FIRST WEEKEND IN SEOUL

Arriving in Seoul, despite my tiredness I was very excited. I must admit that with all the trips I've been on I've rarely actually felt excited about reaching a country so this was unusual.
A volunteer from my school, MJ, met me at the airport with her boyfriend, Beck, and a driver to bring me to my hotel. I checked in and was quite impressed with the big plasma TV, high-speed computer, jucuzzi and sideways shower. But later I found out that my hotel isn't quite a business hotel, but rather a 'motel', or as they're labelled in Japan; a 'love hotel'.
After check-in MJ and Beck showed me around a bit. I saw my school (just from the outside) and bought a Korean phrasebook. My guides were really cool and spoke excellent English so it wasn't quite the bumbling introduction I've had into other countries.
Then we went to a cheap Korean chain restaurant for some typical food. I had bibimbap, a rice and vegetable dish with spicey red chilli paste mixed in, and we talked about Korea, Ireland, whisky and soju; their national drink.
Saturday evening I just rested in my motel. I was tempted to go out but even with my minimal wisdom I knew that was a bad idea.

On Sunday morning I awoke early and fresh and wanted to make the most of my day. So after some breakfast at a nearby cafe I explored the area I work/live in; Gangnam. Then it was time to tackle the subway alone and get over any nevousness about that. I headed to the other side of the city to visit Changdeokgung; Seoul's best Palace and home to the Secret Garden. I had no problems with the subway as they had a map in English and I only needed to change once. And at the temple I got a ticket for the 11:30 guided tour (the only possible way to see it) and then relaxed in the shade with a cold aloe vera drink.
Changdeokgung is supposedly the best of Seouls five ancient palaces. Originally built between 1405 and 1412 it acted as Korea's centre of power from 1618 to 1896. The temple has been burnt down a couple of times so reconstructed and repaired, but certainly looked and felt like something from centuries past.
(From this pavilion the emperor would go fishing for carpe from his well stocked pond. I imagine an old, white-whiskered Korean man playing a string instrument from somewhere in the forest as I fish without a hook).

The 110 acre site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and although I mostly visited it for the secret gardens, which weren't overly impressive, it was an interesting experience. Our English speaking guide told us quite a lot about the previous Emperors who lived there, including the last Korean Emperor who was there until his death in 1926. And whislt walking about I could definitely imagine masses of guards and servants wait hand and foot on their emperor like in one of those Yimou Zhang movies.
(The beautiful and meticulous painting is done under the eaves of all the buildings and has to be redone every decade or so. Looks like hard work.)
Photos from google and wikipedia.