All posts tagged: temple

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 …

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. …

Tamun Ayun Temple | Bali Temple Collection

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This gorgeous temple is the first blog in the epic trilogy I will write out the temples I visited while in Bali.  And it’s mainly epic, not because of my braggy writing, but because they are just beautiful without the need for hyperbole. 🙂 The Tamun Ayun is a large temple set upon an even larger, well manicured and lusciously green garden area.  There are pools of water and ponds to create an atmosphere of peace. The name Tamun Ayun translates to beautiful garden, and is so evident walking around and taking in the spectacular (albeit boiling hot) temple of worship. It was built in 1634 for the people of the Mengwi kingdom, so they did not need to travel far to another large, main temple. The temple has towering pagodas for worship inside the main courtyard, which cannot be entered unless it is a special, sacred holiday. But, it’s opened only for worshipers, not visitors. The view of it is enough and makes it all the more special that people can’t tramp all over the …

Persimmon Silence | Cheongdo Daejeoksa

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The Gam Wine Tunnel was an interesting experience. The tunnel was unique. The wine was crisp. And, it was also very grating on my sensitive nerves because of the overabundance of attendees. Lucky for us that just up the hill a bit sat a quaint (and calm) little temple surrounded by persimmon trees and golden silence. Most temples in Korea look very similar but I was so grateful for this one because of the chaos that reigned just 200 meters away. Enjoy the pictures and feel the silence. 🙂

Yakcheonsa Temple |Jeju Island| 약천사

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This is not an old place, it was built in the 1990s. However, the beauty of this temple is unmatched by any that I’ve seen.  It’s also huge. The largest in Jeju boasting a view of orange trees and the ocean. It’s gorgeous and serene. A definite must if you visit the island. It’s located in the Jungmun Resort area. Directions and information found: Here Admission is free. There are many pictures here but I have even more on Flickr!  Crystal’s Flickr Page I was mocked  endlessly for this pose. It was a bit rainy and deserted the day we came. Such a perfect combination to see a temple.

Bongeunsa Temple | Gangnam

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Seoul, South Korea Directions: Samseong Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), Exit 6.                       Go 600m forward, and turn left.                       Go 150m forward, and cross the road to arrive at Bongeunsa Temple. Website: Bongeunsa |The head temple of the Seon Buddhism|   See more pictures on my Flickr page!