firth1974

Gyeongbokgung (경복궁/景福宫), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, the Kings' households, as well as the government of Joseon. Its a fantastic little palace to walk around, in fact its not little, its huge inside those walls. On this day when i visited, it was hot, bloody hot, and inside the grounds, they are no vending machines, no cafes, no stalls or shops to buy any drinks or ice creams, not even a water fountain(It was broken!!). There was only 1 cafe, but if you had seen the Q, you would have about turned as well and walked away, the same as me.

There is a scene, but its quite restricted to the locals, as "gaijin" are not welcome in most places.

I usually stay on this soi when i'm in town. Its always had problem and always will have them.

URL=http://s778.photobucket.com/user/Firth1974/media/Japan%20part%2011%2012%2013/IMG_4268_zps4tnhwvte.jpg.html][/url] Down this street, i believe is the biggest red light area in Osaka. You get no trouble here, as it is strictly police controlled.................................. There is something here for everyone, whatever you weird perversions or fetish is!!!!! Dave this photo is for you........................................ They are also some very swanky and hi-so places down here too. Money talks on this street, and flash cars are everywhere............................. As i said before, something for everyone here.......................................

Pretty much every single restaurant in the Dotonbori area has huge q's like this outside of them. They must be doing something right....................................

Selfie's everywhere you look around here.......................................

Smile, its selfie time.......................................

The Dotonbori area in Osaka is absolutely amazing. Just a series of bright neon lights, restaurants, shopping, selfie's and the biggest red light district in Osaka.. My hotel was only just up the road, so it was quite easy to get here. This place is just so in your face, its unreal. I love it!!!! Apparently, this is some famous J-POP band, practising some new dance moves.................. This is the biggest short time (japanese love hotel) that i have ever seen.......................................

The immigration hall for departing passengers to the North. Wonder if it has ever been used?............................................. No need to pay for your explanations here!.................................

Dorasan station is the very last stop in South Korea before you enter the DMZ and head towards the North. It is actually possible to catch a train to and from here to Seoul, but i'm pretty sure that there aren't that many trains a day though. If you want to get on the platform, you have to pay 500 Won for the privilege of doing this , and considering that is only 30 pence, its not for the cheap charlie brigade!!! Lets hope that one day there will be a reunification of the 2 Korea's sometime in the future. This soldier stayed approx 20 yards in front of me all the time i was on the platform. Obviously thought i might be trying to defect to the North!!!......................

Here is a tower just for Brucey....................................

The N Seoul Tower, is located right in the heart of Seoul, with beautiful views of across the whole city. Its only from up here that yiu can see just how BIG this city really is. It really does spread itself out over a very large area indeed. Also, you can see why this tower and hill is called a romantic island in the heart of the city, they are padlocks everywhere up here, for the young, and not so young couples to declare their undying love for each other. Padlocks and having your photo taken seem to be big business up here...................................... There seem to be some kind of typical Korean jousting/fighting show going on up top............................... The views from up here over all of Seoul are just amazing.................................... Im guessing that some of these "locks of love" have been here a very long time............................

I'm using a Canon Eos 100d at the moment. Its just the bog standard Canon 10-55mm lense that came with the camera.

Cheers mate, more to follow soon as well. Plenty more photos.

Another one of the very few buildings to survive the blast. This is whats left of a school, just around the back of the hotel i was staying in........................ Even more paper cranes.................................. Seems that Asiana don't want their aircraft back after its little "skidding incident" a couple of months ago!!!!!..................................

The former Bank of Japan building, is also another building that survived the blast. The whole outer structure survived intact, just the inside and all floors was completely gutted!!! This is now a museum that you can tour round.................. Even the original tram tracks survived the bomb blast. Trams were apparently running again only 5 days after the explosion...........................

This brown stone plague, represents Ground Zero in Hiroshima. It was on this spot, approx 600 meters above this plaque that the bomb detonated..................... Little things amused little minds. These kids were picking out their favourite Pokemon characters on a poster..................................... Behind these trees and concrete, lies the military command post of the Japanese army. It was from here that the very first reports of an Atomic explosion were made from by a female Japanese soldier......................................

This is the tourist office/cafe, and do great ice cream for only 100 Yen....................................... The before and after shot....................................

Visited a filipina whore house in Hiroshima, if that's what you mean.

Just tried it and it works for me now.

A little video i took of the school group singing the shrine in Hiroshima.

A human tongue, with black spots. A cause created by the radiation........................ A thousand paper cranes created by a young girl called Sadako Sasaki. Its a very moving story. Legend has it if she made 1000 paper cranes she would be granted a wish, and she wished to live. Unfortunately, that never happen, and she has now become a legend for the rights of children and for peace. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_Sasaki This is the group of children, who, shortly after this photo was taken, all lined up in single file, and said hello to me, and every single one of them "high 5" me as they walked past. The teacher was very apologetic for that, but i said it was fine. I really enjoyed that moment with the kids............................. This is the shrine to Sadako Sasaki...........................................