By day or night, Seoul proves irresistible
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Spectacular night views of the city are a great way to end a day of walking and shopping. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
As my flight departing Seoul for Beijing took off, I suddenly was struck by an impulse, an almost unconscious reluctance to end this weekend getaway and leave the Korean city to which I have traveled four times.
I still remember a dialogue I had with a friend after we came back from our very first trip to the capital of South Korea.
"Funny how I miss the food and vibe and, well, almost every experience there as a tourist," she said. I nodded and replied, "I can't recall what specifically impressed me the most, but I just want to come back one more time."
I must say that any visitor, even if not a big fan of K-pop or Korean food and culture, would fall in love with the city of Seoul, because of its generally friendly residents, convenient transportation system and pleasant shopping experience.
Those who are interested in traveling to Seoul but are worried about language barriers can put aside such concerns. Major tourist attractions and shopping areas provide services in Chinese, and the subways provide instructions and stop announcements in four languages, including Chinese.
Even if you are bad at directions and at remembering routes, as I am, you can rent an "Egg", which is a mobile Wi-Fi device that provides online map navigation. Or you can count on Seoul's very welcoming and helpful residents. Although many of them cannot speak Chinese or English, they offer help if they notice that you are confused at a bus stop or subway station, telling you how to get to your destination or even personally showing you the way.
With these two major concerns allayed, everything else flows naturally and easily in an independent travel arrangement. It is recommended, to save time and money, that such an arrangement be booked on Taobao, China's largest online shopping platform owned by Alibaba Group, or another online travel agency.
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