Arrival at Incheon Airport was a revelation. This airport is well-thought out and modern with all of the amenities, including a supermarket, gym, sauna, and free internet café. There are a few options for reaching the city, the least expensive being via scheduled airport buses. I opted for a taxi since I was unfamiliar with the city and I wanted as little stress as possible. My taxi was clean and fast; we were climbing the mountain to my hotel perch after about an hour.

When I walked into the ultra-modern hotel lobby (in W jargon, Living Room) I was struck by the eerily Barbarella-esque feel of it all. From the egg-shaped chairs suspended from the cathedral-high ceiling to the fanciful colour scheme, this was definitely a hotel designed to provoke a reaction. My reaction was-bring it on!

While I was being escorted to my room by one of the uncommonly beautiful staff, I began mentally planning my weekend itinerary. However, my well-laid plans almost went out the window in the face of my stylish, contemporary room with a gorgeous view of the Han River. My urge to splurge had truly paid off.

As much as I was tempted to stay and enjoy the serenity and the hotel's extensive leisure facilities, I was impatient to see what else Seoul had to offer. I popped into a taxi headed towards the bright lights of downtown. Knowing of my love affair with eating, my friend wisely suggested that we meet at a local restaurant.

Sanchon is an amazing restaurant with a great local reputation for its vegetarian temple cuisine (it was founded by a man who lived as a Buddhist monk for 18 years). We removed our shoes in the little courtyard, entered the main dining room with its carved wooden beams, paintings, calligraphy and traditional Korean musical instruments and proceeded to enjoy a vegetarian feast. Highlights were the deep-fried vegetable pancakes and kimchi, the Korean national dish of spicy, fermented cabbage.

After dinner we wandered along the traditional streets of Insa-dong with its array of antique shops, art galleries and old-fashioned Korean tea houses. I made a mental note of shops to return to when I had more time. As we couldn't decide which trendy nightspot to visit downtown, we opted to return to the W and join the Seoul-dwelling beautiful people who flock to the lobby-turned-nightclub complete with a DJ spinning international grooves.

The next morning I had an ambitious schedule for sightseeing. Even with Seoul 's frenetic efforts towards modernity they have managed to preserve much of the rituals and antiquities from their traditional culture. Every guide book listed Gyeongbok Palace as one of the top local attractions, so it was first on my list.

Built in 1395 at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, this palace remained the main seat of power for Korea's kings throughout much of its history. I wandered through the grounds until I ended up at Hyangwon-jeong, a beautiful hexagonal pavilion surrounded by a lotus pond.

My next stop was not as majestic as the Palace, but was just as historical. The Kimchi Field Museum was built to study the culture of Kimchi, one of the most well-known Korean foods. I learned about the history of this humble cabbage dish, how to prepare different varieties and its medicinal and nutritional properties. After learning about this delicacy, I was ready to sample it over lunch. I met my friend at an adorable little café that she told me served up a mean bowl of bibimbap, a rice dish with assorted vegetables and meat with a spicy sauce. She was right, it was delicious - so was my side dish of kimchi that accompanied it.

The afternoon was devoted to the art of the tea ceremony. Korean culture takes tea-drinking seriously and has developed this ancient ritual over centuries. We returned to the Insa-dong area, which has numerous traditional tea houses. We sipped our delicious green tea in a tranquil, elegant atmosphere amidst antiques with traditional Korean music as the soundtrack. It reminded me of my first visit to a traditional tea house in Shanghai, China - but it was even more relaxing.

The latest arrival to Seoul 's nightscape is wine bars; they raise the style quotient in many of Seoul 's five-star hotels. Casa del Vino is a stand-alone establishment that boasts more than 600 imported wines; from France's classic Bordeaux Grand Cru to California's Napa Valley offerings to rare Hungarian and Uruguayan wines. We joined Seoul's oenophiles for an evening of gourmet nibbles and fabulous vino.

We finished the evening listening to hot jazz at Once in a Blue Moon, the sexy club in Cheongdam-dong. The local musicians may have looked like they would be more comfortable with mandolins, but they were as talented as their counterparts in Harlem or Paris. We had more than a few selections from their extensive drinks menu and thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic people-watching.

As I was packing to leave the next morning, enjoying the awesome view of the river, I contemplated the seemingly contradictory sight of high-rise buildings towering above ancient temples and centuries-old rituals performed in this most modern of cities. Seoul may be rushing head-long into the modern age, but it continues to appreciate and preserve the ancient traditions.