首尔掠影-昌徳宫，大东门及其他

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星期三一大早爬起来赶去首都机场，准备起飞去首尔。

不要以为中国没有不好吃的中国饭，我就是在这个很漂亮的室内很有中国特色的建筑旁边吃了一顿不能再难吃的早饭：-（。

飞机在上午11奌左右到达了首尔机场。曾多次在此转机，但歨出门还会是第一次。等所有的手续和关卡都通过了，已经是将近1点啦！另外一个小时又花在了从机场去酒店的路上。

这是快到酒店从车里拍的街景。

酒店的装饰很elegant yet with an Asian touch..这个是装饰在去我的房间的拐角处。

像我别的旅途记录，这是我的房间。

这是从我房间的窗户看到的。

I got to show you the toilet...

Apparently the Koreans are just like the Japanese when it comes to pamper the bottom :-)..

待我走出门来，已经是2：30多了，但还是决定出去逛逛。我住的这个酒店是在一个prime location, 就在明洞旁边。在Concierge的指奌下，决定去昌德宫，东大门，然后回来去明洞。野心很大，是不是？

我需要去的地铁站就几分钟的路。这是在路上的街景。

这种食物摊很是普遍。

Shopping is everywhere. Subway stations are no exception..

首尔地铁站。

车廂内。

在Anguk Station 下来后已是腹中空空，恰巧看见这个pastry shop, 便毫不犹豫走了进去。

Wasn't the little sandwich cute?...

....and the red bean shaved ice humongous?

吃饱喝足后，便向昌德宫走去。It's literally right around the corner..

昌徳宫was built as a secondary palace in the early 1400s but later became the main palace. It was built a bit earlier than but can still be considered contemporary with the Temple of Heaven. Its layout is in harmony with the topography of the area it's built on, therefore the whole complex is asymmetric, which is quite unique architecturally for an Asian palace.

The imposing 敦化门, the main gate of 昌德宫。

After passing through the gate, to the right is 锦川桥, the oldest stone bridge left in Seoul.

This bridge was built over an auspicious stream named 禁川。This particular palace was built to meet 禁川.

But it looks like the stream is no more...

After the bridge comes 进善门。

仁政门leads to 仁政殿.

仁政殿 is the throne hall of 昌徳宫. Major state affairs were held here. People trying to take a peek of the throne..

And here is where the king sat..

Ceremonies were held in the courtyard. Here I suppose the stone plate designated where officials of different ranks ought to stand..

I was very much intrigued by this little side corridor that one could peek through to see a backyard..

The details were so beautiful and intricate..

My favorite corridor..

Corner of an building..

宣政门 leads to 宣政殿.

宣政殿 was where the king conducted daily state business. Fairly low key?

Isn't the ceiling beautiful?

Another beautiful sight..

For some reasons, I was attracted to this door - both the color and the pattern..

Next I wandered to 大造殿, residence of the queen.

This is the reconstructed bed of the last queen..

Once again, the colorful details..

A few more pictures of the Palace..

On my way out, I noticed this tour guide in a traditional wear..

...and this lady dressed in a casual yet elegant dress for a comfy tour of the Palace..

Another subway ride took me to 东大门. The first sight out of the subway station was certainly no comparison to the grand palace :-)

This seems to be an outdoor market hawking cheap goods ranging from clothes, toys and accessories. Note the fake designer bags.. Apparently counterfeiting does not happen only in China..

I started to get disappointed, thinking this might be it, the 东大门巿场, until I saw bigger and more modern buildings ahead..

One of the shopping complexes at 东大门.

A few good looking mannequins..

After 东大门, I took the subway back.

Tired and starving, I had no more energy to explore 明洞, even though it's right around the corner. Instead, I decided to feed myself at a Korean restaurant just across the street with the hotel.

Inside of the restaurant. Yes, I had to take off my shoes to sit at my table..

The complimentary dishes. One of the dishes was beef. Rarely the Korean restaurants in the US would give complimentary meat dishes..

My dinner entree..

I also ordered a soup but did not expect it was so huge..

I called it night after dinner..

One more street picture just before I left for the airport on Thursday..

And the only dress I tried on in Seoul..

Here is my last lunch/dinner at the airport in Seoul

By the time I got to the gate, it was time to board. Then I noticed the destination on the board was not where I would be going, which almost set off a heart attack. I checked my boarding pass, and this was indeed the correct gate, and then I noticed in a smaller print on the board that said "via my destination". What a relief!

Goodbye, Seoul, until next time..