Trip With Godparents

I try to go on an annual holiday with my godparents. Actually we missed last year but were in Ho Chi Minh City for Christmas in 2010. This time round, we headed to Seoul, right smack in winter no less. I normally don't go on winter holidays despite having spent four years in Adelaide, South Australia and almost two in Le Bouveret and Leysin, Switzerland. I very much prefer the warmth of summer. But this holiday was planned last year and coincided with my godparents' trip from Adelaide, so headed to Seoul we did, with bags filled to the brim with warm clothing.

Seoul was cold! Temperatures rarely above freezing did not prevent us from seeing the sights and shopping the streets. We even made it to the demilitarised zone for a half day look see. When faced with freezing weather, one takes the opportunity to indulge in food. Street food, family run restaurants, cafes, tea houses, intimate joints to more fanciful establishments, we made it a point to sample as much Korean cuisine as we could, some we enjoyed more, others less, but nevertheless all interesting experiences.

I had actually been to Seoul before in the warmer months and whilst I am no fan of the cold, it did give me an opportunity to experience the city from a different perspective. Barren trees, frozen ponds, lakes and rivers, remnants of snow, Koreans and visitors alike dressed in winter finery, all made for a different Seoul, but one that still warms the heart and urges a return visit in the future.

Photo of mum and my godparents at Hanok Village in Seoul, Korea.