Gwangju Day 1

I had hoped to visit the Byeonsanbando National Park on the Sunday but I've come down with a head cold and the medication I bought makes me feel woozy. It would have meant spending 4 hours in buses there and back so I postpone it.

So Sunday is a rest day. On Monday I take the bus to Gwangju, which is 90 minutes south of Jeonju. On arrival I notice that the Gwangju bus station is much more modern than Jeonju's. I also buy a ticket for my next destination (Wando) before exiting to the taxi rank.

Once again the taxi driver can't make head nor tail of the address. He does have a GPS, so I dig up the phone number of my hotel and we're finally on our way. I'm staying at the ACC Design Hotel not far from the Asian Culture Complex (hence the ACC). Gwangju is making a real push to further the arts. I'm able to check in straight away, even though I'm early.

After settling in and eating some lunch, I look at how I'll spend the afternoon. Gwangju is most famous for the Mudeungsan National Park, and bus #09 will take me there.

It's a warm day in the city, 29 degrees or thereabouts. However the weather is more moderate in the national park. All photos were taken here. As it turns out, quite a few different bus lines terminate here so the park is easily accessible by public transport.

There are plenty of people around, but it is the end of the holidays. There are streams that flow through the park, so the sound of running water is continual. I find it very soothing and a welcome distraction from my travels.Read more