Gyeongju & Seoul

In the grand tapestry of our quest, the 4th of December dawned upon us as we arrived in Gyeongju, a town steeped in ancient whispers and echoes of forgotten times. Our arrival, heralded by a bus, led us to a quaint hostel, reminiscent of a hobbit dwelling, where we unburdened ourselves of our travel-worn packs before venturing into the bustling market, seeking nourishment to sate our hunger. The afternoon unfolded in a mesmerizing parade of exploration through the old town's cobbled streets. We searched postcards, savoured street fare fit for hobbits, and admired the splendour of houses that seemed plucked from distant realms. When dusk painted the sky, we had some fried chicken for dinner.

The next morning, we set out to explore the sights of Gyeongju. The city is full of ancient tomes. This sounds very impressive, but they are mainly just large hills, still impressive, but a lot less than you probably imagine. There is also a castle which also has a lot more resemblance to multiple hobbit holes from above than the Red Keep in Kings Landing. Yet amidst this, a bridge of ethereal beauty graced our path. Upon sating our hunger with noodles fit for a fellowship, we ventured into a forest sanctuary, a temple ensconced amidst a kaleidoscope of foliage. Ancient carvings adorned the rocks, whispering tales of bygone eras steeped in wisdom and mystique. There was also a stream next to the temple and it was surrounded by trees with leaves of all kinds of colours. We wanted to discover the these woodlands secrets on our way back to village, however, that was forbidden with high fees. So, we retraced our steps alongside the road, discovering a cozy haven reminiscent of the Three Broomsticks, where hot chocolate warmed our spirits. As dusk settled, we feasted on divine dumplings worthy of a feast.

On the 6th of December, our voyage carried us to Seoul aboard a four-hour bus ride. Our first endeavor, seeking entry to witness "The Nutcracker," met a fate sealed by sold-out tickets. Undeterred, we started our next quest: find something for dinner. That was much more successful: we found a fried rice place which had ten commandments on how to get a free meal. These included things like: coming with someone who has the same birthday as you, coming dressed as a Marvel character or singing your national anthem. We were fully prepared to sing the German national anthem, but we got around this by fulfilling one other commandment: have a family tattoo. Well as it happens, we do have a sibling tattoo, so that ended up getting us a free meal. I never thought this tattoo would actually save us money someday.

The subsequent day was dedicated to uncovering the secrets of Seoul. Joined by a gracious Japanese companion, we traversed regal palaces, timeless villages and had a nice walk next to a canal. After a lunch break, our paths separated and the two of us headed to a cinema in the southern part of the city to watch “The hunger games: the ballad of songbird and snakes”. Before indulging in this spectacle,we got a nice Bibimbab for dinner.

On the next day, our adventure continued northward, the furthest reaches of South Korea beckoning us towards the enigmatic DMZ It was very fascinating and we learned a lot about the Korean war. The first stop was at the peace park. This park used to house north Korean refugees. The second stop was the Dora Observatory, where we could gaze upon North Korea with binoculars. Nearly as interesting as the North Korean infrastructure were the people on our tour. Screaming and pointing when they saw a North Korean Soldier or a North Korean doing something as crazy as riding a bike. People are fascinating creatures. The third stop on our trip was the third tunnel. This tunnel was dug by the North Korean trying to invade South Korea. We were not allowed to bring anything down there, we had to lock away our Phones, backpacks and hats. In exchange we got very fancy bright yellow helmets. Down in the tunnel it was a bit chilly and narrow. At some points none of us could walk upright as the tunnel was too small. That was the perfect spot to perfect some walking styles like the typical grandpa, the marionette (a lot better for the back) or the duck. Back from the depth of darkness we went to the fourth and final location in the DMZ. A village where they grow a lot of soy beans and rice. One of the specialities of this village is soybean ice cream and as we never miss the opportunity to get some good ice cream, we had to try it of course. It turned out to taste quite like waffles but in a good way. An hour later we arrived back in Seoul. As the sun waned, we wandered through the hallowed halls of another palace, a place where echoes of history whispered tales of dynasties long past. Our steps, guided by the enchantment of discovery, led us to a bustling street food market. Here, amidst the aromas of sizzling pans and bubbling stews, we indulged in the delights of egg bread. Later we also got some stew for dinner.

On the next day our time in Seoul neared its end.  We had a lovely walk next to the Seoul city wall with some impressive views. The lure of a street food marvel beckoned us, where mungbean pancakes, tofu rice balls, and gimbab awaited, a spread vast enough to stir the appetite of any inner hobbit. Yet, the day unveiled more than culinary wonders: we spend the afternoon venturing to the war memorial which is a huge complex with impressive sculptures and a lot of old military vehicles, tanks and planes. It once again demonstrated the importance of the Korean war and the continued presence of the threat by the North in the South Korean culture. It is truly fascinating. We walked back to our the hostel to do our laundry and to have Bibimbab one last time. With the dawn, we embarked on a new chapter, bidding adieu to Seoul as we ventured forth to Taiwan