Some pictures from the first weekend

Here are some photos that I took yesterday as I wandered around Myeong-dong and the City Hall area of Seoul. City Hall is where those enormous crowds gathered during S. Korea's remarkable, not to mention fortunate, progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2002.

Firstly, here is me in front of a building in Deoksugung (Deoksu Palace). This was one of the minor palaces in the Joseon dynasty that lasted approximately 500 yrs. It was interesting enough, but most of it was rebuilt in 1906 following a fire. Unfortunately, having already been to the Forbidden City in Beijing, it seemed rather small. It also has a rather bizarre mix of architectural styles: Korean, Neo-classical, Korean/Neo-classical (it has classical columns under a oriental roof). Unique.

Here is the changing of the guard. Again, slightly odd, because once the guards changed, they all marched off round the corner, never to be seen again. How do they guard? Perhaps their taekwondo is so good they don't actually have to be there.

Next: Myeong-dong shopping district. I didn't know where I should get off the subway, so I chose this area. Very busy, as you can see; apparently this is the main fashion shopping sector. I had some chicken-stuffed-with-rice-and-ginseng soup here. The most hideous shop in the world is here. I must get a photo of it.

Lastly, a night view from my flat, south Seoul.