Another day out in the freezing cold – but with bright sunshine and clear blue skies, conditions were just right for a relaxing journey through the historic centre of Seoul.

On today’s itinerary: Myeongdong Cathedral, Gyeongbokgung, and Changdeokgung.

Day two: the 10th of February 2013. Temperature: high of 0 degrees C, low of -9 degrees C.

In a word: brrrrr.

Sunday morning dawned warm (well, warmer than yesterday anyway) and sunny. Off to church I go for Mass – to be precise, the 9 AM Mass at Seoul’s historic Myeongdong Cathedral.

Consecrated in 1898, this splendid brick church counts no less than our Blessed Mother as its principal patroness. I have no images of the interior – Mass is a time for prayer, not photography (except under the proper circumstances of course) – but I can tell you that it’s just as impressive as the splendid exterior.

With brick buildings surrounding the snow-flecked, stone-paved plaza in front of the soaring Gothic cathedral, the scene in front of me could easily have passed for a Christmas postcard snapped somewhere in old Europe.

From here, off I went to one of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces . . . but let’s save that one for the next post.

To be continued.