Day 1 - Korea Be Inspired - Gyeongbokgung Palace & Gwangwamun Square

Salam semua pembaca blogku yg dikasihi.

Maaf yea dah 2 hari aku tak update blog ni. Faktor kekangan waktu dan take time skit nak upload setiap gambar. Semalam aku dah upload gambar tapi tak berkesempatan nak menulis pulak. Bukan senang nak mereka ayat dan mengingati cerita pada setiap gambar. Kalau otak kita dah penat kat ofis...balik rumah memang tak larat nak menulis blog. Sekejap aku menulis atas meja...pastu alih tempat di atas katil sambil meniarap....ada kalanya duduk sambil memangku laptop...mcm-mcm aksi aku setiap kali nak update blog.

Jom sambung citer korea ni lagi.

Lepas kami semua check-in di guest house tu. Lebih kurang jam 11 pagi kami dah berjanji untuk bertolak ke destinasi seterusnya. Takut tak sempat nak cover every places yang dah dirancang hari ni. So lebih kurang jam 11 lebih jugak kami bergerak beramai-ramai ke Subway di Station Myeongdong (memang sangat dekat dengan guest house yg kami stay. Berjalan kaki lebih kurang 3 minit ajer. 

Kak Zila sebagai ketua rombongan cik kiah memang dah paham segala selok belok jalan di sini. So, aku membontot ajer pada hari pertama ni. Dia turun tangga...aku pun turun. Dia belok kanan...aku pun belok. Dia kata sesat...aku pun turut sesat hahaha. Memang kalau diingat balik kenangan di Korea ni...memang nostalgia gitiewww. Ok....destinasi kami yg pertama ialah ke Gyeongbokgung Palace merupakan palace zaman dulu yg sangat terkenal di Korea. Kat sini bukan takat ada satu palace sahaja tetapi banyakkk. Aku bgtau Kak Zila...cukuplah kita pergi satu palace ajer. Muntah hijou kami nanti kalau gi banyak sangat palace hehehe. 

kami berjalan kaki menuju ke subway yg mengambil masa 3 minit sahaja. Tepi-tepi jalan ni banyak kedai. Ada kedai makan, 7-Eleven, Family Mart dan mcm2 lagi.

ketika ini berada di bawah tanah. Subway di sini berada di bawah tanah. Jenuh panjat turun tangga yg tinggi. Ada yg tanya aku Subway tu apa? Sama mcm kedai Subway yg jual sandwich kat negara kita tu ke? hahahaha. Subway ialah keretapi laju bawah tanah. Kat London pun ada....dipanggil tube underground. Tapi di Korea ni...dipanggil Subway. Ada faham????

ingat tak kad T-Money yg aku ada citer masa entry sebelum ni? Ok....masa ni lah nak guna kad tu. Make sure sentiasa ada dalam pocket. Nak masuk ajer....sentuh kat bahagian atas tu...terus terbuka pintu halangan tu. 

ketika ini kami berada di Station Myeong-dong

ok train dah sampai. Nampak tak orang yg duduk dalam train tu? Nampak tak tangga belah kanan ni? Kat sini banyak guna tangga....pengsan aku wei. Escalator tak byk sangat...only certain place ada escalator.

sebaik-baiknya semasa anda menggunakan subway ni...sentiasalah memegang map subway route. Senang nak refer turun ke station mana. Kena elert pada warna route tu. Kalau tak biasa...memang agak confuse skit. Aku dah ada pengalaman guna train mcm ni masa di London dan Paris. Pening pala weii.

Direction to Gyeongbokgung Palace :

1. Station Myeong-dong
2. Station Chungmuro
3. Station Gyeongbokgung - Use exit #5 of Gyeongbokgung Station (Subway Line #3), 

masa dah sampai station Gyeongbokgung  ni...kami ternampak Seoul Metro Art Centre. Kat sini memang kaya dengan segala mcm jenis arts. Orang Korea ni memang sangat berseni dan menghargai kesenian tempatan mereka.

gambar-gambar yg diambil sekitar Korea dan diabadikan di sini. Serupa mcm balai senilukis negara

tetiba terjumpa ahjuma (makcik) Korea ni. Dia tetiba approach kita orang nak bergambar bersama. Rupanya salah satu gambar yg tergantung tu adalah hasil kreativiti dia sendiri. Oooooo patutlah.

kena jalan lagi untuk sampai ke palace ni.

macam-macam aksi rombongan cik kiah ni...hehehe

yahoooo dah sampai Gyeongbokgung Palace. Style pintu gerbang palace di sini sepesen dengan palace di China dan Jepun. Dorang kan serumpun....patutlah takda beza. Muka pun lebih kurang ajer.

nak masuk ke palace ni kena bayar. Bayar di sini okay.

Admission fee seorang ialah KRW3,000 (RM9.00)

Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also commonly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace). Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the grandest of all five palaces. 

The premises were destroyed by fire at the time of Japanese occupation from 1592-1598. However, all of the palace's 7,700 rooms were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondaewongun during the reign of King Gojong (1852~1919) . 

Remarkably, the most representative edifices of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion and Hyangwonjeong Pond are still relatively in tact. Woldae and the sculptures of Geunjeongjeon (The Royal Audience Chamber) represent past sculpture of contemporary art. 

The National Palace Museum of Korea is located south of Heungnyemun Gate, and the National Folk Museum is located east within Hyangwonjeong. 

merupakan the largest palace of all five palaces

maksud Gyeongbokgung ialah " Palace of Shining Happiness"

cantikkan senibina palace di sini. Sangat berseni dan artistik

masa kami sampai ni tetiba dengan bunyi gong bising sangat. Rupanya ada upacara the changing guard. Setiap jam akan bertukar.

unikkan pakaian yg dorang pakai ni. Yg paling aku tergelak ialah tengoklah misai dan janggut dorang tu...sepesen. Aku sempat telek dekat-dekat...original ke? hahahaha...aku leh nampak ada gam melekat kat misai tu....hahahah kantoi.

bergambar tu adalah pasti....

palace ini terletak di tengah-tengah bandar Seoul. So, boleh nampak bangunan pencakar langit di sekeliling palace ini. Cuaca terang benderang. Masa ni waktu tengahari....matahari bersinar cuaca sangat baik. Masih boleh rasa sejuk berangin.

ramai sungguh rombongan kanak-kanak sekolah masa ni. Satu benda aku respect Korea ni...dorang telah mendidik budak-budak sekolah ni  dari kecil lagi untuk cintakan negara. Dari sekolah tadika ke universiti....ada ajer rombongan ke tempat-tempat sejarah ni. Maknanya bukan takat sekolah rendah ajer kunjung palace dan muzium. Dah sampai universiti pun masih datang lagi kunjung tempat ni. 

istana raja ni sangat besar.....kena banyak berjalan. Masa ni aku dah rasa sakit kaki...huhuhu.

muzium yg terdpt dlm palace ni

rumah tradisional Korea

ketika ini spring season...bunga-bungaan sangat banyak dan berwarna-warni

penat berjalan dan meronda sekitar palace...kami keluar dan menuju ke Gwangwamun Square

Inilah dia Gwangwamun Square...terletak di sebelah palace ni ajer. Waktu malam di sini sangat cantik dengan lampu-lampu bercahaya dan bergemilapan. Ikut schedule kami nak stay di sini sampai malam...at least boleh ambil gambar di sini. Rupanya masa ni baru ajer jam 2 petang. Takkan lah kami nak stay sampai malam plak kan...lambat lagi.

On August 1st, 2009, the redesigned Gwanghwamun Square opened to the public. With the inauguration of the square, Sejong-ro, located at the center of the 600-year-old historic city of Seoul, was transformed into a human-centered space that harmonizes with the beautiful scenery of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukaksan Mountain. 

The close to 20,000 m2 Gwanghwamun Square is located at the center of Sejong-ro which connects Gwanghwamun Gate and Cheonggye Square. The square is divided into the sections, “Recovering the History of Gwanghwamun Gate Plaza”, “Reenacting Yukjo Street Plaza”, “Korea Main Plaza”, “Civil Participation Urban Culture Plaza”, “Downtown Plaza” and “Cheonggyecheon Stream Connector”. 

The “Recovering the History of Gwanghwamun Gate Plaza” section is at the entrance of the plaza, where a stone base called Woldae and a statue of Haetae, a mythical unicorn-lion that is said to protect palaces from fire, have been restored. Near Sejong-ro Park is “Reenacting Yukjo Street Plaza” where Yukjo Street, the main street of old Seoul (Formally known as Hanyang) was recreated. On the side is also a miniature depiction of Yukjo Street. 

The Statue of King Sejong the Great has been relocated in the “Korea Main Plaza”where Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, is projected on a fountain water screen. Between the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin is the“Civil Participation Urban Culture Plaza” with its range attractions and services including accommodation facilities for visitors, exhibition halls, elevators, Rendezvous plaza, and art galleries. 

“Downtown Plaza”, located near the Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, symbolizes Sejong-ro. The Square has water facilities such as a pond and pop-jet fountains. The“Cheonggyecheon Stream Connector” functions as a connecting walking path between Cheonggyecheon Stream and Gyeongbokgung Palace. 

In addition, there is the “Memorial Waterway”, flowing underground water, which goes from both Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun subway stations to Cheonggyecheon Stream. Plus, behind the Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin is “Sunken Square” which connects Gwanghwamun subway station and the ground allowing people to access the Square more easily.

then...kami ternampak jalan ke bawah tanah menuju ke muzium " The Stpry of King Sejong". Siapakah dia?

ia terletak di bawah tanah. Sambil tu boleh berehat sikit. Tetiba rasa kaki dah sakit dan lenguh. 

statue of "King Sejong"

King Sejong, the 4th king of the Joseon Dynasty (1397-1450, reigning from 1418-1450) was responsible for some of the most brilliant achievements in the history of Korea, including the creation of Hangeul (Korean alphabet) and great advancements in the areas of science, culture, art and politics. The passage behind the Statue of King Sejong in Gwanghwamun Square is home to The Story of King Sejong Exhibition Hall, which describes some of the king’s most astounding contributions to the development of Korea as a nation.

The Story of King Sejong Exhibition Hall comprises of 9 different sections with a total area of 3,200㎡. Throughout the museum are a variety of displays detailing Sejong’s invention of Hangeul, and his scientific, artistic, military, and political contributions (including the theory of Minbon, which recognized the people as the base of politics).

gambar kami semua....rombongan cik kiah. Seekor kumbang dikelilingi oleh bunga-bungaan yg cantik jelita ahakssssss. Sayang sangat kat King Sejong tu ke weiiii!!!!

tetiba nampak plak ahjusi (pakcik) ni. Wahhhhhh...semangat korea habisss!!! Sangat sporting bila kami ajak dia bergambar bersama.

i like this pic.....sebab baju dia sangat patriotik dan warnanya naik. Aku suka!!!

jalan ke depan lagi...tetiba nampak 3 orang amoi korea tengah buat survey pasal negara dorang sendiri. Soalan ini ditujukan kepada tourist yg datang ke sini. Kami kena jawab soalan dan letakkan di jawapan yg sesuai. Interesting!!!

soalannya ialah : What is the most surprising culture shock you've experienced in Korea?? Jawapannya pilih di antara 5 tu...then lekatkan jawapan anda yg mana satu. Aku lupa dah yg mana satu aku jawab hahaha.

pastu apa lagi.....bergambar lah kami dengan 3 orang amoi korea ni. Sangat sporting dorang ni.

Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin di Gwangwamun Square

The Asan Great Admiral Yi Sun-Sin Festival celebrates one of Korea’s most famous war heroes, Yi Sun-Sin, who defeated the Japanese in a momentous naval battle around 460 years ago. The festival takes place in the period around the Admiral’s birth date on April 28 in order to commemorate his achievements.

 Events at the festival will include a reenactment of the parade when Yi Sun-Sin took his sailors off to war and displays featuring detailed reproductions of the famous turtle-shaped ships (Geobukseon, 'Turtle Ship'), which were used in the battle.

cantiknya gambar ni.... Tapi di manakah ini?? Nak tahu jawapannya......tungguuuuuuuuuu pada next entry.!!!!

p/s - ramai yg tanya aku...next trip pergi mana? Ayohhhhhh.....sabar lah dulu. Balik dari Korea ni pun aku masih tak leh bernafas panjang lagi..huhuhuhu!!!!