Gyeongbokgung Palace

It's the beginning of 8 days of public holidays. Normally it costs 3,000 won ($3.30) to enter the royal palaces, but it's free on public holidays. Downside is that there are no English guided tours, so I'm on my own.

There are performances reenacting traditional palace rituals. I take some video as one is going on and then a photo of the protagonists at the end.

There are of course some gardens in the palace vicinity. I watch the activities of some squirrels (irresistibly cute) and take a photo of a Korean magpie. They are the dominant bird species in Seoul and are much smaller than their Australian cousins. Their birdcall is an endearing chuckling noise, making a refreshing change from the crows in Hokkaido.Read more