A Stroll Along Anmin Road

Thanks to a kind ajumma who gave me a ride to the start of Anmin Road in Jinhae, I was able to realise another modest dream of mine. Eversince I saw the road lined with cherry blossoms in the drama series, Romance, I was set on seeing the place for myself.

Anmin Road , perched on the shoulder of the small mountain range, gives one a pretty good view of the city below. There were plenty of Koreans and a few foreign tourists on the promenade and I remember an elderly gentleman enjoying the spring air with his dog. Turns out that's his daily walk. Lucky man, lucky pooch.

Jjimjilbang In Jinhae

Figured with the hordes of tourists descending on Jinhae for the cherry blossom festival, that the usual local BnBs would be full up and the prices jacked up. On that assumption, I decided I wouldn’t even bother to check out the yeogwans or minbaks and made straight for a 24 hour jjim - jil-bang ( 24 hour public bath cum sauna cum relaxation area where I could also sleep for a fee). This option had a few drawbacks though:

1. Location – it wasn’t central; in fact it was on the eastern side of the town. Had to take a twenty-minute bus ride from the town centre and get off near a shopping mall which housed the jjimjilbang. I’m sorry I didn’t note down the bus number or the name and exact location of the jjimjilbang. However it was within walking distance of the eastern end of the famous Anmin Road ( give or take 30 minutes)

2. The jjimjilbang was also quite crowded but I was mentally prepared to share sleeping floor space with seventy or so Koreans. What I didn’t expect was that we’d be woken up in the middle of the night ( or was it early morning?) by a pair of women arguing fiercely. It was a bit difficult going back to sleep after that.

3. Once I paid the entrance fee of 7000 won and entered the place, I had to be sure that my sightseeing activities were done for the day. Unless I was prepared to fork out another 7000 won, I couldn’t go out again. So it required a bit of planning and a lot of lugging of my backpack the first day I arrived in Jinhae because I was busy catching the sights before I took the bus to the jjimjilbang. Fortunately for me, some kind ajummas in the small restaurant inside the place kindly agreed to look after my bag on the second day so I was spared the trouble of hauling my load all over the town again.

The benefits?

First it only cost me 7000 won per night ( cheaper than a yeogwan or minbak which would have set me back anything between 30,000 and 150,000won a night and the entrance fee wasn’t not jacked up for the 2007 festival). For that modest sum, I had the opportunity to soak my weary carcass in tubs of hot water and to sweat some toxins in various sauna rooms with various temperatures and theme. I could also do my laundry and hang my washing on a line in the ladies’ bathing area, check and send emails in the ubiquitous mini-PC bang facilities, watch the latest TV drama sprawled out on the floor beside similarly-dressed Koreans and enjoy a bowl of bibimbap or naengmyeon in the in-house café.

Biggest plus? The nice lady who ran the eating joint even offered to give me a ride to the western end of Anmin Road the following day!

I wouldn’t recommend doing this if you’re not prepared for some inconvenience and some roughing it out ( no comfy mattresses!) but it is certainly something to consider for a more authentic local experience.
Sources:
http://www.jaunted.com/country/kp/2
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=626600
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jjimjilbang

Information Brochure for Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival

I only learnt about the existence of this brochure when I made my way to Jinhae in 2007. There’s an electronic version which you can download the brochure for the Jinhae Festival at this website. Click here.

1. The 2010 schedule for the 48th Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival has yet to be uploaded. A great pity for the non-Korean visitors who want to visit Jinhae this year. Timing is everything and one hopes the person responsible for the Jinhae City webpage can put up the detailed schedule for this year’s festival VERY soon. It would also be useful for foreign visitors to know which activities or events are suitable for them because some of these events or exhibitions may only be accessible to those who understand or can read Korean.

2. A more detailed map would be useful particularly to highlight bus-stops or shuttle bus routes.

3. The brochure could also include the bus schedule for the locations which are further away from the town centre. It’s not exactly a small town where everything is within walking distance and though there are shuttle buses, there’s little information about these as well in the brochure.

Here then are the websites for transportation to and around Jinhae:
Local buses http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_05.asp
Intercity buses http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_06.asp
Express buses http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_07.asp
Trains  http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_04.asp

source:
http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/

Looking for "Romance" in Jinhae

It was love at first sight. No, I wasn't smitten by Kim Jae-won, the male lead in the 2002 MBC TV drama, "Romance" which also stars Kim Ha-neul. Instead, I fell in love with the array of cherry blossoms featured in the early part of the series. The moment I saw them, I just knew I HAD to visit the spot.

Took me a while to figure out the location but eventually I got round to planning a spring trip to Korea specially  to catch the blossoms on the cherry trees in the naval port of Jinhae in the spring of 2007.

There were two scenes I wanted to check out in particular: first, Anmin Road where the star-crossed lovers take a stroll along a beautiful promenade.

The second is  Yeojwacheon Stream (여좌천)  where the main characters, Gwanu and Chaewon meet on a bridge flanked by rows of cherry trees in full bloom on both sides. It's become known since the drama series appeared as the ‘Romance Bridge’.




Both scenes can be found in this music video, Unfortunately though, the person decided to go in for a sepia like effect so the original colours can't be appreciated here. Thanks to chioyochan for posting this MV.

sources:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=827152
http://koreanfilm.org/tvdramas/index.htm#romance
http://www.arirang.co.kr/Blog/Arirang_Town.asp?code=Bl5&id=&page=11
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iX6z6lmoaBu7CGbD9OHizw

Getting There, Getting Around, Putting Up & Eating Out in Jirisan

Most people enter Jirisan by way of Gurye as it’s well-connected by road and rail and has a number of yeogwans and small motels. You could take a bus from the Seoul Nambu Station directly but it’s a 4 ½ hour ride. Alternatively, you could catch a bus from Busan, Gwangju, Jeonju or Suncheon.

 I reached Gurye the short and fast way by Suncheon ( less than one hour by road). From the bus terminal in Gurye, you can hop onto local buses headed for Piagol Valley, Hwaoemsa, Hadong, Ssanggyesa for example. For more information on buses, click here or here.

Visitors can choose to make Gurye their base for exploring different trails in Jirisan – there are a number of places to stay that cater to different budgets. I preferred to stay out of town – there are usually rooms available in minbaks or yeogwans before the start of hiking trails or where the main temples are situated. If you’re a serious climber, make reservations ahead of time for a sleeping bunk in one of its mountain shelters or a spot to pitch your tent on the camping sites. If you want to pamper yourself, check out the hot springs laden with germanium at Spa Land ( Jirisan Eun-cheon) where you can watch the snowflakes fall while soaking in an open-air hot spring during winter.

In 2005, I paid 20,000 won to stay in a simple yeogwan in the tourist village about one kilometer outside Hwaeomsa. It had two plus points - great views especially in the evening and a little kitchen where I could cook instant noodles for an early breakfast before the sikdangs opened. Its drawbacks? Had to trek to a long corridor to the back of the two-storey building to get to my room The water in the bathroom was tepid so I had to boil water and lug potful after potful of hot water to pour into my bath basin. Followed the recommendation of the Lonely Planet and went to the Ttukbaegi Sikdang nearby. True, it had “generous and tasty side dishes” but alas, no free bindaettok ( pancake).

When I visited Korea in the spirng of 2007, the tourist village outside Ssanggyesa was packed with local tourists who were out in full force to see the cherry blossoms so I had to fork out 30,000 won for a small room above a convenience store. The enterprising family ran both yeogwan and shop. There were a number of restaurants but I preferred to pack a picnic lunch of gimbap , fruits and chocolate bars to savour after a few solid hours of walking.

sources:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=617752
http://jiri.knps.or.kr/Jirisan_eng/trans/transport.html
http://www.temf.co.kr/jirisan/eng/company/comLocation.asp
http://tour.hadong.go.kr/english/main.htm

A Park for all Seasons – Introduction to Jirisan National Park

One can keep revisiting Jirisan and yet not go back to the same spots as there are so many places to explore during the different seasons.

In the spring of 2007, I was fortunate enough to be stuck in a traffic jam from Hadong to Ssanggyesa in the south-eastern corner of Jirisan. The 6 km road lined with cherry trees is a wonder to behold during spring. If you’re really into spring flowers, you can also check out Sangwi Village, a.k.a. Ssansuyu Village which is full of bushes with tiny yellow flowers. I was content to do a long ( by my very humble standards) walk in one tiny corner of Jirisan when I follow a trail past Ssanggyesa, Hadaong to find the Bulilpokpo ( Falls).

However, if you enjoy waterfalls, it’s better to go in summer when there’s more rainfall and more action going on in rivers and falls. The Surak waterfall, 6 km from the hot spring resort, is at its best during the hot season and if you go there, let me know if there’s any truth to the claim in the brochure that its water is like “silver powder from the skies”. Summertime’s great as well for those who enjoy fishing and white-water rafting on the Sumjingang.

Two years before, my original plan to go directly from Suncheon to Hwaeomsa via Gurye was altered slightly at the suggestion of a friendly bus-driver to do a day-tour of Piagol Valley. I’d almost forgotten the recommendation I’d read earlier in one KNTO travel guide: “The twelve kilometers of Baemsagol Valley are famous for the autumnal leaves contrasting with deep blue ponds, and that of Piagol Valley is said to be as red as blood.” How could I resist such a promise of Gothic proportions?

Although Jirisan isn’t the place for skiing or to relive one’s Winter Sonata fantasies ( you can do both at Yongpyong Resort), it still gets some snow. So, if you like hiking with the crisp crunch of freshly fallen snow beneath your feet, you can try some of the trails in Jirisan National Park which may still be open during winter. Check with the local National Parks office.

One fantasy of mine is to live here for one year to check out the top ten scenic spots ( as voted by the Jirisan Mountains Alpine Association). They are, arranged here, according to what I’d like to see for each season:

1. The royal azaleas at Seseok in spring

2. The view of the sunrise from the peak of Cheonwangbong

3. The sea of clouds from Nogodan – for its azaleas in spring, day lilies in summer, snow-capped trees in winter

4. The clear stream of Sumjin – also in spring or summer

5. Bulil waterfalls – probably best seen in summer when the rains are heaviest and the falls most dramatic

6. The Chilsun or Chilseon Valley – in summer

7. The red maples of Jhikjoen in autumn

8. The full moon seen from Byukso
9. The Banya sunset

10. Yeonha fairyland


Source:
1. http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264283
2. http://jiri.knps.or.kr/eng/

Climbing, Culture and Cuisine - Jirisan, Part 1

No visit to Korea is complete until you’ve visited the first, the oldest ( designated as a national park in Dec, 29, 1967) and the biggest national park in South Korea. The enormity of Jirisan National Park is apparent when you study the maps and realise that three provinces, Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, share this enormous mountain which has at least eight peaks over 1000 meters.

Seasoned climbers like to do the ridge course which may include reaching peaks in the west like Nogodan ( 1507 m) and going along the ridge eastwards all the way to Cheonwangbong ( 1915. 4 m), the second-highest peak in ROK, after Hallasan in Jeju. You need at least three or four days to complete this course at a leisurely pace though theoretically it can be done within 24 hours if you don’t stop to pee, eat or take photos. Others with less ambition, stamina and time such as yours truly can be content to amble along the foothills to admire the many beautiful valleys, waterfalls, temples and hermitages that dot the area. There are numerous trails for day-trips and the Lonely Planet recommends getting the Jirisan National Park map produced by the National Parks if you plan on doing a few of these hikes.

Jirisan is also significant for all the ancient religions practised in the country. Those who still follow shamanistic rites hold sacrificial rites here. Taoists believe that Jirisan is home to its great immortals while Buddhists still make pilgrimages to visit places believed to be occupied by bodhisattvas. Besides temples and hermitages of historic and cultural importance, there are also villages to explore such as Chonghakdong which maintains Confucian traditions; Shimwon, dubbed to my amusement, “First Village Under the Sky” and Sangwi which celebrates with a festival in spring the blooming of golden Japanese dogwood or ssansuyu ( Cornusofficinalis).

Last but not least, Jirisan has a reputation of having one of the cleanest environments in the country so the quality of the food here is said to be very good. You can sample the sweet fish which thrive in the unpolluted waters of the Sumjingang, for instance. Or if you fancy indulging like a Joseon emperor but still have to eat healthily, try the Hanjeongsik ( traditional banquet meal) available in many restaurants here as many local herbs from the hillsides are used. Local pork and crab dishes are also well-known here.

Source:http://jiri.knps.or.kr/eng/
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/cms/resource/01/707401_image2_1.jpg
http://english.gurye.go.kr/english/jirisan/valleys.html
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=822435
http://jiri.knps.or.kr/eng/intro/guidence.html
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/spa/TR/TR_SP_3_3.jsp?cid=310643

Jinju in Spring - A floral tribute

Sorry, I'm botanically-challenged so I would be grateful if anyone out there could identify the following flowers for me. If my labels are wrong, please let me know. All these were taken within the grounds of the fortress in Jinju.

Pic above: Main gateway to the fortress in background; unidentified floral object in foreground; hard to imagine with such colourful pretty flowers that this was once a site of bloody battles.

Pic above: Petunias or pansies ??? Taken somewhere near the pavilion

Pic above: Camellias near a temple - I read that the falling flower evokes an image of decapitation to the Japanese samurai but what does it mean to the Koreans?

Pic above: Taken from the fortress ramparts; actually this was my first glimpse of cherry blossoms ever in real life before I suffered a surfeit of them in Jinhae.

Letter for some Jinju ajummas

To the ajummas of Jinju that I met,

This is a long overdue letter to thank you for your warm and spontaneous hospitality. I had arrived at the bus terminal from Daejeon by mid-day in the spring of 2007. The walk to find a yeogwan was some distance away but thankfully, after settling in, it was a short stroll to the fortress. I then spent a good part of the afternoon walking my feet off on the grounds and was getting a little tired when I came across a group of you ladies at a small temple, Hoguksa, near the western end of the fortress.


You were all seated cross-legged on the floor of an annexe surrounded by paper lotus lanterns in various stages of completion. It was apparent that you were volunteers helping to prepare the decorations for the upcoming celebrations for Buddha’s birthday. I remember struggling to find the words to ask if I could join you and pitch in to help a while. Your openness and friendliness made me feel so at ease that I was soon settling down to apply starch to the paper petals and leaves for you to assemble on the wire frames.
Source of pic: http://elizabethbriel.blogspot.com/2004_05_01_archive.html

The seonim ( monk) who brought in more boxes of paper lotus petals must have been surprised to see me there - a tourist with a backpack and baseball cap. But you rattled off something to him and it continued to seem like the most natural thing to accept a stranger from another country who couldn’t understand any part of the gossip and chatter going on around her. I wanted to take a photo of us together but I ran out of film and for the umpteenth time wished I had a digital camera.

I also want to thank specially one ajumma who was working as a volunteer in the Jinju National Museum. I learnt that you had also been a tourist in my own country and had even climbed its highest mountain. I was impressed by that but even more touched when you invited me for a meal after I had completed my tour of the museum. Kamsa-ham-nida for introducing me to the delicious Jinju bibimbap in the heart of the marketplace –in a cosy sikdang clearly popular with the locals.

Source of pic: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=404018506&blogId=491528312

Last but not least, go-map-seum-nida as well to another ajumma that I met later on at Boriam, Namhae. You had actually travelled from Jinju to this temple for some special prayers but you also took time to show me the way to Ssanghongmun ( the twin caves). Moreover, without your support and example, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the 108 prostrations – something I once thought was a feat for only the tough and truly devout.

Your city claims to be the most beautiful city in the country. I don’t know how true that is but I can definitely agree that it has some of the most beautiful and gracious ladies in the country! Once again, ajummas of Jinju, thank you so much for making my visit to Korea so memorable and heart-warming.

Sincerely,
An ajumma who visited Korea

One of the Top Three Pavilions in Korea

Jinjusanseong has a large pavilion which is supposed to be among the Top 3 on the list of beautiful pavilions to check out in the country. Chokseongnu is a big pavilion, that’s true. But to my untutored eye, it didn’t look aesthetically superior or inferior to other pavilions I’ve seen. However, the determination of the people to keep this cultural asset going as a symbol of the city is perhaps what makes it impressive. Built in 1241 during the Goryeo Dynasty, this pavilion has been repaired or rebuilt at least eight times.

Moreover, Chokseongnu has very decent views of the river and city. Perched on higher ground and overlooking the river, it served as a command post for generals on the lookout for the enemy during times of strife. In less turbulent times, groups of scholars studying ancient classics used the pavilion as an open-air study-room. In these more placid days, photographers, school groups and tourists are its regular visitors.

Source of photo: http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A38&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00008315&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=921&v_disp_type=4

Tomb of Noses - Roald Dahl would've loved this one!

Part 4 A GRIM & BIZARRE FOOTNOTE OF HISTORY

“It is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered his troops to kill Koreans and send their noses, packed in salt, back to him to prove that they were killed. Japanese soldiers frequently exaggerated their success in battle.

The Japanese started by first sending back severed heads but the heads were heavy and took up too much space, so it was changed to ears.

However, the Japanese troops began cutting off both ears to double their number of kills. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi realized this, he was forced to change the order from ears to noses…..According to one record, the Japanese sent back 6006 salted noses in 6 large jars….” Apparently, they were kept at the ‘Tomb of Noses’ at the Toyokuni Temple in Kyoto, Japan.
Source of extract: Jinju National Museum brochure

The Lonely Planet reports that in an effort to improve Korean-Japanese relations, the latter returned 20,000 noses to the former and the noses were buried again in a formal ceremony. That’s comforting to hear but could anyone please tell me where the noses are now buried in Korea?

Did the Japanese invade Korea for teabowls?

By the 16th century, the tea ceremony was already the rage in Japan and the Japanese were mad about tea-bowls imported from Korea. If you were a Japanese in those days, you could spend between 10,000 and 50,000 bags of rice to buy your own fiefdom or splurge on the latest Korean tea-bowls.

Small wonder that the Japanese thought it made more economic sense to Iaunch a war against its neighbour across the waters. Not only could they seize as many Korean teacups as they pleased, but they could also assure themselves of an endless supply by kidnapping Korea’s finest potters and taking them back to Japan.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the Japanese warlord who hatched the plan to invade Korea and it just so happened that he was the pupil of the great tea master, Sen No Rikyu. Unfortunately Sen No Rikyu had a falling-out with the warlord and committed hara-kiri before the Japanese invasion of Korea. Wonder what the tea master would’ve said if he had known of his student’s plans.

Source of pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bric_uk/407135262/

A Museum Dedicated to An Invasion?

Part 2 The Jinju National Museum

Source of photo: KNTO webpage

 Not surprisingly, a museum dedicated to the story of the 1592 invasion can be found on the grounds of this fortress. The Jinju National Museum (open all days except Mondays and New Year’s Day) should please those interested in history, particularly military history and, those who are not so fond of the subject but are blessed with imagination, may find themselves drawn to the different folding screens which portray the different battles and how the Korean fortress was besieged by the Japanese armies.

There are many other exhibits to engage the young and the young at heart; you can learn more about the the military campaigns through the audio-visual presentation; you can put on the fake gold crown and pose as royalty for the digicam; you can collect an ink stamp of the famous turtle ship ( geobukseon) invented by Admiral Yi shun-shin who defeated the Japanese at sea.

You could also take advantage of the free access to the Internet available in the museum gift shop to email an update of your travels to friends and family.

"The Most Beautiful City in Korea"

JINJU, Gyeong-sang-nam-do Part 1 “The most beautiful city in Korea!”

The tourist brochures proclaim JINJU to be “the most beautiful city in Korea” but I didn’t hear about that until I reached the place. Having seen it though, I would say that it is a pretty place. Part of its attractiveness is that it is built on a river, the Namgang, to be precise in this case. Its most attractive spot is the rebuilt fortress with its walls outlining the contours of a little hill overlooking the Namgang.

However, what makes Jinju special is its place in the national history. Its fortress at the northern end of the Namgang has many tales to tell of a terrible time when the Japanese invaded Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The Jinjusanseong ( Fortress) was the site of one of the main battles and it was here that about 70,000 Koreans died in defense of their country.

Walking around the grounds of the fortress in the spring of 2007, the spring flowers distracted me from the past. Creamy magnolias, yellow dogwood flowers, scarlet camellias, pots of decorative pansies and the occasional cherry blossom tree were all vying for the attention of my camera. It was peaceful and calm, particularly as it wasn’t the weekend and the spring weather was showing its sunnier side.

It was hard to imagine this was once the scene of some fierce battles which involved soldiers, civilians, and even monks who turned soldiers. Standing on the edge of the cliff near the Chokseongnu Pavilion and looking down into the calm waters of the Nam River lapping innocuously around the famed Uiam Rock, I struggled to picture how a Japanese army general could be hurtled to his watery death by a zealous kisaeng.

Photo source:http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/thumb/1/13/Jinju_Fortress_River_View.JPG/400px-Jinju_Fortress_River_View.JPG

Ssangyesa in Hadong - In Search of Peace and Bulil Pokpo

Don’t believe the travel brochures that claim you can enjoy a quiet walk along the Cherry Blossom Road in Hadong-gun. See previous posting.  Perhaps it’s only true if you were to take a walk late at night or very early in the morning when the springtime busloads of tourists are busy in the noraebang ( karaoke) or still asleep.

At other times of the day, you have to tune out the incessant honking of impatient drivers and the loud music blaring from street peddlers’ sound systems or the neighbouring norae-bang. You also have to jostle with hundreds of other pedestrians or side-step every now and then to avoid enthusiastic mothers with children posing for the cameras.

One way to escape from the noise is to drop by the nearby tea cultural centre, Cha- Mun-hwa Centre, an oasis of calm and tranquility. It's near the original site for the cultivation of green tea in the country. The exhibits lack explanations in English and the processing of tea leaves isn’t very exciting visually. Still, there's a variety of teapots and teacups on sale to admire.

Who knows? You may be even be offered a complimentary cup of green tea by the friendly sales staff. Consider it a bonus if the tea master is around to demonstrate for you the fine art of making tea, Korean-style.

 Who could resist adding a camellia to the others placed on the signpost?

Another way to avoid the crowds is to follow the trail behind Ssanggyesa ( 쌍계사 )  to the Bulil Waterfalls. ( 불일폭포)  It does mean also getting away from the cherry trees but then one can have a surfeit of blossoms. Then again, the walk is reward in itself because it's in one corner of the immense and impressive Jirisan National Park, the first to be established in South Korea

The 2.3 km walk isn’t too demanding, by my humble standards. Alas, autumn isn’t the best time to go hunting down waterfalls as it’s the dry season and the impressive torrents of summer shrivel up to a dull trickle. True enough, when I finally caught sight of the  the 63-m high and 3-m wide pokpo, it did  not seem to be at its best though one person at least has claimed that "the amount of water is constant throughout the year".

When it freezes up in winter, ice ridge climbers like to practise on these falls, located between Cheonghak Peak and Baekhak Peak, about 2 km east of Ssanggye-sa.

Here's the legend of Bulil Falls from the KBS World website:

"When the dragon that used to live in the pond under this falls swished its tail when it was flying up to heaven, Cheonghakbong and Baekhakbong were created and the mountain stream began to fall between the two peaks, forming a dynamic waterfall."
However, there’s a spectacular view from a tiny hermitage  near Bulil Falls to be enjoyed if you venture beyond the temple grounds. Check out the photos of "Bullil-am" ( 불일암 ) which means "Budhha Sun Hermitage", especially the pic of  the "antique wooden well" on this website. There's also a campsite nearby for those who want a little time-out in this corner of Jirisan; for more information, click here.

 Who knows how long it took this ancient pine to reach this height?

sources:

http://www.san-shin.net/Jiri-Ssanggye-Bulilam.html
http://english.knps.or.kr/Experience/Campsites/Default.aspx
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=827231&nearBy=site
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/231
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/images/skyongsang/Buil001.jpg
http://san-shin.net/Jiri-Ssanggye-04.html
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1252
http://londonkoreanlinks.net/2010/06/23/2010-travel-diary-19-hadong-the-home-of-korean-green-tea/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=733147

Best place to get stuck in a traffic jam in April?

Question: Where’s the best place to get stuck in a traffic jam in April?

 Traffic jam on provincial road - taken from a local bus from Hwagae bound for Ssang-gye-sa

Answer: The road between Hwagae-jang-teo ( Hwagae Marketplace) and Ssang-gye-sa (Temple) near Hadong in Gyeong-sang-nam-do.


The reason? See picture above.

Hadong-gun is situated in the south-western corner of Gyeongsamnamdo.

Marked on the maps as Provincial Road No. 1023, it’s also known as Hadong’s famous Cherry Blossom Road. This stretch of road which runs alongside a modest-sized stream is flanked by cherry trees which are more than 60 years old.

Tea bushes side by side cherry trees

Come springtime, this narrow 4-kilometer valley road is transformed into a tunnel of pale pink blossoms and crowds are drawn to its local festival. Don’t be surprised to find yourself in a bumper-to-bumper crawl between Hadong and Ssang-gyesa.

Spectacular sights like this attract hordes each spring

It is a test of patience for drivers tailing other cars or buses as they head towards the parking lots just outside the temple. However, cherry blossom enthusiasts who are lucky enough not to be behind any steering wheel can gawk to their hearts’ content. Traffic moves so slowly that you can still take pretty decent shots of the flowers from a moving vehicle.

Ssang-gye-sa: still peacedful despite the festival crowds

The ride on the local bus from the Hadong Bus Terminal to Ssang-gye-sa is usually about 40 minutes but when there’s a festival and the cherry blossoms have reached full bloom, you can expect the journey to take much longer.

If the sheer exuberance of the cherry trees isn’t enough to satisfy your appetite for nature’s charms, you can also feast your eyes on orchards graced with delicate pear blossoms or the sculptured beauty of old tea plantations.

Tea bush plantations hug the foothills of Jirisan

Here's additional info from the KNTO webpage:

The 'Simni Cherry Blossom Road' is a 6km road between Hwagae Traditional Market in Hadong-gun and Ssanggyesa Temple. Cherry trees over 60 years old are in full bloom along the winding path. The road is also called 'wedding path'--there is a tradition of couples walking down the path and taking a vow of matrimony.

After viewing cherry blossoms, you can also feel the ambience of a local traditional market at Hwagae Market. The authentic feature of Hwagae Market is almost gone now, but a traditional 5-day market is sometimes open. On the road from Hwagae to Ssanggyesa Temple are many traditional teahouses. The Hwagae Cherry Blossom Festival is held from April 4 to 6 every year at the terrace on Seomjingang River.

Transportation: Take a bus bound to Hwagae or Ssanggyesa Temple at Gurye Intercity Bus Terminal. During the cherry blossom festival, the bus between Hwagae and Ssanggyesa Temple may not be available. In this case, take the bus to Hwagae then walk to Ssanggyesa Temple.

sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadong
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_4_12_15_3.jsp
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=255639
http://eng.hadong.go.kr/main/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264125
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=700651