Gribblenation

During my trip to South Korea, I rode the rails twice. The first was the express train from Incheon International Airport to Downtown Seoul. Leaving Incheon International Airport, there are two train options: the Express or the All-Stops. The Express (Orange) Train , which I took, cost 9500 Korean Won (KRW).  Depending on which Terminal you depart from (Terminal 1 or 2), it is a 45-50 minute ride directly to Seoul Station.  Trains depart on average 40 minutes apart.   The All-Stops (Blue) Train consists of 11 stops between Incheon and Seoul.  The cost is cheaper, 4750 KRW, but it takes about one hour and fifteen minutes to get to Seoul.  The train stops at Seoul's other airport, Gimpo International. Getting from customs to the airport train station was easy, and purchasing a ticket was also simple.  Tickets can be purchased at a walk-up ticket counter, self-service kiosks, or in advance through the AREX (Airport Express) website. After purchasing ...

The rest of my time in South Korea was spent near Busan at Songdo Beach. Songdo Beach is South Korea's first public beach, opening in 1913. Today, it is one of several beaches in the Busan area. While there are many attractions—and great places to eat—at Songdo Beach, it has a very relaxed and local vibe.   Songdo Beach translates to "Pine Island." A pine forest was once prominent here. Songdo Beach Skywalk / Cloud Trails: The Skywalk or Cloud Trail is a must visit at Songdo Beach. The first thing you will notice when you arrive at Songdo Beach is the walking trail over the ocean.  The Cloud Trail, or Skywalk, is a popular attraction and affords many great photo opportunities. Sunrise at Songdo Beach from the Cloud Trail. It's the perfect spot to wake up early and catch the sunrise. Songdo Beach: A local enjoys a sunny late afternoon at Songo Beach. Songdo Beach encourages you to frame your photos! Obviously, the beach is the main attraction at Songdo Beach.  Althoug...

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit South Korea.  It was a work trip, but I did have a day to explore Seoul.  This was my first time in Asia, so I was excited to experience the culture, explore the landscape, and of course enjoy the food! My flickr album from Seoul is here . On Sunday, while I was in Seoul - I embarked on a full-day city tour.  The tour included transportation and an English-speaking tour guide.  One of the great things was the diversity of the tour group - we had a couple from India, a couple from Kuwait, a father-and-son from China, an American military family recently stationed in Korea, and two friends from the US - interestingly, one of the two friends lives in Chapel Hill which is approximately two hours from where I live in Charlotte. The race event that was taking place outside of Seoul Plaza. Our group met outside the Seoul City Hall Subway Station.  At the same time, a distance running event was taking place on the stree...