All about Seoul

Seoul will go down in memory as the place where I got mobbed like a celebrity. It wouldn't have the same level of tourism as some other parts of Asia and visiting the Changdeokgung Temple a class full of kids on a school tour ran at me waving and snapping their cameras. They were probably from the sticks and not used to foreigners. I don't care - it made my trip.

Seoul has a few attractions such as the Seoul Tower, but I found the cuisine, the markets and the café culture to be the most exciting parts. Everywhere you go there's stuff to buy from street food to designer knock-offs and when it rains the traders jump on the train to flog umbrellas. Namdaemun and Dongdaemun  and Kwangjang Markets are a few famous examples. 

Seoul food is all about kimchi, one of the world's spiciest and healthiest  foods. Korean barbecue - grilled meat or fish with kimchi and hot sauce wrapped in lettuce - is the best and most fun type of group eating. Unfortunately, I was travelling alone (or Seoul-o? Sorry!) on my way home from Japan and reduced to looking at others eat bbq through a window with my mouth watering. But with all the other delicious food options, I didn't go hungry.   

While not strictly in Seoul, one of the world's most unusual yet depressing places to visit is a short trip away: the De-Militarised Zone between South and North Korea. Trips to the DMZ and JSA (Joint Security Area) have to be booked through an official tour agency and tourists are not allowed without a guide. Some tours include a Q & A with a North Korean defector. 

Korea's best travel blog, written by a local, is called Discovering Korea. I'd really recommend it for anybody interested in visiting or learning more about the country.