Seoul Korea_Gyeongbokgung Palace

Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace (often called Gyeongbok Palace) it was the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Its name means “Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven.”

 I also rented a traditional hanbok to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, which made the experience even more memorable. Wearing the dress allowed me to fully immerse myself in the atmosphere of the palace while enjoying free entry. I had fun taking photos with the guards at the front gate and capturing the beautiful architecture and courtyards throughout the palace. The combination of traditional clothing, historic surroundings, and lively photo opportunities made the visit feel like stepping back in time.

Two Days in Seoul: Impressions and Experiences

There are more foreign visitors in Seoul than in Chongqing, even though Chongqing is a much bigger city.

The city and its people are very friendly and take great pride in what they do. For example, the bus driver who drove us from the airport to the city center gave a short speech and bowed to all the passengers before starting the journey. Along the way, he announced each stop and made an effort to ensure everyone got off at the correct place.

Many people spoke Chinese, which pleased me because I do not speak Korean. A lot of them, however, do not speak English.

Before my visit, I knew Korea was famous for advanced skincare, personal care, and cosmetic surgery.

On the flight from Chongqing to Seoul, a Korean woman seated next to me worked in the skincare industry and had flawless skin. I asked her how she achieved it, and she said she receives personalized one-on-one skin treatments.

The Myeongdong area is famous for shopping. Stepping out of my hostel, the streets were filled with countless gift shops and skincare stores. I was amazed by how many different types of skincare products were available.

Public transportation is very efficient, and each ride costs about $1 to $1.25, which is the cheapest I have experienced in all my travels.

I did not have time to see all of Seoul’s attractions since I was there for only two days.

I spent one day visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace and the second day shopping because it was rainy. I especially enjoyed eating at small mom-and-pop restaurants—the food in Korea is truly delicious.

I would recommend spending at least five days in Seoul to really enjoy the city. On my flight from Seoul to San Francisco, I chatted with two young people seated on either side of me. One had spent two days in Seoul, while the other had spent ten days there. All of us agreed that more time is better. The young man who stayed ten days shared experiences such as skincare consultations and personal color (clothing) analysis, which I had never heard of before. Very interesting.

Seoul, Korea --- Some Travel Tips

1. K-ETA 

Since 2022, many countries that do not require a visa for U.S. citizens have introduced an electronic travel authorization system, and South Korea is one of them. After researching further, I found that U.S. citizens are exempt from this requirement until the end of 2025. This means that if you plan to travel in 2026, you should check the official websites of both countries to see whether the exemption has been extended.

2. Where to Stay

Over the years, I’ve learned that the best place to stay in a big city like Seoul is the city center, where public transportation is easily accessible.

I don’t mind staying in a hostel instead of a hotel—it's cheaper and gives me the opportunity to meet travelers from all over the world. I used to think hostels were only for young backpackers and solo travelers, but that’s not true. I’ve seen older travelers and couples staying in hostels as well. Most of the time, hostels have excellent locations, usually near metro stations and major attractions.

I stayed in a hostel in Myeongdong, just a few minutes’ walk from Myeongdong Station (Exit 3). I had a private room since this hostel didn’t seem to offer shared rooms. I paid more than a typical hostel price but had my own bathroom. The room was very small—just enough space for a double bed. There was no TV, only a projector on the wall (which I didn’t bother figuring out). It had a small fridge and a compact bathroom where the toilet and shower are together, similar to typical European-style bathrooms.

3. Transportation From the Airport to the City Center

There is an airport limousine bus right outside the terminal that takes you directly into the city center without transfers.

As soon as you exit the terminal to the ground transportation area, you’ll see ticket machines. You just enter your destination (in my case, Myeongdong Station). The ticket shows your bus number and stops number. The bus stops are lined up right in front of the terminal, similar to a taxi line—just all buses instead of taxis.

The ride to Myeongdong takes about 1.5 hours. It’s the last stop on that line and makes around five stops before reaching the final destination.

There are other ways to get to Myeongdong—like taxi or train—but the bus is the most convenient and not too expensive.

4. Navigation App- Naver Map

Google map app does not work well in Korea, instead, down load "Naver Map" works well there. 

5. Public Transportation (Metro Experience)

I walked to Myeongdong Station, Exit 3, to get a metro card. What I thought would take five minutes turned into a whole adventure! Here’s what happened:

1) First machine:

I stood in line and watched a young man using it. I learned this machine does NOT sell metro cards.

2) Second machine:

The woman next to me said she was buying a single-ride ticket using cash. I tried using my credit card, but it wasn’t accepted—two other women said their non-Korean cards didn’t work either.

3) Third machine — the "WOW PASS" machine:

This machine accepts foreign currencies like USD and CNY. The man in front of me used his passport.

But I didn’t bring mine—so I couldn’t complete the purchase.

4) Back to the hotel:

On my way back to get my passport, I stopped by a money exchange shop. The minimum exchange was $100, and I only had about $60, so I skipped it.

After getting my passport, I returned to the WOW PASS machine. I loaded $50 (the minimum) onto a WOW Pass card (the card itself costs 5,000 KRW). Only later did I find out that WOW Pass cannot be used for the metro or buses—only for store purchases.

I had to withdraw the money from the WOW Pass to get Korean won so I could buy a metro card. I withdrew 30,000 KRW.

5) Back to the metro machines:

I lined up again, hoping to buy a T-money card.

But the machine only offered top-ups, not new cards. I tried buying a single-trip ticket with my 10,000 KRW bill, but the machine didn’t accept it—probably too large for change.

A local woman suggested I buy a T-money card at a convenience store.

6) SUCCESS — at 7-11:

I walked into the 7-11 right outside the station and finally got a T-money card! The card cost 4,000 KRW, and I added 10,000 KRW.

After about 1.5 hours, I finally had a working metro card.

Lesson learned:

It’s MUCH easier to get a metro card at a convenience store like 7-11, CU, or GS25.

The machines inside the station were confusing, and not all of them sell cards. In many other countries, the station machines are straightforward—but not in Korea.

A young couple I met at the station was also frustrated, and the man said Korea feels “old-styled” in some ways. I agreed. In many modern metro systems, you can tap a credit card directly—no need for a transit card. But in Korea, you still need a T-money card.

Around the World in 115 days

In 2025 from August to December, in a 115-day trip I traveled across 4 continents and 18 countries/territories, traveling by bus, boat, airplane and train, beginning in the U.S. and sailing up the Atlantic coast into Canada, then crossing to Greenland and Iceland before flying into mainland Europe. From Germany, my journey continued to Africa for a 16-day overland safari covering South Africa, eSwatini, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

After Africa, I traveled into Asia—Qatar, mainland China, Hong Kong, several destinations across Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea—before returning home to the United States.

Along the way, I crossed the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and multiple regional seas.

It was a full global loop—a true round-the-world adventure.

Here is the detailed Itineraries:

8/6 Baltimore, Maryland to New York, NY by bus

8/7 Borad NCL Star at New York (Manhattan), NY 

8/8 At sea

8/9 Halifax, NS, Canada

8/10 Sydney, NS, Canada

8/11 Corner Brook, NL, Canada

8/12 At Sea

8/13 At Sea

8/14 Nuuk, Greenland

8/15 Paamiut, Greenland

8/16 Prince Christian Sound, Greenland (Cruising)

8/17 At Sea

8/18 Isafjordur, Iceland

8/19 Akureyri, Iceland

8/20 Grundarfjordur, Iceland

8/21 Reykjavik, Iceland

8/21 Reykjavik to Hamburg, Germany by Air

8/21-8/26 Hamburg, Germany (Day trip to Lübeck)

8/26 Hamburg to Munich by Euro Rail

8/26-9/1 Munich, Germany (with day trip to Salzburg, Austra)

9/1 Munich to Frankfurt by Euro Rail (with side trip to Cologne)

9/1 Frankfurt to Cape Town by Air

9/2-9/16 -16 days South Africa with Robben Island, Victoria Falls & Botswana 

9/2-9/6 Cape Town, South Africa

9/7 Hluhluwe, eSwatini

9/8 Matsamo Village, eSwatini

9/9 Kruger National Park, South Africa

9/10-9/12 Johannesburg, South Africa

9/12 Johannesburg, South Africa to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe by Air

9/12-9/14 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

9/14-9/16 Kasane, Botswana

9/16 Kasane, Botswana to Victoria Falls by Bus, Victoria Falls to Johannesburg by Air, Johannesburg to Doha, Qatar by Air

9/17-9/21 Doha, Qatar

9/21 Doha, Qatar to Chongqing, China by Air

9/21-10/13 Chongqing, China 

10/13 Chongqing, China to Hong Kong by Air

10/13-10/16 Hong Kong, China

10/16 Hong Kong to Bali, Indonesia

10/16-10/20 Bali, Indonesia

10/20 Bali, Indonesia to Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Air

10/20-10/23 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

10/23 Yogyakarta, Indonesia to Kuala Lumpur, Maylasia then to Chongqing, China

10/24-11/23 Chongqing, China

11/23 Chongqing, China to Seoul, South Korea by Air

11/23-11/26 Seoul, South Korea

11/26 Seoul, South Korea to San Francisco, US by Air

11/26-12/1 San Francisco, US

12/1 San Francisco, US to Baltimore, MD US by Air

Zagreb- Day 3 City Walk

Starting from the Hotel I stayed at right at the Zagreb Town Square, I walked through a colorful narrow street to upper town to St. Mark's Church again.  Took some obligated tourist photos.

From there, I walked to Lotrščak Tower, a medieval fortification built in the 13th century to guard the southern city gate.  Every day at 12:00pm noon there will be a cannon fired in the tower.  I paid a small fee and climb up to the town and in time to  witness this event.  

I continued leisurely walked around upper town and back to the Zagreb Cathedral and town square.

From there, I walked through Josip Juraj Strossmayer Park, then to King Tomislav Square (Trg Kralja Tomislava).

From there, I walked to Croatian National Theatre.

Zagreb Day 2- Zagreb City Walk.

It was a rainy day, but I still explored the Upper Town with an umbrella in hand. From my hotel, it was a short walk to the iconic Zagreb Cathedral, which is currently under restoration and closed to the public. The streets were quiet, and the air was damp yet refreshing. From there, I continued on to the Dolac Market.

Later, I took a tram to the bus terminal to snap a few photos. Afterward, I walked to the Zagreb Train Station, with King Tomislav’s Square conveniently located just across from it.

I eventually made my way back to the hotel, where I sat by the window with a glass of wine, watching people in the town square catch their tram rides — simply enjoying the moment and unwinding.

Zagreb Upper Town

Zagreb Cathedral

Dolac Market

Zagreb Bus Station

King Tomislav's Square

Zagreb train station

Town Square below my window