Today was Rabbit's birthday, so I told her, as we passed by yet another ornate looking palace (there are quite a few of them in Seoul. They obviously take their heritage quite seriously...) that she could decide where to go...
She said she would like to walk around in yet another one of Seoul's famed shopping malls and so we went to the nearby Shinsegae. It looks just like any other shopping mall if you ask me...
Though some of the wares did look delectable...
But really, it is the small things that catch my eye... Like this contraption here...
I think it's kind of nifty.. For one thing, it makes for easier storage, compared to the triangular, conical ones which you see in Singapore... Haven't guessed what it is yet? It is a paper container with which one can partake of the water which is dispensed free of charge at the lift lobby of the mall...
Still, I was glad when our shopping endeavours were over and were able to roam the streets of Seoul and do something else. Or so I thought...
I managed to pull Rabbit away after but a few minutes, with claims of an upset stomach (which were treu to boot) and the need to find a toilet real quick (tough luck that the nearest one was rather far from the street market. Heh). Anyhow, we continued ambling along the streets of the capital, stopping into occasional places of interest such as the Korean Bank Museum, which showed the history and development of the Korean (South and North) currency. I also have to add that by this time, my camera battery was only showing one bar (which was blinking, which is worse) so pictures from this point onwards are few and far between and of poor quality.
"I still wish we could go somewhere to see the whole of Seoul at a glance," I remarked. And that was when we heard some Ang Moh talking about Seoul Tower and so it is there that we set our sights on. I must say it wasn't that easy finding our way there as most people didn't really know what we were talking about. Strange. But after a few false starts, we finally made it to the base of the cable car station where we patiently began to queue.
This is the view on the way up....
And of Seoul Tower from just below...
It is actually quite lively down there, with people, young and old, doing their own thing and milling, sitting about. There was a troupe singing some catchy old numbers and also all manner of small shops selling any number of souvenirs. For those who prefer a bit of history, the hill on which the Tower is situated was in ancient times used as a signal post so one can see remnants of that. A pity I didn't have enough battery for pictures. I'll see if I can get them from Rabbit.
Anyhow, this is how it looks at the viewing gallery in the Tower.
And these are some views from there...
I've been to lots of viewing galleries before and frankly, this one did not look very much different from the rest of them. So I was pleasantly surprised to find something unique in the washroom. As you can see, one can savour the view while using the amenities...
And unlike the main gallery which is crowded and teeming with people, this is where one can get an undisturbed, unobstructed view of the city. So how could the architects let the small matter of having to do what one had to do distract one from looking out in wonder at the city? Pee-per-view, I'd say.
By the time we got down, it was already dark. So we headed to Hong Yik one more time to soak in the view and the atmosphere... The main road was busy as to be expected but it was the small lanes which were eye-catching, with youth buskers playing or acting out their carefully practised routines for all who would listen and/or watch. I really, really wish my camera had enough juice to take that all in.
All too soon, it was time to head back to Singapore, though, after what was a very memorable week.
And that was it for the Korea Business Study trip... I'm sorry I took so long to post about it from start to finish and I'm sorry I didn't take pictures of more food and/or tourist spots. But my trips are seldom about mainstream sightseeing so I hope I also gave my (two?) readers posts with a different perspective. All the same, thanks for bearing with me!
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