KOREA Week XII Review

Mon, July 20, 2009 at 11:49pm

I just returned from four days camping in Seoraksan National Park, Korea's most popular national park, and according to many, perhaps the most beautiful place in Korea. It is located in scenic Gangwon Province, on the Eastern Sea only 50-60 kilometers from the North Korean border, and it encompasses some 400 square kilometers. It is also home to the third tallest peak (1,708 meters) in the Korean mountain chain. The scenery in the park reminded me of the Western U.S., perhaps Yosemite or Rocky Mountain National Park, and the coastal area (SokCho) was reminiscent of Hawaii. Looking back, it was a fantastic weekend spent alone and as kind of early birthday treat to myself. Teacher friend from Sanbon, Dave, described it as the perfect opportunity to locate the Buddha within myself. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps he was overzealous. Either way, it was a much needed break from work and the daily doldrums.

Similar to my KoRail experience last weekend, transportation via KoBus (Korean bus system) was without incident, though it was more than double the cost of rail transportation. Leaving Gwangju Bus Terminal in Seoul at 11am Thursday, the trip to SokCho took approximately four hours, including a 15 minute stop at a rest station along the highway. Cost was 23,500 Won each way to/from Seoul to SokCho, but the bus ride was smooth and the seats were comfortable. There are large, over-stuffed leather armchairs; similar to first class seating on a jet airliner, that recline very far, have leg bolsters, and a footrest with lots of legroom. The seats are also very wide, as each row has only three seats. It's so comfortable that sleep is hard to avoid after just a few minutes into the trip. There is a large TV in the front of the bus with satellite reception, and headphone jacks to listen to the Korean television broadcast throughout the trip, though I much preferred my book and watching the countryside pass by.

Arriving at 3pm in SokCho, I quickly scoped out the beach area and contemplated staying longer, before locating the number 7 bus and departing for SeorakDong Campground. Bus ride to the campground was only 20 minutes and 1,000 Won. Fortunately, prior to the trip student Christine researched every facet of my travels, including bus transportation and campground information, and she prepared an itinerary so there was no confusion as to where I was going or how to get there. Without this, I am certain the travel, and the weekend, would be chaotic and I probably would have found myself somewhere far from my destination, perhaps in North Korea.

At the campground, I selected a campsite under a shade tree and within close proximity to the facilities and other campers. Cost was only 2,000 Won per night and the facilities were excellent. I read in many travel guides, and the students confirmed this information, that Koreans will go out of their way to offer food and invite lone campers to join them for dinner, so I took this into consideration when selecting my campsite. I also used this information when packing my food for the weekend, making sure to pack extra as a sort of offering for any potentially friendly neighbors. Happily, it proved to be true. I made many friends at the campground, and we shared many fine meals and makgeolli together. It was perfect. I took a small collapsible cooler with three days worth of bulgogi (seasoned & marinated beef), individual packets of kimchi, and peanut butter sandwiches. Dry foods included the ever-popular ramen, pasta-roni, canned tuna, granola, oatmeal, and twix bars. There was also a camp store/grocery store at the campground complete with ice, beer, soju, makgeolli, frozen meats, camp supplies, etc., so whatever was not packed could be purchased on site. The bulgogi, I would like to add, was among the tastiest camp food I have ever eaten, and made for a great first impression when offering to neighbors.

Sadly, the weekend was not complete without rain. (It is, of course, Monsoon season in Korea) Fortunately, the rain was only a light rain at most times, and never posed a serious threat to my enjoyment. Both Thursday and Sunday were beautiful sunny days, which was perfect for traveling to/from Seoul and setting up/taking down camp. I awoke at 9am Friday morning, after late night makgeolli with camping neighbors, had oatmeal breakfast, and prepared for the days hiking in the park. Bus ride from the campground to the park entrance was 1,000 Won, admission to the park was only 2,000 Won, and I spent a total of 8 hours there (11am-7pm). First activity was 1.2 km cable car ride to the top of Gwongeumseong, and a climb to the peak of the rock formation at the top, thus providing excellent views of the park and it's surrounding countryside. Cost of cable car ride was a hefty 8,000 Won, but worth it. After a short while here and around 1pm, the skies let go, so I was forced to retreat to lower ground and protection from the driving rain. Here, I hiked the 5 km round trip to Biryong Waterfall, and later had relaxing Bibimbap lunch at the Seorak Hotel, located inside the park.

Best part of the day, however, was late afternoon hike to the top of Ulsan Bawi Rock (879 meters). I was told this is one of the most frequently photographed sites in Seoraksan, and is a most challenging hike. The trail, at over 7 km round trip, passes by two Buddhist temples and follows a mountain stream up the mountainside. Chanting monk music can be heard throughout the hike, which I found relaxing, especially as preparation before the final 1 km where the trail becomes a nearly impossible passageway to the summit. There is a steep, rickety, metal stairway leading between two large canyon walls. In parts, the stairway turns into a metal handrail framing numerous boulders that function as type of natural stairs. Beware; this was not easy, even for a moderately athletic 32 year old. This is why I was most surprised, and humored, when I encountered a group of 100 Korean women descending down the stairs in a single file line. No joke, they were calm as can be, giggling to themselves and smiling as they passed by, also allowing me time to stretch and relax before continuing up the mountain. After the passing Korean women, and when I finally arrived at the top to catch my breath, it was all worth it. The view was incredible, and I was overwhelmed by a feeling of personal contentment. Here I met new friends, three Korean college kids, who invited me to join them for makgeolli and pajeon, a kind of traditional Korean pancake, once we left the mountain top. This made the descent more fun as we stopped at the restaurant half-way down the mountain to refresh ourselves, share a laugh at the older Korean women, and relax a bit.

Saturday was a day of rest. I had wanted to hike to DaecheongBong (tallest peak in Seoraksan Park), but the round trip is 8-10 hours and I was not up for this journey in the rain. Instead, I awoke at 9am, and spent the day reading and napping. It was great. Saturday night, I made friends with more neighbors and shared samgyeopsal/bulgogi dinner with them. We drank so-mak (beer + soju) and they told me all about their weekend hiking club and their travels. They also invited me back for breakfast the following morning before we each packed our tents and headed our separate directions. Sunday afternoon, I had seafood lunch on the boardwalk in SokCho and I took the 1pm bus, arriving at 5pm in Seoul, and 6pm in Sanbon. Once again, effortless transportation without incident.

Lessons learned this weekend:

1) Everything is more expensive in tourist destinations, regardless of the country you are in. While this was very true in SokCho, it surprisingly, was not expensive at the campground.

2) The ability to negotiate prices on last minute camping gear in Namdaemun is not as strong when you are carrying a large backpack and it is obvious you are headed to the mountain.

3) Take a good book for rainy days. For my trip, I selected The Wind In The Willows from the library, a classic read for a weekend in the bush.

4) It's easy to make new friends when you're the only foreign guy around. Take extra food if you want to make this easier. Marinated bulgogi from E-Mart is a fantastic choice. Individual packets of kimchi at only 800 Won per piece is also great camping food.

5) Concerned students will text and telephone often when they do not trust your ability to follow the travel instructions. The concerned students will text and call even more often when it rains, frequently asking, "are you alive?" While it's nice to be loved, I answered many calls/texts over the four day trip from B.H., Christine, and other students.

After reporting of my weekend to the worrisome students on Monday, many have commented that Seoraksan is best enjoyed in the fall when the leaves are turning colors. So, I have vowed to return again in October, and perhaps, conquer that DaecheongBong. The students have promised to help guide me, and some have offered to travel with me. Until then, I remain a fan of Seoraksan. It was, perhaps, my best weekend yet in Korea..

KOREA Week XI Review

Weds, July 15, 2009 at 11:43pm

MUD FEST. Three words: Muddy, Wet, Muddy.

Despite this, it was a really good time and every visitor to Korea should visit the Mud Fest at least once. No exaggeration; there was mud everywhere. After only 5 minutes at the festival, it was near impossible not to have mud on you or your clothing. There was mud wrestling in a giant mud filled pool, there were mud slides, women (both foreign and Korean) dressed in bikinis, and paint brushes to help apply mud thoroughly to oneself, friends, and any stranger in need of some. Half naked bodies covered from head to toe in brown, silky mud ran through the busy streets; perhaps chasing others, or in search of more beer. I'm not sure which. It was a proper Mud Festival in every sense of the term.

For the first time in Korea, there were more foreigners than Koreans, and everyone was very drunk. It was one giant beer filled, mud-coated party. Prior to the weekend, I was told that most Koreans avoid the Mud Festival because there are too many drunken foreigners and they find this intimidating. After observing the festivities, the Koreans must think we Foreigners are a bunch of wild animals when we get drunk and parade around mud covered. They are, most likely, correct with this presumption. It was insane to witness, and the Koreans who were in attendance, didn't seem to mind. Either they were a part of the debauchery, or were dressed in hiking attire snapping mass photos using expensive DSLR cameras.

Transportation to the festival was without incident. Train left Suwon promptly at 6:10am and arrived in Daecheon at the scheduled 8:30am. The train was comfortable with nice reclining seats and large windows to watch the countryside pass by. My first KoRail experience was incredibly pleasant, and for only 21,000 Won round-trip, I cannot complain about the service. After our arrival, Tiann and I had a large buffet breakfast in Boryeong (15 minute bus ride from Daecheon train station), and we later walked around the town prior to the festivities beginning. Looking back, it was interesting to watch the dramatic change in pre-festival behavior and mid-day behaviors; sort of like early morning preparations at a college football game in the U.S. Zero to full-speed party mode in about 1-2 hours. By noon, there were thousands gathered, covered in mud, dancing, wrestling, chugging beer, and starting the day off strong.

When the rain started at 3:30pm Saturday, Tiann and I had nearly done it all; we already covered ourselves in mud, met many new friends (also covered in mud), swam in the Yellow Sea, explored the streets of Boryeong, hiked a cliff overlooking the ocean, each taken short naps, and otherwise exhausted ourselves in the Mud Fest. So, instead of meeting the Hash Group at 4pm for a rainy run and barbeque, I opted to connect with the group of 16+ teachers from Sanbon that traveled on the 12:15pm train from Suwon. Luckily, I had also reserved floor accommodations with the Sanbon group for Saturday night, so I was well prepared, and the group hung-out into well into Sunday morning. Late night festivities included: traditional Korean drum concert on Boryeong center stage, fireworks display, and (unplanned) pouring rain at 1am, which sent everyone ducking for cover. The drum concert was, in my opinion, the best part of the night, followed by late night (2am) trip to the Boryeong carnival for bumper cars and a other rides.

The Monsoon weather intensified overnight and Sunday morning was like a small hurricane. The Sanbon group awoke around 11am, checked out of the pension (resort/motel) at noon, and battled the fierce 50mph winds and driving rain as we walked 15 minutes back toward the central area of downtown Boryeong. Tiann opted for a 9am train headed home, and the rest of the group split into factions based on the day's activities, so I hung with American friend Chrissy throughout the day. She is 24 years American, and the two of us spent the day relaxing at a coffee house and Mud Spa later in the day. We also had what may be the worst bloody mary I ever had in my life, but somehow, the overall experience of the weekend almost made the drink taste good. Boryeong Mud Spa is like a jimjaebang, only with a mud bath and mud room. Cost was only 3,000 Won admission; another great bargain.

I should also point out that the festival is almost designed for foreigners, or so it may seem, and the hospitality they display toward the foreigners is tremendous. Examples include; there are free storage lockers "for foreigner", Western style buffet breakfast "for foreigner", language interpreters stationed throughout the festival grounds, call #1330 booths and free merchandise (English-speaking Korean helpline for foreigner), etc. Obviously, the Mud Festival is a huge boost to the tourism economy in Daecheon/Boryeong, however, they staff seemed to go beyond what is required to simply "make a buck." Their interest in the foreigners satisfaction with everything was noticeable and was, in my opinion, a welcome bonus to the gloomy weather and large crowds this past weekend.

Few pictures, unfortunately, were taken by me. Mostly because I was covered in mud or it was raining and I did not want to handle my camera during this time. Interestingly, however, I stumbled upon a photograph on another bloggers' site of what appears to be a side profile photo of me most likely taken sometime Saturday afternoon. I'm not 100% sure, so I'll leave this open for interpretation..

Looking back, Mud Fest was everything I had hoped for. It was a great opportunity to leave Sanbon and Gyeonggi Province, experience a swim in the Yellow Sea, ride the KoRail, hang with some Sanbon folk, and participate in a "must do" Korean festival. Total cost of the weekend, including reservations at two pensions, transportation, and spending money, was around 180,000 Won. Aside from the weather, the only downside to the weekend was accidentally chomping into a piece of shell during Saturday evening shellfish dinner, which was a bloody mess and was lodged into my gums for a solid five minutes before I could dislodge the impacted fragment. Four days later, my gum still hurts from this.

Early tomorrow morning, I depart for SeorakSan and Sok-Cho on the Eastern Sea. As of now, my plan is to travel by bus to Sok-Cho (4-5 hour ride), transfer to another bus to enter the National Park and SeorakSan Mountain, and spend Thursday and Friday nights camping here. Saturday, the plan is to retreat to a beach campground away from the mountain in Yang-Yang, but only if the rains do not interfere. It is, after all, Monsoon season and we have been experiencing record rains/floods over the past two weeks. Friends from Sanbon may join late Friday or Saturday. Otherwise, this will be my first solo camping trip in Korea. I have spent the better part of this week preparing for my departure. This includes: food, first time trip to NamdaeMun for new tent purchase, negotiating with Korean store owner for new tent purchase, and studying the Korean transit system/campground systems. Since Namdaemun is a traditional Korean market famous for bargains and low, low prices, my students taught me the Korean words for "discount" and "no thanks, it's too expensive" This proved most helpful, as I saved over 30% on the purchase of my tent!

So, I leave in a little over five hours from now for week II of new travels outside my home turf. Wish me luck as I continue the journey..