Seoul, Day Two: Gyeongbokgung and the Well-Dressed Men with Spears

On Monday we visited the largest palace in Korea; Gyeongbokgung. Like every other major site in Seoul, it was a short taxi ride from our hotel. The story goes, it was built in the 1300s but was destroyed during the Japanese Invasions in the 1500s, and was then rebuilt in 1860. There were fires and assassinations along the way, but that's the gist of it.




Despite being in the middle of one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world, it's quite a quiet and serene place. With Bukhansan in one direction and the skyscrapers of downtown in the other, the scenery is as diverse as it is beautiful.


We were, unknowingly, just in time for the Changing of the Guard. A very cool ceremony that involved dozens of soldiers and some good music.


And let's be honest - what is a scenic family vacation if not a photo op. So just to show you were actually there, there we are. Our gorgeous little doll had a wonderful time.