Bianca In South Korea: Land Of Morning Calm

I’ve returned home after two unforgettable months in South Korea. The final weeks were a whirlwind of travel and adventure, which meant I didn’t always have time to blog in the moment. But now that I’m back, I finally have time to reflect…and I’m excited to share the stories, photos, and experiences that never made it online. So, in the coming posts, I’ll be catching up on everything I didn’t get to publish while I was there. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ My solo time in Seoul ended with a fun night out in Hongdae. After saying goodbye to my friends, I got out of the taxi in Gangnam and walked the last 15 minutes to my accommodation. While walking, I texted my husband Arthur, who was just about to board his flight to Incheon. He asked me if I knew what time it was. It was still seven hours earlier in the Netherlands 😉. I’ve walked through the streets of Gangnam twice in the early hours of the morning, and both times, I felt completely safe. There was a quiet calm to the city at that hour, and not once...

The day after the burn, I had plans to meet up with friends in the evening to watch the Lantern Parade. I took it easy in the morning, using the quiet time to book KTX train tickets from Seoul to Busan for next Sunday; marking the end of my five-week stay in Seoul. In the afternoon, with the sun shining and the skies clear, I hopped on the subway to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. Surrounded by tourists dressed in colorful Hanbok, I wandered through the historic grounds, soaking in both the beauty of the palace and the vibrant atmosphere. Since I plan to come back here, I decided not to go inside the palace this time. Instead, I made my way toward Cheonggyecheon Stream. I was so focused on watching the many people enjoying the outdoor library that I completely missed the massive statue of King Sejong; I walked right past it without even noticing! It was such a heartwarming sight: people of all ages, with or without children, sitting and reading in the open air. Along the beautiful Cheonggy...