The Seoul Zoo

I (Danny) have to say I was very impressed by the zoo. It is in the south part of Seoul and set in the mountains with rivers, trees, and lakes. It is very beautiful and spring is a great time to go. I thought it  was a great hike but on top of that we got to see animals. It was a fun day.

Danny started this post, but I guess I'll be the one to finish it . . . I definitely agree with him. I have to say that I have visited quite a number of zoos as a child and an adult, and as much as I like animals, I'm just not a "zoo person", but we go fairly often because the kids really enjoy it.  I usually feel sorry for the animals in their small enclosures.  They are often asleep or pacing and just seem bored or unhappy.  But not only was this a beautiful zoo, but the animals were extremely active.  Maybe we just hit a good day, but it was really fun. The monkeys were climbing everthing and blowing kisses, the bears were playing with each other, the sea lions were jumping off platforms, and the giraffes were moving about and eating.  It was a gorgeous day in the mountains with some fun entertainment.  We topped it off with slushies and a chairlift ride down to the entrance.

P.S. The Koreans don't follow the "don't feed the animals" rule, so maybe that helps make the animals a little more energetic!

Gettin' Good!

Seriously, Amelia?!  Chopsticks for Spaghetti?!

Seonyudo Island Park

We love to explore the many beautiful parks in Seoul.  This is Seonyudo Island Park.  It is on an island in the Han River.  The Han was once the southern border of Seoul, but the city has grown so much that now it divides the city almost in half.  We live on the north-side of the river, but we visit the south-side a lot to explore, go to church, and shop.  On this day, we rode the subway to the south-side of the Han because there is a walking bridge that takes you to this island park. There are no cars allowed on the island so it is really a wonderfully peaceful place, perfect for picnics and walks. The park was once a water treatment plant, but the government decided to convert the island into an urban park as part of its "New Seoul" initiative.  The existing water treatment infrastructure was repurposed to frame and guide the design of the new ecological park. 

 

These circular water containers have been transformed
into an ecological children's playground!

 

Here is the foot-bridge that connects the island to the mainland.

National Museum of Korea- Children's Museum

Of course there are a lot of museums in most major cities, and Seoul is no exception.  We have visited a lot of museums since we arrived on the peninsula, but this one is of the kids' favorites.  It is a children's area of the National Museum of Korea, which is a huge museum.  The kids had a lot of fun learning with all the hands-on exhibits. 

 

Seoul Forest Skate Park

The first time we went to Seoul Forest the kids brought their bikes, but when they saw the skate park they couldn't wait to go back with their rollerblades.  Our first experience at the skate park was full of many bumps and bruises, frustrating moments, and even a few tears, but they didn't give up.  We've been back twice and they get better each time we go.  There is also a cool insect garden/museum, butterfly garden, greenhouses with tropical plants, and a deer feeding area.  The flowers and trees are beautiful.  There is no shortage of great "escapes" from the city in Seoul.  We've been really impressed by the natural beauty that abounds in such a large city.  We can literally walk into the mountains from our apartment in the downtown area.  We love it!

 

Hyrum was fearless and determined in his efforts,
despite many rough landings.

That's one way to get to the top, Amelia!