SEOUL SEARCHING DAY 1 - Charming Cheonggyecheon

After having a picture taking with some of our favorite "Korean stars," my friend and I decided to go back to our hotel.  We didn't go home without making some mistake on our way back home using the subway.  Thinking we'll be boarding a train on the same route, we just entered the booth and jumped into the first train we encountered only to discover that we toured the entire Line 2 and passed by so many stations.  One thing I'm glad about this I saw South Korea's National Assembly in the evening.  It was a good sight for a commuter or at least for a tourist like me to see.  The facade of the National Assembly is familiar to me because of the drama Big Thing.

Cheonggyecheon at night (Nov. 26, 2012)

Cheonggyecheon in the evening (Nov 26, 2012)

According to visitseoul.net, this is called Candle Fountain

Later, we decided to check the Cheonggyecheon stream which was one of the locations of Eun Yoon Hye's Lie To Me drama series. Since we arrived late, the stream was just half an hour away from closing.  But we still tried to take photos of the place.  We also stopped by the huge spiral found at the end of the stream.

At the Spring, one of the famous landmarks in the Cheonggyecheon Plaza
(Seoul, Nov, 26, 2012)

Trying to spend the night away but too lazy and too scared to go far away on our first night in Seoul, my friend and I walked towards the direction of the City Hall.  We passed by a media institution/organization and then reached the city library, which used to be the City Hall. The building still stands gracefully over the years beside the new City Hall building.

The new Seoul City Hall (Nov. 26, 2012)

I thought this was the Seoul City Hall.  It used to be.
It is now the Seoul Metropolitan Library.
(November 26, 2012)

And since my chingu and I love to drink coffee, we visited a nearby branch of South Korea's very own Caffe Bene!  For coffee lovers, it was a great way to cap the night with warm pastry, a cup of bitter-sweet coffee and a good company.

South Korea's very own coffee chain, Caffe Bene. (Seoul, Nov. 26, 2012)

Christmas tree in front of Lotte Department Store.
(Jongno, Seoul, November 26, 2012)

Then we walked further and we saw the beautifully lighted sidewalk and garden in front of Lotte Hotel and Lotte Department store.  There was an art which stood at the corner of the garden.  A few meters away, meanwhile, something attracted the attention of the public - a huge, colorful Christmas Tree! 

All these areas are located just near our hotel.  And that is the end of my first day in Seoul. :)