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Start
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Hotel
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Convention Center
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5.18 Liberty Park
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5.18 Memorial Culture Center
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Gwangju National Museum
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Jungoe Park
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Gwangju Museum of Art
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Finish
Kim Dae-jung Convention Center
Today's first destination is 「Gim Dae-jung Convention Center」 that is named after the former president Gim Dae-jung who are respected by many people.
We arrived at the end of Sangmu district and found a building that looked familiar. That was'Holiday in Gwangju' where we had planned to stay over night.
There is a large orange building bent a bit like a sports stadium opposite to the hotel behind flags of nations.
The 「Kim Dae-jung Convention Center」 holds Gwangju's big events, exhibitions, and expositions like COEX in Seoul and KINTEX in Ilsan.
It seems wider than I thought outside. Inside the building is decorated by orange color as I watched from the outside.
The convention center has not many amenities as COEX in Seoul but is well equipped with nursing rooms and many washrooms.
It might have a few events today. I could see people far away. Looking at an electronic display, performances for elderly people and a 'Baby Fair' are ongoing.
We decided to sign up right away and looked around baby fair, even though I don't have a baby…
Many booths that sell baby-related merchandises are lined up inside the hall. It is said that there were 'Wedding Fair' for new brides and grooms a week ago.
The fair was crowded and busy as much as in department store with many goods like baby carriages, baby bottles, Baenaet Jeogories(Jacket for new born infants), toys, and insurance of financial instruments.
There were many fathers with babies in their arms and heavily pregnant mothers in the wide center.
On one side, many pairs of baby socks were on sale. They were smaller than my palm. They looked so cute that I went nearer to them.
After for a while… I held two socks in my hands. Really I don't have any baby… I visited just for the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center…
Plus, I had many entrance tickets for the next baby fair in December… I don't even live here...
Anyway I just dropped by this convention center, but the design of building was impressive. I could see that it's a good facility that helps the Gwangju citizen live culturally wealthy life. However I was sorry I couldn't find traces of former president, Kim Dae-jung as its name.
Finally we dropped by neighboring cafe and comforted our emptiness with sweet and cool beverages.
I want to slow my tempo of the trip down while taking a coffee with sweet whipping cream but we have tight schedules and it seems about to rain. We should leave now.
On the way back with cool coffee, I couldn't reject a thinking that 'It would have been better to have at least a little space of commemorating...' Only other attractions of Gwangju would fill the emptiness of our mind. We started to walk looking down the floor with expectation of the next destination of the trip.
Map : click
Address : 1159-2, Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju-si
Telephone : 062-611-2000
Homepage : click
