Inwangsan Hillside Walk

Several weeks ago I hired a housekeeper/nanny for the sole purpose of being able to freely explore parts unknown without having to worry about the little ones. Some days I simply hide in a coffee shop and read, but usually I try to see something new. Last week I did something I have always wanted to do: I got on the subway and chose some random stop I've never been to and just meandered. I ate at a random restaurant that served only two choices, both in Korean, so that made that decision fairly simple. Then I just walked. It wasn't a particularly exciting or noteworthy place in Seoul, but it was fun to just explore. You never know what's around the corner! 

Today I made a more deliberate choice. On Mondays almost all attractions in Korea are closed, so my choices are limited. (I am switching the nanny schedule to Friday for this very reason.) So I chose a walking tour outlined in my Seoul guidebook. There was nothing especially intriguing about this tour, but it got me outside, it wasn't too far, and it said that there would be terrific views of Seoul. I never get tired of the city views! The walk from the subway exit was considerably more challenging than I anticipated, and I began to wonder if the sights would be worth it. Inwangsan is supposed to be a very spiritual mountain because of the clustering Buddhist temples and Shamanist shrines. I don't know about any of that. The shrines and temples in this area are not with mentioning; I didn't even take any pictures. The walk was steep, but the view from the top was awesome. 

The trail back down was easy, quiet, and peaceful. You could easily forget you were in the city. The walking tour ends near Seodaemun Prison, now a museum. It was built to house dissenters against the Japanese occupation, then later used by the Korean government for the same purpose. It was closed today so I could only view the outside perimeter. Just down the street is Dongnimmun, or Indepedence Gate, built as a memorial (or declaration? not quite sure) of Korea's independence from Japan. There are also several memorial statues close by.

freedom fighters memorial

Independence Gate

Seodaemun Entrance

All of the places above are in a park like setting, Seodaemun Independence Park, which was being well-used that day by the area's senior citizens, and is easily accessible by subway. I'll be coming back at some point to tour the prison museum.

All in all it was a day well spent!