Thomas Kramer Travel Blog 2013: South Korea

With over 11.8 million people, a figure that more than doubles if you include neighboring cities and suburbs, Seoul is the largest city in South Korea and unquestionably the economic, political and cultural hub of the country. By some measures it is the second largest urban agglomeration on the planet, after Greater Tokyo.

OMG- what a beautiful and energetic town. It is a new modern city built on an ancient and shining history- follow me on instagram to get live updates from my travels!

Seoul is a very well organized city covering over 600 km² with a population of around 11.8 million. It is a new modern city built on an ancient and shining history. The city is located in the north-western portion of South Korea approximately 40 km east of the Yellow Sea and 60 km south of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The city is roughly bisected by the Han River (한강 Hangang), which runs east to west across the city. Seoul blurs seamlessly into its surrounding satellite cities, most of which are also served by the Seoul metro. The largest of these is Incheon (to the west) in which Seoul’s main Airport, and the area’s main seaport, are located. Other satellite cities include such as Ilsan (to the north) and Anyang (to the south).

CHERRY BLOSSOM HIKE TO THE SEOUL TOWER!

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Located in the center of Seoul and considered a symbol of Seoul. Namsan Park is an ecology-island surrounded by urban districts. In spite of being an urban ecology-island, wild animals live in the park. Located in the middle of Seoul, the mountain filled with pine trees can be seen from almost every corner of the big city and the residents of the areas surrounding the hills enjoy the fresh mountain air.

Once the tallest tower in Asia, it has the best panoramic view in all of Seoul. Many Seoulites and visitors have visited the tower to catch a glimpse of the city’s landscape while enjoying the nature of Namsan Mountain and a host of other attractive facilities. Owing to the tower’s unique structure, the observatory section boasts spectacular views of the changing foliage throughout all seasons.

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N Seoul Tower was renovated in 2005 with a newly designed high tech multimedia. The tower can be reached on foot, by taxi or, on the south side, by cable car. The cable car is available from 10AM-10:30PM and is reached by a 10 min uphill walk from Myeongdong stn, from exit 2 or 3. Centrally located, it can be seen from nearly anywhere in Seoul and is a helpful reference for visitors on foot. There’s also a Teddy Bear Museum at the tower which has lively illustrations of Korean culture. Of course all characters are Teddy Bears.

OMG Watch me eating a living octopus!

Korea’s cuisine is known the world over for being healthy and spicy. Learning how to make Korean dishes such as kimchi and bulgogi can be messy, but a lot of fun. Fortunately, there are several cooking institutes throughout Seoul catering to foreign tourists.

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Visiting Namdaemun market

The largest traditional street market in Korea. This market is located in the center of Seoul and is a famous shopping place for tourists. Clothing for children and accessories are the most-commonly sold goods in this market, but there’s lots of food as well and many outdoor eating options, especially in the evening. There is also a huge digital camera market in this area.

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