Gyeongbokgung Palace and Highest Peak of Buhkansan Nat'l Park

Well, you'd be surprised at the fun you can have with slim to little money here. I'm nearing the end of my first month, and anxiously awaiting my first pay cheque. Did I mention I get paid millions/month? Literally, lol. Their won is like .001 to our dollar. :) But...it will be the first and last time in my life that I can say that I'm making millions...unless I win the lottery!

Like I was saying, with slim to little money I found some outdoor activities. One being Gyeongbokgung Palace. Say that really fast 5 times. Heck, say it once correctly and I'll give you a 1000 won...don't fall for it, that's only a buck. This Palace was built in 1395 and was served as a main royal palace to Joseon Dynasty, a King. It was destroyed in 1592 by a Japanese invasion (arson) and reconstructed almost 200 years later. The palace has 330 buildings, it is HUGE. I went there assuming I’d be in and out in an hour or so…but I could have looked around all day! I’m sure I’ll be back, it’s on my subway line.

It reminded me a lot of Pompeii in Italy. When visiting Pompeii in the summer (although ruined from volcanic ash)…it still allowed me to use my imagination to see the daily activities of the people back on those days. Just walking around (both there and this palace) and thinking about how DIFFERENT life is now. How fast paced, technologically-dependent we are. And how they just made due with what they had. Some of the buildings were: reception hall; a place where scientific devices where (i.e. sundial, telescopes); rooms for preserved/canned foods; library; a place for royalty funerals; living quarters etc. The doors were so teeny! They must have been really short back then! They even had guards, and changing of the guards (like at Buckingham each hour!--see pic on left)

Within the palace, they have built a Korean Folk Museum. I learned some neat things:
-Traditionally Koreans had arranged marriages, and the bride and groom did not MEET until the WEDDING! They got married at the bride’s home. Can you imagine the anxiety of not knowing each other!! phew! Lol!
-Children hold large birthday parties for their parents on their 60th (pic on right)
-Coffins were carried in intricate ‘hersts’ over water to burial places (pic on left)
-Check out the rain suit! Doesn’t quite look like ours today! (pic on left)



Then Sunday.
Another hike up Buhkansan Park, but this time to the HIGHEST Peak! 875 M. My friend Ian took me so I knew where to go. It was soooo exhilarating! It wasn’t like my hike last weekend. This time it was a lot more rocks, and pulling yourself up with the man-made railings. It took a lot more strength to get up, but it was definetly rewarding! It took about 2.5 hours to get up. There was a CAT up there, like a house cat! How the HECK? Haha.

Then when we got to the bottom, we saw went to a beautiful temple. Check out me rubbing Buddah’s belly for good luck! (See pic)It’s also the year of the Ox for the Lunar New Year. So there is lots of stuff around with Oxs and lots of opportunities to make wishes (I wished for 100 more wishes--haha) (See pic..I put money on the Ox and made a wish!)

Anyways…moral of the story. Fun can be FREE!
(Although…not-free will likely be just as much fun next weekend) haha.

***FUN FACT***
***Many small doggies. Not big ones. And most of the small dogs have little outfits. There are vendors outside who sell only dog clothing! Lol

***Many Koreans LOVE opportunities to practise their English. Every couple of days, I run into Koreans who goes out of their way to get in my bubble; on the subway or on the street to say “HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?” They seem so proud of themselves. It’s quite cute.

***Koreans are in great shape! Hiking is a national past-time. There are SOO many people out on the mountains… people around 60 or 70 as well as kids in elementary school too. It’s a family sport!



***You’d think there would be one counting system 1-100 right? Nope. There are two. One is for money, minutes, servings etc (IE 1-3 is: Ill, E, Saum) And the other is for age, drinks, hours. (IE 1-3 is: Hanah, Deul, Set) Confusing (but I’ll get it).