• World Vagabonding
  • World Vagabonding

Chapter 2

📖 This chapter is about going from Hong Kong back to Toronto by buses 🚌 , trains 🚂 and boats 🚤 Leer más
  • Day 19: Hiking at Qingchengshan

    23 de enero de 2025, China ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    The hike at Qingcheng Back mountain was pleasant but the weather didn’t co-operate. The whole day we felt that we were in a foggy rain forest. The back mountain is more about nature and scenery. Most people will go to the front mountain as there are more historical structures to see. But we would like some quietness, so we decided to go to the Back Mountain instead. Our decision is not bad and we did enjoy the hike.Leer más

  • Day 22: Walk around Qingdao

    26 de enero de 2025, China ⋅ ☀️ 1 °C

    Another light day just checking out the city. We came across a beach with a lot of people feeding the gulls. Qingdao is a very interesting place as it’s full of European architecture. It was ruled by Germany as one point so the city kept the structure and they turned into the modern Qingdao nowadays.

    The iconic spot in Qingdao is the Cathedral Church of Qingdao. Unfortunately, it required 10 rmb entrance fee. Our rule is not paying anymore for religious building in China. So, we didn’t go in. But we did walk around the city and check out the buildings.
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  • Day 22: Army Navy Museum

    26 de enero de 2025, China ⋅ 🌙 1 °C

    We walked along the coast in Qingdao and came across this Army Navy Museum. It’s free of charge and we could pass through the area and visit a light house at the far end. In this museum, it is all about showcasing the weapons. Not too to our liking as seeing these weapons reminded us of wars and the past incidents happened in China. But we treated it as a walk through to head to our final destination, the light house.Leer más

  • Day 24: Stuck on the boat!

    28 de enero de 2025, China ⋅ 🌬 -4 °C

    Originally our ferry was scheduled to depart on January 27 evening and we would be going overnight on the boat with a target arrival schedule at South Korea on January 28 at 10:30am. But after 24-hour getting on the boat, we were still in Qingdao without leaving the port. Due to extreme weather condition, the boat was stuck in Qingdao! The delay of the ferry meant that all Koreans on the boat could not make it before the New Year Day (Jan 29) to unite with their family for gathering and such.

    Our ferry finally set schedule to leave at around noon on January 28 and target to arrive on the next day at 8am. Hopefully it is true this time and we have to get out of the boat!!!!
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  • Day 29: Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

    2 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Our very first site to visit in South Korea! Hwaseong Fortress is a Korean fortress surrounding the centre of Suwon, the provincial capital of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It was built from 1794 to 1796 by King Jeongjo of the Joseon dynasty to house and honour the remains of his father, Prince Sado.

    It’s a UNESCO World Heritage. We didn’t expect that the whole area is huge. So we spent one full day in the cold weather outdoors. But good that we are out to walk around and get some fresh air.
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  • Day 32: Jongmyo Shrine

    5 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ⛅ -8 °C

    It is a relatively cold day. We didn’t have enough winter gear to deal with lower than -10 degrees. So we did a quick tour in town to the Jongmyo Shrine.

    Jongmyo is the supreme state shrine where the royal ancestral tablets of deceased kings and queens are enshrined and sacrificial rites are performed for them. Its construction began in December, 1394 shortly after King Taejo, the founder of Joseon Dynasty, moved the seat of his throne to Hanyang, the present day Seoul, from Gaeseong in October of the same year. The construction was completed in September, 1395.

    It is interesting to know about how the traditional ceremony to the ancestors were held here with the things that needed to prepare and music to be used.
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  • Day 33: Changgyeonggung Palace

    6 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ⛅ -8 °C

    Changgyeonggung Palace was first built by the 4th ruler, King Sejong for his father, Taejong of Joseon Dynasty. It often served as residential quarters for queens and concubines. So it was an official ‘happy palace’. It’s just a small but gorgeous palace and it is not part of the UNESCO World Heritage.Leer más

  • Day 33: Changdokkung Palace

    6 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ⛅ -4 °C

    Just next to the Changyeonggung Palace, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage, Changdeokgung Palace. It was the second royal villa built following the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1405. It was the principal palace for many kings of the Joseon dynasty, and is the most well-preserved of the five remaining royal Joseon palaces. The palace gained importance starting from the time of Seongjong, the 9th king of Joseon, when a number of kings began using it as a place of residenceLeer más

  • Day 33: Secret garden

    6 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ⛅ -1 °C

    After visiting the palace, it’s time time to visit the secret garden just behind the inner hall of Changdeokgung Palace. It could only be visited with a guide and with a scheduled tour. It was constructed during the reign of King Taejong and served as a rest area for the royal family members. The garden had formerly been called Bugwon and Geumwon, but was renamed Biwon Garden, or Secret Garden, after King Gojong came into power. The garden was kept as natural as possible and was touched by human hands only when absolutely necessary.Leer más

  • Day 35: Jeongneung Royal Tomb

    8 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ⛅ -8 °C

    Jeongneung in Seoul is the tomb of Queen Sindeok of the Kang clan, second consort of King Taejo. Queen Sindeok married King Taejo while his first wife was still living, but after she died and King Taejo founded
    Joseon. she was invested as Joseon’s first queen consort. Unfortunately the hike to the tomb was closed due to snow. We could only see the tomb from afar.
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  • Day 35: Hoeamsa Temple Site

    8 de febrero de 2025, Corea del Sur ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    This is a surprisingly nice site to walk around. There is a museum attached to the archeological site which provided more information to us.

    Hoeamsa Temple, which was built by the Indian monk who came to Goryeo through China in the 15th year of the reign of King Chungsuk (1328), used to be located.Leer más