Baekdamsa Revisited, Part 1

It's not a state secret but I'm still loathe to write about Baekdamsa. I'd like to keep this place selfishly  to myself but who am I kidding? The place that I visited in autumn, 2004 has probably changed a lot. Besides, who was it who said you can't step into the same river twice?

Baekdamsa, Temple of a Hundred Pools, lies in a quiet north-western corner of Soraksan. "Quiet" is a relative term - it's spared the massive crowds that descend on the main section of this popular national park but at the same time, don't be surprised to see a long line of people along this bridge that leads to the temple. Busloads of ajummas and local tourists can make this place quite noisy at times but if you head out for the trails, it's easy to think that you may be the only visitor.

Then again, the piles upon piles of stones built by past visitors remind me that I'm just one of countless visitors who have been fortunate enough to make our way to this place.

Here's another pic to put one in a solitary mood - can only imagine the beauty of the wintry solitude in Baekdamsa. Whichever season you choose, do check the shuttle bus schedules that takes passengers from the village of Yongdae-ri to Baekdamsa ( 3.5 km, 2,000 won). I arrived by a local bus from Sokcho and just missed the last shuttle bus in the late afternoon so had to spend one night in Yongdae-ri as I wasn't prepared to lug my backpack for that distance. On hindsight though, I should have not spent the night in Yongdae-ri. Not that it was hard to find a decent yeongwan but the walk would've given me more time to count the pools along the way.

Here's an alternative route: At Inje Terminal, take a bus to Wontong or Jinburyeong and get off at Yongdae-ri. (40 minute interval, Runs 20 times a day)

sources:
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264231
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baekdamsa
http://www.koreanculture.org/06about_korea/symbols/09seoraksan.htm