Seoul – Page 8 – Within striking distance

Field Report: Seoul (11 February 2013) – Part 1/2

The Kingdom of Joseon was a Confucian state, and its rulers considered ancestral veneration a high priority. It should come as no surprise that royal ancestors would be enshrined, and the prescribed rituals performed for them, in appropriately grand surroundings – like the ones I encountered on the third day of my trip to SeoulContinue reading “Field Report: Seoul (11 February 2013) – Part 1/2”

Field Report: Seoul (10 February 2013) – Part 4/4

Walking deeper into the garden, I was struck by the silence and the stillness of the snow-covered scenery all around me. We were right in the heart of Seoul, one of the world’s busiest cities, yet standing here I might as well have been hiking through a remote stretch of countryside far beyond the reachContinue reading “Field Report: Seoul (10 February 2013) – Part 4/4”

Field Report: Seoul (10 February 2013) – Part 3/4

Gyeongbokgung was nice, very nice indeed – in a straight-laced, straight-lined, right-angled sort of way. The neatly planned succession of gateways and courtyards strung along rigidly laid axes makes for an impressive statement of power and order, consistent with the sort of ground plan one might encounter in other East Asian palace complexes (the ForbiddenContinue reading “Field Report: Seoul (10 February 2013) – Part 3/4”

Field Report: Seoul (10 February 2013) – Part 2/4

The charming brick-faced area around Myeongdong Cathedral may have had a strong European flavour, but my next stop featured some splendid examples of unmistakably Korean art and architecture.

Field Report: Seoul (10 February 2013) – Part 1/4

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.

Field Report: Seoul (09 February 2013)

Next week, Diego’s jetting off to South Korea for a family holiday. Now travelling with other people might not be his cup of tea, but when the chance for an excursion paid almost entirely out of parental pockets comes by, he’s not one to let the opportunity slip past. As an appetiser for (and aContinue reading “Field Report: Seoul (09 February 2013)”