“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”
– Carl Sagan
Ahh, Seoul 🙂 It’s hard to believe I was there for 11 days. Time flew by. And when it was time to go, I wasn’t ready to leave. Without a doubt, I’ll be going back.
I have so much to share with you guys that it won’t all fit in one blog post. That’s because in addition to Seoul, I also traveled east to Nami Island. So get ready for a 2 part series. In this part, I’ll be showing you around Seoul through pictures of my favorite moments.
Culture/History
I led with the pictures above because they’re my favorite from the trip. If you can’t tell, I’m really happy, totally in my element with a camera hanging from my neck. I mean, just look at that view! When I gazed up at the roof line from the bottom of the hill, I was in awe of all the colors, interesting lines, and patterns. I had to take a picture at that exact spot.
Fierce Fashion
The best surprise of the trip was stumbling into a Fashion Week event. I had no idea that Seoul Fashion Week would coincide with my visit or that Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) 
would be hosting an event on that particular day. My friend and I had decided to go see the Seoul City Wall (pictured on the left), which is a short walk from the DDP subway station. We got off at our stop and climbed up the stairs only to run into a huge crowd of people. Photographers. Models. Bloggers. Vendors. And plenty of Onlookers.
I also got a taste of the traditional. While visiting the National Museum of Korea, I tried on this GORGEOUS hanbok. First with the yellow and then with the pink top below.
More traditional wear.
I also got a sneak peek of a wedding ceremony. So beautiful!
Delicious Eats
No trip is complete without sampling the local cuisine. I love that spicy food is part of the diet, that the chopsticks are metal, and that the table was always piled high with more food than any of us could possibly eat. To a foodie like myself, it was heaven.
Out & About
I enjoyed visiting a few of the shopping districts in Seoul, specifically Insadong and Myeongdong, as well as some outdoor markets. It was a great way to get souvenirs, eat street food, and casually observe the locals. Unfortunately, I completely missed out on going to the mega-huge malls, like Times Square. I’ll have to go back to check them out.
Of course there were nights out too. Here’s a photo I took in Itaewon, a section of the city known for its nightlife. And its diversity. Here is where you will find cuisine and people of different nationalities and ethnicities. I especially remember going to an Ethiopian club called Club Zion, something I never expected to do in Seoul, and also meeting fellow travelers like myself, from Europe, Africa, and the U.S.
Cityscapes
If you’re someone who appreciates architecture and design the way I do, you’ll probably spend a lot of your time in Seoul looking up. Everywhere I turned there was something interesting to see. By walking and taking public transit, I was able to get a feel for the city and imagine what life might be like for your average Seoulite.
I hope you enjoyed this quick little peek into Seoul. It was my first time visiting an Asian country or even that side of the world. I traveled there with little to no expectations and left very pleased with my experience. I definitely plan to return and to visit other cities around the country as well. If you have any suggestions, please share 🙂
It’s a crazy busy time for me right now (end of the semester) but Part 2 is on the way. In the meantime, here are more pictures from my visit to Seoul (to see even more check out my social media accounts!). Thanks for reading and talk to you soon!
Tola the Traveler 