Namsan Tower, The Teddy Bear Museum and More

We had a really packed day on Saturday and got to do a lot of new and fun things.  First we went to Namdaemun market, which we have been to before but this time we actually did a little bit of shopping and walked through more stores than we did last time.  We discovered they pretty much have indoor shopping areas inside all the buildings that we had not found the last time we were there.  If we were to go through all of those shopping areas it would take us a couple days.  It was cool to see more of the Korean market.  While we were there we also stopped for a little snack.  We enjoyed the fact that a lot of street vendors sell fresh fruit in snack size servings for really good prices.  We got some fresh pineapple that was really good.

Alden wandering with Daddy during our snack break.

Drew eating the fresh pineapple that you can't see and Alden eating his crackers.

We sat near this for our snack.  It is actually one of the sites of a gate that used to be in the fortress wall surrounding the city.

After walking around Namdaemun we went over to Namsan Tower or Seoul Tower.  It is a tower near the middle of Seoul that you can go to the top of and see the whole city from, as long as it is not too smoggy.  We rode the cable car from the bottom of the mountain to the tower.  We went up to the top of the tower and also visited a Teddy Bear Museum there.  It was a cool experience for all of us and we enjoyed seeing the layout of Seoul from a higher vantage point and realizing that the city itself does not actually cover that much land because you can see the whole city from the tower.  

 This was the view from the cable car on the way up.

 These were made to be signal towers.

Namsan Tower, where Alden just wanted to walk for awhile as soon as we got there.

The Teddy Bear Museum

The first half of this museum was teddy bears depicting Korean history and the second half was teddy bears depicting the current Korea.

We got to the first exhibit and realized some of the bears move.  Here is a video of it.

 We called this one the "Alden bear" because he is just doing what he wants, exploring and being a little bit of a trouble-maker. =)

Alden thought some of the exhibits were a little funny.

Alden watching the bears playing Polo.  Here is a video of Alden watching some other teddy bears.

 Rock and Roll Teddy Bears

The creepy Psy teddy bears...It is Korea.

Teddy Bears really have changed a lot over time if this is where they started.

The Observation Floor

After visiting the Teddy Bear Museum we went up to the observation point in Namsan Tower.  From there you could see the whole city which you will be able to see in the pictures below.

 If you know where to look you can see our apartment building in these photos.

 Alden realized I was taking his photo and decided he didn't like it...

 While we were up there one of the employees gave Alden this red plastic coin with a heart punched out of the middle.  Supposedly you are supposed to throw it in the wishing well up there to guarantee eternal love.

 Back at the base of the tower.

Dinner at Oriental Roo and Dessert

For dinner we decided to eat at one of the restaurants at Seoul Tower.  We ate a Chinese bistro that served pork cutlet, rice, omelets and other things.  It was really yummy.  After dinner Drew really wanted to go try an ice churro which was pretty much a churro with ice cream.  It was interesting.

 Alden just wanted to play with a spoon and drink water.

Drew and his dessert.

Making our way Home

After dinner we started heading home.  This meant taking the cable car back down and walking back to the subway station and taking the subway and train home.  

 Waiting for the cable car.

They pack you as tightly as they possibly can in the car.

 The view from the cable car on the way down.

Walking back to the Subway station.

 Alden has decided he wants to be like Daddy and hold on to the handles on the time....

 And bang them together...

 At the train station Daddy and Alden had fun playing while we waited.  Here are a couple videos of it.  Part 1  Part 2

We finally made it back home after a long and fun day.  This was the view of Namsan tower (where we had just been) from our street.  We hope you enjoyed sharing in our adventures with us.  If you want to see more photos from this day trip they will be on facebook.