Hiking in Jirisan - Dullegil #3

Korea is blessed with many beautiful mountains. Among those mountains, Jirisan is known as the mountain to conquer if you're a serious mountaineer. The mountain is an enormous organism of hills and valleys, with fantastic views from all angles.

I had a go around Jirisan last winter; not proper mountain climbing, but just a simple hike. The Jirisan Dullegils (지리산 둘레길, "paths that follow the circumference of Jirisan") are mountain trails for simple hiking, where no extra hiking gear is needed. It's great for beginners.

There are four different trails to follow. Each trail takes several hours to track, from a 4 hour trail to an 8 hour trail. You can also just walk around a portion of each trail, as there are other paths that lead out to main roads along the way. The Dullegil trails are actually paths that lead to and from the villages on the mountain unlike the other "serious" remote mountain trails of Jirisan, so it's unlikely that you'd get lost.

The trail I took was Trail #3, the one that starts from the village of Maedong (매동마을).

Start this way! A sign introduces you to the village.

Helpful map shows where you would be going.

To the left is the mineral spring, to the right you will find several village houses for lodging.

The trail is marked with red arrows on posts. I took my Mini Kuma to accompany me.

Close-up!

The trail starts out flat and not too hilly.

Most Korean mountains are full with pine trees. I love their scent, all seasons of the year.

And then you have wild reeds blowing in the breeze.

A reservoir pond lies in the middle of empty rice paddies.

The paddies are set up on a series of ledges being on a slope.

I didn't, no, actually I couldn't take any photos on the hilly part of the trail.

The scenery was beautiful there;

we were completely enclosed in pines with bits of sky peeking through the branches.

However, I was too busy trying to catch up with the rest of the group, huffing and puffing.

I learned that severe lack of exercise will make a simple hike like this horribly difficult.

I caught my breath when the trail flattened out again and started taking photos.

My friend took a photo of me taking a photo.

This was the one I took.

Another view of the bleak empty rice paddies and the village in the valley.

This place would be beautiful in the summer and autumn, I think.

Took a self portrait in the circle road mirror alongside a field.

The sun was setting as we headed to the main road.

This old tree was simply breathtaking, the photo doesn't do it justice.



Jirisan National Park website (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
http://jiri.knps.or.kr/

Rock islands in the south sea - Haegeumgang

Down south of the Korean peninsula lies emerald waters adorned with weather-worn islands of rock cliffs and pine trees. This natural spectacular wonder is familiarly called the Hallyeosudo (한려수도), i.e. the Hallyeo Waterways, and formally Hallyeohaesang National Park.

As 2010 was drawing to a close, I made a trip to breathe in the cold winter sea and reflect on the passing year.

(Click on picture for bigger view)

Haegeumgang (해금강, 海金剛) is a series of rock islands in the seas of Geoje. Although it can be confused as a 'gang' (강, river) with the name Haegeum, it's actually named after the breathtakingly beautiful Geumgang mountains. The 'hae' (sea) indicates that the islands are the marine version of their counterparts on land. If you're Korean, the Geumgang mountains are always hailed as one of those places you have to see before you die, but since the mountains are in the North with ever-changing tourism policies, Haegeumgang may be the nearest thing that you'll be able to see.

In order to reach the islands, you go by ferry. The ferries leave from a port that is shared with village fishing boats.

You buy the tickets from the cozy ticket office. I love the atmosphere of these places - so friendly and homey.

Our boat was called "Sea Travel 2". A truly no frill name...

...but with a frilly inside. To the left of the captain (who was very, very loquacious) was an assortment of snacks, disposable cameras, water and other goods which he kept hawking over the loudspeaker. I wondered if captains on the other ferries were doing as hilarious and an ineffective job as he was.

People were allowed on the side deck to take photographs. The deck was so narrow that we were standing single file, but I managed to place my skinny behind on the ledge and hold on to the barrier while shooting.

The boat ride and entry to the famous cave inside the rock island:

Close to the ferry port is a rocky cliff where you can climb and view the waves, called Shinsundae (신선대), "the place where gods dwell".

I took my mini Kuma on this trip. People were on the beach collecting seashells for souvenirs.

The sun was just setting. Probably my favorite time of the day.

Official site for Korea National Parks

http://english.knps.or.kr/

Walk in Olympic Park

There are tons of places in Seoul that I've never been to. It's just that you rarely get to play tourist in your hometown; landmarks are sometimes too familiar that they blend into the background, and unless there's a special occasion or event that brings you there, you don't find particular reason to venture outside of your regular stomping grounds.

I think I went to Olympic Park during the '88 Olympics or in the early '90s, can't remember which. Anyhow, it had been well over a decade so I decided to take some photos this time. It was amazing how little I remembered about the place - the area had been developed far more than I had thought. Didn't have time to venture throughout the whole park, the following is just a teeny section.

The easiest way to get to the park is by metro. A big happy sky greets you when you walk out of Mongchontoseong station (Line 8).

Multicolor mosaic-decorated World Peace Gate greets you as you walk in.

The park's entry is lined with interesting streetlights.

Took a stroll around the central area:

The "hourglass" sculpture surrounded by flags. (Can't help thinking of it that way, despite my learning of its proper name.)

Closeup of the basin of the sculpture. Many countries participated in the effort.

Steps lead down to another area in the back from the flags, where an artificial pond awaits. It was rather large; "dancing water" fountain shows take place there.

Very few benches and places to sit in the central area that weren't being bathed in sunlight. Very little shade. However, a quick walk to the other side proved that there was plenty of shade to be had. Playground:

Information pamphlets available at a guard's booth. The brown paper bag is a doggy litter bag. It is illegal not to clean up after your dog; you get a hefty fine if you don't.

The 'be aware of safety' sign that I mentioned in the clip? It's because the central plaza is popular for rollerbladers and cyclists. There are arrow signs placed here and there showing the circling direction.

A hardcore rollerblading family was there. The daughter was exhausted, the mom had to keep on pushing her and matching her pace, but the dad and son were whizzing around like mad. Watching them stressed me out, because it looked more like training and not a simple pasttime. Koreans take their hobbies so darn seriously.

Olympic Park

http://www.kspo.or.kr/ (Korean)
http://www.sosfo.or.kr/english/park/index.asp (English, Japanese, Chinese)

Seonyudo Park - bits of nature with lots of flowers

Before the summer heat descended upon the peninsula, I took a trip to Seonyudo Park on a cloudy day. Seonyudo Park is an island on the Han River; it used to be the site for water purification plants but was closed down in 2000, and Seoul city renovated the island into an ecological park and reopened the area in 2002.

The entryway from the bus stop is on a low slope.

Entry. Being a public park, there is no entrance fee. They control the number of visitors so the park won't groan and moan from overpopulation. It was a weekday when I went (the perks of freelancing) so I was number 242. Weekends are obviously more crowded.

Things you shouldn't do in the park. The hefty fines were actually listed on this sign, the most serious offenses being: damaging and hurting trees; camping, cooking, building fires; cultivating the land for farming (this made me laugh, it's so Korean - people would farm on any open land possible); hurting or hunting the wildlife that lives on the island.

Of course, smoking is prohibited.

Tall young trees create a sound barrier against the city hum.

Thicker foliage would come with age.

Paths to walk on hand in hand.

A particular characteristic about Korean parks, most of the time you're not allowed to step on the grass. I've been told by botany experts that it's because the type of grass that is grown here is different from that in America or Europe, it's so fragile that it dies very easily. Perhaps the foreign types don't grow well on the soil but it's such a pity that you can't just plop yourself down on the lawn somewhere.

Apparently in Seonyudo the grass is let open periodically; this sign declares that it is currently the "rest period".

There's a deck on the west side of the park, where you can overlook the Han River.

The opposite side of the deck with the footbridge, seen from afar. And a clip of my trying to explain this side, quite badly.

There's also a pavilion to lounge and natter on, if you can manage to find space among all the halmonis (grandmas) and harabeojis (grandpas) who are holding court.

There's a cafe which I didn't bother to go into because I found the prices a bit high. (Maybe worth shilling out if you're on a date in the evening.) I was content to sit on a bench with my vending machine drink and some gimbap.

The park is in divisions, this is the flower gardens with daffodils in the forefront. I know that there must be Korean poetry with daffodils as its theme, but I can't help but think of Wordsworth every time I see them.

I took pictures of my Blythe amongst them. (More pics at my doll blog.)

Across the daffodils are water lilies. Many many water lilies.

The gardens are surrounded by walkways and steps.

There are a variety of flowers in all corners of the park.

A small playground and amphitheater are in the middle of the park; great places to play for frogs and kids. (More Wanda Frog pics)

Seonyudo Park (선유도 공원)
Metro line 9, Seonyudo station exit #2 (have to walk a bit, I recommend buses)

Bus lines that stop in front of park gate
From metro line 2 Dangsan station exit #1 : 760, 5714
From metro line 9 Dangsan station exit #13 : 5714
From metro line 2 & 6 Hapjeong station exit #9 : 5714, 7612, 760, 630

Homepage (Korean only)
http://hangang.seoul.go.kr/park_soenyoo/index.html