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  • Tim In Japan
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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    First park animal hedges
    First park animal hedgesFirst park, not sure what this symbolizes2Second park artworkSecond park artworkSecond park war memorial

    Suwon parks

    4 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    I'm staying at the Hotel Bon, which is a curious combination of 1950s furniture and state of the art furniture. There is one (Korean language) remote control, to work the lights, A/C and TV. No light switches except for the bathroom. The key is also from the 1950s, being pretty chunky, but has a chip in it meaning it has to be inserted into a controller (like modern hotel cards).

    Anyway it all gets sorted out and I head out for an afternoon stroll. There are 2 parks close by that I pass through. The first (northern) park is a family park that is well patronized (being Chuseok) and has some outdoor gym equipment. Even chin up bars, one which I use. The first 3 photos come from this park, I found the animal hedges cute.

    The second park houses an Arts complex including an outdoor stage. It is a more "artsy" park, as shown by the last 3 photos.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    Hwaseong Hanggung Palace complex
    Mirohanjeong (I have a reservation)Paldalmun (South Gate)Suwon view from walk up to the fortressThe bell of Hyowon1The long walk down ...

    Hwaseong in Suwon

    5 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Suwon is most famous for its World Heritage listed fortress wall. While it's no Dubrovnik, it is in good condition and its elevated position affords special views of Suwon on a fine day, as today is fortuitously.

    I took 30 photos (that's a lot for me), then whittled these down to 12 (sorry, selfie-lovers, my selfies didn't make the cut). So it was hard to choose just 6 to post.

    I started out catching a bus and alighted once I saw the Padalmun gate. It's in the middle of a large roundabout. I firstly went through the Hanggeung Palace complex, built for King Jeongjo in the late 18th century (thanks, Lonely Planet).

    After this I backtrack to the Padalmun gate and walk up many, many stairs to the top. It's worth it though, as the views of Suwon are magnificent. The fortress walls and watchtower are in excellent condition, I highly recommend this activity to all travellers.

    After all this, I trudge to the train station to buy a ticket to Jeonju. I want to take the 12:02 service there tomorrow, which gets in a bit before 3. I'm told that only standing tickets are available, the first service with seats is at 3:30 pm. This is the big mistake I alluded to previously. I should have bought the ticket on arrival at Suwon previously. Travelling during Chuseok 😓. So I buy a standing ticket for the 12:02 service.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    1My digs
    1Provided gratis by the hotelIn the general vicinityIn the general vicinity

    The Hotel Box, Jeonju

    6 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Leaving Suwon, it takes me an age to transfer between the subway and main train station. I sit on my luggage near the ticket office, watching the departures board. As it's not quite 11:30, my 12:02 service doesn't show up for some time. When it does, it shows Track 5, which is where I head.

    My ticket is for car #6 and, like Japan, there are indicators on the platform for each car. There's barely anyone around the area for car #6, so I'm able to sit. After a couple of trains pass by I realize that, not like Japan, car #6 of these trains is back towards the middle of the platform. With a couple of minutes to go I move back to the middle of the platform

    Sure enough, my train arrives and car #6 is not far from where I am now. On board, a man is standing in an area that would make perfect storage for my megaluggage. He magnanimously gives up the space to me. This allows to sit on my luggage for much of the time, so it works out OK.

    On arrival at Jeonju, I join the taxi line outside the station and catch one within 10 minutes. This is the beginning of a new recurring theme where taxi drivers have NO FRIGGING IDEA WHERE MY HOTEL IS. This guy doesn't have a GPS so we resort to Google Maps. It turns out OK, eventually 😡

    So it looks like my hotel is in the middle of what passes for Jeonju's red light district. I present photographic evidence. Panther condoms, "Love Gel" wtf. Anyway it's not exactly the Reeperbahn 😉

    Not a lot of English spoken at the hotel, but they do my laundry for free which is great. I have a black garbage bag for dirty clothes, so when my laundry was returned in a clear plastic bag I asked them (via Google Translate) to find my black bag. Some time later my room phone rings - "black bag, black bag" on the other end, so I head downstairs and trade bags 😄     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    Jeondong Catholic Church
    Statue outside the churchOngoing service inside the church1What my dad never did for us when we were youngJeonju Hanok Mauel - yes, more hanbokMen in traditional clothes - it's a Chuseok thing

    Jeonju Day 2

    7 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    It's Saturday, so you know what that means - yep, thousands of people out and about. Jeonju has a population of around 650,000 people. Its public transport consists of an aging bus fleet and taxis - no subway. Consequently the city's main roads are clogged on Saturdays, requiring the police to bring some order to what is chaotic.

    There's a traditional village (or mauel) in the middle of the city that I want to look at. So I take the bus and find what looks to be 90% of Jeonju's population had a similar idea.

    Next to the village is Jeondong Catholic Church. Catholicism has had a troubled past in Korea with martyrdoms during the Joseon dynasty. In tribute, French priests arranged for the construction of this church a little over 100 years ago. There's a service going on when I look inside, I took a photo (discreetly).

    In the village itself there are many street stalls selling food, beverages and ice cream. Lots of hanbok and men's traditional clothing in view, apparently the thing to do during Chuseok.

    I walk through the Wine Museum. Disappointingly it has no English descriptions of its displays (most museums here do) so I spend less time than I woud like. It's possible to buy product here as well, but what are you buying?     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    1Park entrance
    A shrine inside the park2 of 4 characters inside the shrine

    Gwangju Day 1

    9 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    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.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea

    Jaywalking in South Korea

    9 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Those of you that know me well know that I've practiced the art of jaywalking for over 35 years. It's a sign of impatience as there usually isn't a long delay between "walk" signals in Brisbane.

    In Japan and the ROK though ... generations of mayflies are born, breed and die between "walk" signals, I hum the complete "Atom Heart Mother" and feel my life ebbing away 🤔. Many motorists turn off their engines at red light in Japan. As Japan is a constrained society I feel the judgement of the complete population if I should jaywalk. The ROK is less constrained though ...

    I watched some young apprentices weaving their way through cars at a red light. Care needs to be taken though, as not only do they drive on the RHS of the road, but it is legal to turn right on a red light. I try to avoid jaywalking near corners so as to take turning cars out of play. So far, so good. One sprint for my life to avoid a taxi that pulled away from the kerb 😲 but that's it. Even jaywalked a 6 lane road the other night (it had a median strip though).

    So what other ambitions are left for this not-so-ancient art? Of course the Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires presents a big challenge. It has 3 separate pedestrian sections and is the widest avenue in the world. I have been to BA twice but never conquered this challenge.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    On the way up (long way to go)
    Seeking divine guidance1My lunch benchAt Jungmeorijae PassView of Gwangju from Jungmeorijae PassAt Jangbuljae Pass

    Mudeungsan National Park

    10 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Having enjoyed a taste of Mudeungsan National Park yesterday, I've come back today to do a full hike. As I walk into the park I pass Tourist Information, where a couple of gents who work there are sitting outside with clipboards. I am asked to fill in some profile information. No problem, don't even lie about my age group.

    It's much more humid in the park this morning than when I came yesterday. It seems like many people have already finished their hike at this time, early risers. There are quite a few shops and accommodation at the front of the park. I wandered around some of these before starting the hike.

    There are several trails that I'm interested in, but given my head cold I don't want to overdo it. I take the Jungmeorijae Pass trail, which will take me to Saeinbong peak (617 metres). I sweat profusely on the climb up, I much prefer hiking on cool or cold days.

    At the peak there is a rock showing the height. Great views of Gwangju to the east. It's another kilometre to Jungbong peak, and it is more difficult, so I abandon that trail after 15 minutes or so.

    Instead I take the trail for Jangbuljae Pass, which is at 919 metres. When I get there I find there are no views as what looks to be smog obscures most of Gwangju. What's worse is that there is no quick trail leading down so I have to backtrack the whole way back to the park entrance.

    By this time my cotton shorts are soaked in sweat. It's not a good look, considering every Korean hiker wears a "uniform" of dark nylon trekking trousers. I should have worn my board shorts! My hiking trousers would be too hot on a day like this.

    Usually there is a bit of a wait at the bus stop, in the sun, for the #09 bus to return to the city. I buy an iced coffee at the Angel-in-us cafe (who makes up these names?) which overlooks the bus stop, allowing me to wait in the cool. It does mean a mad scramble when the bus does arrive, but that's a price I'm willing to pay ...

    Finally back at the hotel, and a shower is the first order of business, followed by a long rest.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    View from my room in Wandonesia

    Wando

    11 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I'm due on Jeju Island tomorrow. The closest port to the island is Wando, which is my destination today.

    However I do have some time to kill before heading to the bus terminal, so I visit an art gallery and then the Asian Culture Complex. The medication has kicked in and I find it hard to concentrate on the task at hand. One of the lady reception staff at the hotel is kind enough to call a taxi for me when it's time to leave. She even starts to help me load my megaluggage into the boot - that's a WHS issue if I've ever seen one so I decline her help.

    I thought I'd given myself plenty of time to get to the bus terminal, but traffic congestion and red lights eat into the contingency. Every red light costs 3 minutes of time, they start to add up. Anyway I have around 6 minutes to spare when we reach the bus terminal.

    It's around a 2 hour trip to Wando. The bus driver does a quick head count and tells me to buckle up. Later on I understand why, as he takes cornering as a speed challenge. I can feel my ribs under pressure from the seat belt 😫

    Arriving at Wando, I eschew taking a taxi for a walk with my luggage. It's around a 10 minute trip to Wandonesia (I'm not making this up) where I'm staying. It's no problem checking in, the problem is that my room number is 403 and I'm Wandonesia is a hostel without lifts. So I have to haul my luggage up 3 flights of stairs (remembering that ground floor is 1F).

    The room is quite lovely though, particularly the bathroom. There is a lot of road noise but once I close the double-glazed windows I hear nothing.

    I want to buy a ticket for tomorrow's 9am ferry to Jeju. Unfortunately the ticket office is closed, even though it's not long after 4. Looks like I'll need to be there at 8am tomorrow when the ticket office reopens. I take the first 3 attached photos on the way back to Wandonesia, then the last photo from my room.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    View of Ichilbung from my lunch spot
    2Summit selfie1Panorama on the way down, Mt Hallasan in the backgroundThe trail down to the beach, which I takeView of Ichilbung from the beachPaddling at Gimnyeong Beach

    Seongsan Ichilbung

    13 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    So this is my second day on Jeju Island. The first day comprised the ferry trip (nothing special), the taxi ride from the ferry terminal to the hotel (usual cockup) and browsing around Jeju City. I went to a Mexican place for dinner and ordered a drink that included Somersby apple cider! So they CAN be found.

    Today I'll be taking 7 buses, giving my travelcard a thorough working over. The first bus takes me to the bus terminal. From outside the terminal I take a bus that takes me clockwise around the island about 90 degrees. After one of the stops (Gimnyeong) I notice a sandy beach so plan to stop off here on the way back.

    I disembark at Goseong-ri junction and walk to the bus stop across the road. This is where I take a local bus that goes to near Seongsan port. The weather is excellent today, the best that I'll experience on the island. I walk around some of the coastline as far as The Cloud Hotel (so THAT'S where it is, IT humour 😁). There's a good place nearby, overlooking the water, for a spot of lunch.

    After lunch I take a small trail to the base of Ichilbung, where I buy a ticket and join the masses for the walk up to the 180 metre summit. Simply spectacular views on a fine day, as my photos show. At the summit I drink in the view, it's Rio-esque on a smaller scale.

    On the way down there are some great views of the local area and Mt Hallasan, which is a volcanic peak and S Korea's highest mountain. Further on it's possible to detour down to the beach, which I do. Just rocks, no sand. There's a stall selling live seafood, octopus anyone? I wander around the rockpools for a while before heading back to the bus stop.

    Soon there's a local bus that takes me back to Goseong-ri junction. Surprisingly the intercity bus arrives within 5 minutes, I usually assume that I've just missed the bus. Lucky as there is a 50 minute interval between these buses. It drops me off at Gimnyeong and I walk to the beach.

    Weather's still decent, so I take off my hiking boots and paddle barefoot in the water for around 15 minutes. Noone else does this, ofc, but I find it very therapeutic. A photographer is nearby shooting either a fashion spread or a commercial. His model is wearing a robe and walks into the water (no disrobing) until her head is fully submerged. Then she walks out a minute later (freezing). The things we do for art (or money) 😦

    Back to the bus stop, I backtrack to Jeju Bus Terminal and then the hotel. It's been a LONG day.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Tim In JapanPodróżnikSouth Korea
    The way in
    Turtle Rock (a lava raft formation)The largest lava column in the world

    Manjang-gul Cave

    14 października 2017, Korea Południowa ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It's Saturday again and you all know what THAT means ... weekend warriors. Breakfast starts at 7am, I'm in the dining room at 7:20 and it is close to full. Looks like a few hiking groups are in, nobody under 40. I suspect they're hiking Mt Hallasan as most of them have departed by 7:40. It's back to normal then (quiet).

    As the weather is ordinary today, it seems like a good day to visit a cave. There are something like 160 lava tunnels on the island, a reflection of the extreme volcanic activity in the island's past. Manjang-gul cave is one such set of lava tunnels.

    I basically take the same buses to return to Gimnyeong. From there it's a bit tricky. Its just after 11 but the bus that will take me closer to the cave is almost 40 minutes away. And I would still have a 30 minute walk from there to the cave.

    So I look for a taxi, none to be found. I walk back to the beach and spy a taxi. He takes me to the cave for just over $5, which saves me an hour compared to the alternative. I buy a ticket to the cave and wander in.

    Fortunately the ceiling inside the cave is quite high so I don't need to duck or bend at any stage. It's a one km track through, which you then backtrack. There are good explanations (in English) of the various formations, including stalagmites, stalactites, toes and shelves.

    The cave is quite dimly lit so most of my photos are flash-enabled. The going is a little tricky at times with the lighting. Eventually I exit and head for a cafe. There's always time for a coffee.

    In the car park there are taxis waiting. They are the sharks of the road, slowly circling, looking for prey. I take one back to Gimnyeong bus stop. There is some time until the intercity bus arrives, giving me time to browse around a local temple. I have no information on this temple whatsoever.     Czytaj więcej

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