Gyeongbukgung ...then...Youido

got an assignment to accompany Dr. Sari, a lecturer from Atmajaya Univ. Jogjakarta, who's in Seoul for a seminar at HUFS. 

been here twice in two-week-time ㅋㅋㅋ

...afterwards. ..ran to Youido for an interview session.

Hmm...it looked cool.

I love spring.

Gyeongbokgung (part 3)

Accidentally clicked on my camera button and...this is what it captured.

The 4pm ceremony called the changing of palace guards. A daily program. We barely saw a thing..^^

One of the guardians of the palace....sitting on its throne at the entrance to the royal court. I simply loved the modern and traditional mixture of the palace surrounding.

Seoul's past and present at one place.

the famous gyeonghoeru pavilion... 

another. ...pic that my button accidentally took on its own....*😮gee..

The Palace's Closed, But...Let's Take A Peep...

 Curious..curious..curious....

Freya was peeping into what's behind the closed gate of Gwanghwamun @ Gyeongbukgung..^^ 

A small Freya compared to the huge gate of Gwanghwamun. 

Again..she tried hard to see what's behind it. 

Yes...that's the closed gates of Gwanghwamun...

Freya's Historical Day Out!!

What a day. The sky's blue. Not a single cloud visible.

but.... Gyeongbuk Palace was CLOSED!!! 

we were about to explore the palace only to find that the palace was closed!!!

so..to make up for it...we just circled the palace around...and  took some pictures. 

Luckily..Freya was still as cheerful as she was ... 

even...when I told her that the palace was closed!!! 

oops....Bless You! 

Now..let's explore the palace's vicinity.

A contrasting blend of Freya's pink jacket and the white bricks of the palace... 

Encountering a what looked to be a chimney....at National Palace Museum. 

way to spend a day, right, Freya? 

I guess...she kind of enjoyed it... 

Outside the walled palace.... 

then..we're ready to go the main entrance... 

which turned out to be quite far..and we got to walk around the walled palace..... 

until we reached the closed gate of Gwanghwamun. Yes, the palace WAS officially closed..on the day we went there.

Should've learnt some information before leaving, Suray.!!!

Gyeongbokgung Palacee: Winter 2012

I’ve been here (let’s see....countless times), but that was the first time that I took my family for a visit there. This Jeoseon dinasty heritage is one of the must-visit places for anyone visiting Seoul. We come from Jogjakarta, one of the few remaining Sultanates within the country. So, I pretty much know what gung or palace means for its people. But, this time...no one lives in Gyeongbokgung, for the Jeoseon dynasty has reached its final years during the reign of Japanese occupation in Korea.

Being there is like being zapped into a traditionally best kept secrets that Seoul has; simply because this magnificent palace complex is located right in the heart of the city, in the Gwanghwamun area, where major business companies as well as...the Blue House, the presidential palace, is located. This means...that visiting this place is a unique experience in itself.

Should you go there, make sure that around 1 pm you have arrived there, for we can see the daily royal ceremony of the change of guards. Guards guarding the palace are changed on half-day basis (if I am not mistaken). So, this is one of the major attractions that Gyeongbokgung has to offer for its visitors.

We were lucky to be able to see it live. Most of all, visitors are permitted to take pictures with the seemingly-not-to-be-distracted guards....who just let anyone take their pictures with them. A bit funny, actually. But, this is what attracts most of people to go there and take a look.

Then....^^we could see the huge complex of the palace where the throne and its amenities are laid there intact. We could see how life must have been or could have been back then in the Jeoseon Dynasty.
* When we visited, it was a bit cold...and windy since it was still Winter^^ but....this amplified the experiences we had there.

A Nightmarish Final Exam = Gyeongbokgung? What?

I was petrified by the reflection of today's examination paper that I had to face. I did not like it:) Well, it was so difficult that I could not even remember what the questions were. AHA. It never occurred to me that I found it a bit hard. Well, I tried very hard to churn into what the questions were all about...but...they seemed to be so vaguely obscure in my mind.
The Listening test.......gosh........
The grammar test.........OMG ........
The reading test.........oh, swell........
Despite the fact that I felt a bit distressed out of it....I had this little weeny confidence that I might...(once again...MIGHT...) get about 80% correct.
What?
how come that...I felt this miserable when at the same time I was kinda confident enough to have answered 80% of the questions correctly.
It means..simply...that I was not sure as to what I had to say about the exam...^^ I just crossed my fingers that I got them correct. I did MY BEST.
....................
I was so stressed out that I was going out to Gyeongbokgung Palace in downtown Seoul to soothe myself down....^^

Look at this dishelved namja stranded in the midst of Joseon Dinasty Palace in Seoul. Irrespective of the fact that he was somewhat dishelved...he still managed to pose for a picture. AHA.

AHA.......again.
This is the picturesque Gyeonghoeru Pavilion or the Royal Banquet Hall with the lotus pond surrounding it. It was so serene this afternoon that I felt like I forgot what I had just been through today.

AHA.
It was a good thing that I decided to go here.