Weekend 33 of 52.

Seoul Grand Park: Seoul Zoo, Rose Garden, Seoul Land

This is the first time I am unequivocally not recommending one of our weekend things. If you are an adult, do not go to Seoul Land. If you are an adult with children, go to one of Korea's myriad other theme parks. I don't mean to be mean, but Seoul Land was just lame. It started out okay in the Tilt House, which was satisfyingly disorienting. We attempted a couple waits in a couple lines but kept giving up before getting to ride either of the roller coastery set ups. Mostly we wandered, marveling at the flurry of activity around us, yet with no real idea of anything to do. We had some doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts, we had some ice slushes, and then we went home.

But, that is not to say that we didn't enjoy the Seoul Zoo part of the Seoul Grand Park Complex. The zoo was very zoo-like. There was a dolphin show we regrettably skipped in order to make it to Seoul Land. Our favorite part was the sky lift. Our favorite part of the sky lift was having to let it hit and collapse our legs upon entrance and then having to do the reverse (jump up and run off) upon exit. Theirs was an inertia not to be halted. We also liked looking at the baby and toddler animals in the nursery.

So, Seoul Zoo is okay, but I preferred Children's Grand Park for its proximity to the animals and variety of activities. Otherwise, the citizens of Seoul should petition to have Seoul Land renamed to something like Seoulless Land (and that is how you accomplish a burn).



It's not every day Dan is dwarfed by a flower. Or, I guess, as long as this sunflower stands, it is every day...


At the Seoul Grand Park Subway Station.


The leaves are already changing in Gwacheon.


We paid extra at the zoo for entrance into the Rose Garden.


It proved to be a W4000 bust. The great bulk of the garden featured dead flower bushes.


I did like this fuchsia fern.


And at least I got to sit outside a leaning house, admiring my jocund scarecrow.


While Dan puzzled with intellectually-thefted Disney characters.


We were accidental attendants at the Arthropods & Insects Festival, where we saw butterflies from Indonesia, tarantulas from creepy town, and a kid with a trough full of giant beetle larvae, all squirming around.


A pretty setting for a zoo.


Dan with the giraffes in the Africa section.


Spilled candy beside a discarded ginko leaf.


A technical drawing of the hippopotamus maximus.


Everything I thought was a goat was called a sheep.


Reflecting pond.


More sheep. These are big-horned, I think, and they ate out of everyone's hands but my own. It was a very acute rejection.


Maybe this Asian Black Bear isn't fake.


But how else are you explaining that perfect white V across his chest?



A view from the sky reminding us that this is not Cincinnati.


A greenhouse full of plants grown via unorthodox horticultural methods.


Seoul Land. Should have known land.


Stolen Epcot ball. We went inside. It seems to be a museum space for semi-permanent exhibits. It was for World Vision while we were there.


Getting our poses in.


Treasure Island is an A-framed souvenir shop.


Dan defying gravity in the Tilt House.


Hall of Mirrors. And that's when our giggles ran out.


There was an inflatable pool set up with inflatable bubbles.


A photo op in Adventure Land.


A self-manufactured photo op in one of the aforementioned lines that we abandoned shortly thereafter.


Wrought.


Maybe you didn't know, but this is the World Cup.


And this was the general condition of the park: peeling decay and no one doing midnight touch-ups.


But at least it resulted in the most ironic picture of the ice cream of the future I've ever taken. For that, I'm thankful.

-Serenity