I have been used to the availability of the Matrix e-sim to
seamlessly connect up with networks abroad since January 2026. I had no
problems while travelling in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Japan and while
transiting through Vietnam and Malaysia. I found the Matrix sim so convenient
that I recharged once again before I left India - a 30 day recharge, including
taxes, cost about Rs. 2550.
Yesterday, immediately on arrival at the Incheon
International Airport, Seoul the e-sim went live. However, this morning the
connection just refused to pick up. I would have to depend on open public
networks to navigate and find my way round while I took up the matter with
Matrix Mumbai and got it sorted. With this in mind I turned the itinerary
around and rescheduled it.
The intention was to visit the City Hall first. Soon as I came out of the Metro
exit, I came across the Seoul Anglican Cathedral, which is officially the
Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin and St. Nicholas, the mother church of
the Anglican Church of Korea. It has glorious Romanesque revival architecture
and tranquil grounds.
The cathedral building, built in 1926, symbiotically
blends Romanesque stone structures with traditional Korean architectural
aesthetics. A historic pipe organ was installed in 1985. The church has 12
stone columns inside, which symbolize the 12 apostles. Intricate mosaic murals
of Jesus and beautiful stained-glass windows line the front walls and altar of
the church.
The minute I entered the church my eyes fell on a framed photo of Our Lady of
Perpetual Succour in one of the chapels. I almost chocked on tears. A visit to
the church was not part of my Seoul itinerary. Yet, here is was, heeding the
call of Our Lady, as it were. Situations such as these firmly reinforce faith
and belief.
As I was leaving the church after some time spent in prayer and
thanksgiving, I noticed that worshippers were coming in, possibly because the
Sunday service was scheduled in a while. While heading to the exit of the
magnificent cathedral the aroma of strong coffee led me to a small cafe in the
premises. I sat down to a short break for a cup of Cappuccino and croissant,
still thanking Our Lady for the most unexpected audience.
Literally a stone's throw away from the Cathedral, across the road, is the
Seoul City Hall, which is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Government. The
new building of the City Hall is a striking glass wave design which, to my
mind, clashed with the historic 1926 Renaissance-style Old City Hall sitting
just beside it. The complex houses municipal offices, a public library, and the
Eco Plaza. Being a public holiday, guided tours of the historic and modern
buildings were not available. The tours require advance reservation, though.
One of the features of Seoul is its outdoor libraries. The Outdoor Libraries
are innovative, open-air reading spaces operated by the city where nature meets
culture. The city provides curated books, beanbags, floor seating and reading
lanterns. There are three outdoor libraries across Seoul, that are easily accessible
by public transport.
Right in front of the City Hall is one of the largest of
the reading spaces. It is like a communal living room and features a music
stage and innovative seating. It is a pointer to the country's emphasis on
social bonding, education and involvement of the family in building societal
values.
The Myeongdong Market is less than a kilometre from the City Hall. on the way to the market is the Namdaemun, a.k.a. the Sungnyemun or the South Gate, where I had been to last evening. The Gate had closed for the day last evening. However, I was in luck today. Not only was the Gate open I also got the opportunity to see the changing of the guards and also take a few pictures with the guards.
From the South Gate I walked
to the Myeongdong Market to purchase a few things for family and friends. The vibrance of the
market that I had experienced last evening was missing. Retail shops were
getting ready for business and shoppers were few and far between at that hour.
Not far from the Myeongdong market is the Jogyesa temple, which is one of the
most important temples in Korean Buddhism; its origin is traced back to 1910.
It is the head temple of the Jogye Order and sits right in the middle of
downtown Seoul. Buddha's birthday is a vibrant national holiday in South Korea.
The city had turned into a luminous wonderland with streets and temples covered
in millions of colorful lotus lanterns. Temples across the country, like the
Jogyesa temple, host grand ceremonies.
The temple was beautifully decorated and
full to the brim with worshippers. Volunteers ensured that everything is
conducted smoothly and in an orderly manner. There was no pushing and shoving;
worshipers and visitors moved in queues and ensured that the other was not
inconvenienced. The temple is home to some cultural treasures like the giant
Lacebark Pine tree and the Chinese Scholar tree, which are both over 500 years
old. The main dharma hall is the largest in Seoul. However, due to the large
crowds I could get nowhere near the main hall or get a peek inside. I loved the
colourful lattices all over the temple.
Not far from the Temple is Insadong, one of the Seoul’s most visited places
among foreign travelers. It is often regarded as a living museum in which
modern and tradition coexist in a harmonious manner. The district contains
historical sites and its roads and alleys are lined with traditional tea
houses, restaurants, calligraphy shops, antique shops, art galleries and craft
workshops. Insadong shopping offers great collections of exquisite items to
choose from, including unique personal ornaments and fashion items created by
aspiring designers, and hence, rarely found in other places.
It was time for a hot meal, and I walked into one of the restaurants offering a
set meal. Once I went over the menu I not only ordered the set meal but also a
portion of shrimp, batter fried. The meal took its time coming and I took my
own time relishing and feasting on the delicious portions. Even though the
stomach was full I could not resist homemade tiramisu served in a cafe close to
the restaurant I had just feasted in. It was so soft and moist that I was tempted
to rest for some time there an order another portion. It was glorious, to say
the least.
From Insadong I took a long bus ride to visit the Ihwa mural village. It is a
popular destination for both locals and international tourists for its murals
and scenic setting. From the bus stop it was a steady walk which turned into a
steep uphill, with hundreds of steps to climb. It was exhausting especially
factoring in the humidity. The evolution of the mural village is quite
interesting.
Ihwa-dong, one of Seoul's oldest neighbourhoods, was a decaying
suburb designated for demolition, and home to mostly poor families and elderly
people. The mural village sits against the old boundary walls of the capital
and was a place where refugees squatted after the end of the Korean War in the
1950s, building homes wherever they could. Many residents worked in the nearby
garment and textile industries earning subsistence wages.
In the early 2000s the government started an Art Project that brought vitality
to the village and brought in tourists to appreciate the murals and seek out
bargains of handicrafts. But the influx of tourists and their littering, noise
and graffiti made long-term residents of the neighborhood wonder if the changes
were for the better. At the request of the residents the number of murals were
scaled down to restrict tourist nuisance. I didn't particularly find the
village any better than other murals sites like the ones I visited in Bristol,
UK and Iceland. I walked right up to the Naksan Park, which is the uppermost
reach of the Ihwa village. It is a scenic hillside park with its panoramic
city views and historic stone walls.
Another rather long bus ride and I came to Gangnam and the K-Star Road, which is a
popular K-pop themed street in the affluent area of Gangnam. Stretching a full
1 km the K-Star Road is famous for its 18 "GangnamDol" bear statues
representing iconic K-pop groups like BTS, EXO, and Girls' Generation. The
GangnamDols are life-sized, human-scale bear statues decorated with the
symbolic images and signatures of famous K-pop artists.
The street serves as an entryway to Seoul's entertainment district, where
several major agency offices are located nearby, including JYP and Cube
Entertainment. It is also known as the "Luxury Road of Cheongdam," as
the street is lined with high-end designer flagships and upscale cafes.
The last visit of the day was to the Bongeunsa Temple, which is a
thousand-year-old Buddhist sanctuary, originally founded in 794 AD. Situated
directly across from the COEX Mall, it offers a serene, traditional retreat
amidst the city's modern skyscrapers.
The temple is famous for its towering
23-meter stone Maitreya Buddha statue. Just as in the Jogyesa temple, this
temple too was swarming with worshippers on the day of Buddha's birthday. The
main hall of the temple, the Panjeon Hall, is the oldest building on site,
housing over 3,400 sacred woodblock scriptures and intricate calligraphy.
With milling crowds, it was impossible to get a steady public Wi-Fi connection.
While I was struggling to fathom a return to my accommodation, I met a couple of
Andhrites who were on a conducted tour of the city. They were lodged in the
Westin, close to the COEX Mall. They suggested that I use the free Wi-Fi of the
hotel to establish the return route. That's what I did finally and managed to
get back to the accommodation. The lack of proper net connection cost me plenty
this day in terms of time. Matrix has promised to investigate the matter and
resolve it by the next day.
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