P is for...Palace

On Saturday I went to Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. It is one of Seoul's main tourist attractions because it is the largest palace built during the Chosun dynasty in the 1300's. If you already read my China post, this may come as a bit of a deja vu; Gyeongbokgung and the Forbidden City are quite similar looking. However, China was lacking in the performance arts aspect. In true Korean style, every 20 minutes the guards, dressed in full costume, put on a show representing the changing of the guards.






Unlike the Forbidden City, which is like the Energizer bunny and literally never ends, Gyeongbokgung was smaller, and had more architectural variety.






On the other hand, just LIKE China, the tourists are not allowed inside the palace but can only peek in through windows. Come on, I want to sit in the throne! Is that so much to ask?



Inside the palace grounds there was also a Korean folk museum. Loved this Korean farming outfit:



My friend pointed out, "Imagine getting stuck in the rain with that on." You would be a giant wet mop. We really wanted to go into the displays of traditional rooms and snuggle up in the tiny beds, but the glass seemed impenetrable, unfortunately.