Struggling Up N Seoul Tower
Nソウルタワーを登ることは大変
Once more, this post is in English and Japanese・もう一度、ブログポストは英語と日本語。
ポストの日本語は悪かったら、直してお願いします！
It’s 11:30 in the morning. I just got off the train to Myeongdong, a major part of Seoul, and I had one objective: get to the top of N Seoul Tower without using a map. After distracting myself in some stores, I embark on this journey. I looked for the tower, selected that direction, then walked while looking at the views along the way. On that path, I saw many of the coffee shops and bars Seoul is notorious for, an elementary school, a women’s college, and, in the distance, the cable cars you could alternatively take to walking up. I realized I was going the wrong way.
11時半午前で、ちょうどミョングドングの電車から出ました。僕の目的はNソウルタワーを登ることをする間に地図を使いません。ちょっと探検して、タワーの方向に歩きましたが、その道は悪かったですよ！
According to one of my hostel mates the day before, you could either hike to the tower or ride a cable car, and the two options were close to each other. When I saw the cable cars in the distance, that was my first indicator I made several wrong turns. However, I just had to walk to the cable cars and I’d find the trail. So, I took the path to the cable cars, saw some cool sights along the way, and found the real trail! By now, it’s almost 1 PM and I had been walking non-stop in moderate heat.
ホステルの友達によると、タワーに行きたかったら、歩く、ケーブルカーに乗ります。それに、さんぽの道はケーブルカーの近いと聞きました。でも、悪い道に歩いたので、ケーブルカーは遠くなりました。大変ね！そして、ケーブルカーの方向に歩いて、正しい道に歩きました。もう1時午後で、あつくなりました。
The Real Hike・正しいハイキング
Upon arrival, I see stairs. Lots of stairs. SO MANY STAIRS. Since I love hiking, I actually have a strong preference for slopes over stairs, and looking up, it seemed like this entire trail was stairs (surrounded by beautiful sights). But that wouldn’t stop me. So, step by step, I made my way up, and as I got higher, every time I turned around the view got better and better. One odd sight was an outdoor gym. A bunch of older Korean dudes were all pumping iron outside, and had I known that were an option, I would have just come here instead of spending $20 to go to a gym a few days prior.
道に来た時、沢山階段（かいだん）を見ました。多い。いっぱいね。ハイキングが好きですから、スロープがある道の方が大丈夫と思うのに、あきらめません！歩く間に、いいビューは多かったですよ！それに、だれでもが運動できる屋外（おくがい）ジムがありました。めっちゃ韓国のおじさんは運動していました。とてもすごかったです。そして、サミットに来ました。
Interesting Sights・タワーの面白いこと
I finally made it to the top, and there were several things of note:
サミットで、沢山面白いことがありました！
There was a Paris-esque love lock area. However, unlike in Paris, it is encouraged to bring a lock (or conveniently purchase one from the tower) and place it there.
パリスのようならブロック所がありました。すごくロマンチックけど、一人だった。悲しいね！
The tower is MUCH smaller up-close. From a distance, it looks like an amazingly tall tower behind a mountain when in reality, it’s an average-size skyscraper that is the highest building in Seoul, but not the tallest. Lotte Tower has that title.
タワーは少し小さいと思います。ソウルのタワーの中に、Nソウルタワーは一番上ですが、ロッテタワーは一番背が高いです。
Most people there are Chinese tourists (and they loved my Ocarina playing)
沢山中国人な観光客（かんこうきゃく）がいました。あの中国人は僕のオカリナを吹くことが大好きでした！
Thanks to my prior Ocarina playing, I made friends with the elderly gentleman working the information booth. I believe his name is Park, and he invited me into his office (with windows on all sides, so it was practically public. I don’t generally agree to go into a stranger’s office, but he was very nice, worked at the venue, and it was a visible office) for tea. We talked for over an hour and he told me about how his kids are musicians, one of which lives in Texas, asked my view on Trump meeting with North Korea, told me stories about how he’s learned many languages from working there and practicing with tourists. We watched a weapon-dance performance, and he told me the history behind it (but since this was over a month ago, I don’t remember much). While this wasn’t the purpose of my hike, this was definitely the most memorable part of it
オカリナを吹くことのおかげで、情報（じょうほう）の会社員なおじさんに会いました。一緒にオフィスに行って、お茶を飲んで、話しました。色々なことを喋て、すごく面白くて楽しかったです。
The tower itself was so extra. There were pristine shops throughout, the elevator to the top played an over-the-top animation of shooting into space, and the elevator down showed an intense landing from space. I filmed the coming down animation, but a video would never do it justice. If you go to Seoul, the elevator at N Seoul tower is an experience
タワーはとても派手（はで）でしたよ！たとえば、エレベーターを使った間に、すごく派手な映画を見えました。映画を見ると、笑いました。
The view was amazing. Pictures below. Since there’s a window in the way, it’s not ideal, but walking around the ring atop the tower gave a spectacular view.
ビューはとてもきれいでした。と て も きれい
One month later, I went to Tokyo Sky Tree, and the entire aesthetic of the tower seems like an attempt to one-up N Seoul. It’s a similar shape and style, but it’s the tallest and highest building in Tokyo. Elevator animations and all (but significantly less extra).
一ヶ月の後、東京スカイツリーに行きました。スカイツリーはソウルタワーのような建物ですが、スカイツリーの方が背が高くて大きいです。Nソウルタワーたぶんはスカイツリーのインスピレーションと思う
After the hiking up and exploring beautiful destination, I had to make my way down. This was much easier than coming up, and I got to look out at all the amazing views I’d turn around to see looking up. And for perspective on difficulty, it took about 40 minutes to hike and 15 to come down. I looked around Myeongdong a little bit longer then returned to my hostel.
ハイキングの後、もう一度道に歩きました。山から帰るハイキングの方がやさしいと思いました。たとえば、ミョングドングからタワーは40分かかりましたが、タワーからミョングドングは15分かかりました。この日はとても楽しかったです！
As I said in my last travel post, things will be a bit out-of-order from now on. I realized telling particular stories would fly better than a straight log of what I do daily, so whenever I have inspiration for a particular story, that will be what I write. This adventure happened on June 19, 2018, for reference.
さいごのブログポストによると、年代順（ねんだいじゅん）がありません。日記といい話にくらべて、話の方が面白いと思うんです。だから、インスピレーションがあったら、その話を書きます。この話は6月19日でした。
Thank you for reading this story from Seoul! Korea was my first real solo-travel experience, so I hope I was able to capture what I felt and saw through this blog.
読むことがありがとうごさいました！韓国に行った前に、一人で旅行したいですことがなかったので、本当の気持ちを書けたといいんですが！
Best of luck・楽しんで、
Andy・アンディ
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Recommended Previous Posts・さいきんポスト
（English and Japanese・英語と日本語）
Living in Japan (with a Japanese Family)
(English only)
Ocabanda @ US Ocarina Festival: Part ONE + Part TWO
I’m Leaving America!
Falling in Love with Seoul – The World of Tomorrow
Bamboozled by Buddhists: Story from Seoul
Bonus Pictures・ボーナス写真
Osaka Aquarium・大阪水族館
Andy Cormier 