Changdeokgung Palace

A couple of weeks ago our hiking club took it easy and went for a tour of the Changdeokgung Palace, in Seoul (http://www.cdg.go.kr/).

It has a "secret garden," which is obviously not very secret anymore. Seoul itself is crowded and polluted, so it was a lovely contrast to be in a cool, shaded area with a bit of fresh air.

One of these pictures shows a historic interpreter guide taking a break from leading a tour.

I liked how relaxed she looked standing by herself.

I also liked the gargoyles on top of the roof of one of the buildings.

There hadn't been much rain before we went to the palace, so the pagoda on the edge of a pond looks like it's on the edge of an empty fountain. In the past couple of weeks, though, there's been so much rain that I imagine that pond's full now.