8 September 2011
Namsan
Let the epic walking begin.
Decided to head out with no plan, which equates to the best plan ever. Right near my hotel, and in the very centre of Seoul is Namsan, a mountain park with a tower on the top.
There are numerous cable car options to get up it, but I decided (of course) to walk.
A great feature is wherever there werent steps they had a padded walkway, like an athletics track, my toes appreciate this.
It is a very impressive park, and strange that a giant city was built around a mountain. Just as impressive, a blind man who must have been 80 years old climbed all the steps (takes about 45 minutes) without stopping. As soon as he got to the top he turned to climb back down again.
I went down a different way, which joined back up with the steps, when I got back to where I started there he was, turning to climb back up again!
There were many older people exercising at all levles in the park, with different areas with great views set aside for people to do different exercises, including the favourite of the old people, the giant steering wheels.
This is the view out the front of my hotel. It is the Lotte department store. Behind me is the Myeongdong alleyways which are high end shops and lots of decent looking asian restaurants in amongst usa fast food joints, korean versions of the same and at least 200 coffee shops.
Below me, theres an underground shoppinig centre, not just one mall, but a grid of them, all selling secondhand goods, literally 100 secondhand camera shops.
The view back towards my hotel from the base of the mountain. Its a grey day, with some misty rain, perfect for walking up thousands of steps.
First we go up an inclined elevator. I have no idea what was wrong with an escalator, this thing is painfully slow.
Some sort of old looking building at the start of the trail, I dont know if it actually is old or not, I tend to doubt it.
Steps. I rate this trail as equivalent to walking up to the peak in Hong Kong, but not as good as the one at the end of the massive cable car in Taipei. That one was much better because I was the only person there and the views were slightly better.
Hong Kong probably has the best views, but theres a lot of people at the peak at all times.
Expect lots of pictures of the view, feel free to scroll.
scroll....
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almost done, SCROLL!!!!
Not sure what this is, it seems to be the summit, blocking the view! You arent allowed to climb on it. Lots of Koreans seemed interested in it.
On top is a mobile phone tower (2 actually). You can pay to go up it, I didnt, as its not much higher than the mountain, and the weather was so nice standing outside. I enjoyed a pocari sweat from a vending machine to celebrate my conquest.
There are many more mountains in the greater Seoul metropolitan area, all bigger than this one, I am excited, my toes are not.
If you look on websites about Seoul, you will see this. Young couples who come up here attach a lock to symbolise their love.
I am alone, and despise myself, so no lock for me.
Artistic lock photo. Enjoy your blur.
OH GOD NO, more boring view photos, looking the other way.
I deleted more than I uploaded.
One of the exercise parks, the old folks get to enjoy the view whilst they exercise.
Also, photo 100!
Here I am keeping an eye on the 'geographial centre of Seoul'. The entire city rotates around a pole inserted in the ground at this point on a giant plate. Hyundai built it.
On the way back I got lost on purpose, this area seems to be all textiles and beads.
The big Korean brands dont just make what we know them for. Hyundai have drinks and food, Samsung has fashion. I bought a stunning Samsung boy leg support brief with matching girly tee. Scroll down for pics of me modelling my new ensemble.