Around Korea By Bus In Two Weeks, Part 1

Here's how I spent two weeks in Korea chasing the fall foliage way back in 2005. Hopefully this will be useful to  independent travellers when they plan their own trips to catch the autumn leaves this year. By no means am I suggesting that the leaves will be in the same condition around those dates - you need to check the latest fall foliage schedule for that!

For more information on buses, click here.

21 Oct - Friday
Bought and boarded from outside the Incheon International Airport, a direct bus to Daejeon. Be careful not to buy the more expensive deluxe bus as the ordinary bus is sufficiently comfortable. BTW, Daejeon is quite attractive with its gingko-tree-lined avenues and promising sculptures in the public parks. Nice to see the leaves of the gingko trees have turned yellow already.

Had a smooth changeover at the bus terminal at Daejeon and got on another bus bound for Gongju.
Found a yeogwan  or inn near the marketplace; most stalls were closed already but still some were still selling enticing piles of recently harvested mushrooms, persimmons and mandarin oranges.  Eateries within the market are usually open till the evening so I could enjoy my first meal of jjajangmyeon in a sikdang within the market.


22 Oct – Saturday
Caught  bus No 2 to Gapsa from the Gongju bus terminal near the marketplace. Too early for autumn foliage here but the rice fields are already golden and ready for harvesting.

Witnessed part of the celebrations for one of Gapsa’s patron monks were underway.

Short walk to waterfall.

Returned to Gongju to ask about Sunday city tour at the Tourist Information Centre. Staff there kindly let me join tour though I hadn’t made a booking. Stumbled upon the city mascot, i.e. a sculpture of bear beyond the TIC.

23 Oct – Sunday
Joined the free Gongju City Tour. It was conducted in Korean only though the tour guide was able to give me very brief commentaries in English.

Morning stops  of this tour included the Songsan-ri Tombs and the Gongju National Museum; admission to the latter was at an incredible deal of 400 won per person. Great weather - blue skies, sunny but cool.  In the afternoon, the bus crossed river towards Gyeryeongsan Pottery Village – Natural History Museum was the last stop.

Remember: advance bookings are strongly recommended. Note - on other days, the tour may cover places like the Pansori Centre and the Folk Museum. Unfortunately the guard changing ceremony at the fortress is not conducted in late autumn and winter.


24 Oct – Monday
Did a morning exploration of Gong-sanseong ( Fortress) near TIC before I boarded the bus for Daejeon Bus Terminal and changed to a bus for Andong. Met the head and host of Jirye Art Village in Andong.  He took all his guests to view  the  house of Yi clan in Andong and also its brick pagoda  before we were driven to JAV.

Passed orchards full of trees laden with apples. Trees with quinces and persimmons on the grounds of the JAV. Enjoyed great dinner and evening entertainment before turning in for the night in ondol-heated rooms. Beautiful starry night with crisp evening air.

25 Oct – Tuesday
Full day tour of Andong by car driven by the host of JAV. Visited Confucian Academy,  Hahoe Village, Mask Museum ( 1500 won) and a Hanji factory; 2nd night at JAV.

Red ivy on walls complimented red doors of the traditional school, while the gold of the gingko trees in Hahoe was impressive.

Eulalia waved gracefully on the banks of the river hugging Hahoe  village. 

Although it was cold, I opted for a naengmyeon lunch and though the taste was refreshing, I regretted not ordering a warm bowl of kimchi stew instead.


26 Oct – Wednesday
Got a ride from my JAV hostess to bus-stop bound for Juwangsan National Park; 20,000 won minbak opposite bus terminal and TIC; bus and then 45 minute walk to Jusanji ( pond); stunning views of autumnal tints of trees on the banks of the pond reflected in the waters.

Had to  hitch a ride back;  spent rest of evening gawking at the season’s goodies on sale outside shops leading up to park entrance – red bean in fish-shaped cakes, roasted chestnuts and eomuk. Grandmas were selling wild herbs, roasted rice or barley, dried persimmons at roadside stalls.

27 Oct – Thursday
Great walks at Juwangsan Park. As the morning mists lifted, the array of rock formations played with my imagination.

Unfortunately autumn isn't the season to appreciate waterfalls - while Juwangsan has more than its fair share of pokpos, the volume of water by this time had been reduced to undramatic proportions

But the beautiful autumn scenery in Juwangsan was ample compensation. Saw two ajummas enjoying a plate of acorn jelly while I was digging into my kalguksu after a long morning's walk.

28 Oct – Friday ( another full day of travelling)
Bought my bus ticket at the automated machine at the Juwangsan bus terminal for Daegu. Hopped onto a taxi to change from one bus terminal in Daegu to another on the other side of the city to get to Suncheon, thanks to a tip from a friendly bus driver.

Hahoe Mask Museum – Andong Part 5

Autumn or fall is usually a great time to visit SK as there are many festivals celebrated in the harvest season. Unfortunately that’s not turning out to be the case this year. Call them party poopers or responsible leaders but the Korean officials or organizers don’t seem to be taking any chances and have been cancelling festivals, no thanks to the H1N1 scare. The latest victim of this trend in 2009 is the International Mask Dance Festival which Andong hosts each October.

The people of Hahoe are probably the most disappointed as their village is home to Major Intangible Cultural Asset No. 69: Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori ( masked play). It has many functions: to entertain, appease the gods, pray for good harvests, exorcise evil spirits and to mock corrupt officials. Even if there aren’t many tourists to entertain this time, perhaps the masked performers could still perform the talnori to pray that the H1N1 scare will die down rapidly. Or it could satirize the tug of war between KNTO whose efforts to draw more tourists to Korea have been frustrated by the government which has been cancelling one festival after another.

If you’re determined to visit Andong this fall, you can find some consolation in the the Hahoe Mask Museum ( Hahoe-domg Tal). Its quite comprehensive collection has masks from around the world include fierce visages from Papua New Guinea, earthy ones from the African continent and ornately decorated ones from Venice. At least you can see here the wide range of Korean masks used in their folk dances and drama. You can also buy reproductions of masks at the museum gift shop. More explanatory notes in English would’ve been good but I guess the curators preferred to let the masks do the talking.

Source: KNTO webpage http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/GK/cms_list_3157.jsp?cid=682664

Fun & Games at Hahoe Maeul, Andong – Part 4

A dramatic avenue flanked on both sides by tall ginkgo trees leads from the parking lot to the village. There are more ginkgo trees with impressive heights within the village and in autumn they are a splendid sight. More busy taking photos of these than of the houses or other attractions in the village.

However, can’t resist taking a few shots at the Minsok-nori Park which has the highest swing I’ve ever seen. Certainly not something for toddlers and even high enough to give some ajummas vertigo.

Traditional games in Korea seem to favour the bold and the athletic. Even the see-saw here seems to be more a game for adults.

On the side facing the Buyongdae cliff, there’s a lovely stretch of sandy beach with a thin strip of pine trees as wind-breaker. There’s a special tradition called “Seonyu julbulnori” held every October here. A long knotted rope is hung across the river between the cliff and the beach and at intervals, some spectacular fireworks within each knot are ignited. At least, that’s what I think the notes in my tourist brochure means. Here’s the verbatim extract:

“It is a fire game to explode the fire at every knot. When fire knot in between Mansongjeong and Buyongdae in Hahoe maeul across the river is tied and lit, fire is exploded at every knot and fire on knots fall down and is co-ordinated with egg fire that creates magnificent view.” Go figure.

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-lB-0fFyto