Autumn Visit in South Korea

It has always been a dream of mine to experience Autumn in South Korea. The the vibrant color palette of the landscape as the leaves turn red and yellow; The cool breeze whole day long ; Riding a train with courteous Koreans in their stylish fur coats; The smell of freshly grilled Sang Gyeopsal and Kimchi; South Korea is undeniably beautiful.

Last October 2012 , me and 3 other friends were fortunate enough to have booked promo tickets for only 6500 per person round trip from Manila. It was a good catch. We stayed for around twelve days and visited 3 cities.

Paju – where the series “Boys over Flowers” was shot . This city is located almost at the border with North Korea.

Goyang – where we stayed with our Korean friend who hosted us for two nights. Goyang is a good take of point to Everland, Korea’s biggest theme park owned by Samsung Corporation , which is less than two hours away.

and lastly, the charming Seoul .

Here are some of the Highlights of my South Korea trip.

Changdeokgung Palace and the Emperor’s Secret Garden (창덕궁과 후원) UNESCO World Heritage . This Palace of lush gardens, streams and walking trails served as the summer residence of the Royal families. Although it is not as grand as the others , this is by far the most beautiful Palace I have visited in Korea.

Main gateway to Changdeokgung Palace

entrance to the main palace

Architectural details of roofing , which is probably around 300 years old

Entrance gateway to the Garden

intricate ceiling details

Gyeongbokgung Palace , Opened 1395 , is probably the grandest and most famous in Korea. This palace have been the main Residence of the royal families. The exchange of guards ceremony in the morning and in the afternoon is worth seeing. Though grand in scale, the palace is quite tranquil and calm, with the majestic Bukhansan Mountain at the background.