As the day unfolds, the gleaming office towers and the apartment blocks rising above the crowded back alleys of home and shops seem to coexist beautifully with the 600 year-old palaces, Buddhist temples, trawl cafes and markets, in the labyrinthine capital city of South Korea. Nestled in the basin of the Han River in the north-west, whose winding twists divide the older city from a newer enclave of high skyscrapers and upscale hotels, Seoul has been an important settlement for over two millennia.
Today, while each enormous structure asserts its glory up from the downtown of Seoul and as the spirit of soju permeates the streets, who would think even for a moment that twenty-five years ago Seoul was only a grim industrial city ruled under martial law?
Next to Tokyo, Seoul is among the most developed and innovative cities in Asia, with a clear affinity towards modern technology and an insatiable veneration for Western culture. Browse through a Korean magazine or tread the Cheongdam-dong area, the fashion boutiques quickly reveal that Seoul is poised for a more dazzling future with a more ingrained Western touch.
To the first time travelers and visitors to Seoul, the language barrier can be as daunting as the polluted air and the traffic. Cultural barrier does exist too since Koreans have viewed foreigners with qualm for centuries.
Most recommended in Seoul is a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which is an interesting but stark reminder of the past, a walking trip around the reconstructed walls of the Suwon fortress - a known Word Heritage site and embarking on a ferry towards the beaches and seafood restaurants of the pristine islands of the West Sea.
As for the food lover, the taste of Seoul is incomplete without the famous kimchi, which is often served for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it is of course optional. Besides kimchi, other equally famous dishes are the Korean barbeque and the bulgogi (thin slices of beef).
