Sunday, I finally fulfilled my wish to see Biwon, or as it is referred to more often in tour guides: the secret garden. It is one of the few places that may only be visited with a tour guide since it is so exceptionally beautiful and also quite close to the Chong Wa Dae, the of
ficial residence of the Korean president. On my way there I came past a wedding cultural hall, the significance of which becomes particularly apparent, when one is aware of the fact that 25% of Korean are Buddhists another 25% percent Christians and the rest doesn't stick to any organized religion. Upon arrival
at the Changdeokgung palace, whose grounds contain the secret garden, I was delighted to find out that English tours were more common than Chinese
ones. Nonetheless, there were only three per day and I had to pass some time before I could enter. The only slight disadvantage to this palace is that even
the English tour attracts quite a few people as I thought I'd demonstrate in the first picture of the palace grounds. Inside the palace which actually served as the main palace of the emperor for a few hundred years one can see the throne along with many traditional wooden buildings w
ith beautiful rooftops holding little statues to ward off evil. The true treasure of this palace is the secret garden, however, which perfectly blends into the surrounding nature and emanates an aura of peace and quiet. Walking through the secret garden means wandering through the forest, past ponds, beautiful flowers and anc
ient trees. A very kind couple also made it possible to show you the first proof that I am actually here. Looking back, it was probably the most beautiful palace in Seoul. Another advantage is the proximity to Insadong, Seoul's shopping street for traditional items and self-made sweets. It was there that I met a friend of mine from the student days in Santa Cruz. An American who studied with me in Santa Cruz, currently on vacation in Korea, while actually working in Vietnam on a documentary film. How amazing is that? The evening continued with a California roll sushi dinner and a well-deserved first cold stone icecream of this visit.
Sunday, I finally fulfilled my wish to see Biwon, or as it is referred to more often in tour guides: the secret garden. It is one of the few places that may only be visited with a tour guide since it is so exceptionally beautiful and also quite close to the Chong Wa Dae, the of
ficial residence of the Korean president. On my way there I came past a wedding cultural hall, the significance of which becomes particularly apparent, when one is aware of the fact that 25% of Korean are Buddhists another 25% percent Christians and the rest doesn't stick to any organized religion. Upon arrival 
at the Changdeokgung palace, whose grounds contain the secret garden, I was delighted to find out that English tours were more common than Chinese
ones. Nonetheless, there were only three per day and I had to pass some time before I could enter. The only slight disadvantage to this palace is that even
the English tour attracts quite a few people as I thought I'd demonstrate in the first picture of the palace grounds. Inside the palace which actually served as the main palace of the emperor for a few hundred years one can see the throne along with many traditional wooden buildings w
ith beautiful rooftops holding little statues to ward off evil. The true treasure of this palace is the secret garden, however, which perfectly blends into the surrounding nature and emanates an aura of peace and quiet. Walking through the secret garden means wandering through the forest, past ponds, beautiful flowers and anc
ient trees. A very kind couple also made it possible to show you the first proof that I am actually here. Looking back, it was probably the most beautiful palace in Seoul. Another advantage is the proximity to Insadong, Seoul's shopping street for traditional items and self-made sweets. It was there that I met a friend of mine from the student days in Santa Cruz. An American who studied with me in Santa Cruz, currently on vacation in Korea, while actually working in Vietnam on a documentary film. How amazing is that? The evening continued with a California roll sushi dinner and a well-deserved first cold stone icecream of this visit.
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