Kerry's Korean Adventure: Gyeongbokgung Palace

     Today, Sean and I woke up to a surprise. We did not have any running water! After many phone calls, it was determined that the pipes were frozen or that a pipe may have broken. Supposedly, I was the only apartment that did not have water. Also, because it was a Sunday, the water company was not available until Monday! Well, we weren't going to let it stop our fun, so we bundled up and headed out (unbathed of course).
     We arrived at Gyeongbokgung Palace, purchased our tickets, and took a few candid photos. Although the sky was clear and the sun shining, it was only about 15 F. Not the most ideal temperature to be outside, looking at palaces. The cold was bone chilling, so we went into the National Folk Museum and ordered a Korean style lunch.

Kimchi

After lunch, we watched the changing of the guard ceremony and waited for our free English speaking tour. The tour was great! Sean and I were the only two and we were led by young Korean students. They spoke English very well and provided interesting information about the palace. The palace was built during the Chosun Dynasty by King Taejo in 1395, the fourth year of his reign. The kingdom used technology and spiritual belief to sustain the kingdom. For instance, the palace was heated by steam pipes that ran underneath the floor, to all of the buildings. The palace was also built based on the ying yang theory and can be seen at the base of many of the supporting pillars. The court yard stones are very uneven. This was done intentionally in front of the throne hall for two reasons. One, for drainage, so that puddles would not collect. Second, it forced people to walk cautiosly and slow in the presence of king.

Located at the corner of the Keunjeong-jeon, the royal throne hall is a large vat. The vat was filled with water and placed at the corner to protect the building against fire. According to belief, the fire god would pass the vat while entering the royal throne hall. The god would see his reflection, become frightened and run away.

It was so cold, that after a while we couldn't focus on anything. We left right after the tour, because of the bitter cold. Later, we went to my co-workers Christmas party. Well, it wasn't much of a party, but the food was delicious. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, stuffing. We ate and watched Frosty the Snowman and It's a Wonderful Life.