A Day of Healing and Exploration in Seoul: From Traditional Medicine to Modern Skylines
“Travel when your legs are strong, not just when your heart desires.”
Today, that saying truly resonated with me.
On our ambitious second day of sightseeing, something unexpected happened.
KY, a lady in her late 60s, started limping.
Her knee was swollen and puffy.
Indeed, travel is best enjoyed when your legs are in good shape. It's the truth!
Since arriving in Korea, KY had been traveling extensively with her Korean family, putting a lot of strain on her knees.
Moreover, Korea has many stairs, and she found it quite challenging going up and down them.
It seems foreigners perceive Korea as having a lot of stairs.
Morning — The Power of K-Medicine!
For her knee pain treatment, we decided on the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital.
Even just treating the inflammation brought about an amazing recovery!
She received herbal acupuncture, acupuncture, and cupping therapy.
Only thirty minutes into the treatment, she repeatedly exclaimed, “Amazing! I don’t feel any pain at all.”
“This is what K-Medicine is!”
I wonder if we should introduce it to the U.S.
Lunch — Pasta Time in Samcheong-dong
The frown on her face due to knee pain completely disappeared, replaced with a bright smile.
On the way to Samcheong-dong, the autumn sky was clear, and the atmosphere was refreshing.
She really loved a phrase she saw on the bus.
“Korea is so thoughtful.”
For lunch, we headed to a pasta restaurant in Samcheong-dong for her granddaughter, who was craving pasta more than Korean food.
The interior was already filled with a year-end atmosphere thanks to the Christmas decorations.
Of course, the spaghetti was great, but the risotto was especially delicious.
We ordered risotto, waffles, two spaghetti dishes, a salad, and a pizza. The portions were so generous that we felt like our stomachs would burst.
Wood-fired pizza!
With her knee feeling better and our bellies full, life is beautiful. We took commemorative photos.
Afternoon — Strolling Through Gyeongbokgung Palace in Hanbok
Our next destination was Gyeongbokgung Palace.
After the acupuncture, she found it much easier to walk.
A perfect itinerary! (Ugh, it’s terrible to get sick while traveling)
While crossing the street, I saw more foreigners than Koreans and took a photo.
For her granddaughter, who wanted to wear a Hanbok, we visited a Hanbok rental shop in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Wearing a Hanbok to visit the palace grants free admission.
Arriving at Gwanghwamun Gate, we could see the Royal Guard in the distance.
Today is our lucky day!
Arriving at 2 PM, we caught the Changing of the Guard ceremony in full swing.
We watched the ceremony with interest, where the duty guard and the relieving guard reported the guard and password to confirm each other's identity as the loud drumbeat resounded solemnly.
Walking through Gyeongbokgung Palace in Hanbok, her granddaughter was thrilled, saying she was wearing a princess dress, and she smiled continuously, pleased with herself in the beautifully adorned Hanbok.
Hard to believe her knee was hurting, right?
Evening — Lotte World Tower: Seoul at a Glance
After the palace tour, her granddaughter, excited, said, “I want to see Seoul at a glance,” so we headed to Lotte World Tower.
We considered Namsan Tower, but since her leg wasn’t fully recovered yet, we chose Seoul Sky, where we could go straight up by elevator.
Today is truly Lucky Biki's day!
We entered quickly without waiting.
We took the elevator and got off on the 122nd floor.
It's said to be 550m high.
The Han River and the scenery of Seoul spread out before us.
“I‘m so jealous of them right now.” K missed the Sky Bridge tour right before our eyes.
Better luck next time!
They urged me to take photos with them, but due to my fear of heights, no way!
It’s scary.
There are many dizzying and cute photo spots.
Lastly, we took photos in a spot decorated with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, wearing Kedeheon lion voice clothes.
It's free!!
If you want to see the Seoul skyline at a glance, visit Lotte World Seoul Tower.
It has a different charm than Namsan Tower.
After enjoying the thrilling urban view from Lotte World Tower, we briefly explored the shopping mall.
The young don't seem to get tired.
Her granddaughter ran to a store she had only seen online.
She must have wanted to go inside Bacha Coffee.
She only took pictures and didn't go in.
Dragging our tired legs, we entered a coffee shop we saw and quenched our thirst with lemonade and vanilla lattes.
Ending the Day — Korean Bone Broth & Rib Soup
We ended the day with a menu perfect for the chilly weather, enjoying Korean bone broth and rib soup good for the knees.
Her granddaughter, thanks to her grandmother, often eats Korean food, so she naturally eats rice in soup.
She eats everything without any fussiness.
There's a saying, 'Eating well makes you pretty,' right?
She's already pretty, but she becomes even prettier when she eats well.
I quickly finished a bowl of Korean bone broth for my knees, which had worked hard all day.
Today, the combination of ‘K-Medicine’ and ‘K-food’ was perfect.
Will I be able to move tomorrow?
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