Having arrived in Seoul at past midnight, I had no plans of waking up early or interacting with other people in the guesthouse. When I opened my eyes, it was almost noon time and a cheery roommate greeted me.

Lyzabeth had this huge smile on her face that I couldn’t resist. She reminded me of me during my early years of travelling solo. I came to Korea with no itinerary at all, so when she invited me to go out for the day, I instantly said yes.

Scanned the subway for Park Bo Gum, no sign of him. Haha.

MT. NAMSAN

The Namsan mountain is one of South Korea’s proud landmark located at the center of Seoul. It is very popular for its panoramic views, nature park, high-tech facilities and cultural shows.

To go up, you can either ride a cable car or, if you’re in the mood for an intense work-out, walk up the pathway.

N Seoul Tower (N 서울타워)

“Seoul Tower opened to the public on October 15, 1980 and has since become a major tourist attraction.”

It was freezing cold that day and I had a hard time controlling my GoPro because my fingers were too numb.

But the scenery was too beautiful to pass up.

What can’t be seen in these photos: my frozen hands, running nose, icy breath, numb ears, the piercing wind and my shivering toes.

“Thirty years and countless visitors later, the structure was renamed ‘N Seoul Tower.’ The letter ‘N’ stands for the tower’s ‘new’ look…”

There was so much more to see and do inside but we didn’t have time to go in.

Namsan Octagonal Pavilion (남산 팔각정)

“Originally known as Unamjeong Pavilion, the pavilion was built to commemorate Syngman Rhee in 1959, was demolished by the 4.19 movement in 1960, then rebuilt on November 11, 1968.”

This pavilion that is just beside the tower is a prime spot to watch the sunrise and sunset.

 LOVE PADLOCKS

Like one of the many “padlocks of love” attractions around the world, Seoul has its own version here. It’s the perfect spot for a romantic pilgrimage.

I would have asked this guy to come with me, but he was busy saving a mermaid for the day. 😛

 

CULTURAL SHOWS

It was spine-tingling watching the traditional performances right in front of me. These shows I’ve only seen online.

Sadly, my camera and phone batteries were drained. I wasn’t able to capture the colorful costumes of the Joseon warriors and their thrilling sword fights.

We would have stayed longer at the mountain but I felt that a few more hours in the cold and I would die a snowman.

Myeong-dong (명동)

We ended the night walking to the Myeongdong area, one of Seoul’s main shopping and tourism district.

A hot meal to thaw ourselves…

It was a freezing fun first day for me. I slept with excitement for the coming days.

Texts in italics taken from these useful sites: Visit Korea | N Seoul Tower website

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