Today we visit some place in Seoul. First destination is Gwanghwamun Square. Ride subway to Gwanghwamun Station then exit 2. The MRT Station interior is unique.
At Gwanghwamun Square, there’s the biggest book store in Seoul, Kyubo Book Store. You can enter the shop from MRT exit or from outside.
There’s Admiral Yi Sunsin statue and also famous King Sejong statue in here.
Under the square, there’s a exhibition about King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sunsin.
After see the exhibitions, we decided to eat lunch first. We found some restaurant in the small road near the Gwanghwamun Square. Then we go to Gwanghwamun Gate which is the main and largest gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Just like other palace, in Gyeongbokgung Palace, we can see the royal culture and kingdom in here.
Geunjeongjeon, The Main Throne Hall of Gyeongbokgung palace 
National Folk Museum of Korea 국립민속박물관
When we arrive at Gwanghwamun Station, my friends said that she wants to looking for some book. So while she is looking for her books, I decided to back to Euljiro 3(sam)-ga station, to visit Jeonggwanjang Hongsam 정관장 홍삼 Store. Once you go out from the station, then you will see the store in the right side.
Jeonggwanjang Hongsam exclusively deals with products by the Korea Ginseng Corporation. Jeonggwanjang, with over 100 years of history, is a Goryeo hongsam brand that only uses high quality six-year-old ginseng roots through rigorous testing.
Credit: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=988479
They offer the product: ginseng roots, condensed products, liquid products, extracts, hongsam tea, hongsam jelly, hongsam candies, and hongsam chocolate.
I also have a discount coupon from Visit Korea site. But unfortunately, the ginseng roots that I’m looking for, only there’s the big package ones and there’s no smaller one. I didn’t bring much money, and my uncle, who wants the Ginseng, said that he only wants a little. So I didn’t buy it.
After that, I’m going back to Gwanghwamun Station to meet up with my friend.
Then we go to Ewha Women’s University shopping area.
Stop by Ewha Women’s University / 이대 station then exit 2 / 3 and walk for 5 minutes then you will see a lot of store.
I didn’t buy anything in here, just walk around, until I found the entrance of Ewha Women’s University. Because it’s university area, so there’s so many students in here.
There’s so many street food and cafe too.
From Ewha, I plan to join my other friends, who are at Odbo Cosmetic Store in Seoul which there’s only 1 outlet. I go to Mapo-Gu Office Subway Station.
Credit: https://seoulinspiration.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/odbo-outlet-in-seoul/
I found this website before and try to follow it’s instructions. Exit Mapo-Gu Office Subway Station exit 3, the area is different with others subway station. It’s quiet, only traffic.
I just drop by and then back to continue my journey. I didn’t found my friends there because they are already done.
Let’s take it as walking around Seoul.. Haha..
Next I went to Yeouido Park. Yes, it’s only me, because my friend is sick and she said she go back to guesthouse first to take a rest.
Yeouido Park is a large recreational area located on Yeouido Island in the central part of Seoul. It was once originally covered with black asphalt, and people frequented the place for bicycling and roller-skating. The construction began in 1997, and opened officially in February 1999. It is now the place where many people in the city come to rest and enjoy strolling around, play sports, and cultural events.
The park is divided into theme-based sections: the Traditional Korean Forest, Grass Square, Culture Square, and Nature’s Ecosystem Forest. In the Traditional Korean Forest, only traditional Korean trees are planted, and it has a pond and an octagonal pavilion, with a trail walk that completes the feel of an elegant Korean garden. Grass Square has a low hill, with grass field and various trails, and nearby there are evergreens and deciduous trees to reflect the changing of the seasons. Many performances and events are held at the Cultural Square, and because there are many zelkova trees lined up nearby, it is a great place to rest. One particular part of the park that is most enjoyed is the Nature’s Ecosystem Forest – it is where you can observe nature and learn from an ecologically sensitive pond and forest, right in the middle of the city. Composed of a swamp area, waterline area, grassland area, and a forest, you can observe various kinds of life forms living in these areas.
One of the must-see areas is the Yunjunro Street, behind the National Assembly Building. This place is famous for having the loveliest cherry blossom street in Seoul. Cherry blossom trees, 30 to 40 years old, line up for about 6km, and is very popular in the spring.
Credit: Visikorea
Yeouido Park 
Yeouido Hangang Park
It’s a nice evening to enjoy the park. Maybe next time, I could come here with someone, and enjoy more of it’s facility.
From Yeouido, I decided to walk at Cheonggyecheon Stream. There’s so many subway that could lead to the stream, so I choose Euljiro 3(san)-ga to Euljiro 4(sa)-ga.
Credit: Visit Korea
Until it was restored in 2005, Cheonggyecheon Stream existed only as a neglected waterway hidden by an overpass. Today, it has been transformed into a haven of natural beauty amidst the bustle of city life.
Narae Bridge, representing a butterfly in flight, and Gwanggyo Bridge, symbolizing the harmony of the past and future, are just two of the more than twenty beautiful bridges that cross the stream. The Rhythmic Wall Stream, lined with fine marble, sculptures, and Korea’s 8th stone building, Palseokdam, adorn the Cheonggyecheon Stream.
Cheonggyecheon Stream passes close to Deoksugung Palace, Seoul Plaza, the Sejong Center, Insa-dong Street, Changdeokgung Palace, and Changgyeonggung Palace, allowing visitors to easily visit major tourist sites after a leisurely stroll along the stream.
It’s unique. Pity I didn’t have a change to explore more. Maybe next time. 🙂
It’s already evening, and I promise my friends to meet them at guesthouse at 17:00. So I decided to go back to the guesthouse. While on the way back, I drop by Wangsimi Subway Station, to go to E-Mart. I bought some snack, and also bread for my dinner.
Today is my friend’s last day in Seoul, tomorrow they will go back to Indonesia. So tonight we plan to watch Rainbow Fountain at Banpo Bridge.
Only 4 of us go there, the others feel tired already.
After rest for a while, then we go there. We stop by Gangnam Subway station and walk along their underground mall first. It’s cheap and many things sell in there. If you would like to shopping, this place is one of the suggestion.
The rainbow fountain show is 20:00 o’clock. At 19:30, we walk to Banpo Bridge directions. A lot of people go back after watched the 19:30 performance.
We passed by underground tunnel.
Banpodaegyo (Bridge) is a two-tiered bridge over the Hangang (River). Its lower level, called Jamsugyo (Submergence Bridge), is designed to be below water during the rainy season. In 2009, Seoul Metropolitan Government added the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain to the Banpodaegyo, creating the world’s longest bridge fountain (as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records) with 380 water jets and a dazzling array of multi-colored lights.
Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain is the world’s longest bridge fountain. The fountain is programmed to play different shows during the day and night. During the day, the fountain shows a hundred different configurations meant to evoke waving willow branches and willow leaves. When the sun goes down, 200 lights illuminate the fountain as it sends up dancing, rainbow-colored jets of water in the air in synchronization with music.
The Moonlight Rainbow Fountain’s water jets are dynamic and can move in time to music creating spectacular ever-changing displays. Add to that the hundreds of rainbow-colored lighting combinations when night falls, and it is easy to see why Banpodaegyo is a magnet for tourists year-round.
The park also has outdoor stage, eco-observatory and picnic spots.
Credit: Visit Korea, Visit Seoul
My friends said, that if you visit on weekend, there are a stall that sell Seoul Fried Chicken, which very famous. Too bad, I visit when it’s weekdays, so no one sell food in there.
The rainbow fountain is beautiful. I’m not regret come here during night, in the middle of autumn cold.
Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain Time:
> April-June, September- October (Duration: 20 min)
Weekdays: 12:00, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Weekends: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
> July-August (Duration: 20 min)
Weekdays: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Weekends: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30
City Light near Banpo Bridge 
Then we go back to guesthouse for rest.. Tomorrow is my last day, and tomorrow I’m gonna meet my Korean friends.
Cheerful Traveller's Diary 