Heart and Seoul

Once more diving into the hustle and bustle of city sightseeing, we left Malaysia for South Korea - a place about which we knew very little and had no idea what to expect. Our first impressions, on the long bus journey from the airport, were of a mega-metropolis of concrete, neon, and 16-lane main streets thronging with traffic at all hours of the day and night, though it didn't take long to discover the historic and cultural heart of the country visible in its imposing palaces, sprawling parks and wonderful people.

Just this mix of the hyper-modern and the ancient was the basis for the glittering glass and marble archaeological museum, which contained a fascinating history of Korea from the prehistoric right through to the present - with a special exhibition about the Korean language and its unique script.

We were amazed at the grandeur of the UNESCO world heritage-status, Joseon-period palaces (Changdeokgung 창덕궁, Changyeonggung 창경궁, Gyeongbokgung 경복궁, Deoksugung 덕수궁 to name a few...) though we were also permanently confused by their similar names, which was rather compounded by seeing them all one after another all in the space of a couple of days! The changing of the guard, done to traditional music and in historic uniforms, was particularly interesting.

More than all the sights, though, the lasting impression of Seoul will be of the people. Unfalteringly polite and friendly and helpful: a non-profit cultural group in traditional outfits gave us books for free - we actually had to refuse some because we couldn't carry any more - and took time talk about their culture and ask about Scotland. On top of that, we were approached more than once by a smiling person offering to help us decipher the complex metro map and Korean signs!

We saw a hints of a different side to the Korean people though - with the death of the president there were almost immediately tens of thousands of police in buses and on the streets with riot gear ready for the expected civil unrest/political protest in its wake... though the queues for the condolence books were as polite and ordered as ever. And, to top off a great few days, we've managed to escape just before the funeral and the recent escalation of tensions with the north - perfect timing.