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Nanna and Opa do South KoreaNanna and Opa do South Korea
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Nanna and Opa do South Korea

August - September 2019
A 23-day adventure by Lynne Read more
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  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 9

    Where Mountain Goats Dare

    September 8, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We can see the top cable car station from our table in the dining room. It was a windy night and we don't know what the weather will be like today. We decide to walk up to the National Park and see what's there. It's only a short walk to the National Park entrance gate where we pay an admission and are told that everything is closed because of the weather. We can go as far as the temple but that's it. We shrug and continue on in.

    The first area we pass consists of a group of standing stones, Stupa, which mark the resting place of ashes of monks. We then come across a small pagoda before coming to the base station for the cable car. Looks like it's running. Before I even open my mouth Richard has the tickets in hand and ten minutes later we are on our way up. We rise quickly; these peaks are dramatic and almost vertical. At the top station we discover we are at 800m elevation which seems astonishing since we can see the sea from here; after all we are only about 15 minutes up the road. We leave the observation deck and strike out on a trail for a few hundred metres that ends up at an open rocky expanse that falls away dramatically into the chasm beneath on one side. No guard rails here; just an obligation to keep your wits about you.

    We return to ground level then follow a path towards the temple. This follows and crosses the rocky stream in several places and passes a large bronze Buddha statue. The temple is ornately decorated and houses three golden Buddhas seated on a raised platform. There is a natural spring nearby that has had a font built over it so visitors can easily scoop water from it.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 10

    (Not) Fitting in With the Locals

    September 9, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I ache. I actually took paracetamol last night because I ached so much and you all know how much I hate to take anything at all. So we are looking forward to checking out the Cheoksan Foot Spa and Hot Springs today. We check out the London bus in the hotel carpark on the way out, as bizarre as that sounds. It has a Beattles soundtrack on perpetual loop playing inside.

    It is a ten minute drive down the road and if you don't know what you're looking for you would never find it. Situated almost directly below a motorway overpass the Cheosak Foot Spa is free to get in, simply pay a small fee to use the towel and seat pad. There are two water courses, one has a smooth surface and the water is hot; the other is cold but the surface consists of concrete-set river pebbles protruding at just enough height to make it punishing to walk over. We are instructed to wash our feet before entering then blissfully soak in the hot water course, variously walking and just sitting with feet soaking. I attempt the cold water course but it's so brutal I can only stand it for a short time. Richard manages longer.

    Across the road is the Cheoksan Hot Springs public bathhouse. It is separated into male and female sections. There are three pools of different temperature, a sauna and a couple of dozen shower stations; some standing, some sitting. Stools are provided as well as bowls for dousing water over yourself. There are about a dozen women inside, many appear to be friends and take it in turns to scrub each others backs. Some have brought the entire bathroom of product with them and are attending to every aspect of bathroom ritual from leg-shaving to brushing teeth while seated on the stools. The warm pool is a very cosy 39˚C while the hot is a little too scalding for me at 43˚C. The cold has a pull-cable that opens a rosette of fire-hose nozzles of icy water from above. And it is all nude. I come out feeling very relaxed.

    We head into Sokcho as we have seen a place called Sokcho Eatery Town on the map and want to check it out. Whether it is because it is Monday or what we don't know but the location we pinpoint doesn't appear to have very much going on, so we go a bit further and find a small fish market area. Richard likes the idea of having crab but after choosing one which gets put on the scales, I ask how much and we decide perhaps not. We find another place and choose a fish. After a bit of hand signals and props we agree to have it pan fried. It's simplest. The side dishes or Banchan, are a bit different here and it's the first time we've been given wasabi as well. There is lotus root, a corn salad of some kind in mayo, sweet potato, and I am pretty certain one of the others was on the breakfast buffet this morning and labelled as balloon flower. The fish was delicious! And the meal was a third of the price of the crab!    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 11

    To Market, To Market

    September 10, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    It's raining today but that's no reason not to get out. We decide to check out the markets. Sokcho Tourist and Fish Markets occupies a large city block with a number of criss-crossing laneways. On the ground floor is mainly food and some household goods, while on the first floor there are a number of clothing outlets and tailors, and on the lower ground floor is a large eatery section, mainly sashimi.

    We spend some time just wandering around inquisitively, I buy some thongs and Richard some shorts. There are many tantalising food options on offer but we're not hungry yet.

    We exit on the far side of the markets and head towards the port. Here there is a small hand-operated punt that transports people across to Abai Village. Hand-operated means if you want to get there quicker you pitch in and help. There are extra large hooks with handles available for passengers to use; basically the hook grabs the cable along the floor and you walk the length of the punt pulling it along then go back the other end and start over.

    Abai Village was originally known as the Displaced Persons Village and is where the remaining older citizens were located when the border was moved north turning this part of the country from North Korean territory to South. It is a little run-down, quaint in parts, not prettied up like the Hanok villages are generally. There are quite a few eateries all touting for business. I suspect prices to tourists will be over-inflated here.

    We return to the other side of the water the same way we came and this time are the only passengers so Richard is pulling his weight alongside the driver whereas on the way over there were others helping out. We dive back in to the markets and pick up a few items from various stalls; pig's trotter, fried slices of blood sausage, tempura prawns, a cup of sticky fried chicken pieces, and to finish off a Hotteok which is a kind of cinnamon sugar pancake stuffed with a seed and nut mix. We ate while watching a young man with a great voice sing one song then a kind of game show host followed up with some kind of audience participation thing and the upshot was that Richard was awrded another container of the sticky fried chicken pieces. Not really sure what that was about but it was fun!

    After a bit of a siesta back at the hotel we head down the road to the Cheoksan Hot Springs Hotel for another bathhouse session. This place is even more spectacular than yesterday's. Only slightly more expensive, it has double the number of bath pools and extra stuff like an open air bath, jet pool and neck shower. Following the lead of the women I saw yesterday, I have brought my little hotel bottles of shampoo and conditioner. I am still oblivious to the routine and protocol, if there is one, and simply choose the facilities by whim. I move from one pool to another before choosing a seated shower spot to wash my hair. I think I do a pretty good job of rinsing everything out. I then return to one or two pools, go upstairs to the open air pool which is glorious; surrounded by rock garden and pines with small birds hopping from rock to rock, there are two pools here, one with actual round boulders for seats; and then back downstairs to the water jet pool. I spend a few minutes letting the jets massage my lower back and the soles of my feet before moving to the neck shower. This pool has a ledge to sit on submerged about waist deep, with a powerful shower directed at the neck. After a few minutes the other woman in this pool is yelling at me in Korean and scooping water out of the pool. Horrified, I realise I have not rinsed my hair as thoroughly as I thought and am leaving suds in the pool. Bowing in supplication, I apologise in Korean (one of the few expressions I have learnt) scoop out some more suds and exit the pool. I head for the cold pool where a small child is playing with her mother. After I get the wobblies from the child I decide it's time to go. It's ok, I'm ready anyway. This has been an outstanding experience; I am incredibly relaxed.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 12

    On the Road Again. Heading South

    September 11, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We have chosen the rainiest day we have had so far to leave Sokcho and start heading south, but we don't have far to go. I was aware there is a national holiday around this time, what I wasn't sure of was which days to travel and which to stay off the roads but I think I have it sorted. Basically Chuseok, which is a likened to Thanksgiving, is a time when Koreans return to their families. Tomorrow is likely to be the day when most people will be traveling so I have organised it so that we won't be. We will travel a little way down the coast and spend 2 nights then travel a bit further down right in the middle of the four day break when hopefully no-one will be on the roads.

    The road follows the coast most of the way and we pull in to take a look at one of the beaches. We walk along the promenade towards the lighthouse in light drizzle. Barely ten minutes or so south of Sokcho is a temple site I have earmarked. I am expecting to see a small temple, a pavilion and a buddha. We walk up the hill from the carpark through Korean red pine forest in the steady light rain to the entrance gate. At this point we begin to get a sense of the size of the site. A gravel path leads up a slight incline towards a hilltop compound where among other pavillions and structures the bell pavillion sits. Beautifully ornate it houses a huge drum and two large bells which are roped off from public access.

    At this point a slight detour leads to a small memorial to forest fires that decimated many of the original structures (most have been rebuilt) including three mounds built solely from the roof tiles.

    Continuing along the path leads to the large standing Buddha. Here there is a smaller bell that for a small donation you can ring. Descending beneath the lip of the hilltop there is a submerged temple where when kneeling you can look up at a 45 degree angle through a glass ceiling to see the full figure of the Buddha above.

    We are now making our way down towards the cliff edge but first the pavillion housing six seated golden Buddhas, three either side of the centre-piece, a radiant, standing, multi-limbed being. There seems to be almost a hint of Hinduism about this temple from the swastika on the outside of the building to the carved stone plinths surrounding the outside with elephants at the base. None of these symbols seem very Korean to me but what would I know. A few more pavillions and a lotus pond later and we reach the small pavillion on the cliff edge. An absolutely stunning site, I'm glad we made the effort to visit.

    We are on the look-out for somewhere to have lunch when I ask Richard to count up how much cash we have left. Not enough for lunch, we search for an ATM. Find one, doesn't work. Find another, doesn't work. Ask someone who says we need a bigger town. ! Huh?

    Ok, we are headed for Gangneung so we will try there, otherwise we are going to be living off the credit card. We find a group of shops with American brands and ask. No ATMs around here. A helpful customer with a few words of English sends us 10km further on and instructs us to look for an E-mart. We spot an ATM booth on the same block as an E-mart. The ATM again does not work. The E-mart has no ATM. I go into the bank branch attached to the ATM and the young woman sends me across the road to another convenience store. Success! Thank god! We can eat, yay!

    We decide to find the hotel and check in first. We are located in a beachside area with a bunch of small hotels in a strip much like any Aussie coastal resort town. Down the road there are a bunch of eateries and we find one doing the similar noodle dishes that we had a couple of days ago, this time the seafood one is all in the shell, mussels, clams and octopus. So delicious.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 13

    Beach and Bikes

    September 12, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    The hotel we are in is simple but basic. Breakfast is included but consists of bread and a toaster, cold hard-boiled eggs and strawberry jam. No butter. With that you can have orange juice and filter coffee, no sugar. It will do.

    We then head off for a walk along the beach towards the massive twin tower hotel we have seen from a distance. The entire length of the beach is edged with a boardwalk which makes walking very comfortable and pleasant. As we get nearer to the main section of beachfront we see eight women spread across the width of the sand walking north with a long pair of tongs and a large plastic bag, picking up rubbish as they go. The beach is pleasant, there are a number of the photo spots seen every in Korea, frames against a backdrop of some sort. Two of these appear to feature what we guess are local celebrities, perhaps TV soap opera actors, to have your pic taken alongside.

    We venture inside the Sky Bay hotel for a sticky and head on up to the top floor where there is an infinity pool alongside a bar and restaurant. After sitting for a while no-one comes to take a coffee order so we leave. Across the road is a large lake and alongside is a huddle of bike hire shops offering everything from the canopied four-seater family option through to scooters, regular bikes and electric assisted models. We find a place to have coffee attached to one of these and while happily relaxing with our cuppas talk to the lady about rental rates. We decide to return later in the day. First off lunch and siesta.

    We find a great place for lunch just around the corner from where we had dinner last night. We choose the pork bulgogi stew and with the accompnaying rice and side dishes find that one meal shared is plenty.

    At the arranged time we front up at the bike hire place and collect two electric-assisted bikes. The lake circuit is really lovely. There are sculptures along the way at some places, bird-watching hides at others and a huge lotus pond with a series of boardwalks meandering through the middle. All bar a few of the flowers are finished leaving the large seed pods in their place.

    For dinner tonight we find one of the famous but elusive chicken and beer haunts I have heard so much about. It was nice, it was too much and now that we have had it we probably don't need to have it again.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 14

    Overnight in Crab Territory

    September 13, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Yesterday was the first day of Chuseok which runs through until Sunday. It is supposed to be a time where korean families return to their homes to spend time together. So I figure the best days to travel are the days in the middle when traffic theoretically should be at its lightest. We don't need to check out until 11:00 so Richard heads foe the beach and we meet up for coffee before heading off.

    We head for a seaside hotel resort that is so insane we must check it out. This is built in the shape of a cruise ship and situated on a headland in an otherwise very pretty township. We stroll around the beachside park ond over to the beach then decide to head on up to the Sun Cruise Resort. First you pay to park, then you pay to enter so we plan to spend a bit of time here. There is an observation deck on the 9th floor and a revolving restaurant on the 10th. We decide to chill with a couple of iced teas while watching the outside literally go by. This is a "cruise" I could do! Not stuck at sea for days on end and you can come and go as you please.

    Returning outdoors we explore the small sculpture park before investigating a small cliff-top lookout. This looks down onto a glass deck extending out over the sea. There are steep steps down to reach it and a queue of people waiting to go out onto it as it is only one or two people at a time, so we decide we are happy to observe from above.

    We return to the village to check out lunch options. We think that we may be prepared to splurge and try the crab the region is famous for. One look at the menus and we know this place is way out of our price range and we decide to head down the road to somewhere a bit less touristy.

    The next town we find exactly what we are looking for. Simgok is a small fishing port village with one claim to fame. A man-made cliff-side waterfall marks the start of a scenic coastal trail. There are two or three eateries and all are traditional style seating, so we princesses are forced to suck it up. We order a fish stew which comes to the table in a cast iron pot and placed over a burner. Again, as before, one meal with rice and accompaniments is plenty for the two of us.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 15

    More Coast

    September 14, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    I am waking much earlier than Richard most mornings and today I decide to go for a walk before he wakes. The hotel overlooks a large lotus pond with an easy path surrounding it. There are a small number of lingering blooms clinging to the last warm days. On the far side there is a small war memorial containing three small planes next to a children's playground. A little further on is a small hill topped with pines encircling a pavillion. I take a short detour returning to the hotel to see if there is anywahere nearby for breakfast. Answer: not much. Richard and I return a bit later and end up with convenience store pastries and coffee.

    Today will take a bit longer to reach our destination but should still only take about two hours. We plan to take a meandering route hugging the coastline and if the opportunity allows, Richard will test swimmability.

    Our destination is Gyeongju, a historical town which was once the centre of the Silla empire and is now World Heritage listed. We are staying in a traditional hanok house very close to some of the many historical sites. What we don't realise is that there is a festival happening and traffic on our street is at a total standstill. We park where we can and will retrieve the car later.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 16

    Walking Where Kings Lay

    September 15, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I am up before sunrise and take off with my camera to explore. We are located across the road from a number of large mounds which are ancient burial tombs now set in park-like grounds. My walk takes me into a small forest and out the other side onto the street further along from our guest house.

    After breakfast Richard and I repeat my walk of this morning and this time also dive in to the old laneways that weave between the traditional houses. I have discovered that one of the symbols of the town is a horse figure so I am on the lookout for this as a figurine to add to my horse collection. So far no joy but I sure I'll find it somewhere.

    We find a lunch spot across the road from the Tombs Park. This is up there as possibly the best meal of the trip. A dish of fried thin pork strips along with a broth, possibly miso but this one is actually quite nice, and 16 side dishes plus rice. Absolutely delicious!

    Richard heads back to the room and I go in to see the Tombs Park, a large park with around 20 burial mounds, one of which has been excavated and restored so that you can enter and view the burial chamber. I approach a window to pick up a guide and end up with my own personal tour guide.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 17

    In Search of a Horse

    September 16, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    My walk this morning takes me past the covered bridge. Yes! There is a covered bridge. I have only ever seen the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and am only aware of the covered bridges in the US so I am keen to see it. I arrive early enough to capture it as a silhouette against the eastern sky.

    Today we decide to go further afield. Our host has given us a couple of suggestions so we head out with our maps and sat nav to find them. The first is described on the map as Holy Ground. We head up the valley for about 10 kilometres and after parking, set out on foot through gently ascending gardens alongside a running stream. We are about to turn back as my legs are starting to protest when we spot a small bridge ahead through the trees. Only a little further on there is a pavilion set against the forest backdrop. Such a tranquil place.

    The next spot on the map our host had said is beautiful. Her lack of English and my lack of Korean had limited the description to this solitary comment so we thought we'd check it out since it was nearby. We had no idea what we were looking for apart from "three-storey pagoda" and once again were about to turn back when I spot a sign directing towards exactly that. We turn into a very narrow street in a village that quickly takes us out the other side along an impossibly narrower road. At this point we are having serious doubta but there is simply nowhere to turn around. We are committed. It is only a few kilometres of nailbiting road, worrying whther our wheelbase is narrow enough not to land one side or other into a pond. We seriously scrape one side of the car along some fallen branches. At the end of the road we find thankfully a muddy, grassy patch large enough to turn the car around. As for the pagoda, there must be some cultural or relious significance that is completely lost on us. I have seen more impressive examples in garden centres. On our way back out I get out of the car to attempt to move the dead branches out of the way. These are evil branches with thorns along their length and in between the thorns is covered in small prickles. With Richard's help we shilft the branches enough to get the car through.

    Our next destination is an ancient village about half an hour away. Described as historically significant we envisioned something picturesque and huddled together. We found a large spread out site of mainly thatched and mud daub cottages intermingled with the now familiar hanok style dwellings. The heat of the the day combined with our lack of information or a guide of any kind led to our jaded interest. We stopped for cool drinks before I went off to take some photos but we found it difficult to muster much enthusiasm.

    We return to the same place as yesterday for the same lunch because we loved it so much then Richard heads off for a sieasta and I go in search of a horse. I walk up into the retail district and find nothing before stumbling on a small gift shop where the only items I find are a key ring and a fridge magnet. I am disappointed as it is such a spectacular horse and would be a wonderful addition to my other horses!

    Later in the afternoon we return to the bridge to see it in the glow of sunset. Across the road is a nice spot to have a couple of beers.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 18

    On the Road to Busan

    September 17, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today we are heading for our final destination before heading home. We have three nights booked in Busan, Korea's second largest city.

    We stop by the National Museum of Gyeongju first, our final attempt to find a horse. Entry to the museum is free and it is a worthwhile diversion but no horses here either.

    The trip from Gyeongju to Busan is only about an hour so I plot a course to Haedong Yonggung Temple in the Sat Nav as it is only a short detour and will be easier to reach on the way than setting out as a day trip once we get there. The temple is set right amongst the rocky cliff-face above a jagged rocky inlet with a small blow-hole. Prayer bowls have been placed in the water for people to throw coins watched on by various deities. There is also a submerged grotto dug out of the rock beneath the temple where worshippers can light candles.

    Leaving the temple and heading for the hotel we are grateful for the Sat Nav but still need the assistance of at least two phone apps to locate it successfully. What the hell did we do before technology? And I'm actually okay at reading maps. We settle in to our room, which is fairly small and basic, before heading out to find something to eat. We choose a place with a well-priced menu that appears to do dumplings and noodles, and have yet another new dining experience. Cold noodles. Apparently this is a thing. They are very tasty but of course I do prefer my noodles with some level of heat so I may not be rushing out to have it again.    Read more

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