Jul
23
So far on this trip I’ve been to Seoul Tower twice. The first time was with Hisung’s parents. After we left Lotte World we met his parents at a nearby grocery store and went shopping. They wanted to get some things that I would like to eat. We picked up a box of cereal and a few other things for me to make for them for a dinner tonight. After we ate some great homemade SamGyupSal (like, bacon, but thicker and bigger, grilled up with garlic, onions, mushrooms and eaten with ssam, the lettuce wraps), we headed off to Nam Mountain.
Hisung drove and his dad was the one who knew the way, but he got a phone call while we were driving and couldn’t get off the phone, so we missed our turns twice. Insanity thus ensued. Everyone was yelling and angry and stressed. I have since referred to it as the meltdown in the car. I felt really bad actually, because Hisung hasn’t seen his parents in a long time, and he and his dad were just arguing. But when we got there, to reassure me that everything was fine and they really are one big happy family we all held hands as we walked up to the cable car station. Is that a collective “awwwwww” I hear? Probably. It was an awww moment.
So we get up to the cable car and take the nice ride up the mountain above the trees. You can see the whole city from it and all it’s pretty twinkly lights. Once you get up the mountain there’s Seoul Tower. Big and bright, shiny and new. There’s a gazebo of sorts a little ways from the tower, and it’s in the traditional Korean style. It’s just another example of a juxtaposition of the new against the old. A very interesting city indeed.
So we get up to the cable car and take the nice ride up the mountain above the trees. You can see the whole city from it and all it’s pretty twinkly lights. Once you get up the mountain there’s Seoul Tower. Big and bright, shiny and new. There’s a gazebo of sorts a little ways from the tower, and it’s in the traditional Korean style. It’s just another example of a juxtaposition of the new against the old. A very interesting city indeed.
Right next to the tower there are some stairs and a place where they have a light show and music. The little kids play and dance in them and have a good time. I got this shot of a cutey little boy running around in them.
They also have a few of these wire sculptures that hang about 20 feet up. They’re very cool and look like they’re flying. I don’t know what they represent exactly, but they’re beautiful. There’s one in the lights of the laser show.
There’s also a tradition at the tower, for couples. Couples write love notes, their names, the date, whatever they want, on padlocks and lock them to the fence, then they throw the keys over the side of the tower. Locking them up and throwing away the key means they’ll always be together. Of course, now there are signs that say not to throw your keys, but I’m sure people still do it.
There must be thousands of locks there, tens of thousands, if not more.
We were there at night, so some of these shots I will have to tweak in Photoshop when I get home. Like this one, but I still like it.
While we were up there we took some pictures together. Here’s one of Hisung with his mom and dad.
And one with me and his parents.
The place was closing for the night, and you have to make the last cable car if you have any hope of getting down the mountain without an ENORMOUS walk. They don’t care if people are still on the top, the last car is the last car. So we raced down all the wooden steps back to the cable car station and caught one of the last cars down.
Hisung and I of course, needed to come back. A trip to Nam Mountain needs to include couple locks. So the next day, after a very long afternoon out (which I’ll write about later), we went back up the mountain top. We got locks, sharpie pens, and a little heart we could write messages on.
It was dark and the locks went out at a weird angle, so it was hard to take a picture of. But there they are! Forever stuck to the fence at Seoul Tower. I just know you’re all wondering, did you throw away the keys? No way. I gotta keep something as a momento. So we wrote our names and the date on the keys and we’re keeping them. :)
Here’s a shot of part of the city when you look over the side. Obviously it needs some tune up work in photoshop, but you get the idea. This is only a little piece too. The city is enormous.
And here’s a pic of Hisung in front of part of the fence. See how packed in those babies are?
We got some ice cream at the Coldstone on the mountain top and headed back down the mountain for home and sleep. Glorious glorious sleep.
Now it’s time to get ready to go out for the day. So I’ll write more later. I think the next post will be about Gyungbok palace, and the rest of that day, most likely. :)
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