Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden

"...Changdeokgung is laid out in harmony with the area's topography: Changdeokgong was constructed on the base of a mountain.  Buildings were positioned naturally, taking into consideration the geographical features of the slope...Changdeokgung is a unique case in the history of palace architecture in East Asia, as it retains remarkable asymmetric beauty...and is exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated and harmonized with natural setting."

The main entrance

With Brian finally in town, I was excited to take him out to show him this brand new culture and what Seoul had to offer.  Maybe a little too excited.  He landed Wednesday night, and he managed Namsam Park, the Rainbow Festival, a couple of outdoor markets and Changdeokgung Palace...all on a sixteen hour time difference.  Thanks for being a trooper.

I had been looking forward to visiting a palace for a while, so Sunday we made our way to Jongo Station.  I was worried about finding the visiting area, but in such a modern part of the city it's difficult for a palace to stay hidden for long.  Approaching, it was easy to imagine the grandeur it must have held in 1405.  Bright colors, a perfect symmetry, and a height that could be seen from miles away held a regalness that brought the area to life.  We found ourselves on an English tour and explored the King's office, the King's Road (where he was not expected to ever touch the ground, and so was carried) and the various rooms to house servants, guests, and family. 

The most interesting part for me was the architecture.  It was built by Koreans for Koreans with Chinese writing (since it was originally constructed before Hangul, Korean language, was invented and Chinese was considered the language of power).  The palace was destroyed in 1592 by the Japanese, and various other riots and fires make all but two of the buildings originals from the 15th century. 

As it was being rebuilt here and there, western influences can be seen popping up in various rooms.  I didn't notice until the tour guide pointed out something as simple as a the view to the outdoors:  "You can see the western influence strongly here as there is glass in the window."  There were also lamps with electricity and western chairs (that were not just cushions for the ground).  I asked the tour guide, a plump Korean woman in traditional dress, why there are two palaces right next to each other.  Geography, a "back-up house" for royalty, more room for the King's concubines are all cited as legitmate reasons, but it's easy to see that the king had ulterior motives.  Having killed a couple of people he wanted the option of not living in "the scene of a bloodbath" ...that he made himself.

The royal library and lotus pond

It's hard not to like a king, whatever he did in his spare time, when he was the one who established the Secret Garden.  A beautiful, lush 75 acres of forest, pavilions and lakes are established.  Once strictly for the king and his personal guests, it is now a one and a half hour tour offered in four different languages.  Despite its lost purpose, it was refreshing to be completely enveloped in so much nature in the middle of a busy city.  My favorite part was the Ongnyucheon area.  A rock with Chinese calligraphy becomes part of a small waterfall that used to turn into a brook that lead in and out of the various pavilions.  Unfortunately due to industrization the water has since dried up, but it was easy to picture a calm, cool, serene area to enjoy.  The tour guide mentioned private meditation, an escape from daily life, and a place to mull over brilliant political ideas while every one in the tour group nodded and snapped some pictures.   A closer look at the guide book, however, paints a different picture of the kings idea of escape:

Palaces look good
on us.

"They held parties there during which they composed poetry while sending wine cups afloat on the waters.  When a wine cup was sent to a specific person, the recipient had to drink the wine from the cup then compose an impromptu poem and recite it.  If the person could not recite the poem, he had to drink three cups of wine as punishment.  This type of party soon became widely popular among high society."

More than anything, I love pretentious drinking games.  Especially when they involve wine.  Although more money and a seperate entrance fee from the palace, the Secret Garden is more than worth a visit, and the palace is a wonderful way to spend a Sunday.

A Juniper tree believed to be over 750 years old, used for incense for ancestral rituals

Injeongjeon, the "main attraction", although it was last rebuilt in 1804 with heavy
western influence

Nami Island: The Rainbow Festival

I. Love. Bonnaroo.  Every year in June for the past eleven years Bonnaroo has been taking place in middle-of-nowhere Manchester, Tennessee.  I have gone, lived in a tent covered in mud and bug bites for four days, listened to great music from Weezer to Ani Difranco to Jay-Z, and gotten enough free Garnier products to last three years.  It's hard not to say this pretensiously but: the past two years it's gotten way too mainstream, so I was feeling more nostalgic for old school Bonnaroo than I was legitmately sad to miss it this year.  Turns out, on the same exact weekend, there was a music festival right here in Korea.  The Rainbow Festival on Nami Island this year featured Jason Mraz, Christina Perri and a bunch of Korean bands like Ego-Wrappin', The Weekend, and The Koxx. 

Brian and I explored the terrain before settling down to wait for Jason Mraz (his favorite artist). Beautiful birches and other trees surrounded the island in the middle of the Han River.  Even this little island is full of history, being the burial sight of a prince and military general falsley accused of treason.  Bonnaroo is only some patches of grass and dust, but Bonnaroo has it's own special reasons for being amazing. In that spirit, I ordered a whiskey sour.  They put it in a plastic bag with a string attached for logistical reasons:

The bands, like everything in Korea, ranged from awesome to interesting.  Overall it was a festival with a few scheduling holes, a few late performances, but full of life.  The only blog giving directions to the island somewhat clearly was still a mess, and when people asked him to clarify, he was equally unhelpful and smug so here is a simplified version with everything you need to know:

From Seoul:

By ITX: Probably the most efficient, but it sold out before we could take it.  Easily enough, you get on at it's two central locations in Seoul, get off at Gapyeong.  This method still requires you walk or take a cab and take the ferry afterwards.                    

                    

By subway: Take the 7 to Sangbong then ITX (no extra ticket/reservation needed) then exit at Gapyeong.  From Cheolson on the 7 it took about 2 hours to get to the station, and another hour to get to the island.                    

                                                                

From there:

Cab: "Nami Sam" to the cab driver will take you there in about 5-7 minutes and will cost you about4,000-6,000 won depending on how much your cabbie takes advantage of a foreigner.                   

Walking: It takes maybe about 20 minutes walking, just follow the road from the station (towards the pond), make a right at the light, and when the road splits at the next light go to the left.  Following that will lead you right to the ferry.                                 

                      

Bring I.D., since The Naminara Republic is technically it's own nation (?) with it's own currency and policies because some rich people privately own it.

 

Jason Mraz wearing, of course, a shirt that says "peace" in Korean.

The map is also a fan.  Sorry Bonnaroo....