Lotte World Tower: A Whole Lotta Fun!

If you’re ever in Seoul, also known as ‘Seoul Special City’, do Lotte Tower first – it’s a great way to get a perspective of how big this city really is.  This megacity and surrounding areas total approximately 25.6 million people - the shear magnitude is really difficult to explain in words so luckily I have some pictures to help.

Lotte Corporation Background: the Korean family started as confectioners in Japan (selling chewing gum in post-war Japan).  Now, one of the top 5 business groups in Korea.  As the story goes, Shigemitsu named the Corporation after Charlotte, a character in the German novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther (by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe).  You’ll see 'Charlotte' as other brands for Lotte around the city.

It’s been a bit like 'Where’s Waldo' with Lotte World Tower; it’s popped up as we’ve toured the city – I’ll note below the different places we’ve seen it from.  And, when it’s hazy, it’s very difficult to see.  We’ve been blessed to have quite a few clear days giving us a few chances to see the tower.

The Tower is 123 floors - tallest building in South Korea, 5th largest in the world, for now...

From Grand Hyatt Seoul, dusk

From Grand Hyatt Seoul, dusk

From Grand Hyatt Seoul, dusk

From Grand Hyatt, Night

From Grand Hyatt Seoul, Night with my Nikon

From a walkway near Grand Hyatt Seoul

From Seoul Tower

From Seoul Tower (peeking out between trees, lower middle)

From Seoul Tower

Pic of Paul, me, Jayne & Jay - too funny!

The ceiling panels lit up as you walked to the Lotte Tower elevator

Riding up in the elevator (123 floors)

We celebrated with a glass of Champagne!

Lotte Tower has a little outside area - it was super bright!

Sold at Lotte Tower - because everyone needs one of these, apparently.

Apparently, the best Mochas!  This one was in the basement of Lotte Tower -
we saw these everywhere along with a million other Coffee Shops.

Cool piece of art near the Tower

Another brand of Lotte Corporation

Unity of Opposites...Welcome to Korea!

Ginkgo Tree, Gyeongbokgung palace

Ginkgo trees are everywhere here.  It’s a sacred tree of the East – a symbol of the unity of opposites.  There many other meanings but the idea of opposites and finding common ground intrigued me.  It’s quite fitting for a trip given our tumultuous times: North & South, East & West, Yin & Yang - even the Taegeukgi (South Korean flag) epitomizes this.  

In an oddly connected way, I'm reading Jodi Picoult's new book, A Spark of Light.  The story covers a hostage situation in a women's clinic in America where protesters and those seeking care are suddenly forced on the same side in an attempt to outsmart the man taking them all hostage.

Globally, we all seem to be living lives now that are the balance of opposites - who we support or don't.  Families ripped apart because of the 38th Parallel.  When we all come from the standpoint that one side has to win over the other, I wonder, will we ever find common ground?  Or, "...are we all drowning slowly in the tide of our opinions, oblivious that we are taking on water every time we open our mouths." (Source)

Coming East has reawakened something in me.  I felt a need to reconnect; this is my first post in almost 5 years!

For you, Mom

Mt. Rainier, Washington State

Getting here was an adventure (isn’t it always now, though…).  If I’m not running for a gate, something’s wrong!  There were some fine flight attendants that made it much better – thank you.  I was greeted with Champagne on the flight from Seattle to Incheon and the flight Attendant kept it coming…and, I left with a bottle, too (thanks to my travel mates J&J).  I essentially, crossed half the world to get here (yes, flat earthers the world is round!). 

Yes, we were going in the wrong direction!  We circled Spokane for about an hour.

Korean Food on Delta Airlines - yum!

Heading into Seoul; see how we completely go around N. Korea

I dived right into traditional (airplane) Korean food on the plane and continued after we got settled into our Hotel – you’ll see the name of the Korean BBQ place below and Holee Chow was right across the hallway!  J was a good sport but I’m thinking she would have preferred Shake Shack!

Exhaust Fan & Charcoal to cook the steak

Next post will be about the Lotte World Tower - 123 Floors - amazing way to kick off the trip!