Suwon and N Seoul Tower
- Jan 17, 2019
- 7 min read
Suwon on a subway map is a suburb of Seoul but a city in it's own right and that was our destination for the day.
We did debate if all of us were going to spend the day together, not that there have been any major problems but we have been together as a foursome for the whole time and basically doing what I want to do and I know the girls were eager to have some time on their own (we all probably wanted some alone time.) I was surprised when I mentioned what my plans were and everyone said they would tag along.
You can get the subway to Seoul station and then transfer to the trains which is faster but more expensive and we chose the cheaper option, the subway. Suwon is on Line 1 (the Cheonan branchline) and that was the first train that arrived at Dongmyo, thankfully that means no transfers and we could just sit and enjoy the journey, most of it was in fact above ground so we got to see a part of Seoul that we haven't explored so far. The trip took nearly an hour and at the end of it we realised that we hadn't eaten -(oddly enough we had skipped our bakery breakfast with sweet potato lattes-for me anyway) so first thing before anything was food and in the Suwon train station we found a great little 'fast food' spot with noodles and dumplings, kimchi and pickled radish and tummies full we set off to explore.
The reason that Suwon is a place to visit is the fact that it is the last completely walled city in South Korea which makes for a fantastic along the fortress walls.
It has a long history and nearly became the capital of the Joseon dynasty instead of Hanyang/Hanseong (which is now called Seoul) (hence the reason for building the walls to protect the palace inside).
We caught a bus to Paldalmun Gate
which is the southern entrance of the Hwaseong Fortress and was built in the late 1790s by King Jeongjo who wished to make a shrine to his dead father Prince Sado. It is an impressive building with a curved wall which has stood the test of time and is one of the few buildings that survived the Korean War intact.
We walked through the Paldalmun market which was a great local
market and if you wanted to buy clothes and shoes you would have been in your element (and I know the girls enjoyed wandering around the market while I just sat and watched the world going by).
Hwaseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 3 and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site) was the highlight of the day,
it stretches over 5km around the city of Suwon and was built using highly scientific methods which great reduced construction times while still keeping the integrity and strength of the buildings.
It was a great day for walking and the views are amazing, and you can see how much the city has grown as it sprawls outside the fortress wall. We didn't make it all the way around (maybe next time I am in town) because we wanted to explore the town (and we were in need of refreshments)
While sipping my favourite brew in South Korea (no not soju even though that is damned good but sweet potato latte) we watched some children doing archery and decided that was a great idea. We channeled our 'Joseon soldier' and I realised that it was a good thing that I wasn't there to try and help defend the city because only two of my twenty arrows made the target. (W2.000 $2.50Aus for 10 arrows) I am going to use the excuse that I couldn't use the bow with my right hand because it didn't feel right and used my left instead. We had so much fun and were interacting with others who were trying their hand out at archery and other people who had just stopped to watch.
And not for the first time we realised that friendly South Koreans are, I had heard that they weren't as friendly as other Asians but I can honestly say it isn't true. I think they are just more reticent and wait and watch to see how others react so they can respond to it, and because the four of us are friendly and always seem to be interested in things and people they become interested in us.(TRAVEL TIP : sometimes traveling solo is easier because you are forced to interact with people and when you are traveling with others you stay in your comfort zone, so try and jump out of that and make the effort with other people because you will probably enjoy the results. I know some of the best memories I will take home with me are not the palaces and the temples I have seen even if they have been amazing but about the people that we have met and the smiles that we have received and the apologies for the broken English which is better than our broken Korean)
At the same place we did the archery you can pick up the Hwaseong Fortress Tourist Trolley which costs W3000 (Aus $3.75) which takes you past all four gates of the fortress, the palace and the market and basically followed the route that we walked.
We decided not to go into the palace, and that was only because we ran out of time not because we were 'palaced' out, if we had realised earlier we might have made it our first stop in Suwon as they have a martial arts display in the courtyard which would have been fabulous to see.
I would highly recommend people taking the time to explore Suwon as there are many things to see and do and I think it is underappreciated and if I have time the next time I come to Seoul I wouldn't mind finishing the fortress walk and going into the palace grounds. The only difference would be spending a little bit more and taking the KTX because the trip is faster (and our trip back into the main part of Seoul took longer than it should have because for the first time we had a problem when changing lines, instead of crossing the platform we went somewhere completely different only to come back to where we were previously and in the meantime missed the train- considering all the train journey we have been on in the last two weeks missing one train is pretty good)
Our next stop was Myeondong for some shopping and street food and we have plans to come back tomorrow (sadly our last full day in Seoul to shop till we drop). I love Myeondong it is so lively and even on a chilly winter's night it is busy and I wonder what it would be like in different seasons. I guess that is my challenge now to come back here in every other season and see if I love it as much as I do now.
From Myeondong we headed to N Seoul Tower which is the observation tower on Namsan mountain and a hot spot for tourism, it is also very iconic and the scene of many romantic moments in Korean dramas and if the love locks clipped to the fences around it are evidence those romantic moments happen in real life too. N Seoul Tower is nearly 240m tall but because it is situated on top of Namsan the top of the tower is 480m above sea level and was established to broadcast radio and television signals to South Korea in 1969, and was opened as an observation deck in 2005. You can walk to the tower but the more fun option is the cable car with the cost of W8500 ($10 Aus) for a return trip, or W6000 ($7.50Aus) for a one way ticket if you feel inclined for a little healthier activity. I think the next time I am in Seoul (especially if it is in in spring or autumn) I would like to take the time to walk up to the tower through Namsan Park.
One of the first things that greets you are the fences that are completely covered in love-locks and cute little ducks (which Jenna loved) not sure what the ducks were representing though. There is a pavillion at the foot of the tower which is a prime viewing spot, especially on New Year's Day when it is crowded as people watch the first sunrise of the year, it is very pretty and the annual sunrise festival that is held here is on New Year's Day gives me another excuse to come back and visit.
Our next stop was the observation deck, at a cost of W10,000 ($12.50 Aus) and even though there was a little mist in the air and the views were not as clear as they could have been they were impressive however it doesn't beat the 1O1 in Taipei.
At the base of the tower is a mall with shops, cafes and restaurants with a view and another chance for that sweet potato latte fix before going our separate ways, the girls left us to do a little more shopping and Linda and I headed back to the hotel, stopping at a restaurant we have been walking past every day since we have been in Seould and thought it was about time as we only have another full day here 🙁 and we might not have another opportunity. The food was amazing
and the atmosphere was great, it wasn't a touristy restaurant, it was a local restaurant with people from the neighborhood all having a good time and one of my favorite meals while I've been here.
Funnily enough we all arrived back at the hotel around the same time, the girls with full shopping bags, Linda and I with full stomachs and for about the thousandth time since I have been here in South Korea I can say that I am honestly having the most wonderful time and I really don't want to leave and when can I come back!!!!
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