To Olle OR Dulle?

This is a promise to myself. As soon as I can, I’ll head for the hills. In South Korea, that is. First, a quick own-up: I like walking but I’m not a great nor good walker. Still, I love the low humidity, the autumn colours and very accessible walking paths in the ROK. Question is: given the usual shortage of time and won, a hard choice is imminent. Do I do the Dulle or the Olle?

The Dulle Trail in Jirisan ( source: JoongAng Ilbo)

Been following Steve Oberhauser’s account of his marathon exploration of all the hiking trails in Jeju known as the Olle Trails ( link) in The Jeju Weekly. I’d like to follow some of his footsteps ( but definitely not his Spartan diet ) but for the moment, I’m still waiting for him to complete and evaluate all twenty-one trails on the island before deciding which one is safer, easier and still rewarding scenic-wise for this ajumma.

There’s another Dulle Trail on the mainland in Jirisan National Park that looks immediately promising –that’s the trail between Jucheon in Jeollabukdo and Sancheong in Jeollanamdo. While I’m not likely to complete the full 70-km course, it’s supposed to be “perfect for those who are looking for a relaxing walk rather than a steep mountain climb”

OR if I’m really strapped for time….

Bukhansan Dulle Trails

I could attempt a teeny section of the 44 km- Dulle Trail around Bukhansan near Seoul. Apparently it’s a wooden walkway that’s easy on the legs, knees and heart. But if I still feel as if the stretch is taking its toll on my never-been-in-decent-condition body, I can look forward to the 35 benches along this novice-friendly trail.

Smartphone owners are even more spoilt as apps on the Andriod platform are available for five trails out of the 13 Bukhansan Dullegil trails. You can get easy access to maps, side trails information and interesting explanations about highlights along the courses. The information is available in English, Korean and Japanese. Check out the official website of Korea National Park Organization (www.knps.or.kr) and Bukhansan Dullegil (http://ecotour.knps.or.kr/dulegil/index.asp).


But if you think all this is too lame for you, then check out the Haeparang Road, once it’s completed in 2014. This 688-km trail will stretch from Busan all the way up to Goseong’s Unification Observatory near the DMZ. A perhaps over-enthusiastic spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism even indicated to the press that the trail could even reach Russia’s Vladivostock in the future.


Sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2926536
http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100915000631
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/51299295  joey janzen olle_jeju1
http://android-apps.com/applications/travel-local/bukhansan-dulle-gil/
http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleList.html?sc_sub_section_code=S2N63
http://ecotour.knps.or.kr/dulegil/index_e.asp
http://eckorea.ecplaza.net/news/13/48405/seoul_to_create_a_200kilometer.html

Gochangeupseong Fortress: In the Footsteps of KBS's Hwang Jin-yi, Part 2

 The scene in which Ha Ji-won’s Hwangjinyi practises her dance before her first love, the impressionable and impetuous aristocrat ( played by Jang Geun-seuk) was shot at Gochang- eupseong.



See the last few minutes of this Youtube video from the KBS drama. 
Now I’ve been to other fortresses before in South Korea such as Nagan-eupseong, the fortress at Gongju and Hwaseong in Suwon, so what would make Historic Site No. 145 in Gochang-gun in North Jeolla Province (Jeollabuk-do) so special and worth visiting?

 Various sources suggest visitors take note of its distinctive round walls outside the fortress gates erected during the early Joseon Dynasty, a moat to discourage invaders and the absence of private dwellings ( unlike Naganeupseong, for instance) with only government buildings erected within its walls.

But I think what gives Gochang-eupseong its unique charm is its story of WOMEN POWER.

Professor Hur Kyoung-jin recounts a legend in the Spring 2005 edition of Koreana:
“At one time, two ramparts had to be built in the region at the same time, so men built one section at Seosan while women built another at Gochang. As an incentive, it had been decided that whichever town completed its walls first would be awarded a local magistracy…. However, since the men underrated the women, they would wile away the time in drink and merriment. In contrast, the women worked ceaselessly, hauling the stones and building the walls, without taking breaks. In the end, their steady efforts enabled the Gochang walls to be completed first. "

Dapseong Nori (walk around fortress) is held during the Gochang Moyang Fortress Festival 

( before or after September 9th in lunar calendar)

"To commemorate this legendary event, every year the women of Gochang walk all along the walls as part of a ‘wall-stamping’ festival. It is believed that anyone who walks the full length of the walls will be assured of good health and a long life. The effects are said to be especially beneficial if carried out during a leap year, when the gates to the afterworld would be open.”

A full circuit of these walls once is supposed to "prevent disease".

 Go round TWICE to enjoy a lifetime of good health AND

if you've the stamina to repeat the promenade for the THIRD time,

you've secured your ticket to heaven.

So if I manage to make my way to Gochang on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, I'd need to bear in mind a few things:

1. Find out from the KTO when AND WHERE exactly this picturesque ceremony takes place. One blogger was too late for the event and had to be content with the sideshows.  Must remember to ask for the specific gate where this annual parade begins and ends.

2. I must NOT expect dramatic sights of ladies in hanbok gracefully and stoically bearing big rocks above their heads. Apparently, custom only requires symbolic gestures and the modern-day ajumma need only carry a stone as big as her dainty fist.

3. It's a 10-min walk from Gochang Bus Terminal to get to  Gochangeupseong.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=658574
http://culture.gochang.go.kr/site_english/
http://culture.gochang.go.kr/site_english/festival/07-01.htm
http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvZxuVlq45Y
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/popup.asp?flag=view&article_id=5789&sword=gochangeupseong&volumn=19&no=1&lang=English

Jeonju Wish List - Jeonju Part 8

Here's my wish list for Jeonju if I get to revisit it!

a. Stay in  the Hanok Village for at least one night so I can do a leisurely, DIY walking tour of the place.
Didn't have enough time when I visited Jeonju back in 2003 with a tour group as we had spent almost the whole day at the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre. Here's a list within a list of places I'd like to check out in the Hanok Village which evolved as a kind of patriotic response to the Japanese occupation when the traditional Korean houses were in danger of being overwhelmed by Japanese style homes:

i. Gang Am Calligraphy Gallery - it' s hard to believe that this is the only calligraphy gallery in the country.My main interest here would be the paintings of  Dan Won also known as Kim Hong Do whose works were featured in the SBC TV drama, Painter of the Wind.


ii. The Jeonju Traditional Oriental Herb Culture Center, found on the Wooseok University campus. You may be able to get a traditional physician's analysis of your physical condition but I'm more intrigued by the prospect of  the Building Hanok Experience in the Outdoor Experience Yard ( do they really mean an honest-to-goodness hanok or just a miniature version?) if that's not possible, I'll settle for a herbal footbath.

iii.   Jeonju Traditional Hanji Center  & The Jeonju Craftworks Exhibition Hall - the Jeonju Hanok website mentions another activity which I'd love to do i.e.dyeing clothes using yellow soil water ( stupidly used to think they used persimmon juice!)

Where's the best bibimbap in town?

b. Sample all the best restaurants renowned for bibimbap and omogary

Omogary means earthernware pot and a delicious spicy seafood stew is usually served in it.

Jeonju's home to the Dano Festival as well as other festivals.

c. Visit the place during its various festivals such as the Film Festival and the Sori Festival.


d. Try making paper and admire the exhibits at the Paper Museum.

e. Hanbyukdang is a pavilion built in 1404 as the private cottage of Choi Dam, a high-ranking government official in the early Joseon Dynasty. It was built by breaking and sculpting a cliff on the skirts of Mt Seungam. People in old days called it “Han beok chung yun A” and regarded it as one of the finest eight sights to see in Jeonju. Hanbyeokdang is a pavilion with an octagonal roof, with 3 units in front and 2 units on the sides. It is located towards Namwon from Hanok village, and was built in 1404 (4th year of King Taejong) by Choi Dam. There is a cave underneath the Hanbyukdang, where there are still dome holes made by bombs during the Korean War.





sources:
http://hanok.jeonju.go.kr/FLSite/default.aspx

http://hanok.jeonju.go.kr/FLSite/ContentView.aspx?menuID=2&subID=7
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/noted_place/local/list.jsp
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/food/hanokmaeul.jsp
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/food/omogary.jsp
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/culture/festival/dano_arts_festival.jsp
http://www.sorifestival.com/

Drum Class, Jeonju Part 7

Found this youtube posting for a drumming class which is very similar to the session I attended at the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre.
Take my hat off to the citizens of Jeonju and whoever else funded this project so that foreign visitors could enjoy a truly memorable hands-on experience on the traditional drums.



source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rd3CYDZIf0

Connecting the Dots at the Confucian Academy - Jeonju, Part 6

There were two reasons I woke up early in the morning to look for the Confucian Academy ( Hanggyeo) in Jeonju when I travelled in a tour group to Korea in 2003.

First the Lonely Planet described two ginkgo trees which were over 400 years old on the grounds of this old school. Wasn't going to pass up on the chance to see what the four century old trees would look like.

Second, when I was in Jeju on my very first visit to Korea in 2002, I'd met some gentlemen from Jeonju at a Confucian academy. They had made a special trip to the island for a special ceremony related to their position as Confucian scholars and their friendliness in inviting my friend and I to observe their rites had created an impression.

So when the opportunity to visit Jeonju came up the following year, I couldn't resist the chance to connect the dots. Trouble was, it was very early in the morning, no-one was around and the gates were locked. Had to be satisfied with the very minor achievement of actually locating the place ( a stone's throw away from the Hanok Village and the Traditional Cultural Centre ).  The trees didn't look terribly ancient to my untutored eye - half expected to see stilts supporting the older branches but the twin trees seemed to be holding up pretty well ( if I saw the right ones!)

Here are some other interesting titbits which I found on a website on Jeonju:

1. Ginkgo trees, which don't easily fall prey to insects, have a special significance for Confucian scholars as they symbolise an upright moral character which cannot be corrupted.
2. There are five big and old ginkgo trees on the grounds of the Confucian School. The one in front of the West gate is over 400 years old.

3. The ginkgo tree on the right side of Daeseongjeon in the Confucian academy is regarded as a bisexual tree as "male turned into female to produce ginkgo”.
4. According to a local legend , you can pass your important exams if you make a wish in front of the 250-year old ginkgo taken in front of Ilwok Gate.

If you happen to be in Jeonju and if your timing and luck are better than mine, check out this place and say "Hi" to the gentlemen scholars and the ginkgo trees for me.

source:
http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264422&nearBy=tran
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/noted_place/local/view.jsp?idx=32&cpage=1&keycat=1&keycode=&keyword=
http://hsinhisn.pixnet.net/blog/post/23402611
http://hanok.jeonju.go.kr/FLSite/ContentView.aspx?menuID=3&subID=17

The Three Cs of Jeonju - Jeonju, Part 5

Those who've been to Singapore may have heard about the national 'concern' with the five Cs ( cash, credit card, condo, car and country club membership).  Jeonju has its own Cs - it has culture, cuisine and crafts and a great introduction to all three in one place is the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre which is part of the Hanok Village.

We were a bit puzzled when our tour bus stopped beside the nondescript building. What a stopover it turned out to be. Little did we know that this modest-looking centre contained a music theatre, a dining hall where visitors can experience hanjeongsik, kitchens where visitors can learn to cook Korean dishes, a civic education hall, a traditional wedding hall, a tea house and an open space for performances and outdoor games. We would pass through one hall to another, experiencing a wide variety of Korean culture in the space of a few hours.

 We were delighted to discover many of the experiences would be hands-on. First up in the kitchen, we donned aprons and started slicing and frying up our julienned carrots, mushrooms etc to assemble our own bibimbaps in the kitchens specially designed for cooking classes. The photo below was taken from another person's blog as the kitchen  and aprons look very similar to the ones we used.

Pic credit: http://hangooksummer.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

Making a good bibimbap is quite a bit of work. If you're truly fastidious, you'd julienne all the veggies into matchsticks of equal lengths and thicknesses. Next, you'd dutifully stir-fry each kind of veggie with just the right amount of sesame seed oil before assembling them oh-so-slowly, carefully and neatly in the ricebowl before serving it for your guest who will straightaway use the chopsticks to undo your painstaking, tidy arrangements unceremoniously in less than a minute.

Of course, my bibimbap didn't look as neat as the one above but I was  so eager to sample my creation, I forgot to take a pic. Later on, we were escorted into a spacious dining hall called Hanbyeongnu where an impressive banquet was waiting for us - it wasn't really hanjeongsik ( royal banquet) but you could've fooled me with the sizeable number of side dishes ( banchan) that we struggled to empty.

Next, we sat down for a short drumming class, using drums like the one below:

Imagine a bunch of tourists of different generations, from the five year old child to the seventy-plus grandma, all banging away in partial unison. Imagine, I mean, the sight and the sound. Not exactly a standard for Carnegie Hall but we all had great fun.

Later that night, we returned to the Traditional Cultural Centre for a pansori recital. It was in an intimate hall and we sat cross-legged on the floor for a riveting performance. I sat beside a  Korean teenager who was following the singing cum recitation with the entire script/ lyrics in her exercise book. Before we trooped out into the chilly autumn night, we passed by an exhibition displaying craft works using hanji (paper).

So anytime you wish to immerse yourself in an authentic Korean experience to enjoy its cuisine, culture and crafts, look no further than the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre near the Jeonju Hanok! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

For more on cultural experiences in Jeonju, click here.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=799726
http://www.koreanculture.org/bbs/skin/webzang_gallery_trn/show_pic.php?file=data/news/DSC_8759.jpg
http://www.korea.net/cheditor40_asp/cheditor/attach/200792817234622594.jpg
http://oaklandnorth.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/drumming31.jpg
http://www.chf.or.kr/chf/eng/facilities/jt/jt.jsp
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/event/korea_2009/sub01.htm

How To Look At A King - Jeonju, Part 4

Used to think that portraits weren’t as interesting as landscape paintings or sketches of folk scenes. But after watching the SBS drama, Painter of the Wind, I’m now more inclined to give this genre more than a cursory glance.  Pity that I hadn't seen the drama series before I visited Gyeonggijeon in Jeonju. I would've spent a more enriching time there if I had known the following earlier:

Royal portraits ( eojin or ojin) were particularly important during the Joseon Dynasty as it had embraced the Confucianist tradition of ancestral worship. The Joseon kings had their visages depicted in portraits as a way of representing their “aspirations for the perpetuation of their dynasty”. When ordinary citizens bowed before the portrait of the king, it was as good as pledging allegiance to him. That's why Yi Song-gye, a.k.a. King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, sought to validate his rise to power by a coup d’etat by commissioning no less than fourteen official portraits.

 Here's what I've gathered so far about the do's and don'ts of admiring portraits of the royalty in Korea.
 

1. DON'T march up to the shrine and hop over the low hurdle as if you're about to say Howdy to King Taejo. Instead, approach the shrine INDIRECTLY as a sign of respect. I guess eyeballing the royal portrait head-on  is a no-no as it can be interpreted as a sign of impertinence. That's why that low barricade is there in front of the entrance - to signal to visitors that they need to approach the portrait in an oblique fashion by using the side entrances.

2. Observe first the backdrop of the portrait. According to an article in the Spring 2006 edition of Koreana,  the "panels depicting the sun, moon and five peaks..( are) in accordance with the traditional practice.... In this way, the portrait of Taejo is being respected as if he were still the ruling sovereign". Strange thing is - I can't see any moon or mountains? We could be talking about different copies of portraits - the artists tended to make changes according to trends or personal preferences whenever they made reproductions so copies were never fully alike.

Also, the contrast between the simple lines of the figure and the details in the clothes, throne and carpet are intended to underscore the "authority and dignity of the king".

 

3. Note the position of the subject in the portrait. In most Joseon Dynasty portraits, the subject is seated at an angle but one has a straight-forward view of King Taejo. Some experts believe the perspective was meant to set him apart from the rest as the founder of the Joseon Dynasty.

4. Next, pay attention to the black headpiece perched on the head of the monarch. The ikseongwan has flaps sticking out from the back which symbolize a cicada's wings. Its "piercing sound is said to be expressive of sovereign dignity and its metamorphosis a symbol of rebirth".

5. Consider now the emperor's clothes...oops.. I mean, the king's clothes. He's decked out in blue ( "a carry-over influence of the Goryeo-style protraits") unlike late Joseon kings who preferred red.

6. Finally, take a close look at the face of King Taejo. Look out particularly for the mole above his right eyebrow. Portrait painters were careful to present unidealised faces of their sitters as the complexion reflected the personality of the subject. Verisimilitude of visage was so important to the Joseon kings that King Yongjo proclaimed that if a single strand of hair in the painting was different from the original, he would not consider that portrait to represent his ancestor.

So the scars, moles, pockmarks and other distinctive facial features had to be depicted as accurately as possible by the Joseon painters. Indeed, so faithful were they that Dr Lee Sung-nak was able to present a research paper, " An Analysis Of Skin Ailments Shown In The Portraits of the Chosun Dynasty"!

 Note: All quotes here are from Koreana, Spring 2006 edition.

Source:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/12/148_7813.html
http://www.clickkorea.org/arts/curator/file/2-2_Portraits%20of%20the%20Choson%20Dynasty.pdf
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/1992/1992_AUTUMN_E034.pdf

Gyeonggijeon - Jeonju, Part 3

Our tour guide in September, 2003 was most anxious that we didn't miss this site during our stop-over in Jeonju.  At that time I wasn't in the right frame of mind to appreciate why he was willing to pass up on Pungnammun. Instead he was determined  that we spent a good part of an hour listening attentively to the local guide explain, not very coherently or clearly, the significance of this place. After all, most tourists come to the country without the benefit of Korean History 101 so a crash course in the various dynasties is likely to give the average person mental indigestion. Which comes before which -  Baekje or Joseon or Shilla?

Gyeonggijeon Shrine -a stone's throw away from Jeondong Cathedral

So very often, visits to sites of historical importance end up being clashes between the desire and pride of the patriotic and earnest Koreans who want to share their past and the befuddled foreigners  in packaged tours who can barely recall which city they were in the day before. Ironically TV dramas may help boost interest especially if one can relate the 3D reality of a building or temple to an exciting dramatic moment featuring some dashing general or unenlightened monarch with some ambitious concubine or vengeful lady-in-waiting.

To be honest, what mildly impressed me about Gyeonggijeon when we went there was its general atmosphere of peace and quiet. We had just emerged from  the noise of traffic and crowds in the city centre to find ourselves in this unexpected haven of tranquillity.

Though the shrine was enclosed within low walls, there was still a sense of space with long paths leading up to the main buildings.

The fact that the place was built to hold important artefacts like the portrait of the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, the mortuary tablets for a royal couple, palanquins ( see pic below) and a stupa housing some royal's placenta ( or is it umbilical cord?  See pic above) barely registered.

It was only after watching the TV drama, Painter of the Wind  a few years after that tour, that I had a better appreciation and stronger interest in royal portraits. Sometimes one can be in the right place at the wrong time. We were also probably too late to see the local seniors have their daily meetings here to play Korean chess or simply chit-chat. So we had to make do with the silent company of these figures mounted on the walls.

sources:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264419

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/jeonju/gyeonggijeon_gallery.php?p=gyeonggijeon01.jpg

http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A35&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00002437&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=131&v_disp_type=4
http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/search_plaza_new/EMapResultView.jsp?VdkVgwKey=13,03390000,35&queryText=(v_esidocode=35%3Cand%3E%20v_elcto=11)&strGuCode=11&strSidoCode=35&requery=
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/2006/2006_SPRING_E048.pdf
http://www.worknplay.co.kr/entertain/travel_view.php?num=497

Pungnammun - Jeonju, Part 2

When you're on a packaged tour, you're at the mercy of the tour guide who wants to stick to the given itinerary. So,  when I was in Jeonju in 2003, I was dismayed to find that no time was given for even a quick peek at National Treasure No 308. Hence, this posting is to make up for what I missed in this city, the birthplace of the Joseon Dynasty.

Pungnammun,  the symbol for Jeonju,  can be found in the southern part of the city. It is the only remaining gate from the original four that were part of the city walls built during the Joseon Dynasty(1768).  Partially destroyed during the Japanese invasions (1592-1598), Pungnam- mun  ( gate)  was finally reconstructed in 1978.

Take time to admire the double pavilion structure with its eight-layered roof. There are four old pillars on the first floor which continue up as pillars for the second level. Apparently this is an unusual characteristic for Korean gate pavilions. Decorative carvings, such as the heads of dragons, here are typical of the late Joseon period.

Pungnammun may be even more attractive at night if you're lucky enough to see it lit up like this!

sources:

http://www.knto.or.kr/cms/resource/71/167071_image2_1.jpg
http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264412&nearBy=tran&

Picture of Summer for a Wintry Day - Deokjin Park, Jeonju Part 1

Got a little weary of the stark whiteness of winter pics so I've decided to post a summery pic instead. Actually as my postings for the next few days will feature Jeonju, this photo of Deokjin Park serves as a sneak preview into this city.

Unfortunately I visited Jeonju in the wrong season - it was too late in September to see the lotus blooms cover the pond. ( The best months are July and August.) So my own photos turned out to be pretty dull instead of pretty in pink.

Citizens of Jeonju have Park Gi-soon to thank for being able to enjoy Deokjin Park for free as this wealthy gentleman donated this private park to the city in 1929. Much earlier,  the pond used to be part of a swamp before it was coverted into a moat to defend a castle which once stood here.

Ajummas from around the country used to wash their hair or even bathe in the waters of Deokjin as part of the ancient annual rites when they prayed to the sea deity for good health. These days, things are less exciting - just tourist groups who may exclaim with disappointment when they realise they're in the right place at the wrong time.

sources:

http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsView.aspserial_no=20070702044&part=108&SearchDay=2007.07.03

http://www.knto.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=313019
http://www.igougo.com/journal-j12910-Jeonju-Where_Dynasties_Begin.html#ReviewID:1152391

Naejangsan "Revisited" In Winter

Promised someone that I'd post a pic of Naejangsan in winter so am glad to have found one. Here' s a pic of the entrance to the famous national park. Looks like a pretty white bower to stroll beneath while the snow's fresh and crunchy to the feet.

Pic credit:
Yonhap News

Footnotes for Naejangsan, Part 6

Here are some tips for visitors to Naejangsan National Park:

Naejangsan National Parks Visitors Centre above

 1. Check out the National Parks Visitor Centre ( not to be confused with the National Parks Information Centre) - tourists can make use of the free internet access to email friends and family about how their feet are killing them! For more info on getting there and staying there, click here.

Naejangsan National Parks Information Centre

 2. Get free map which shows topography of the park and information from the friendly staff at the NP Visitors Centre  here before setting off on your walk. I regret assuming that it was beyond my ability and fitness level to attempt to reach one of the lowest peaks here and denied myself the opportunity to brag about it to friends.

 Study the contours and gradients and check your feet before heading for the peaks and ridges.
3. Forget about looking for waterfalls in autumn/ fall. They're not terribly exciting as this is the dry spell. As a matter of fact, it can be so dry that the locals practise water rationing at times so check with the ajumma if before you take a shower in your yeogwan or minbak.

4. Check with the meteorological department - I was at NNP a few days before the autumn leaves were expected to turn 100% red and was lamenting that I only saw them at 60 % of their full maple glory. By a stroke of luck, I found myself back in Naejangsan a few days later, when they were supposed to reach the peak of their scarlet hues according to the autumn foliage schedule and guess what happens? It rains and pours and many of the poor dampong drop to the ground, limp and despondent.

source:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=808007
http://naejang.knps.or.kr/Naejangsan_eng/intro/facilities.html

Traipsing Noisily on the Bridge of Love - Naejangsan Part 5

The Bridge of Love ( Sarangui dari) isn't a bridge but actually a rocky stretch of the trail in Naejangsan National Park somewhere along the Wonjeokgol Nature  Interpretive Trail ( 3.6 km) between Naejangsan Visitors' Centre and Byeongnyeongam ( Pyokyonam). This part of the footpath is actually an example of talus or scree rock ( Again I wished I had paid more attention in geography class!) which is the "accumulation of broken rock on a steep mountainside".

credit: Rob Crawford - Example of talus outside Korea

Legend has it that your wish or dream can come true if you can walk along this bit without rattling the rocks.  Too bad I couldn't be bothered to tread lightly but traipsed along noisily and somewhat defiantly. There's an impressive example of ilex macropoda ( variety of holly) here for those interested in botany. If you're lucky and your timing's right, you may spot the bright red berries on its branches. Managed to spot some birds and a pretty green and white spider here.

Ilex macropoda - cousin of the Christmas holly

sources:

http://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/album7313.html

http://aoki2.si.gunma-u.ac.jp/BotanicalGarden/HTMLs/aohada.html

Some Zen-like Moments in a Pavilion, Naejangsan Part 4

After the cable car ride, I start on a trail which quickly becomes a steep climb ( by my humble standards). Fortunately, I'm wearing the right shoes this time and my walking stick is proving an indispensable companion. Reach Wonjokam ( Woljeogam) with an unexpectedly large but gaudy gold-flaked Buddha at the back of this hermitage.

credit: victorwkf

What really catches my eye is a stunning maple next to it.

The trail leads me next to Pyokyoam and here I spend a fair bit of time just soaking in the great views from the pavilion here. One side faces the peak and pavilion which I visited earlier in the morning by cable car. Another view presents the opportunity to admire at leisure its shades of red, gold, russet and green. Beyond that, there is a deep pond witha striking stone screen island. As one faces the main temple, the view beyond it is quite inspiring - a thin bamboo grove with granite stone screens of three peaks that resemble some Oriental screen.

Credit: victorwkf

On the left side of the hermitage, a stone staircase leading to goodness knows where is flanked by other pretty maples. The temple grounds also house a stupa with four lions ( relatively new-looking) and a stone lantern that reminds me of Hwaeomsa. I sit on a bamboo bed and keep altering my position so that I can enjoy the four contrasting views.

Others stop by to stretch their legs or lie down for 40 winks. At one point it gets quite crowded in the pavilion: a grand total of ten people including yours truly. But they speak in low tones so the peace is maintained. Very Zen-like. A dwarfish gentleman offers me half a zucchini which I save for a picnic lunch later. I leave this spot most reluctantly.

sources:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/39fed9/
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/39ff2c/