Seoul: A Green City

Seoul is definitely living up to my expectations of a big city. It is crowded: the subway is always packed and people are always in a rush. It is noisy: I wake up to the sounds of someone sweeping the sidewalk or women walking and talking outside my window. It is dirty: public bathrooms leave much to be desired, and fine dust and pollution is everywhere. However, the city of Seoul also has a fantastic "natural" quality because of all the green.


Flowers planted on busy city streets are cheerful and invigorating!


Running through the city center is this tranquil stream with historical bridges.


The parks in Seoul are simply fabulous! People often bring blankets, tents, and food to the park to hang out with friends or have school/work get-togethers. It is on my Korea bucket list to eat ramen in the park! Couples can always be seen sitting on benches or riding rented bikes. This is a park on the bank of the Han River.


The Han River is a tourist destination and neighborhood favorite with paddleboats, river cruises, and breathtaking views.

Here we are enjoying a lovely river cruise on a cool evening.



We also enjoy the green streets around our NEW APARTMENT!!! One of the first things we learned when we moved in is that Korea is "green" in another way. Recycling is a big deal here. Trash can only be disposed of in government trash bags, which cost more than average trash bags. Recycling is free, so it is in our best interest to recycle as much as possible! And it isn't just one recycling bin for everything. The recycled materials must be split up. Even food waste has it's own container! I have a bowl of fruit and veggie peels in my freezer, waiting to be dumped. Recycling is half hassle, half satisfying.
Stay tuned for an apartment tour coming soon!