Korea - Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Square & Cheonggyecheon (Cheongae Stream)

Sambungan dari National Palace Museum. Tajuk panjang sepanjang merapu mommy di sini. Memang banyak tempat kami cover hari ke-5 ni.

As mentioned earlier, Gyeongbokgung Palace ni hanyalah bersebelahan dengan National Palace Museum (jgn silap ye ini bukan Seoul Museum tapi Palace Museum). Kalau refer map kat atas ni u al akan lebih faham perjalanan kami d hari ke - 5 ni. 

Sebenarnya lawatan ke Museum itu xde dalam itinerary kami tetapi disebabkan untuk pergi ke palace ni kami terpaksa melalui palace museum tu maka kami yg request dgn guide utk masuk tengok apa yg ada di dalamnya. Lagipun kami tgk ramai juga pelancong yg masuk (tapi tak seramai yg dok kerumun dlm palace la). 

Okey, sesampai kami ke Gyeongbokgung Palace, matahari memancar2 terik tetapi suhu masih lagi 10'C. Udara terasa kering sampaikan bibir pun dah lebam & kering. Dalam suasana mcm ni mommy rasa bersyukur dgn kerabunan mommy (heheh!!!klu tak rasa ada kekurangan diri kan)…….yelah org lain silau je mata tapi mommy relax je cermin mata transform jadi sunglass. So, alhamdulilah dpt le menikmati keindahan istana tu. 

Yang peliknya, mommy yang perasan "Eh, nape istana ni tulis tulisan cina?" soal mommy dgn guide. Dia pun jawab "Ahaaaa, mmg tulisan cina, dulu org Korea xde bahasa sendiri jadi dorg ni lebih kepada combination bahasa China & Jepun yg mana memerintah dorg zaman dulu2"…….Ooooooo, gitu (entah betul ke tidak mommy tak tahu la explanation dia by right betul la kan sbb dorg student luar kena juga belajar sejarah Korea ni). But after I refer to wiki it's explain details about this Hanja writing.

Kat bawah ni plak details pasal istana ni (malas la nak tulis details). Yang penting its about their royal history. 

Gyeongbokgung was built three years after the Joseon Dynasty was founded and it served as its main palace. With Mount Bugaksan as a backdrop and the Street of Six Ministries (today’s Sejongno) outside Gwanghwamun Gate, the main entrance to the palace, Gyeongbokgung was situated in the heart of the Korean capital city. It was steadily expanded before being reduced to ashes during the Japanese invasion of 1592. For the next 273 years the palace grounds were left derelict until being rebuilt in 1867 under the leadership of Prince Regent Heungseon Daewongun. The restoration was completed on a grand scale, with 330 buildings crowded together in a labyrinthine configuration. Within the palace walls were the oejeon), offices for the king and state officials, and the Inner Court (naejeon), which included living quarters for the royal family as well as gardens for leisure. Within its extensive precincts were other palaces, large and small, including Junggung (the Queen`s residence) and Donggung (the Crown prince’s residence). 

Yang paling penting misi kami kat sini ialah nak tgk pengawal istana yg buat perbarisan pertukaran tugas (tukar shif keja la). Heheh!!!!cam jakun je tapi menarik la jugak tgk sebab costume dorg yg cantik. Pastu muka cam garang2 je dgn suara garau. Mommy ada amik video tapi malas la nak uodate @youtube utk mskkan dlm blog ni. So layan jelah gambar2 sebagai bukti kemeriahan upacara ni.

Dah habis tgk perarakan tukar tugas kami terus bergerak keluar menuju ke Gwanghwamun Square plak. 

Okey masa masuk tadi kami terus dr Gyeongbokgung Station & datang dari arah sisi istana. Masa keluar tu plak barulah kami melalui pintu utama iaitu Gwanghwamun Gate/entrance. Masa keluar tu & pusing semula tgk istana tu baru nampak clear Gunung Bugaksan yg tersergam gagah di belakang istana. Wah!!!boleh bayangkan tak kalau snow penuh menutupi gunung tu alangkah indahnya CiptaanNYA (tapi hakikatnya xdak salji).

Masa dok terpusing2 semula nak ambil view depan istana tu, mommy tercakap kat daddy "Eh, daddy perasan tak mcm kat Beijing Forbidden City la"…….Haaaaa sekali si Arfa menyampuk dok tanya apa2 & sibuk cakap tak aci mommy & daddy dah g China. Kita org nak g jugak. Ahhhhh!!!sudah bebudak ni, pantang dengar org berjalan. Itu citer zaman mommy honeymoon dulo2 la mana korang blh kacau, haha.

Okey sambung……kat Gwanghwamun Square tu plak (suasana sama gak mcm dpn forbidden city serius). Dorg p pacak statue raja dorg dulu2 iaitu King Sejong & Admiral terkenal dorg Yin Sun Sin. Masa kami kat sana, ada beberapa kumpulan hak asasi manusia sedang membuat demostrasi aman depan US Embassy (entah apa yg dorg mintak xingat dah).

Gwanghwamun Plaza (Hangul: 광화문광장; hanja: 光化門廣場, also known as Gwanghwamun Square) is a public open space on Sejongno, Jongno-gu in Seoul, South Korea.[2] The plaza was opened on 1 August 2009 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and is part of the City's plans for environmentally friendly renovation projects such as the Cheonggye Stream and Seoul Plaza.[3] It is also of historical significant as the location of royal administrative buildings, known as Yukjo-geori or Street of Six Ministries;[4] and features statues of Admiral Yi Sun-sin of Joseon Dynasty and King Sejong the Great of Joseon.[5]

Kami xde la melepak lama kat square ni sebab masing2 dah tak sabar nak main ice skating @Seoul Plaza. So, kira sekali lalu & amik gambar jelah. Otw ke Seoul Plaza tu juga kami melalui Cheongae stream.

Cheonggyecheon (Hangul: 청계천) is an 8.4 km (5.2 miles) long, modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-war economic development required it to be covered by transportation infrastructure. The $900 million project initially attracted much public criticism but, after opening in 2005, has become popular among city residents and tourists.

After cross the stream kami dengan lajunya meneruskan perjalanan ke Seoul Plaza utk ice skating. Tg next n3 & saksikan bagaimana aksi 4A +R ;tertonggeng, tertiarap, terjelir. Hehe!!