23 August, Oriens Hotel and Residences, Seoul
Back in Seoul and one of our favourite hotels on this trip, on our last night before catching a night flight home tomorrow from Incheon.
We don’t often do promotions for hotels, but this place has just so much going for it, we need to share it with those who may be considering coming to Korea. The Oriens is located a few minutes walk from two subway lines that service 90% of the sites we have wanted to visit in the city. The service is great, good English is spoken by staff and the rooms are large and comfortable. There are basic self-catering facilities - a two-burner hotplate, full size fridge/freezer, electric jug, microwave, iron and ironing board and a washer/dryer that actually dries. We have stayed six nights in total over two visits for an average price of AUD125 a night. There are also multiple eating options available nearby.
Our trip back to Seoul from Jeonju was uneventful, though it could have been a disaster if we hadn’t realised in the nick of time that we were waiting for a bus that was headed in the wrong direction.
We were on the high-speed KTX again today and because the fares are so insanely cheap, we shouted ourselves First Class seats. We were lucky in avoiding much of the forecast heavy rain and arrived at Oriens fairly dry.
As is tradition for our blogs, the last entry is a review of the country from a traveller’s perspective.
So, South Korea. As this was our first trip here, we started with a clean slate, just a few, loosely-held preconceptions. We had imagined it to be much like Japan, perhaps a little less developed. On the broad scale, this was a bit off the mark. We feel we know Japan well, but it has to be said that while both countries have incredible infrastructure, highways, subways, rail networks, ports and heavy industry, Korea seems that little bit more modern and progressive.
The Koreans seem to us to be way more tech-savvy than the Japanese. Even older people have the latest phones and flash their credit cards about as though they were born with them.
A more international comparison is complex, but looking at comparative western countries, Korea is right up there if not ahead in many areas. A nation of just over 50 million people produces and exports cars, heavy machinery, electrical goods in competition with the best and biggest of them.
As travellers experiencing Korea for the first time, we have found the people helpful, respectful and honest. People leave bags on tables while they visit restrooms, goods are displayed on the street outside shops with no attempt to secure them. We have been offered help on numerous occasions as we wandered, dazed, through subway transfer areas. We weren’t lost of course, just dazed!
Unusually in Asia, Korea is predominantly Christian. There is an interesting story behind the conversion of this once Buddhist country, largely a 20th century process. Following the end of the Japanese period of occupation, from 1945 on, Christian churches established missions offering religious services, followed by the distribution of food. That was all that was needed. Now crosses appear on commercial buildings as well as churches, visible from almost any point in a city or town.
There is still however, promotion and maintenance of Korean culture, a culture that we knew little about.
Young Koreans in particular are outward looking, very western in their appearance and behaviour, though with the underlying respect that pervades their culture.
After our first visit to Japan, we commented that we had enjoyed our travels, but were unsure whether we would return. In subsequent visits we found more to see, do and experience in Japan and after eight visits, we will return for more. Our experiences in Korea probably fit the same mould. It has been a great experience, but we haven’t seen all there is to see and learn about Korea.
One final note. Do NOT come in late summer. Heat plus humidity plus rain and potential typhoons can make being out and about very uncomfortable.
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