Every few weekends or so I find myself wanting to get away from bustling streets of Seoul and Incheon and explore new parts of Korea. That said, the recent start of the warm summer months has really amped-up those feelings and has had me reminiscing of past getaways. One of my favorites from last spring was the day trip some friends and I took to Ganghwado Island in search of azaleas on Goryeosan Mountain.
As per usual the day started off well enough catching our first bus for the two-hour journey to the island. We made it in time to grab a quick lunch catch a second local bus, which was when things got a bit more interesting.
Expecting a long bus ride, we unintentionally missed our stop which unbeknownst to us was announced in Korean just a few minutes into the trip. Twenty minutes or so later we found ourselves taking a scenic tour of the island. Bus number one took us along the northern most part of the coast line which just happens to share a thin river’s border with North Korea. As we looked outside the bus’s windows just beyond the barbed wire fences and across the water was indeed N. Korea. Though taking tours of the border are quite common via the DMZ, somberly being flagged through military check points, passing by bulky soldiers holding guns the size of some of my students, and setting eyes on that part of the world in general was surreal, eerie, and beyond unexpected.
Once we had made it further inward on the island we realized we were definitely lost and actually traveling away from our destination. At that point, we decided to hop off the bus and trust our luck to catch another bus returning in the direction of the mountain we were so desperate to find. Forty-five minutes, two peeled oranges, one snack sized bag of peanut M&Ms, and a few pictures later we managed to hail a lone taxi that seemed destined to pick us up. After a brief drive we were dropped at an azalea festival which we wandered for a bit before starting our hike up Goryeosan Mountain.
About half way up the mountain we came across a Buddhist temple and a tea shop. We stopped for a cup of tea and some snacks before exploring around the temple and eventually making our way back to the hiking trail.
Finally reaching the peak late in the afternoon we were able to take in the sun and the spectacular views of the island. Being from the midwest where even a good sledding hill is rare, seeing the lush mountains that cover Korea is always a breathtaking experience.
Though this was a brief day trip, it was nice to get out of the city for a bit and take in a little bit of natural scenery.
. . .
One of the wonderful parts about living in Korea is that the country is small enough to be able to make it to any coast just to spend a weekend away from the city. After a stressful week post 2016 election, some friends and I were looking for a peaceful weekend away, perhaps on a beach. We decided to head out for central Korea, towards a city named Sokcho. Near the larger city of Sokcho are both Seoraksan Mountain, as well as, a cozy little beach town, Ingu. Both would be my destinations for Saturday and Sunday.
My travel mates had previously hiked through Seoraksan National Park so we decided to part ways for a few hours as they went straight to Ingu, and I left for the mountain.
Ingu is a tiny surf town that runs about four blocks long and is set against the Sea of Japan. There are coffee shops, burger restaurants, and countless surf shops. This appears to be the city where all of the few Korean hipsters have settled. It is amazing.
After leaving the coffee shop it was time to get to the beach. While my friends hit the waves, I opted for the warmer option of reading a book on the sand. Somewhere in the middle of chapter two, a beautiful friendly golden retriever came up and sat down right next to me on my blanket. His owner seemed to be mortified, but it was everything I could do to keep him right next to me for as long as possible. Once again, perfection. Calming, peaceful, quiet perfection.
bbm travels 