Here are the photos from Seoul.

Gyeongbokgung (Palace):

I arrived at Gyeongbok Palace as the changing of the guards took place

Changing of the guards, Gyeongbokgung, Seoul

The main gate to Gyeongbokgung

Changing of the guard

A different viewpoint – changing of the guard, Gyeongbok Palace

Details (Gyeongbokgung)

Guarding the palace

Part of the palace complex

Palace complex of Gyeongbok

State dining pavillion (?) Gyeongbokgung

A lovely little pavillion at the rear of Gyeongbokgung

Walking from the palace to Cheoung-gye, a stream in the heart of the city:

Korea’s presidential residence, the Blue House

The square outside Gyeongbokgung

Looking back at the entrance to Gyeongbokgung

The king who created the current Korean alphabet

Sculpture near the entrance to Cheoung-gye, the stream in the middle of Seoul

Cheoung-gye

Tiles lining a section of Cheoung-gye

Seoul view

Banana milk!

My interesting dinner

The second day: Cheangdeok Palace and traditional Korean houses (hanok):

Entrance to Cheangdeokgung

Very old “scholar trees”

Entrance to palace of Cheangdeok

Figures from the Monkey King – more figures = more important building

Cheangdeok – heading further into the palace

Cheangdeokgung complex

A marker indicating what rank courtier should stand here

The array of place markers

The throne in Cheangdeokgung

Heading yet farther into the complex

We walked towards the private buildings in the complex

Rooftop, Cheangdeokgung

Another view of the inner buildings

Close up of a palace guardian

Womens quarters for the not so high up court women

The secret garden behind Cheangdeokgung

The Secret Garden

Peaceful pond in the secret garden

Secret Garden Pavillion

Close-up of the painting in one of the pavillions

A far-flung corner of the Secret Garden

Incredible old tree as we left the Secret Garden to return to the front of Cheangdeokgung

On my way to see the hanok (traditional Korean houses) in Bukchon

Hanoks!

Entrance to a hanok museum

Inner courtyard view of the hanok

Hanok roof – and crane – view

A different angle view of the hanok’s courtyard

Tradition and modernity

Downhill view

Another quaint street with (slightly) fewer tourists

A spectacular view down onto hanok roofs