The Korean War took its toll on national treasures too, as possession of Seoul changed hands a messy four times during the war. Somehow, the result comes off as pretty rather than tacky. I'm most impressed by the palace's piwon , or secret garden. There's a definite sense of feng shui at play here. A small round island, meant to represent Earth, sits in the middle of a tranquil square pond, which symbolizes heaven.
Small canals flow from west to east in keeping with royal tradition.
Gnarled juniper trees, hunched over and twisted like arthritic old men, stand guard in silence. It's a beautiful, relaxing place where generations of kings would go to unwind. I sit here for an hour watching tourists walk beneath Pullomun Gate, an act that is said to guarantee everlasting youth. The schmaltzy smorgasbord dinner of nearly 50 dishes is good, but the hour-long revue of Korean folk music, theater and dance is far better. As I watch the performance, my belly full of gimpap and squid soup, I realize I'm beginning to feel extremely comfortable in this land too often bypassed by my countrymen.