I got lucky booking Seoul. Even with my low levels of preparation, I still ended up in a really good neighborhood- Insadong, part of Jongno. It is an artsy, historic part of the city, where you can get lots of traditional Korean souvenirs. But here you can find a guide to Seoul neighborhoods.

I got lucky since all of my roommates in the dorm through the week were Korean, so I got some local help, but there are also tourist info points with maps available in a few places. People in Korea are in general very friendly, even if there is a language barrier.

So on my first day, I didn’t bother with the metro yet, I just walked around Insadong, there are quite a few important sights here anyway.

Everything about Korea seems a bit zen, feng-shui and very in touch with nature, especially if you are coming from Hong Kong.

I walked around Changdeokgung Palace, which is the second largest palace in Seoul.

Honestly, I would go for Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is the main palace instead, if you only have the time and energy for one. Then I wandered into the upper part of the Insadong streets towards Bukchon Hanok Village, where you can see a lot of people wearing traditional Korean clothing –  Hanbok, which you can also rent if you’re up for it.

I decided to go see the guard change at Gyeongbokgung Palace, which definitely happens at 14:00, but that is not the only time in the day. It is also free – so you don’t have to buy the ticket to the palace.

I got a little bit of help with sightseeing here.

Later in the day, I had my first Korean lunch. Honestly, I was completely lost and didn’t know what to do with most of the food coming to the table, so I was staring at my fellow guests most of the time, to see what they were doing.

It can be quite stressful eating alone in a foreign country. But more on the fun of eating in good company in my next post. After dinner, I visited Jogyesa temple, which is the center of Korean Buddhism. For any of you who’ve been to Asia before – we usually had some issues with what to wear for the temple visits. It is very different here. People are very easygoing as long as you take off your shoes. There is also an option of doing a temple stay.

I finished my day listening to some live K-Pop in Insadong, where art is everywhere.

PS: It is way better if you come here for the weekend, as it is much more alive.