This week I traveled further east to eastern Asia! While
visiting the area, I decided to take my travels to the city of Seoul in South
Korea. I then traveled across the Sea of Japan to visit the islands of the
country Japan! So, here is what I did!
Seoul, South Korea:
Among the endless activities to take part in, it was a
struggle to decide what to do while visiting this beautiful city for such a
little time. But, I managed to use my time well to see much of the city!
I knew whilst visiting South Korea, I just had to do some shopping! So, I visited
the Dongdaemun Market. This huge shopping district is perfect for a very, very
long day of shopping, you could find just about anything! The shopping district
holds 26 shopping malls, 30,000 specialty shops, and 50,000 manufacturers. A
plus side of this shopping district are the reasonable prices!
The next thing I did while in Seoul was visit the historical
sites located all throughout the city. Some of the most memorable sites I saw
were the Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Seoul City Wall. The Gyeongbokgung is the
first royal palace built during the Joseon Dynasty. This palace is a very
recognizable site, it brings in many tourists throughout the year. While
visiting the palace, you can also visit the National Palace Museum of Korea, as
well as the National Folk Museum of Korea. The Seoul City Wall stretches for
18.6 km around the ranges of the Bugaksan Mountain, Naksan Mountain, Namsan
Mountain, and the Inwangsan Mountain. The wall itself is about 7-8 meters in
height. The original use for this wall was during the Joseon Dynasty, where the
wall was used as a fortress to protect the area.
I can surely say just one week to explore the city of Seoul
was no where close to enough time! One would have to spend years to truly
experience the character of this beautiful city!
Japan:
I decided after visiting the beautiful city life in Seoul, I
needed to take my travels to some natural scenery when visiting Japan. Although
Japan is typically known for it’s thriving city life, you might not realize
that Japan and its surrounding islands are filled with some truly amazing
natural wonders!
My first stop was an onsen. An onsen is a natural hot spring
used for a sort of spa-like experience. Thousands of onsens are scattered
across the major islands of Japan, some natural, while others are manmade. These
springs can be enjoyed both indoors as well as outdoors, making for an equally relaxing
experience. If you happen to visit a natural onsen like I did, you may even be
able to see some monkeys relaxing in the warm springs!
My next stop can be recognized as one of the most beautiful
waterfalls of Japan, and perhaps even the world. These falls are called the
Shiraito Falls, located near Mount Fuji. The falls are fed by the volcano’s
spring water, flowing off the edge of a 20-meter-high cliff. The best time of
year to visit these falls is said to be in the autumn, when the leaves are changing,
allowing for a bright and colorful landscape to cuddle the beautiful natural
falls.
Lastly, I traveled to the Kerama Islands of Japan. The Kerama
Islands are made up of 22 individual islands off Okinawa, Japan. The islands
provide an unforgettable destination place for a paradise vacation. The islands
boast for great beaches, flourishing marine life, and untouched nature.
Even after just my short time in Japan, I can easily say
this country is full of endless beauties, both natural and man-made!
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