There is something unique about Korea. The local expression "That's like looking for Mr Kim in Seoul" sums it up. In what other country does twenty percent of the population share the same surname?

One of the world's last divided countries, Korea is made up of the "economic miracle" of the South and the "economic basket case" of the North - which was also nominated as part of the "axis of evil" by President George Bush. Considering the number of US soldiers stationed in South Korea to guard against attacks from the North, you might expect to see GIs on every corner and US army Jeeps on every highway.  This was not the case and one thing you notice in Seoul - a city with a population of over 12 million - is the very small number of Western visitors. A Canadian I met told me that in the two years she had lived in Seoul, I was the first English-speaking visitor she had encountered. There are of course, many tourists in South Korea, mostly from other Asian countries.

For the Australian traveller, Korea is more likely to be just an overnight stop.

However, with over four hundred festivals held each year around the country, a visit of a week or even two may be rewarding.

One travel writer describes Korea as resembling the USA in the 1950s - conservative and innocent. This may be partly due to the philosophy of Confucianism dating back 2,500 years, which provides the underlying system of ethics, although not all its tenets are closely observed by everyone.  Confucius preached against corruption, war, torture and excessive taxation. He was in favour of education for all and respect for authority and seniors, pecking order rather than equality ("There is an order even in drinking cold water"), the importance of families over individuals, and superiority of men over women whose role is life-long service and obedience, though they rule the roost at home. ("Man is the seed, woman the field"). Saving money is important and life is to be taken seriously. For the visitor from a wealthy country, the rules about hierarchy mean that you will be shown greater respect.

Travelling on the extensive and inexpensive Seoul subway system outside the impossibly crowded peak hours, most young Koreans were either texting or talking on their mobiles while the retired folk were heading for day walks in the magnificent rocky mountains in Bukhansan National Park located on the edge of the city. As there is no social security, older Koreans do all they can to keep fit and healthy. 

Instead of saying: "How are you?" a casual greeting may be: "Have you eaten yet?" This is not an invitation to eat, but dates back to the times of famine and war, not so long ago in Korea.

Staying in one of the many university suburbs - and there are many universities - you are surrounded by the buzz of students and also by cheap restaurants.  Sounds good, but ordering food in one of these restaurants can be difficult for the visitor who has little or no grasp of the Korean language. Menus, when they exist, are in Korean Hanguel script and there are no pictures or plastic models to point to. As a result, this traveller made a number of visits to a galbi (marinated beef) restaurant where it was clear there was only one thing on the menu.  My well-thumbed guidebook was not very useful on this matter as the names on restaurants are of course in Hanguel script while in the guide they are in English.

However, with perseverance and lots of gesturing it is possible to find some dining bargains. At the basement restaurant Nolbu in Daehangno, traditional live music accompanies a lunch of twenty dishes, all for $12. And they will provide a very low seat for the westerners who cannot sit comfortably on the floor to eat.

If all else fails, head for one of the huge markets such as Namdaemun or Dongdaemung.

As well as the many food stalls with their plastic models, you can find everything you ever wanted to buy there.

At the end of a delicious meal, you could say. "You wouldn't notice even if your friend at the same table dies" or perhaps "It kills me! What are the ingredients?" In Korean of course.

While Seoul, and indeed most of the country, has been rebuilt in very modern style since the 1953 ceasefire, Koreans love their cultural heritage. This was almost obliterated under the Japanese who annexed and colonised the country between 1905 and 1945. 

Walking through weekend markets, the traveller may meet up with a simple procession of people adorned in traditional costume. You might also be approached by individuals or even groups wanting to practise English. And a highlight for those visitors drawn to pomp and ceremony is the changing of guards at palaces such as Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung, much the same as was done when established in 1469.

Traditional music, singing and dancing can be seen every Saturday at the National Centre for Korean Traditional Performing Arts. For a view into the past a day-trip to Suwon 50 kilometres south of Seoul is worthwhile.  Suwon is a provincial capital of one million people - most of whom appear to live in one thousand high-rise buildings each identified by a huge number, which could be very useful for that late-night homecoming.

Suwon has two very popular attractions. One is the extensive Korean Folk Village where you can eat historically traditional food amongst a collection of 250 thatched and tiled houses and temples. Potters, weavers, blacksmiths and artisans demonstrate their trades, and musicians, dancers, acrobats and tightrope walkers perform. You can even see an elaborate wedding ceremony, where the couple might declare they will stay together "Until their hair turns into leek roots". Well, divorce used to be hard to get, and "If you don't do well as a daughter in law, even village dogs will look down on you".

You might also see a busload or five of western tourists at the Folk Village.

The other attraction in Suwon is Hwaseong, the fully restored fortress wall surrounding the older part of the city.

For those more attracted to things modern, Seoul has numerous art galleries including the huge National Museum of Contemporary Art on the edge of the city. The Nanta Theatre has a remarkable show set in a kitchen. It's a cross between Iron Chef and Cirque du Soleil: a musical pantomime combining magic, circus tricks, drumming with kitchen utensils, slapstick comedy, dancing and martial arts.

South Korea is a great destination for people interested in art (especially pottery), for trekking and mountain climbing (70% of the country is mountainous), or for women looking for a husband (there are 128 eligible men for every 100 women).

It is a safe, inexpensive destination, which is easy to travel around.

And where else would you find sayings like the poor man's lament "I have nothing but my testicles" or the more positive "Even if the sky falls down, there is a hole to escape"?