Time travel.

I don't know much about Seoul's dynasty's or past... but I was curious to see Gyeonbuokgung, or the Palace of Shining Happiness, in the center of Seoul. This was the principal palace in Seoul until it was burnt down by the Japanese in the late 1500's (strike one Japan). Nearly 300 years later one of Korea's rulers decided to restore the palace to its current state. It was a hazy June day on my visit to the palace with some friends. The mountains in thebackground and the surrounding fog seemed to give an added stillness to the palace grounds.

No palace is complete without its guards. Much like the famous guards at Buckingham palace, these Korean guards

kept there cool and didn't move more than a blink. To give the guards accurate

period attire they wore fake beards and mustaches for the part. I don't think I have seen a Korean man with a real beard yet.... I'll keep my eyes open.

The Korean eye for detail, order and precision is not a new phenomenon.

I love to see the change between the generations in Korea. It is so vast in

many ways. In the 1960's much of Seoul was still developing as shacks and huts lined the rivers and surrounding areas were comprised of thatched roof buildings. Now some of the technology in Seoul out does what I see in most of America. What a whirlwind of change.

The old, the young, and the palace.

Kids enjoying the fountains at the palace.

The mountains frame most of Seoul and most of Korea.... in fact mountain climbing is one of Korea's biggest past time. Daemosan mountain is a 20 minute walk from my apartment. On the weekends hundreds of Korean's, most of them middle aged and up, strap on their hiking boots, their backpacks and hiking poles and head to the mountain for the day.