Mum and Dad's Visit! - the Skyway and Seoullung Tombs

My mum and dad stayed for ten days. After returning from Busan, we met with a work colleague of Dad's and his wife, and they took us to a lot of places around Seoul. We had an amazing barbecue dinner. There was so much food on the table and they kept bringing it that when we were done it just looked like we'd not even touch it!

Afterward, we went and drove the Skyway to look at Seoul from the top of the mountains. What a view! The pictures don't do the place justice. On the way back down, we stopped by a place for tea, but it was closed. It was an old Geisha house turned into a tea house on the side of the mountain all with old architecture and traditional pathways and soju-making jars. Even though we couldn't go in, that was really cool too. Then we ended the night by finally getting tea and cake at a little coffee shop near the President's house.


Gate of Gyeongbokgung, the big palace in Seoul.


A look over Seoul from the Skyway.


Seoul from the Skyway.

Later that week, we visited the Seoullung Tomb, which was a little green forest in the middle of the towering landscape of Seoul. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to two former emperors and a queen of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea, and it's a really pretty place. The pamphlet tells the story of the first king, King Seongjong, who Dad said "sounded like a fairly decent guy" was into poetry. He wasn't the oldest son, instead coming to power because of his granny and mum, who worked pretty hard to get him there and help him keep power. He was apparently a fairly good, well-liked ruler, who tried to be good for everyone. His second wife, Queen Jonghyeon, is buried with him at the site, as well as their son, Jungjong, who became King himself after his father's death (he was less successful than his father, and he came to power after his half-brother was overthrown in a coup, I believe the story was).

The tombs are really well taken care of, with spirit roads from T-Shrines to allow for the passage of the dead. Rites are still held at the tombs for these departed monarchs, but nothing was going on the day we stopped by. It was so quiet and nice, with blossoms on the trees, that I immediately fell in love with the place, because it's not often in Korea you encounter such quiet places without anyone else around. If I get the chance, I'd like to go back again, because it's one of the few places in Seoul that really seems peaceful.

Pictures of Seolleung:




NEXT TIME: BLOSSOMS!!!