02 / May 3 — 16
Seoul, the old capital of Gyeongju, Busan’s harbor and the coast of Jeju.
The country journal
We arrived in South Korea after Japan and had to learn a new set of trains, subways, payment cards and restaurant customs. We began in Seoul, continued by KTX to Gyeongju and Busan, and finished on Jeju. A problem with our Vietnam visas followed us through part of the visit, but an agency resolved it before our next flight.
01 / Seoul
Seoul was large and hilly. Once we figured out the subway and the T-money card, we enjoyed recognizing places from the many K-dramas we had watched since the pandemic. Coming directly from Japan, Seoul felt a little less orderly and people a little less formally polite, but it was still well worth the visit.
02 / Gyeongju
Gyeongju felt completely different from Seoul. The royal tombs, old observatory, temples and palace pond made the history of the Silla capital visible throughout the modern town, especially after dark.
03 / Busan
Our time in Busan was brief, but it gave us a look at Korea’s second city and its harbor before we continued to Jeju. Sonia had more time to explore while I rested at the hotel for a day. We also saw an amazing drone show over the water.
04 / Jeju
Jeju was simply beautiful. The view from our hotel to the beach, the hexagonal volcanic columns and the mountains were all striking. Sonia climbed to the caldera of an ancient volcano, and together we explored a coastal route that the tide covers every day.
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