Spring Break in Korea Day 12 (8 April 2015) - Part I

We had a pretty late breakfast at Paris Baguette (inside Seoul Station) around 11am before taking the subway to visit the National Museum of Korea. This was my first visit and many of you might recognize it from the comedic variety show Running Man. 

The National Museum of Korea

This is the largest museum in Korea as well as the sixth largest in the world.  Its a beautiful marble building which houses thousands of national relics and artifacts, which depict a compelling history of Korea. The museum also includes The National Hanguel Museum (offering a glimpse to gain a better understanding of Korean alphabets) and The Children's Museum with several hands-on activities. If time permitted, I'm sure we could have easily spent the entire day in the museum. 

How to get there: Ichon Station, Line 4, Exit 2

Opening Hours: Closed every Monday & New Year's Day

                                Tue, Thur, Fri 09:00-18:00

                                Wed, Sat 09:00-21:00

                                Sun, Holidays 09:00-19:00

Entrance fees: Free entry for permanent exhibitions but visitors need to purchase a ticket for blockbuster shows such as Pompeii. 

Bright sunshine + light breeze + cooling temperatures make for great weather for us to take a stroll in the outdoor area, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere.

The National Museum of Korea

I can never get enough of Spring & its blossoms.

hmm... so many galleries to choose from, where should we go first?

Beautiful vase from late 13th century

Excavated in 1977 from Sinan shipwreck

Considering quite a number of countries in Asia have Buddha statues, have you noticed the differences in each country's depiction of Buddha? Think of the images you saw in Myanmar, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea.  It is fascinating really to compare different interpretations of the same Buddha, caused by cultural differences. 

Gilt Bronze Bodhisattva from Goryeo Period, 14th Century

"Pensive Bodhisattva" is one of the highlights of the museum. "This statue shows a classic contemplative pose: one leg perched up on the other knee, with fingers raised up against the cheek. This pose was derived from the young Indian Prince, Siddhartha Gautama, contemplating the nature of human life. The sophistication of the artistic style and technique is further exemplified by several life-like details - the benign, delicate smile, the amazingly natural sitting posture, the organic harmony between the body parts, and the dynamic flow of the veil robe and waist rope." 

This Goryeo dynasty ten-story marble pagoda is another highlight of the museum visit. It was originally erected at the Gyeongcheonsa temple in 1348. On its base, scenes from the Chinese novel The Journey to the West are carved in three tiers.  

Portrait of King Taejo painted in 1872

Even after spending about 3 hours in the museum, we were keen on exploring further, however, our hunger pangs were protesting too loudly. We reluctantly left the museum around 3pm and took the subway to Jonggak Station for  an udon lunch.

Genroku Udon Restaurant

You might be wondering why we were heading to a specific restaurant, quite far from the museum, despite our hunger. Well, because its worth it.  As I had shared in my previous post, udon here was so damn delicious.  The handmade noodles were chewy and the broth was appetizing and revitalizing. You can really taste all the different seasonings, herbs and spices infused with the meat all into one single bowl which is just heavenly. Plus, the restaurant allows you to choose from 3 different sized bowls for the same price! It is also conveniently located, a short walk away from the subway exit. So what are you waiting for? Try it! 

http://musingsofmissn.blogspot.com/2013/08/mr-missy-in-korea-day-8-23-may-2013.html

How to get there: Walk straight from Exit 4 of the Jonggak Station.  Genroku udon restaurant is located on the second floor of the building, opposite YMCA.

We were there around 330pm, way too late for lunch, and hence, the empty interior. During lunch time, its typically packed with office workers.

My amazing bowl of yummy goodness!

Adios!

xoxo

Miss N