the honeymoon begins! Day 1: Seoul, South Korea

We arrived in Seoul, South Korea at 530AM local time at the new Incheon International Airport, completed in the 1990's to accommodate throngs of travelers outdated Gimpo International could not handle. The new airport is situated on an island, about 50 km from city center. Sunrise was amazing on this crisp fall day, and we had a 12 hour layover to burn.

We boarded bus 6011 at a cost of 10,000 won per person, or about $10 US, and headed toward the city. This trip took about 75 minutes, so we mostly napped through the crazy morning rush hour traffic.

Our main visits were to the Kyeong Bok Palace and the Insadong neighborhood, both in close proximity to each other. Hopping off the bus, we meandered a bit in hope of finding our destinations on our own, but eventually had to pop into a little cafe for a "coffee roll" and some directional assistance. The lady behind the counter was very sweet and helpful; she came out from behind the counter to direct us and tell us we were but two blocks from the palace. The morning cold was biting, but but as we approached the palace, our focus turned to the immense structures and beautiful grounds enjoyed by past Korean dynasties.

 

The site had been restored in the 1860's, and while it was fairly quiet this morning, a small procession of people in traditional Korean garb were intriguing. After about 90 minutes of exploring, we headed past the stunning folk museum and watched some young women throwing leaves, taking photos and doing their best to jump at the same time. With no map, we exited and looked for clues as to where the Insadong neighborhood might be outside of Hank's Book Cafe.

 
We learned we were close and arrived shortly to one of Seoul's liveliest streets, full of small shops and restaurants.

After enjoying the sights and sounds while ambling up and down Insadong's action-packed streets and alleys, we found a massage place to help relieve some of the tension from our 14-hour flight.

We then dropped into a little cafe on the street and ate some noodles, veggies and rice, although they tried to push some pig on Dasha despite her vegetarian requests! Post lunch, we explored the area a little more and eventually found a PC room (internet gaming lounge) to print our Vietnam Visa approval letter. We were now in the bustling Jongjo neighborhood, a bit more cosmopolitan with more high rises and businesses sprinkled in with small shops. We witnessed some sort of organized protests with many folks in wheelchairs, and saw a somewhat humorous incident unfold right before us as we waited for a stop light. At this intersection, all traffic was stopped for nearly five minutes, and there were a handful of disabled people waiting to get across the street to the rally. Unprompted, a gentleman in a wheelchair shot out into the intersection despite the protests of local law enforcement and somehow evaded the traffic cop trying to chase him down and stop him. We weren't the only ones giggling to ourselves as we watched this brave man stick it to the cops. After a quick afternoon tea break, we boarded the airport-bound bus and said goodbye to Seoul.

The city presented a very exciting mix of history and present-day bustle, with pagodas from the past and modern amenities side-by-side in every direction. We arrived at Incheon with plenty of time and had a fantastic dinner at the airport's Kraze Burger, with a variety of vegetarian options!

We boarded our flight for an on time departure and were on our way to Hanoi, Vietnam. Upon arrival, we were scooped up by a transfer from our hotel, the Hanoi Elegance Emerald. We finally walked into the hotel around midnight and were treated to a tasty mango drink. We slept soundly in Hanoi's gorgeous Old Quarter with excited anticipation of our first day in Vietnam.