Sunday, August 3, 2008

Last Day

We have been staying in the top suite of the President Hotel - ask us the story about the upgrade. So after a relaxed breakfast in our dining room, we wandered through the living areas and our king size bedroom and our 2 bathrooms and headed off for the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

The Palace is immense. We cannot remember any larger. We visited numerous throne rooms, halls, gates - which are like rooms themselves and many more. It is set against the picturesque mountains that surround Seoul making it a photographer's paradise.

At the moment we are in the Korean Folk Museum where we have been able to use the Internet facilities. Still to tour most of the museum.

We will soon be returning to the hotel to depart for our early evening flight. We arrive Tuesday morning just before 6 am. Hope we can cope with the change in the weather.

The Sounds of Seoul

No not the music style but the sound of insects singing in the Deoksung Palace. This is a peaceful retreat in the centre of the noisy city and a fascinating place to visit. During the late afternoon and evening, we visited to the sounds of riot police and protesters playing their war games and this was a welcome change.

The National Museum, 6th largest in the world, had a wonderful collection. Our favourite was a ritual ewer from the Goryeo period. It had fine inlays of silver thread in the pattern of willows, a fishermen and wild ducks. We visited the entire collection.

Arrividerci Roma

Rome was a most enjoyable part of our trip. We visited the Basilica of San Giovanni (John the Baptist) followed by the Catacombs. When we were down in the lower levels of the Catacombs, we escaped the heat (high 30s). Later in the afternoon, we went to the Vatican and visited the Basilica of San Pietro and walked through St Peter's Square. The Pope was not around - recovering from his visit to Australlia no doubt!

The next day we went to the 3rd of the Basilicas in Rome - San Paulo where the Apostle Paul is buried. We also visited the Rome Pyramid and the Museum in the City Wall.

Our final stop was to the Trevi Fountain to throw in some coins...... our last wish had come true!

Delay in posting.... Internet closed on Sunday.

Now in Seoul.