After a long and exhausting flight, we finally landed in South Korea around 4 AM. After getting our luggage, we went to the bathroom to freshen up. We grabbed a few snacks from a convenience store and met our wonderful tour guide, Jinny. Jinny is an amazing tour guide who informed us about the history and culture of Korea throughout the day.

Once we arrived at Hotel Cappuccino, we checked out a breakfast spot that had traditional Korean foods—thanks to Chris for paying for the group.

After breakfast, we traveled on the subway to Jongno-gu. There, we saw a statue of the man who founded the Korean alphabet.

After that, we entered Gyeongbokgung Palace to witness the changing of the royal guards. The ceremony was so cool and interesting—it gave us a glimpse into how things might have been in the past. We continued through the palace and learned about how the royal family lived. Jinny told us about how the king would sleep around with concubines.

Next, we stopped by the Blue House, the president’s official residence. It was grand but peaceful. Later, we went to a street market to try some traditional Korean food, which was delicious.

After a long day of travel and sightseeing, we raced back to the hotel and crashed hard.