The Two Sides Of Bukhansan

It's been a long time since the last post, and the reason for such a delay was an influx of new teachers, and a visit from Chambers and Steven, both resulting in a hectic social calender over the last few weeks. There is so much to report, and predictably, a multitude of entertaining/embarrassing drunken photos to post. So, while I continue with the painstaking process of adding these pictures to the blog, you can have a wee look at two very different, recent trips to Bukhansan. The first of these was a solo excursion; an personal experiment in gauging the feasibility of hiking the mountain during the week, and returning in time for work at 4pm. I was extremely fortunate with the weather, and it was the first time I've had the pleasure of seeing the area on such a clear, beautiful day. The next trip, a mere 5 days later, was with Chambers and Steven. Despite weather forecasts to the contrary, we were shrouded by freezing fog all the way up, very similar conditions to my first ever climb here, with the old chanting woman at the summit.

HIKE ONE........

(If you look really closely, you can see the flag on the peak of the mountain. See that white dot!)

(The Fall, sorry...Autumn colours were starting to come out in full force)

(Nearing the peak of the mountain, Baegundae, I was rewarded with the magnificent views that the fog had previously obscured. This is northern Seoul, most likely Dobong-gu, with Suraksan in the distance.)

(And so begins the best part of the climb. Remember the first time I was here? The whole rock face was covered in sheet ice. It was obviously easier this time, but still a good idea to get the cheap gloves on, as it's mostly extremely steep, requiring metal cables.)

(The view of the interior of the park was particularly stunning from the summit)

(Dobongsan, the northern section of Bukhansan National Park, as seen from Baegundae.)

(Joshim Haseyo! Be Careful! Always a good one for impressing Korean hikers)

(Don't laugh at the gloves!)

(No, this isn't dinner. He's a Buddhist!)

(As it turns out, it IS possible to complete a good hike and get home in time for a shower before school. JUST. However, I was absolutely shattered for the whole teaching shift. As I returned home, I found these cheeky characters, who adopted a taekwondo stance with very little persuasion. They even gave a very polite bow as I bade them farewell. Cool kids.)

HIKE TWO.....

(Stupid inaccurate weather forecast. Clear blue skies and 19 degrees it said. Wrong!)

(They took my advice and bought a pair of 50p gloves before we started. Lord knows why Chambers opted for the mauve coloured pair.)

(Baegundae, where the views should be limitless. Instead, we had smoky void all around us, which is quite cool actually, with a certain mystical, ethereal quality. Until a Korean dude drops his water bottle, which rolls off the edge, and may or may not have killed an unsuspecting hiker.)

(The last year I came to this temple, there was no horrible green fence here. It's the only time I've ever seen a fence prohibiting entry to temple grounds. Maybe the monk's dog had been savaging people and it was for our own safety. Anyway, there's a better temple up the hill. Onwards!)

This second hike was amazing as well. A clear day obviously improves the experience, but only marginally, in my opinion. It's all about getting to the top, and, if it's a weekend, getting to the bottom and getting smashed on makkeolli and eating kimchi and seafood pancakes with the crazy hiking folk. We took a little detour on the way back, and we spotted a fairly large Buddha protruding from the treetops. I had no idea it existed, so I can't wait to go back and investigate.