Smoggy Seoul
The weather turned rainy for our final two days in Australia so we spent them in traditional Australian pursuits. Like going to a game arcade at the mall, eating pizza while watching The Incredibles on the television at the hotel, and sleeping.
On our trip home, we spent a day in Seoul, Korea. Believe me, Brisbane to Seoul to Los Angeles is not the most direct way to get home. It is 3,575 miles out of the way, but then again it was the only route available using Delta frequent flier miles.
I didn't do any research on Korea prior to our trip, figuring I'd be surprised. So what was the biggest surprise? That folks who live in Seoul, a city of 12 million inhabitants just across the pond from the "Land of the Rising Sun" rarely get to see the sun's brightness. The smog is too thick. The sky is perpetually gray, and the sun when it can be seen is an orange ball so shrouded in haze you can stare at it without squinting. 
Smoggy SeoulHere is a picture from our hotel room at the Sheraton Grande Walker Hill overlooking the Hangang River.
Once in Korea, I perused a number of websites trying to get a sense of what were the "must see" sites if one only had a day in Seoul. There was no concensus. In fact, of the sites I visited, no one seemed passionate about any particular place. So we deciphered the subway system and took a train downtown. 
Gyeongbokgung Palace We first visited the Gyeongbokgung Palace, parts of which date back to 1395. I won't bore you with the details. You can read about it by clicking on the hyperlink.
We then headed over to the Namdaemun market. My son Camden in looking at this picture said the market looks like Chinatown in San Francisco. 
Namdaemun Market Which just goes to show you the various Chinatowns around the U.S. indeed look like the real thing. Because of course they are. Bret wasn't very impressed with clothes, food and Korean handicrafts so he found a store more to his liking and bought a European made Lego set.