#bogyeongsa

[calochortus]

South Korea: Bogyeongsa by Doug Craig Travel Photography Via Flickr: A Buddhist temple near the city of Pohang. Quote Of The Day: "An election is nothing more than the advanced auction of stolen goods." (Ambrose Bierce)

[cherrybombloves]

Lizard lounging in the autumn sun with my Texan date for the day!! #lizardlounge #hike #bogyeongsa #autumn #korea #friends (at Bogyeoungsa)

[jessblogsaboutthings]

Wintertime

Since we came back from the Philippines, we have mostly been staying indoors and sitting on the warm ondol (floor heating system). However, this week we did venture out to the movie theater to see The Revenant which was fantastic. Our Korean friend Jun thinks David looks like Leonardo Decaprio haha. 

On Saturday we met up with some friends we haven’t seen all month. We played badminton for two hours straight which was a surprisingly good workout. Then we went to a fancy Korean buffet for dinner. My favorite food was probably the make your own bibimbap station. David really liked the sweet and sour fried mushrooms. After that we had a classic Korean evening of good conversation and norebang(like karaoke). Two of our friends spent their winter vacation in Singapore and Malaysia and it was awesome to hear about their experiences. 

Today, David and I went back to Bogyeongsa to hike all day. It’s a nearby mountain that is perfect for a day hike. The real selling point it the amazing traditional-style restaurants at the bottom of the mountain. We loved the winter scenery and were actually able to see a waterfall from a birds-eye view - it made a icy tunnel which the water flowed through. 

[jessblogsaboutthings]

Bogyeongsa Temple

Today David and I woke up and caught the bus to Bogyeongsa Temple. It is a beautiful Buddhist temple surrounded by pine forested mountains and 12 notable waterfalls. It was built in 602 during the Silla Period, and even though it has been repainted and restored, it still retains its original beauty. Even more breathtaking than the temple complex is the natural scenery itself. 

Upon arriving to the mountain, we began our hike right away. We passed many of the waterfalls and spent time just breathing in the cold, clean air. People around the temple were particularly kind and generous and it put us in a great mood. A man even offered to take our picture for us in front of the temple gate. 

After hiking to the end, David saw a little wooden gazebo way up on the top of a steep cliff, and we decided to find a way up to it. We found a set of over a thousand steps winding their way up to this little hidden gem. I wish we could’ve stayed at the top for hours, but we made our way back to the temple at the beginning as it began to get dark. At the bottom we found a traditional restaurant with a warm wood stove and had a feast of pajeon (vegetable and squid pancakes), pumpkin pajeon, jellied acorn salad with sesame and chili flakes, and some magkeoli (traditional rice wine), After our meal the server brought us fresh persimmons and two small sweet potatoes he’d roasted on top of the wood stove. It was the perfect end to a perfect hike. 

[yesterdaysheadlines]

112. More Fall Hiking: Bogyeongsa

A regular week of teaching passes quickly into the dustbins of history.  Friday, October 17, I take the regular trip to Pohang to see Candiss.  

Crossing the street just outside the Dongdaegu Train Station, on my way to the bus terminal.

Dinner is a burger and some wine at the Bistro, a quality western restaurant.  Drinks at Jack Stone follow (as well as me getting my mind completely blown by a card trick shown to me by the bar owner).

My date.  :-)

Saturday morning comes tragically early, but worth every hour of sleep I don't get.  Candiss and I first scramble to catch a city bus out of town to do some fall hiking.  Our options for bus times are limited, so 9:30 it is.  Not a big deal, we figure.  We'll be able to sit and relax.

Wrong.

The bus ride is sixty full minutes of agonizingly hot congestion with no elbow room, the stops-and-starts of a meth head in a traffic jam, and winding turns threatening to hurl passengers to the floor.  All amplified by that extra shot at the bar the night before.

"Packt Like Sardines In A Crusht Tin Bus."

Finally we arrive at Bogyeongsa, a temple known for its twelve waterfalls that pepper the main hiking trail.  One by one, we pass them, stopping to take pictures along the way.

The walk up to the mountain.

Apparently, the area is known for its pumpkins...

...and its distinctly shaped wine bottles.

Vendors that line the road.

A rough map of the waterfalls.

And even with the directions, I'm pretty sure still we missed a few (but after a while they all start to look equally beautiful, so it really wasn't a problem.)

After we made it to one of the waterfalls.

Another one of the waterfalls.

Candiss and me after reaching a small, out of the way hermitage. 

A stone Buddha statue at the hermitage.

Looking out over the river.

Looking away from the river.  Just before we reached this rock platform, we passed a family sitting down for lunch: a man, a woman, and school-aged girls.  The dad kept insisting that the daughter try to speak to us in English, and the poor girl just kind of clammed up having been put on the spot.

One more waterfall.

And a temple at the bottom of the mountain.

Grabbing a bite to eat just before SPRINTING back down the hill to catch the return bus.

Sunday wraps up with jamming with a few buddies who have asked me to play some songs with them for their upcoming Halloween shows in Pohang and Daegu.

[back2korea]

Pour une vue à 180 degrés cliquez sur le titre du post.

[back2korea]

Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

Un petit clic pour un panorama à 360 à Bogyeongsa.

[back2korea]

Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

Un petit clic pour un panorama à 180 à Bogyeongsa.