Namsan
It snowed lightly this moring and by mid-day it had vanished from the streets of Seoul. But getting out from work early I glanced up and noticed snow on the mountains surrounding the city. As I had a few hours of daylight I decided to take a walk up to Seoul Tower, a 418 meter tower on a peak in a park in the middle of Seoul. Like similar towers elsewhere in the world, the Seoul Tower consists of an observation deck, a revolving restaurant and a bunch of antennas.
After about a 30 minute walk to what I thought was the path to the top I discovered myself in a nature garden with paths running up the side of Namsan Mountain…but not to the tower. Another 20 minute walk lead me to the first of approximately 250 stairs up the side of the mountain that lead to a walkway along a road that lead to the top. After pausing for a few minutes to catch my breath. I realized that there was still snow on top of the mountain. Being from the northeast US I felt obligated to make a snowball and throw it at a tree. Someone else had other ideas about what should be done with the snow.
I paid my 5,000 Won and rode the elevator to the almost deserted observation level. What a view! I can see the tower from my apartment so I spent a while finding my apartment from the tower and was successful. The view from the top was amazing. Clouds were rolling in, so visibility wasn't great, but it wasn't smoggy either. Seeing Soul from this perspective is amazing. It appears as though an immense city was dropped in a mountain range and it just filled in the valleys, leaving the peaks alone (with the exception of communication towers).
I lingered for a while and then made my way back down the windy path, down the 250 steps, back along the roadway and home. As I was leaving I noticed a sign that indicated the tower would be closed from March through October for renovations. Too bad.
After about a 30 minute walk to what I thought was the path to the top I discovered myself in a nature garden with paths running up the side of Namsan Mountain…but not to the tower. Another 20 minute walk lead me to the first of approximately 250 stairs up the side of the mountain that lead to a walkway along a road that lead to the top. After pausing for a few minutes to catch my breath. I realized that there was still snow on top of the mountain. Being from the northeast US I felt obligated to make a snowball and throw it at a tree. Someone else had other ideas about what should be done with the snow.
I paid my 5,000 Won and rode the elevator to the almost deserted observation level. What a view! I can see the tower from my apartment so I spent a while finding my apartment from the tower and was successful. The view from the top was amazing. Clouds were rolling in, so visibility wasn't great, but it wasn't smoggy either. Seeing Soul from this perspective is amazing. It appears as though an immense city was dropped in a mountain range and it just filled in the valleys, leaving the peaks alone (with the exception of communication towers).
I lingered for a while and then made my way back down the windy path, down the 250 steps, back along the roadway and home. As I was leaving I noticed a sign that indicated the tower would be closed from March through October for renovations. Too bad.
posted by tcw1138 at 2:30 PM
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