A Palace, Art and Pickles

Thank goodness for this rainy, windy and cold Monday! This is true October weather at it's finest and thanks to the weather, I now have time to show you what we were up to last week. We had sight-seeing packed days, so I'm splitting up the posts because there are just too many pictures to post at once.

Enjoy the tour!

Gyeongbokgung Palace

I think when I last left you we had just had a dinner of some very delicious, Korea-fied chicken wings. The next day we headed to Gyeongbokgung Palace (Gee-ong-bok-goong). Gyeongbokgung is the oldest palace of the Joseon Dynasty and on it's grounds stands the National Folk Museum of Korea, throne halls and pavilions, all boasting exquisite architecture in a gorgeous garden landscape. I have never seen such gorgeous fall foliage! October is definitely the best time to visit the palace. There are grand gates that allow visitors to enter the palace grounds from multiple streets. The east gate opens onto Samcheongdong-gil Street (Sam-chong-dong-gil) which is home to many art galleries, clothing shops and cafes. At the northern gate lies Cheongwadae (Chong-wah-day) or the Blue House, which houses the executive office and official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea. The Korean name literally translates to "pavilion of blue tiles."

In front of the entrance to the throne hall, Geunjeongjeon.

Agata and I at the main entrance, Gwanghwamun Gate....smile!

A changing of the guard ceremony.

This ceremony dates back to the 15th century and was reinstated in the 90's.

 Standing in the past, looking to the present.

The paint job is colorful perfection.

These decorative paintings are on the underneath of all temple roofs. 

Dave and Agata.

The throne hall, Geunjeongjeon.

Inside the throne hall.

More detailed overhangs.

This is the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in a lotus pond...not sure what it was used for, 

but any structure with a moat is cool.

The stone, brick and woodwork is perfection.

In the maze of pavilions, trying to find the north gate.

I wonder how long it took to paint all of these roofs?

Perfect fit.

I don't remember the name of this little island or structure, but I do remember the information board saying an empress was assassinated here  by the Japanese.

How's that for some inspiration, Mom and Dad?

Yup, might need to put a lotus pond on the farm.

Reflection.

No caption needed.....

Fall foliage.

If the walls at Gyeongbokgung could talk.....

 

America has the White House, Korea has the Blue House.

I think this is a little prettier than D.C. Just a little.

Samcheongdong-gil

This is Samcheondong-gil.

This tree-lined street and neighborhood is a gorgeous, quiet little enclave at the foot of the mountains full of coffee shops, small restaurants, vintage clothing shops and many famous art galleries such as Gallery Hyandai, the Kumho Museum of Art and the Artsonje Center.

There are tons of really interesting restaurants.

 Picturesque.

Shopping :)

Coffee shop.

Some mannequins are just so cool they don't need clothes.

Ever seen a coffee shop like this?

Love these stairs.

A lot of the shops are in traditional Korean houses called hanoks.

 

Public canvas.

 One of many, many galleries on Samcheondong street.

Lego's are such a great sculpting medium.

A cool baby selling puffed rice.

 The "Jar-O-Pickles"

 RCP and I discovered this place and I took Dave and Agata because I'm addicted...

This pizza place brings them to your table while you wait for your pizza.

Yes, I can eat the whole jar and yes, they refill it. 

A complimentary, bottomless pickle jar. Genius.

The UUL National Art Museum, Seoul

This wasn't my first trip to Samcheongdong-gil. On my first visit a couple of weeks ago I came across the UUL, National Art Museum. The new branch of a national contemporary museum, which will open in 2013, will be called the UUL National Art Museum, Seoul. The “UUL” part of the new name comes from the Korean word meaning fence. The “UUL” also incorporates an abbreviation for the word “uri,” which means “us” or “our” in Korean. According the new museum's planning and construction department, "the UUL states that the National Art Museum, Seoul is ‘our’ museum, enclosed in the fence of art and culture. It also refers to the name of the city, Seoul.” The museum is being built on the site of the former headquarters of the Defense Security Command located between Gyeongbok Palace and Samcheong-dong.

While taking pictures I got interviewed by a Korean news station. I suppose this type of construction wall, with "Naked Museum" written all over it is subject to question, so they asked me what I thought of the wall and what I thought the building was that was being built. They asked me where I was from, I said I live here, then they filmed me taking pictures of the wall. They then filmed me walking away. I hope I appeared on the nightly news that evening....I don't ever watch regular Korean t.v.

I'm going to guess that the "naked" part alludes to the fact that anyone and everyone
will be able to see the art, "it's open for all". Using the word 'naked' is a great marketing tactic.

Naked David.

Yay!

Naked Van Gogh.

 Well said.

A very provocative Mona Lisa.

Sculpture on the roof of a gallery. 

My interpretation of this is that the white figure is the mold and the mold is holding a cast of itself. Normally you would think that the cast figure would be "alive" but in this case the mold is alive and the one with feelings....or it could be something along the lines that the mold has "given birth" to the pink figure, a cast of itself and is waiting for it to "come alive". Just my thoughts.

 Outside the front gate to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!