Gayasan National Park

The occasional Saturday off of work when the weather is nice, is cause for celebration and last minute planning. This particular weekend led to an unexpected bus ride to Gayasan National Park with a group of friends representing Russia, Slovakia, and the USA. Only a bit more than an hour away from home led us to yet another one of Korea’s cherished national parks.

With fall leaves still exploding with color, Gayasan National Park made an excellent escape from the city. The hike from the bus terminal through the park passed a deep winding creek and sloping valleys of vibrantly colored trees. Although not an intensive hike it was a very peaceful walk towards the temple in a wilderness reminiscent of home, but rarely seen amongst the hustle and bustle of the city life in Daegu.

The trail led us to Haeinsa Temple, one of the most infamous temples in South Korea for its size and beauty nestled deep in a pristine valley. The temple is home to 800 year old Sutras permanently written on wooden scrolls. Located atop a small hill in the center of the valley this temple has a sense of pure tranquility and isolation. It is designed with the same copy and paste method as all of the temples in Korea yet each one shares the sense of peace that Buddhism instills.

No perfect day could end without a proper picnic with friends from abroad. This sense of satisfaction was accompanied by the innocence of children making a pile of leafs. Lacking all maturity I had to join the children in making the pile and then jumping in the pile. Having a foreigner in the midst of their entertainment not only made their day but also my own. They certainly enjoyed being able to bury an American in leafs and having a leaf fight.

Although the parents were not so keen on their children getting dirt and leafs on themselves, the innocence of youth is the strongest force and breaks all cultural boundaries. It made for the perfect end to a perfect day where the impeding stresses of real life can be forgotten. It is times like these that make one truly appreciate the friends you have, the place you are and the life you live.   

Bulguksa

Bulguksa is undoubtedly the most famous and frequently visited of the countless sites within Gyeongju’s city limits, located nearly 40 minutes away from the city center via bus. The site serves as one of the primary centers of the Jogye Order of Buddhism in Korea. As a result of its historical importance and beauty, the site is swamped with daily tourists viewing the temple grounds and ancient pagodas.

The temple is quite impressive in terms of its size and history, having been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times since its conception circa 528AD. However, the swarms of people leave it feeling less like a place of solitude and worship but rather more like an amusement park. With the sale of balloons, children’s toys, corndogs and more on the walk in, coupled with the presence of tour buses crowding the parking lot, expectations diminish upon arrival.

In addition to Bulguksa, a short one hour hike up Mt. Tohamsan leads to one of the most famous sites in all of Korea, the Seokguram artificial Grotto. Built nearly 1300 years ago into the peak of the mountain, the focal point of the grotto is a 3.5m granite Buddha sitting on a lotus flower signifying Nirvana. Visitors line up outside the small temple and once inside get a glimpse at the grotto from behind a protective glass shield; photography prohibited

Although both Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto have been infiltrated by hoards of Korean tourists the two sites do share some common qualities. These qualities include their antiquity and uniqueness among Korean history. It is often impossible to have world wonders to yourself, therefore is imperative to remove oneself from the mindset of the masses and to appreciate sites for their true value.

            

Palgongsan

In the lower outskirts of Korea’s, Taebaek Mountain Range rests the modest Palgong-san Provincial Park. Certainly in terms of scale and being a natural spectacle, the park is lacking. However, showcasing Palgong Mountain at a mere 1192m, and dotted with Buddhist temples and statues, it creates a perfect backyard playground for Daegu.

The main trail up to Dongbong peak is completely flooded with daily hikers, however the easy going trail makes for a great first trip to the park. The fall foliage, which I always took for granted at home, creates excellent vistas throughout the hike. From most vantage points the brightly colored sloping valley’s engulfing Daegu make for beautiful scenery.

On the other side of the park and an entirely separate trip in itself, is the home of the infamous Gatbawi Buddha. The short 2km hike to the top of the mountain in the early morning hours, walking to the beating sound of drums, makes for an excellent start to any day, displacing oneself from the real world.  Countless others make the same hike everyday to the peak in order to pay homage and pray to the large stone Buddha carved into the mountains peak.

The park offers countless options for trails, some for the most casual of hikers, while others for those without time restraints to get off the more beaten path. Living so close, I have become a frequent visitor of the park to escape the city and find a sense of peace. It’s not easy finding a better way to start one’s day then a predawn hike encompassed in pure tranquility and serenity.

Ulsanbawi

Uslanbawi is a landmark created not only by its sheer beauty but also its mythical creation in Korean history. As far as legend goes, Ulsanbawi was the representative from the port city of Ulsan, my former home. He was sent to a meeting of the Korean peninsula however when he arrived to the North the meeting was over he began an infamous walk of shame home. On his way back he fell asleep and when he awoke he thought it was so beautiful he decided to stay forever.

Back to reality however, the first stop on the path up the mountain is a tranquil Buddhist temple nestled in the mountains along the river. It is the perfect place to relax and drink some fresh spring water before the trek to the heights of the mountain. Along the lower level trails are several stopping points with some very eager and determined women trying to fill hikers up on bibimbap.

Although there is no moment of solitude on this well trodden path, it has everything required for being in a state of pure tranquility. With trickling streams and hidden Buddhist temples deep in the forest, the hike to the base of the mountain leaves one with a sense of worldly belonging.

At the last base up the mountain is a beautiful Buddhist temple with the Ulsanbawi granite cliffs escalating in the background. As the clouds roll through, visibility is limited instilling a sense of curiousity as to what awaits at the top. After an additional hour hike the vegetation clears as the mountain begins to become completely vertical, leaving a perfect view into the valley below.  

One is then faced with a vertically challenging ascent up an old rickety set of stairs. With over 800 steps to the top, anyone with a phobia of heights is truly tested as inclining steps are large enough only for a small child. With nerves rattling the clouds are surpassed and the summit is reached leaving one with a sense of accomplishment.

The view from the top of Ulsanbawi is nothing short of breathtaking. After a day of hiking through the misty clouds, being above them finally gives picturesque views up and down the entire Taebaek mountain range. At this point the moment comes where one can have a 360 degree look around and truly appreciate things and feel a brief moment of accomplishment.

Seoraksan National Park!

Many cultures have an annual celebration of the autumn harvest, like the United State’s Thanksgiving. In Korea we have Chuseok, a three day long celebration where the people return to their ancestral home towns to visit family and eat traditional foods and drink rice wine. For foreign English teachers however it is a much needed vacation and chance to explore. This year I decided to visit the famed Seoraksan National Park in Northeast, Korea.

After an all night party in Seoul with my friends from Daegu, I arrived bright and early to the small coastal fishing village of Sokcho.  On the local bus to the park entrance, other foreigners, deceived by my backpack covered in world flags, were asking me for information about the park. The truth was I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing.

 The entrance to the park is home to an impressive bronze statue of Buddha, where locals come to pay homage and tourists snap their first photos. Knowing nothing about the park I began to follow the masses towards the first trail where a man pushing his baby in a carriage pointed me in a direction where the masses were not headed, to climb to the highest and most beautiful point in the mountain range.

Once again I proved that the world is smaller than it seems as the first person I ran into on the trail was a fellow Western New Yorker from Buffalo and his mate from Maryland. Slightly hung over the three of us began our ascent to unknown locations.

The hike towards Daechongbong Peak at 1,708m, and the third highest point in Korea proved to be quite difficult after an all nighter in Seoul; however the spectacular vistas around every bend was reason enough to keep pushing on. It also helped that the spire peaks of the Taebaek Mountain range are lost in a halo of clouds, leaving one with a sense of mysticism in the mountains.

The winding trail crossed numerous bridges through deep ravines carved out by powerful mountain streams. The wildlife was a bit lacking with only a few spotting of chipmunks, which the Koreans stop to take pictures of, and a few interesting and vibrant frogs. Regardless of the lack of excitement, the sheer beauty of the granite cliff faces, deep forests, and flowing streams are enough to motivate anyone to go further and higher.

As we reached the summit of an adjacent mountain the local backpackers warned us to turn back. The day was turning to night and we were given ample warning that if we continued we would be stuck on the mountain with no shelter in the cold, and to turn back. After about 30 minutes of debate we made the undesirable but responsible decision to turn back and so we began the arduous hike back to base.

Although an unsuccessful attempt to summit the highest peak, the day was a success. New friends were made, personal physical limits were exceeded after a night of partying and one of the wonders of the world was seen! Seoraksan is a beautiful mountain range that I undoubtedly will return to again!

 

IAAF World Championships!

Self-proclaimed “Colorful Daegu” is my latest place of residence, nestled in an expansive valley in the Gyeongsanbuk-do province of South Korea. Although a good place to live, make friends and save money; Daegu in general is not “Colorful” but rather a lack-luster metropolitan city of 2.5 million people.  From August 27th through September 4^th, however the city was showcased to the world as host to the 2011 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships.

From all across the globe, the world’s fastest and strongest convened in competition to be the best of the best at the world’s biggest single week long track and field meet. Like the Olympics, competitors compete not only for themselves, but for their nations’ pride. The event far exceeded my personal expectations, and proved to be an incredible once in a life time opportunity.

Several of my friends I met in Cambodia came down from Seoul to stay with me for the weekend and we got seats with my Daeguken friends, right behind the high jump. Watching the USA receive a gold medal and singing along to the national anthem five minutes into the event was an overwhelming sense of patriotism. The women’s high jump was our primary focus but we also really got into the wheel chair races, javelin throw, hurdles and women’s 4x4 relay where USA also grabbed the gold!

Our seats happened to be behind a group of Daegu elite women including the Mayor of Daegu’s wife who introduced herself and offered us snacks. With beers flowing and excitement growing, we really got into the events. During the dance cam intermission, we tried our hardest dancing for a solid 5-10 minutes to get on the jumbo-tron. Although we failed we still got a grand ovation from the hundreds of Koreans around us.

The main event that everyone was anticipating for weeks and months was the men’s 200m; to watch the world’s fastest man; Usain Bolt. The race was over 19.40 seconds after it started with Jamaica’s Bolt taking gold, USA’s Dix for the silver, and to our surprise France’s Lemaitre for bronze. Bolt spent about 15 minutes showboating after his less than 20 seconds of running but well deserved for him being the world’s fastest man.

The USA overall took home the most medals counting 25; 12 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze. The event was overall an amazing experience that brought a sense of pride for being an American and a sense of camaraderie among nations. It truly was an amazing experience that I am glad my friends and I were able to be a part of.

It's Not About the Cause... It's About the Chaos!

On August 27; after a full day of exploring Seoul with my friend from home we were heading to the subway when we found ourselves in a most precarious situation. Upon turning a corner we found ourselves on a street lined with 1000’s of riot police for as far as the eye could see. They were armed with masks, batons and shields; standing in formation and chanting.

To our utter confusion, while caught in the middle of the ranks they were dispatched and began jogging and chanting. With nothing else to do we followed behind attempting to take photographs of this most obscure event. For half an hour we followed them to a location where they stopped. I began calling my friends around Korea to see if they knew what was going on, but no one had even heard about it. At this point we sat down and agreed that it must have been a drill.

As soon as we decided to call it a night and head home we could hear chanting and see flags approaching down the main road. Over 10,000 protesters were soon marching by and the situation became real. Not knowing what was going on we stopped at a corner store and bought a bag of beer and began marching, no longer with the police, but rather with the protesters chanting the Buffalo Bills theme song in the heart of an unknown conflict.

We continued on with the protesters several kilometers, ironically to the Peace Park where the masses congregated for a speech. The whole time the riot police followed closely behind and lined the sidewalks around us. People began to cover their faces in preparation for tear gas, which was used on the same protest in Pusan weeks before.  We did what any sane person would do and kept the cameras rolling and the beers flowing.

Eventually we went home when it proved uneventful. The following day we learned that the protest was in response to a long struggle against a shipping company firing workers to benefit share holders and CEO’s ; typical of all world economies today. The second day of protesting in Seoul resulted in the use of water cannons to disperse protesters as the conflict continues to be platform of debate today.

"The Soul of Asia!"

Being a city where the east meets the west; and history meets contemporary; Seoul is a truly explosive megacity with endless offerings.  From tranquil palaces, parks and temples; to bustling museums, art galleries, and world class shopping centers; it truly contains something for everyone. Its vibrant night life is also one to be reckoned with whether you are looking for the most happening dance clubs to the most chill basement bars.

In terms of a starting point in Seoul, the most beautiful place right in the heart of the city is Gyeoungbokgung Palace. This large expanse of open land is dotted with impressive palaces, ponds, and temples which give a glimpse into the cities grandeur of the past. Also nearby is the very informative Korean Folk Museum that explains life both past and present in Korea, as well as the War Memorial Museum that houses a wealth of information about conflict in Korea over the centuries. In addition to these nearby attractions is the primary government facilities’ of the R.O.K. including the “Blue House” where the president resides.

On this past visit I made my first trip to Seodaemun Prison History Hall, which proved to be an emotional stop amongst a chaotic trip. The prison was constructed during Japan’s rule over the Korean Peninsula over a century ago, used until the end of WWII. Its primary use was to detain freedom fighters, torture them for information, and in many cases exterminate them. The emptied cells stand a testament to the atrocities committed against the oppressed people of Korea in the not so distant past.

Of course no trip to Seoul is complete without making a trip to the top of N’Seoul Tower at night to get a 360 degree view of the expanse of flashing lights that comprise Greater Seoul. Finally a typical night in Seoul always ends in Itaewon or Hongdae for a night of fine food, friends, beers and soju shots. The plethora of bars leaves all genres untouched from the most exotic to the most relaxed.

Seoul is and will continue to be a city of immense proportions and a truly global melting pot in the East. It’s ever growing status as a financial and cultural superpower will continue to attract travelers and business people alike from around the world. The city continuously strives towards innovation and shows great promise to deliver even more in the years to come!

Pusan Summers...

Besides being South Korea’s 2nd largest city and the world’s 5^th largest port, Pusan is the most popular summer retreat among Korean and foreign residents alike. On the hot summer weekends the beach is non-existent; covered with 100,000s of blankets and bodies.  A typical foreigner’s trip starts with drinks on Haeundae beach, then a migration to the bars above the beach as the sun goes down, and finally crashing in a ‘Love Motel’ after the sun comes up before going home. This past trip for me however, was a nice change of pace.

Pusan Tower, built after the Korean War less than 40 years ago, has a façade of antiquity and has seen better days. The park in which it is set, with statues and temples however, is a pleasant place to get a great view of the port city. The nearby hillside memorials to remember those, both Korean and Allied troops, who held the city against an advancing North Korea, also remains a place of tranquility and remembrance.

No trip to one of the world’s busiest ports is complete without visiting a fish market. The Jagalchi fish market is not only the oldest in Korea but also the largest, housing fresh catches from squid to shark and giant clams to king crabs. If you can bear the overwhelming smell of fish guts and trudging through bloody water in flip flops, then one can surly find a low budget seafood meal fit for a king.

Living for so long in South Korea, like anywhere else, you take many things for granted. After being a tour guide this past week for a friend from home, I was able to see parts of Pusan for the first time myself, beyond the beaches and cold beers. It truly is a magnificent city with a plethora of things to do and even more extravagant plans for the future.