-- From Seoul to Gongju
The road tracklog
from Seoul to Gangneung
from 2010/12/09 to 2010/12/12
After a captivating stay in Seoul I began my trip in Korea at Sokcho where I would have to ship my truck for Vladivostok. Of course I went to the wearing of loading and I looked with sadness the map of the voyage. I must assume my decisions. Beforehand by arriving at the bus station I had left my luggage to a kiosk of tourist information which had agreed to keep it, helpful Koreans.
Ferry map
Sokcho
04/12/2010
I strolled on the fishing port in this sunny and cold morning where autochthones ate raw seafood. The city does not have great tourist attractions. In the early afternoon I took a local bus for Seoraksan where I had decided to spend the weekend to oxygenate me after the pollution of the megalopolis of more than 20-million inhabitants.
Breakfast at the port
Sokcho
04/12/2010
Fish drying
Sokcho
04/12/2010
Crabs
Sokcho
04/12/2010
The port
Sokcho
04/12/2010
Octagnol pavilion
Sokcho
04/12/2010
Cheonghodaegyo Bridge
Sokcho
04/12/2010
Lighthouse
Sokcho
04/12/2010
In this sunny and windy Sunday many Korean families spread themselves merrily on the footpaths of Seoraksan National Park listed on the World Heritage I walked during five hours going from sight to sight. I returned to the hotel tired but purified from miasmas of Seoul.
Cheonghodaegyo, Pagoda
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Gwongeumseong
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Gwongeumseong
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Landscape
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Aallack Temple
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Aallack Temple
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Seated Buddha Statue
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Sinheungsa Temple's Gate
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Guardian
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Sinheugsa Temple, main hall
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
Heundeulbawi Rock
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
In Korea traffic & walk on the right side
Seoraksan NP
05/12/2010
On Monday December 6 I left Seoraksan NP to return to Sokcho to take an intercity bus to go to Gangneung where I had two sites to visit. Ojukheon, a sacred site where the mother, Shin Saimdang, and her son, Yulgok Yi Yi, the teacher of the nation were born. The site is composed of several buildings distributed in courtyards according to a Chinese plan, they were built about 1450 and are remarkably well preserved. Yulgok Yi Yi has his effigy on the note of 5000 KRW and Sin Saimdang on that of 50,000 KRW put soon in circulation.
Ojukheon
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Ojukheon
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Shin Saimdang
Ojukheon
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Yulgok Yi Yi
Ojukheon
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Mongryongsil
Ojukheon
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Eoje-gak
Ojukheon
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Seongyojang, aristocratic residence which was built in 1703. It has for only interest to be furnished from that era. The weather was gloomy with a rise in temperature which announced a rain which fell indeed during my visits.
Seongyojang
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Seongyojang
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Hwalraejeong
Seongyojang
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Seongyojang
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Seongyojang
Gangneung
06/12/2010
Seongyojang
Gangneung
06/12/2010
The day after I took a bus to go to Samcheok and further on to a fishing village. Sinnam are famous by Haesindang Park, called Penis Park, on hillside overhanging a very agitated blue sea. This park exhibits more than fifty phalli carved either in wood or in stone and even bronze. At the hilltop twelve phallic sculptures have animals of the Chinese zodiac, look at "Gallery". A local legend is at the origin of this phallic overflow to calm a virgin who had drowned and whose spirit disturbed the village. A small museum is devoted to fishing, shamanism and sexual iconography in other cultures.
Seascape
Sinnam
07/12/2010
Haesindang Park
Sinnam
07/12/2010
Haesindang Park
Sinnam
07/12/2010
Haesindang Park
Sinnam
07/12/2010
Seascape
Sinnam
07/12/2010
Haesindang Park
Sinnam
07/12/2010
The road tracklog
from Gangneung to
From 08 to 12/12/2010
At Gangneung there are only two buses per day for Andong, in the morning and in the afternoon, I embarked in that in the morning and three hours later I arrived in Andong around 12:30. After a short visit to Tourist Office I left my luggage at the hotel then I caught a bus for Dosan Seowon just. This academy of teaching of the Confucius philosopher was founded by Toegye Yi Hwang in 1574. It trained during several decades the high officers in charge for the kingdom of Joseong. The effigy of Yi Hwang is reproduced on the banknote of 1000KWR.
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Toegye Yi Hwang
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Gwangmyeongsil
Andong
08/12/2010
During my visit a group of teenagers took part in a ceremony of presentation to the temple, I tried to make it explained alas without success. A small museum recalls the life, the activity and the writings of Yi Hwang. Breaks embellished this cold day, -3°C, in mountain of medium altitude. On the road leading to Dosa Seowon vehicles were copiously sprinkled by automatic rotary jets of disinfecting for a reason which I am unaware of. The area cultivates fruit trees.
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Sangdeoksa
Andong
08/12/2010
Dosan Seowon
Andong
08/12/2010
Andong is the city of the Korean spirit, many old sites are in the area. I visited Hahoe Village where the members of the Ryu family lived for 600 years. It is composed of houses very well preserved and still inhabited nowadays. I strolled it by a cold sunshine day, the surrounding countryside was covered with white frost.
Hahoe Village
09/12/2010
Hahoe Village
09/12/2010
Hahoe Village
09/12/2010
An extraordinary museum of masks exhibits myths and legends of masks as well Korean as from other countries in the world.
Mask Museum
Hahoe Village
09/12/2010
Mask Museum
Hahoe Village
09/12/2010
Mask Museum
Hahoe Village
09/12/2010
At the beginning of afternoon I visited Soju Museum devoted to Korean food. It was visited by the Queen Elizabeth of England in 1999. The city of Andong deserves several days.
Soju Museum
09/12/2010
Soju Museum
09/12/2010
December 10 I left Andong for Gongju. After more than 3 hours by bus with a change at Deajeon, I arrived at the hotel around 11am in a city covered by a fine snow film. I began the visits with the site of the tombs of kings of Baekje one of the three kingdoms which reigned from 57 BC to 668 AD. The most significant is that of King Muryeong, 461 to 523 BC. It was discovered in 1971, it was never violated. Its funerary furniture was intact, it was of a great utility for scientists. A museum exhibits objects discovered in the tomb, furniture, jewels and potteries. Kings believed in the rebirth, death was a waiting state.
Songsan-ri Burial Mounds
Gongju
10/12/2010
Exhibition Hall
Songsan-ri Burial Mounds
Gongju
10/12/2010
Tomb of King Muryeong
Songsan-ri Burial Mounds
Gongju
10/12/2010
King's gold diadem
Songsan-ri Burial Mounds
Gongju
10/12/2010
Chinese celadon
Songsan-ri Burial Mounds
Gongju
10/12/2010
Along the Geumgang river one a hill the Gongsanseong fortress was built starting from 475 AD to protect the capital of the kingdom. Wall and pivilions were restored in 1980.
Gonggsanseong
Gongju
10/12/2010
Gwangbongnu Pavilion
Gonggsanseong
Gongju
10/12/2010
Geumseoru Gate Pavilion
Gonggsanseong
Gongju
10/12/2010
