Hiking up Bukhansan Mountain

If there is one thing that the Koreans love to do, it is hiking. Since Cassie and I are easily inspired, we set out for Bukhansan Mountain just outside of the city center. Bukhansan is the most hiked mountain in the world says Guiness Book of World Records. There are over 100 trails to the mountains three peaks.

While the hike was super short it was not easy. The hike is a vertical climb the whole entire time. Once we arrived at the top sweaty and exhausted we had a moment to take in the view of Seoul and all the lovely lush mountains surounding it. Unfourntanly, the smog was rising as well which dampened our view some. Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with a round of beers at the bottom of the mountain, which is littered with outdoor shops to gear up the local Koreans. Which I might add, they sure do love their gear. I have never seen so many hikers so fashionable on a mountain. 

Cheonggyecheon walkway

The Cheonggyecheon walkway is a beautiful little stream near the Dongdaemun night market. It crosses under 21 bridges, old and new, on it's 8km journey from City Hall in Seoul.

Neon Seoul

Seoul and Busan definitely love the glow of neon lights. It's sorta funny how it almost seems like day when your walking around at night. No need for street lamps that's for sure. It's visual overload in every since of the word. It's also very cool to see regular buildings turn into light shows at night.    

Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon is a small cluster of Hanok (Traditional korean houses) in downtown Seoul. We took an evening stroll through this very quite and lovely neighborhood. There were artists, craftsmans and unique coffee shops everywhere. Plus it's a huge relief from the hustle and bustle of the more modern downtown Seoul which surrounds it. View the entire photo gallery.

Shop till you drop

Day and night markets = Insane crowds, blasting music, clothes, cars, scooters and strange foods everywhere. Dongdaemun night market and the Namdaemun market were both sites to see. We visited the night market first which was very exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There were so many people shopping at 1am it seemed a bit surreal.

The Namdaemun market was more of the same so we didn't stick around to long. Just long enough to try some new street food options before moving on to other sites. While I don't mind the crowds, Cassie only has so long before it's to much, which is understandable. View the entire photo gallery.