Our 1st stop ~ Gyeongbokgung Palace. Directions: Gyeongbokgung Station, exit 5. You will see the National Palace Museum. We skipped that as we wanted to join the English guided tour of the palace at 1100hrs.
Admission: 3000won.
This above pic is Geunjeongjeon, the main trone hall of Gyeongbokgung. Per booklet, the name means: All affairs will be properly managed if the Majesty demostrates diligence.
The King's state of affairs, including meetings, receptions & the coronation ceremony were all conducted here.
Gyeonghoeru Pavilion - where the Kings threw formal banquets for foreign envoys.
According to the guide, the 2nd level is open to visitors from Jun to Sep only.
Gangnyeongjeon - the King's living quarters. Here is the place where he slept, read, ate & attended to state affairs privately.
Gyotaejeon - the residence of the Queen who oversaw the operation of the palatial household; 掌管后宫之事.
The guide jokingly told us the garden behind the Queen's room was how the Queen knew about the season changes. There would be diffent types of flowers grown in each season. True or not, up to you to believe.
There were many other different residence such as:
Jagyeongjeon - Queen Dowager Jo, mother of King Heon-jong.
Donggung - residence of the Crown Prince & Princess
Hamhwadang & Jipgyoengdang - residence for concubines & court ladies.
This was the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony we caught at 1300hrs. We didnt know where to start first; watching from the outside of Gwanghwamun Gate or inside the palace grounds.
A working staff told us to watch from the outside first, then proceed inside, then outside again.
Video below.
The main guard.
The rest of the guards; not sure of their ranks or positions.
Coming to this Bukchon Hanok Village was no easy access. We had to stop & asked a couple of policemen along the way for fear of losing our way.
After watching the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, we walked towards our right ( if you stand facing Gwanghwamun Gate), along the palace walls. Turn left at junction, still following the walls. We bypass the entrance to the National Folk Muesem & continued straight. We stopped to ask a policeman if this was the correct way to Bukchon Hanok Village & he told us to cross the traffic junction when we see the police post on our right. ( using hand gestures & signs of cos)
We crossed the traffic junction & saw many policman around & was wondering what was the occasion. Were there big shots approaching? Then we realised the road on our left as we crossed the junction was leading towards Cheongwadae - Blue house, where the current president resides & works.
Ahoy! We have reached Samcheongdong. More policeman were stationed along the way. Weird! Oh.... so we saw, the Prime Minister's residence was just up ahead.
Now, how do we get up to Bukchon Hanok Village?
See the sign on the left (above pic)? BHV is towards the left but there were many cafes & shophouses along the way... Where do we see the village?
The policeman we asked (again) did not know the way either.... until a kind resident ( who seemed to read our minds~ the locals here can read tourist's minds) pointed out to us the stone stair way next to Cafe Terrace. He signed " Go Up ". We bowed & thanked him.
This was the stone stairway. See the railings at the top of the brickwall. We have to climbed all the way up. Elaine was half-hearted. We were already tired after all that walking & to think, we still have to climb???
I persuaded her; after all the way here, just continue lah. Our main motive was to see BHV right?
Yeah. We came upon BHV. That was afterall, a residence's area, hence the sign to lower our volumes. We walked down the slopes & again Elaine was half-hearted. What if after all that walking down, there was no through road & we have to walked back up again? That couldnt be. The slope should lead to the main road, bringing us to Anguk Station ( I read it in some travel forums ; hope it doesnt provide the wrong info)
Hey, I did not do my homework for nothing, ya know.
We had a very late lunch at BK, in Myeongdong & collected our tickets for the 1700hrs performance.
NANTA Cooking is a very hilarious, non verbal performance. All kitchen utensils are transformed into musical instruments in the hands of the performancers. If you ever visit Seoul, do watch the show.
Our simple dinner for the evening. We had it at 2200hrs since we had a late lunch earlier on. Last min shopping at Myeongdong again.
Back to our rooms, repacked our luggages to accomodate all the stuff we bought, took a shower & hit the pillows. We need to wake up real early tmomorrow morning.
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