Not far from Insadong is Cheonggyecheon, a river winding its way through the heart of downtown Seoul. Once an integral part of the city, Cheonggyecheon was paved over midway through the twentieth century in the name of progress. As Koreans started to feel the drain of living in a concrete jungle, though, they sought ways to restore some of the natural beauty of their land and looked towards Cheonggyecheon. The concrete was removed, bordering buildings were razed, and it now offers a welcome respite from the rush of the city.
Recessed into the ground and bordered by sidewalks, walking along the river felt like being in a different world. We were fortunate enough to be here for the Korean Lantern Festival, a collection of massive paper lanterns stretching nearly a mile along the river. Nearly every imaginable theme was covered: animals, vehicles, Korean history, famous local and international landmarks. The detail, all done by hand, was impressive in a way far too difficult to describe by words. Hopefully the pictures we took will do it some justice.
For now, we're getting ready to head to the Noryangjin Fish Market across the Han River before finally calling it a night. I hear that eating live food is involved. I'm looking forward to it. I think.
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