All posts filed under: Nature

The Princess Temple | chuncheon

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If you’ve spent any amount of time in Korea, you’ve seen your fair share of Buddhist temples. Sometimes it feels like you can’t throw an empty bottle of BB cream without hitting one. (Don’t throw bottles, folks. Recycle!) But, every so often, you get to see one that is just wonderful and unique enough that you feel like an innocent young girl seeing her first Korean temple. Cheongpyeong-sa is one such temple for me. I visited in possibly the hottest of summers I’ve lived through in Seoul. The air was thick with humidity, smog and just millions of people’s breath. It was the perfect time to escape to Chuncheon in Gangwon-do. The area is gorgeous and full of greenery. The temple sits at the basin of Obongsan Mountain.  It was misty walking up to the entrance due to the heat and I began to fear that maybe I too would dissolve into sweaty mist. But, in the luckiest of circumstances, I saw just what I needed: an older couple soaking their feet in the crisp, streaming …

Autumn Views | Seoul Fortress Wall

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Time and tide wait for no lady. Even when she’s like, “Can you wait a second, I’m not like…super ready for November.”  Oh, there it goes. There went November.  It’s December! I know that’s a fact, but it seems nuts. November and most of October was a blur. I went out, did things, ate things… lived my life. And now it’s cold and dark when I get off work, so it’s back to blogging I go. I return to blogging season.   Sometime in November, I went on an amazing hike in the wilds of Seoul. It was sometime after I ate pounds and pounds of Halloween candy and was feeling especially awesome guilty. The trail is tough but worth it. There are steep inclines, beautiful scenery and fresh air plopped down just for the taking. I was thrilled to find it on my second attempt after we followed a very knowledgeable and talkative dad guiding his two kids to the trail. We were especially lucky to have such a beautiful, clear day to see far and …

Taejongdae | a brief guide

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Beautiful views. Cool breezes. The smell of pine and ocean together. Taejongdae offers all these things and is a great little getaway in Busan. I was thoroughly impressed with the beauty and atmosphere offered here. Just like every tourist place in Korea, there were hundreds of people at the base of the mountain in the shops, buying souvenirs and coffee and  waiting to take the trolley up. But, if you walk up on foot, which is a reasonable incline but not taxing (I did it in flip flops), it is wonderfully peaceful (something rare and beautiful in Korea at times) and you can get much better views for a much longer time. The blue ocean views from the cliffs were very calming and we seemed to be the only visitors to the small temple on our way up. It is a charming place altogether. And one I would recommend. Taejongdae To get there: From Busan Station, take Bus 88 or 101 and get off at Taejongdae Cliff Bus Stop. Other buses bound for Taejongdae: No. 8, 13, 30, 88, or 101. …

Donghae | relax east coast style

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The east sea has beautiful blue water and sandy beaches. Our trip was very quick and the days were mostly overcast. But, the peace of being away from Seoul made the trip to sleepy Donghae worth the bus ride out there. where to stay We booked a room at the Hyunjin Tourist Hotel. It was spacious, clean and has lovely staff. This was a picture of our view from the room. It was about a block from the quiet and calm Hanseomhaean Beach. It’s a block a different way to many restaurants and stores. They could not find my reservation so we were upgraded. Terrific end to a moment of panic. I booked through Agoda here. what to do Besides the beach, in particular, Mangsang Beach, there are actually several things to do in this small coastal city. Sea Train: take a ride up and down the east coast to see great views, drink a beer and listen to music Cheongok Cave: a large, cavernous limestone cave in the middle of the ctiy Mokho Harbor: …

Nonhyeon | at home series

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For a long time in Korea, I used the word home as the placeholder of the city I had left to come to another country. As time marched on and that, “just one more year, probably” became a more permanent move, I grew to call Seoul my home and St. Louis, back home. I’m sure this is no surprise for someone who has lived abroad for some time. Nonhyeon has been my home for over three years now. I’ve grown to love certain dimensions of it and not love, to be kind, other parts. The nightlife, for one, has grown very tiresome. I’m too old, too sensitive, and too picky to want to see some of the scenes I’ve witnessed. Just ungodly things…on my way to work at 8:30 am for the most part. However, on the other side of that crazy coin, Nonhyeon is getting much more adorable. If you avoid the main strip of bars and noraebangs with drunks out until 2 or 3 in the afternoon from the night before, you can find loads of coffee …

Reminiscing | Seoul’s Cherry Blossoms 2014

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Seoul’s on the edge of Cherry Blossom season. A little honesty- after 4 1/2 years here in Korea, I’m over it. I do not ever feel like fighting the throngs of couples lining every street that happens to have these beautiful, delicate trees to get the perfect photo op. Seeing the cherry blossoms are  a bucket list item, for sure, but once you’ve dumped it in your bucket, it’s not worth being tangled up in the mess. Go see them once or twice and then, let the couples get their 100 pictures. In 2014, my sister and brother in law visited me in Seoul. Not only was I thrilled because it the one and only time anyone from back home has visited me here, but I was excited just to show them everything I loved about Korea. They arrived at the end of April so I told them we’d be lucky to see any cherry blossoms at that point. My sister really wanted to see the trees so I thought we would head to the National Assembly, where I …

Sunshine, Sand and Private Beach Clubs

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What’s a beach club, you may ask? Only one of the most spectacular destinations to go on vacation. Honestly, before researching activities for Bali, I didn’t know what beach clubs were all about. It’s so much more than just spending the day on a beach. So much more. (Cue daydreamy music…) Picture this: You enter the club after paying a nominal fee, which includes your beach towel and a percentage toward food. Then you enter a pristine beach area, find your spot under an umbrella and begin your day. You can order drinks and food from the restaurant. You can snorkel, dive or participate in some other activities. You only need to bring yourself, a bucket of sunblock and a big bottle of water. Otherwise, you are taken care of for the day, eliminating the need to bring big, bulky beach bags filled with necessities. Sounds unbelievable, right? Your next beachy vacation needs to include a beach club. And, until then, please enjoy our trip to Finn’s Beach Club in Bali. It’s a private beach club …

The Great Outdoors | Adventure time with Gina & Crystal

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I was incredibly lucky to FINALLY go visit my friend, Gina after an  almost 7 or 8 year separation, in Vancouver, Washington which is a stone’s throw from Portland, Oregon.  (It was also the perfect occasion to spread on some thick guilt about getting over to Korea to visit me. Dates were set. No backing out now, Gina!) On one of my beautiful vacation days we went hiking on Eagle Creek Trail, part of the Columbia River Gorge. This hike has everything you could want to see when your hiking days are quite scant and you want to make the most of it. There were basin pools, waterfalls and foliage out of a fairy tale landscape.  It was ridiculously gorgeous as you can see. It was a bit hard for an out of shape gal like myself but every step was worth it! We made it to the 3.3 mile mark and back. I was really proud of us! If you want to see anymore, visit my Flikr page! Portland, Oregon | Eagle Creek Trail After our hike, rewards …

La Vie En Rose | Garden Festival

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Last week Korea was gripped in an obscene panic due to MERS. I was off from school closings and reading a lot of bad news on the internet. My solution? Ignore it and hop on the subway to the 2015 Rose Garden Festival which is inside Seoul Grand Park. This was my first jaunt out this way save for a few years ago when I visited the MMCA museum in the area. Just on the outskirts of the big city of Seoul, the park is surrounded by mountains and (hopefully) fresh air. The place was surprisingly big. You could easily spend 1/2 a day out there just in the rose garden itself. There is also a lake, trails and a lift that will show you a bird’s eye view of the park. Of course, since it was the middle of the week (and possibly the MERS) the park was not busy and it was easy to get to the themed garden. It’s quite a walk and the summer is heating up, so if you are not …

Hangang Summer Picnic

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It is summer in Korea. I am hot and sweaty when I walk down the street so it officially summer in my book. That’s okay, though, because last weekend I made a fun-tastic picnic and hung out at the river all day. I am indoorsy by nature, but a little preparation goes a long way! Take your food, beverages and entertainment and you too can enjoy a little summer picnic fun. And there’s always people and dog watching, which makes the time fly by. If you are hoping to make a picnic day by the Han in Seoul, remember to go early to secure your spot under a tree!