We left Manila ready to get lost in the big city that is Seoul. Get lost, we did. But in the process of getting lost, we discovered something special - the kindness of its people, reaching out to help despite the language barrier.
On the tram at the airport when we arrived, a middle aged woman gave up her seat for one of my elderly parents. Outside the subway station on our first day, a man offered to take our photo. At the subway as I was checking the map before we head out, an old man talked to me. I didn‘t understand a word he said, but I recognized the sincerity in his smile and gesture.
The Korean War devastated most of Seoul, but the Koreans were fast to recover. They built modern skyscrapers, sleek highways, and developed advanced technology. It is mind-boggling to think that it wasn‘t 50 plus years ago that most of Seoul was flattened.
While technological innovation is an important part of their lifestyle, they also understand the significance of preserving their culture and tradition. It is a city where contemporary and ancient exists in harmonious balance. Often you see temples make an interesting contrast with the modern architecture that surrounds it.
We came for the temples, but we left with the kindness of its people and the faces of the cute little kids on our minds.
