less decorations and no red colour like the others, to reflect the humble and restricted heart of the prince who devoted himself to studies.
A very old tree
The tour of the secret garden was now over, and we could freely walk around the main buildings of the palace
Japanese french pancakes...
Hoddok, Korean rice cake pancake with sweet filling
And a sweet rice drink.... had a very interesting but quite good taste
From the palace we went to a part of Seoul that still has traditional houses left. It's a residental area, so people are still living there.
On our way back to the hostel, we passed a market. Issac bought me Turkish ice cream that is very sticky and doesn't fall off!
And this is how the ice cream was served... I was just as fooled as the kid by the seller. "Here, catch the ice cream!"
"Eh? Were did it go? Did you drop it?"
"Oh! It's over there!"
"Oh no, you dropped it. It's right there on the ground, can't you see it?"
"Juuuust kidding, I was holding on to it. Here you go! Or not! Hah!"
Outside a chicken soup place...This chicken wasjust looked too funny.
That was it for the second day. I will try to upload more every day now so you can catch up with where we have travelled. Thank you for reading!
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