Beijing Day 2 - Exploring the vast complex of the Ming Tombs

The second day started out real early as we needed to meet our tour guide at 7am. Yes, that early! As a result, we rushed through breakfast just to get to the hotel lobby on time where we will be picked up.

We hopped on the van, along with the other folks who will be joining us, to start the long journey towards the Ming Tombs. To start off, our tour guide provided a few details about Beijing and how life goes on around here. There’s also a bit of introduction amongst the folks who are with us in the van. So, all in all, we were 8 – a Japanese couple, a solo traveler from Hong Kong, and our group.

Seoul Day 5 – Enjoying the traditional houses at Bukchon Hanok Village

During my last day in Seoul, I decided to explore the area most close to where I was staying. I intentionally slid this to the back of my itinerary as it was just there.

It was really cold today as the wind coming from the mountains was quite strong. The surroundings felt gloomy as well since the sun didn’t show up from behind the clouds. Though that was the case, I still went on to walk around the narrow streets that wind about Bukchon Hanok Village.

narrow streets at Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul Day 4 - Culture seeking at Gyeongbokgung Palace (Part 2)

The next area we went to was the Sajeongjeon. It was here where the king held early morning meetings to manage routine state affairs. Early is not an understatement! These meetings started at 3:00am in the morning! Imagine getting up at that hour to discuss political matters!

Next stop was the king’s living quarters, the Gangnyeongjeon. The structure was divided into 9 sections with the center being the king’s room. It is here where the king read books, rested, and attended to state affairs in private. 

at the front of Gangnyeongjeon

Seoul Day 4 - Culture seeking at Gyeongbokgung Palace (Part 1)

It was a fine morning during my fourth day at Seoul. Finally, the sun decided to shine bright today after hiding in the clouds for the past days! I really appreciated this blessing of good weather since this was the day designated for my Gyeongbokgung Palace tour.

a nice view of the main throne hall amidst the mountainous backdrop

Seoul Day 2 – Exploring Namsangol Hanok Village

My second day at Seoul started out great! The sun was shining bright in the sky – a perfect day for walking and going around the city. After finishing my breakfast, I immediately set out to maximize the hours of this day.

I planned to explore the Namsan area on this day – starting from the cultural Namsangol Hanok Village.

Namsangol Hanok Village - Plaza