The week we spent in Seoul passed very quickly, plenty to do in day including visiting historic sites like Gyeonbokging Palace, where we saw the changing of the guard……. Bizarrely, at all the historic sites many of the Korean tourists arrive dressed in elaborate period costumes - Our trips to Venice carnival come to mind.

Noryanjin fish market was unbelievable, it was housed in huge building containing more fish than the Atlantic and mostly alive. Restaurants sat around the side and the process was to select your fish(alive) and take it to the restaurant for cooking …… Heather thought that it was a good way to guarantee fresh fish in your plate but Dan was more squeamish and didn't feel the need to be introduced to his meal prior to its death …….. "Death Row of the deep" was the uncomfortable thought in his head.

Bukchan Hanok village was an area of Seoul where the old-style houses and the traditional crafts were preserved which was interesting to walk through and witness a time passed by and a culture that had once been, still existing in a corner this very westernised a modern city.

The modern Seoul is epitomised in the Dangdaemun Design Plaza, which showcases a piece of stunning modernistic architecture set amidst the surrounding "Manhattan" like skyline but softened by the retention of one of the old city gates and a section of the city wall sitting in its shadow.

The city has also built a "sky garden" by converting a section of "Flyover Highway" into an aerial walkway with trees, plants, grassy areas and even a foot jacuzzi.

When the sun goes down and the neon lights come on, Seoul begins to party. Restaurants, bars and clubs all try to entice the eager partygoer. We found some great places and some not so great places but mostly we enjoyed the night-time buzz of a city that never sleeps ……. Unfortunately, we did need to sleep (busy days) and shamefully usually bailed out relatively early - a sign of getting old perhaps.

Fun Fact - K-Beauty is huge in South Korean. The women have fabulous skin which is apparently down to their 10-step care routine. Besides two types of cleansing, exfloliating and toning, the women use sheet masks twice a week, and face masks every evening! There are more beauty shops than you can shake a stick at and they sell face masks in bulk - buy 50, get 50 free. Heather got two free samples but has yet to try them - watch this space ….