Korea: hiking in Songnisan National park, Beopjusa temple, Italian wine in Daejeon ( Day 23)

Thursday, 3 June 2015

This morning we left our hotel, the Good Morning residence Hue in Daejeon, to go for a hike in Mt Songnisan National park, which is about 1,5 hrs drive away from Daejeon.

entrance of the park

Mt. Songnisan National Park is comprised of Mt. Songnisan and the valleys of Hwayang, Seonyu, and Ssanggok. Situated in the middle of the Sobaeksanmaek Mountains. The sharp granite peaks of Mt. Songnisan and the deep valleys of sedimentary rocks are great. 

One of Korea's largest temples, Beopjusa, can also be found on Mt. Songnisan. Uisang indicates a sitting Buddha statue and Maaeyeoraeuisang describes the Buddha sitting on a lotus flower. The years have damaged the figure quite a bit, but it still maintains its original beauty. 

inside the temple

the enormous buddha statue

Visitors to the temple will witness the Cheongdongmireukbul, which is the largest Buddha statue in the world. To me it looked rather 'plastic fantastic' but I guess that's not sounding very devote. I personally loved the scenery with the bright coloured lantern. Couldn't stop making photos

Devote: the guy bottom right of the collage walked with us over the temple complex explaining how many times one had to bow for specific buddhas.

telecommunication pole (no Wifi for us though) 

We did a lovely hike into the forest, climbing the mountain: some pics

 

isolated monastry, which we passed during our hike; 

monks have to wash their clothes too 

 

enjoying a beer after the hike with the locals

After a shower, back in the hotel, we went to an 'Italian' restaurant, which looked very modern and posh, where we had pizza (more a sort of focaccia with toppings) and ordered a bottle of red Italian Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, which we cooled coz it was too warm.

Tomorrow we will return to Seoul. The end of our trip is coming near.

Korea: sandblasted, Fortress of Busosanseong, Daejeon (Day 22)

dried fish

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

We planned a relaxing morning reading on the beach of Daecheon, however, there was sooo much wind that I was sandblasted when trying to sit on the beach.

Photo made from our balcony at the 11th floor (no rescue rope here btw)

It can be very very busy here in summer.

Peter made this panorama pic standing on our balcony: notice the many rice fields that are soo near.

A collage of just a few of the many Motels around that promote their rooms. They don't look very appealing ...

Daecheon beach 

Along the way we stopped at a small harbour which was very photogenic,

Coz the beach was no option today we drove  earlier than planned to Buyeo, where we visited the Mountain Fortress of Busosanseong, the Baekje capital of the former Sabi kingdom. 

One shrine, Samchung-sa , is dedicated to three loyal Baekje court officials, including General Gyebaek. Despite being outnumbered, he led his army in a last stand against the final Shilla and Chinese onslaught in AD 660. The Baekje army dauntlessly repulsed four enemy attacks but were defeated in the fifth – the coup de grâce for the kingdom.
In response, it is said, on the northern side of the fortress 3000 court ladies threw themselves off a cliff into the river Baengmagang, rather than submit to the conquering armies. The rock where they jumped is now called Nakhwa-am , ‘falling flowers rock’, in their honour; it also offers the best view of the area.

The three men that are honoured 

Nakhwa-am, ‘falling flowers rock’

hunk

sooo many gorgeous Acer trees 

fun stuff at the entrance of the park

The Calve peanut butter quest initiated on the first day of our stay here in Korea by my Uniface colleagues Maarten & Bert: no luck at the Emart at Daejeon, where we stay in the Good Morning Residence Hue

how to cool a Heineken