韩国游之二： 首尔和全州 Seoul and Jeonju

Whisperingsand

前言 - Preface：

这次韩国之旅是有生以来第二次我们母女二人单独相伴出游海外。第一次是女儿14岁时，我单独带她去日本。当时是母亲带着孩子游。随着时间的推移，人生角色的变化，当年的孩子已经长大成人，现在母亲成为孩子的旅伴，体验着新的旅程。这次旅行的全程活动都由女儿计划安排。对我对她都是新的挑战。 我要学会不再去做Boss, 放下心态去follow，她要学会Lead, 主导统筹规划。 所以我很期待这次韩国之旅。对于母女二人而言，这不仅仅是一次旅行，更是一次情感的交流和理解的历程。

This trip to Korea is the second time in my life that my daughter and I have traveled abroad alone together. The first time was when my daughter was 14 years old, and I took her to Japan alone. Back then, it was a mother taking her child on a trip. With the passage of time and the change in roles in life, the child from those years has grown into an adult, and now the mother has become the child’s travel companion, experiencing a new journey together. This entire trip was planned and arranged by my daughter. It’s a new challenge for both her and me. I have to learn to no longer be the boss, to let go of my mindset and follow, while she has to learn to lead and plan. So, I’m really looking forward to this trip to Korea. For both of us, this is not just a trip but also an emotional exchange and a journey of understanding.

Blog 2: 首尔的印象 - Impressions of Seoul

首尔是此行的第一站。因为天气原因，我们不得不改变一些计划。三天内，我们游览了Nansan Park 南山公园，Namdaemun market南大门巿场，Itaewon梨泰院步行街，Nami Island 南怡岛, Eobi Ice Valley 优比冰谷、Alpaca World 羊驼世界, Goto Mall、Myeong-Dong 明洞等地，每一个地方都让我们深刻感受到了首尔的独特魅力。总体而言，首尔是一座充满活力和魅力的城市，给我们留下了许多美好的印象和回忆。

首先，我们徒步登上南山，俯瞰整个首尔城市的美景，让我们感受到了大自然的壮丽和城市的繁华相结合的美妙。南山最大的吸引点就是常常出现在韩剧里的南山峰顶的＂浪漫爱情锁＂。和其他游客一样，我们也购买了一把锁，并在上面写下了我们的印记。记录下我们这次特别的旅行。当写到日期时，突然意识到当天就是情人节。这个时间上的巧合让这次参观更加具有特殊的意义。

Seoul was the first stop on this journey. Due to weather conditions, we had to make some changes to our plans. Within three days, we visited Nansan Park, Namdaemun Market, Itaewon Street, Nami Island, Eobi Ice Valley, Alpaca World, Goto Mall, Myeong-Dong, and other places, each of which left us deeply impressed by Seoul’s unique charm. Overall, Seoul is a vibrant and charming city that has left us with many wonderful impressions and memories.

Firstly, we hiked up Namsan Mountain, overlooking the beautiful scenery of the entire city of Seoul, allowing us to experience the magnificent combination of nature and urban vitality. The biggest attraction of Namsan is the “Love Locks” on the peak, often seen in Korean dramas. Like other tourists, we also bought a lock and engraved our mark on it, documenting our special journey. When we wrote the date, we suddenly realized that it was Valentine’s Day. This temporal coincidence made this visit even more meaningful.

接着，南大门市场让我们领略了首尔的传统文化和热闹的购物氛围。在这里，我们品尝了各种美味的韩国小吃，女儿特别喜欢品尝各种美食，在她的小本本上记录着各地方的网红打卡美食店。但是她的这种爱好却给我带来了许多麻烦，因为对每一种食物，她只喜欢品尝一点点，剩下的全都要我吃完. 一开始我还以为她是孝顺着妈妈，很开心。后来我才明白她是想留着肚子去品尝更多的美食😂😂。所以在后面的日子里，我不得不想着对策，以免自己变成一名“美食清扫机”！

黎泰院步行街位于首尔市中心的Itaewon地区，是一条以国际化和多元文化闻名的商业街。步行街两旁林立着各种风格各异的店铺、餐厅和咖啡馆。走在这条街上，我们仿佛置身于一个国际大都市，感受到了世界各地文化的交融和碰撞。可惜的是当时街上的游客并不多。听说至从2022年的Itaewon disaster之后，来这里的游客就少了很多。但是可以看的出各家店主们还是很认真的坚持把生意做下去。各家店铺的装饰和布置都很讲究，各有特色。

明洞是首尔的商业中心，也是知名景点。有许多化妆品，护肤品专卖店，时装店及各种小吃及餐馆。市场上的熙熙攘攘，让我们感受到了首尔这座城市的活力和魅力。在这里，我们购物、品尝美食、体验韩国的时尚文化和地道的韩国文化。感受到了人们的热情和友好。

Next, Namdaemun Market allowed us to experience Seoul’s traditional culture and lively shopping atmosphere. Here, we tasted various delicious Korean snacks. My daughter especially enjoyed sampling different foods and recorded popular food spots from various places in her notebook. However, her hobby brought me a lot of trouble because she only liked to taste a little of each food, leaving the rest for me to finish. At first, I thought she was being filial to her mother and felt happy. Later, I realized she wanted to save room in her stomach to taste more food 😂. So in the following days, I had to come up with a strategy to avoid becoming a “food vacuum cleaner”!

Itaewon Street, located in the Itaewon district in the heart of Seoul, is a famous commercial street known for its international and multicultural atmosphere. On both sides of the pedestrian street stand various styles of shops, restaurants, and cafes. Walking along this street, we felt like we were in a cosmopolitan city, experiencing the blending and collision of cultures from around the world. Unfortunately, there weren’t many tourists on the street at that time. It is said that since the Itaewon disaster in 2022, there have been fewer visitors. However, it is evident that the shop owners are still determined to continue their business. The decoration and layout of each shop are meticulous and unique.

Myeong-Dong is Seoul’s commercial center and a well-known tourist attraction. There are many shops selling cosmetics, skincare products, fashion stores, as well as various snacks and restaurants. The bustling market made us feel the vitality and charm of Seoul. Here, we shopped, tasted food, experienced Korean fashion culture, and authentic Korean culture. We felt the warmth and friendliness of the people.

最后，我们参加了一个day tour, 游玩了Nami Island南怡岛，Eobi Ice Valley 优比冰谷 and Alpaca world羊驼世界. 虽然说这些景点景观还不错，但是对于生活在澳州的我而言，最欣赏的不是景色，而是韩国人在一个很不起眼的地方居然能打造出一座美丽的旅游风景区的精神。就像这个小小的valley, 只是做一个有造型的冰墙，就能把它打造成为一个旅游景点！让游客们流连忘返，很会做生意。在Nami Island，我们漫步在韩剧《冬天恋歌Winter Sonata》里的林间小径上，仿佛我们也是剧中人！在Alpaca World，我们有机会与可爱的羊驼亲密接触，感受到了动物的可爱和温馨，仿佛回到了童年的快乐时光。女儿特别喜欢这些羊驼，不停的拍照。我也成了她的私人摄影师。此时我们之间的 “generation gap代沟” 就表现出来了，也难免会有些争执。

Finally, we joined a day tour and visited Nami Island, Eobi Ice Valley, and Alpaca World. Although these attractions had decent scenery, as someone living in Australia, what I appreciated the most wasn’t just the landscapes, but rather the spirit of Koreans being able to create a beautiful tourist attraction in such an unremarkable place. Just like this small valley, by simply creating a sculpted ice wall, they could turn it into a tourist spot! They know how to do business well, keeping tourists captivated. At Nami Island, we strolled along the forest paths featured in the Korean drama “Winter Sonata,” feeling like characters from the show. At Alpaca World, we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with adorable alpacas, experiencing their cuteness and warmth, as if we were back in our happy childhood moments. My daughter especially loved these alpacas, constantly taking photos. I became her personal photographer. At this moment, the “generation gap” between us became apparent, inevitably leading to some disagreements.

总体而言，首尔是一个友好、充满活力和魅力的城市。在这里，我们不仅感受到了大自然的美丽和韩国的传统文化，还感受到了人们的热情和友好。因为时间和天气原因，我们错过了游皇宫。不过回程时，我们会先回到首尔再飞回澳洲。还是有机会的。

这次首尔之行给我们留下了许多美好的回忆，让我们难以忘怀。期待着下一次再次来到这座充满魅力的城市，继续探索它的美丽和魅力。

Overall, Seoul is a friendly, vibrant, and charming city. Here, we not only experienced the beauty of nature and Korean traditional culture but also felt the warmth and friendliness of the people. Due to time and weather constraints, we missed visiting the royal palace. However, on our return journey, we will stop by Seoul again before flying back to Australia. There will be another chance.

This trip to Seoul has left us with many wonderful memories that are hard to forget. We look forward to visiting this charming city again next time, continuing to explore its beauty and charm.

Blog 2: 全州的印象 - Impressions of Jeonju

韩国游的第二站：全州Jeonju是一个充满历史和文化底蕴的城市，位于韩国南部。女儿特意安排入住在韩屋村(Honka Culture Village)。走进韩屋村，仿佛穿越时光，置身于古老的韩国村落中。这里的建筑依然保留着传统的韩式风格，木质结构、瓦片屋顶、庭院花园，处处散发着浓厚的历史气息。步入其中，可以感受到岁月的沉淀和传统文化的魅力。如韩国的传统茶道、韩屋村和古代宫殿。全州的饮食文化也是一大亮点，可以品尝到地道的韩国美食，如石锅拌饭、全州烤肉等。我还很喜欢吃石锅拌饭的，比澳洲便宜多了。

在文化村的街道上，许多游客们都穿着传统的韩服，穿梭在各个店铺。我们虽然没有穿韩服，但是深深的感受到韩国传统生活的魅力，我们坐在一家tea house, 在西下的阳光中，静静地享受悠闲的时光，感受着岁月的流逝和文化的传承。

The second stop of our trip to South Korea: Jeonju is a city rich in history and cultural heritage, located in the southern part of South Korea. My daughter intentionally arranged for us to stay in Hanok Village. Stepping into Hanok Village feels like traveling back in time, immersing oneself in an ancient Korean village. The buildings here still retain traditional Korean style, with wooden structures, tiled roofs, and courtyard gardens, exuding a strong historical atmosphere. Walking among them, one can feel the sedimentation of years and the charm of traditional culture, such as Korea’s traditional tea ceremony, Hanok Village, and ancient palaces. Jeonju’s food culture is also a highlight, where one can taste authentic Korean cuisine such as bibimbap and Jeonju-style barbecue. I also really enjoy bibimbap, which is much cheaper than in Australia.

On the streets of the cultural village, many tourists wear traditional Korean hanbok, wandering among various shops. Although we did not wear hanbok, we deeply felt the charm of traditional Korean life. We sat in a tea house, basking in the setting sun, quietly enjoying leisure time, feeling the passage of time and the inheritance of culture.

屋主非常好客，我们用蹩脚的韩语，他用蹩脚的英语聊着聊着，突然聊到韩剧。他兴奋地问你们是否看过韩剧《Twenty-Five Twenty-One 》，好巧这部剧我和女儿都喜欢，之前看过几集。原来剧中女主人一家住地的拍摄地点就在附近。我和女儿也像许多韩剧迷一样就“到此一游”了！

听说全州还有许多自然景观，但是我们没有时间去领略了。总的来说，游览全州让我领略到韩国深厚的传统文化，是一次难忘的旅行体验。值得一游。

The host was very hospitable. We chatted in broken Korean and broken English, and suddenly the conversation turned to Korean dramas. He excitedly asked if we had watched the drama “Twenty-Five Twenty-One”. It turned out that both my daughter and I liked this drama and had watched a few episodes before. The filming location of the main female character’s family in the drama was nearby. Like many Korean drama fans, my daughter and I also made a special visit!

I heard that Jeonju has many natural landscapes, but we didn’t have time to explore them. Overall, visiting Jeonju allowed me to experience Korea’s profound traditional culture, making it an unforgettable travel experience. Definitely worth a visit.

接下来的几天我们去Busan釜山。到时再与大家分享。

We will go to Busan in the next few days. I'll share more of our travel stories later.