Man, there i wuz on Sunday privatley-guiding Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador to Korea and several etc around Gyeongju in a drizzle, and just as we get to the Seokkur-am (see previous post!) Parking Lot (700 meters up), that Typhoon Nari hits us (all the way from Yeosu) — the raindrops get bigger and start flying sideways! We had to abandon hopes of seeing Asia’s Best Stone Buddha and run for it, lest we become diplo-incident casualties… So much for attempted tourism in lovely mid-September… But anyway, here are some Royal Asiatic Society - Korea activities of potential interest to M-Holers:
No Lectures or Tours during Chuseok-time, other than the China Tour — because it’s Chuseok-time. Check the KNTO website for activities far from the epic traffic-jams during this long weekend.
Sat Sept 29th: BUKCHON neighborhood Walking Tour in Seoul — Strolling for a few hours through the neighborhood of traditional (old or remodeled) Korean houses (hanok) just north of downtown, guided by an expert in its history. We will visit the new Bukchon Culture Center to learn about the preservation projects, the Gahoe Folk-Art Museum, a few great old hanoks and some traditional artisans who operate workshops there. Guided by my own funky self, so ya know its gonna be good.
SEPT 29-30 (Sat-Sun): JEOLLA Provinces Tour: Byeonsan-Bando National Park, Tamyang Bamboo Museum and the Unju-sa Pagoda Valley — We will spend the first day in Byeonsan Peninsula National Park with its spectacular scenery, fine views of the Yellow Sea and lovely Byeonsan Beach, and near here we will also be able to visit the famous Seonun-sa temple. The next day we will go to Tamyang for a visit to the bamboo museum before continuing our journey to mysterious Unju-sa in Pagoda Valley, with its dozens of unique-styled millennium-old stone Buddhist artworks.
SEPT 29-30 (Sat-Sun): CHUNGMU PORT of Tong-yeong City and GEOJE-DO Island Tour — A chance to learn and explore some of Korea’s most outstanding scenery, with some interesting history behind it — the beautiful island and seas of Geoje-do and the Hallyo Waterway National Park.
OCT 5-8 (Fri-Mon): HONSHU JAPAN TOUR — This trip to Japan’s main island focuses on the industrial and historical Kansai region. The tour begins in Osaka, moves on to Asuka and Nara, the eighth century Japanese capital, and continues to Kyoto, the capital up until 1868. Castles, shrines, temples and museums insure a varied experience of Japan.
Sat-Sun Oct 6-7th: ANDONG AREA Tour: the grand Buseok-sa Temple, Dosan-seowan and Hahoe Aristocratic Village — An RAS favorite, this tour takes us to the most famous sites in and around Andong, the primary city of the Yangban (old aristocracy) and its values. We will visit the spectacular “Floating Rock Temple” at Sobaek-san National Park, the famous Dosan Neo-Confucian Academy of Korea’s most famous scholar (see both sides of your w1000 bill), and the traditional Hahoe Village, a collection of upper-class mansions which is famous for its Mask-dance festival and little-changed by time. If you haven’t yet been to Andong, this is your chance!
Tuesday October 9th: the next RAS Lecture Meeting by Mr. David Richardson on ”Psychonomic Trends in Korea: Korean Psychological Lifestyles, From the Pre-386 Generation to Today’s Young Generation”. Somerset Palace, Seoul.
Contact: http://www.raskb.com/ 763-9483, or raskb@kornet.net And yet more Fall activities are listed in comment #1…
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Yet More to plan on:
Sat-Sun Oct 13-14: GYEONGJU (KYÔNGJU) CITY TOUR – AMAZING RELICS of the SHILLA KINGDOM — The entire city of Gyeongju is an outdoor museum, recognized by UNESCO as a prime display of Korean culture, including some of the world’s best Buddhist artworks. This weekend visit will cover the main historic sites and offer an interesting look at the Shilla Kingdom’s culture, as our guide recounts the many myths and legends associated with the sites. This tour will be led by Professor David Mason, an expert on Gyeongju’s history and treasures.
Sun Oct 14th: WALKING TOUR OF JOSEON SITES of Downtown SEOUL — This tour is a walk through Seoul’s past, examining the cultural and historical background of Seoul’s palaces and Joseon (Chosôn) Dynasty landmarks, as well as some little-known but very important historic buildings monuments. Led by Peter Bartholomew, a renowned expert on traditional Korean architecture.
Sat-Sun Oct 20-21: SEORAK-SAN (SÔRAKSAN) NATIONAL PARK TOUR — This is Korea’s premier national park, containing some of the most superb natural scenery to be found on the peninsula. The colorful autumn leaves should be outstanding on this weekend! This is definitely a “must” during your stay in Korea and once you have experienced this park, you’ll want to return time and time again.
“Man, there i wuz on Sunday….”
For a second there I thought the Marmot had let one of the boys from the Dave’s ESl Cafe forum post here.
Naw; if so that then would’ve been “Dude, there i wuz in Itaewon Geckos on Sunday…”
Hey, I’ve been to Tongyeong/Chungmu! (Why did they change the name?) We even had Chungmu gimbap. Also drove south to Mireuk-do, and did the perimeter road around the island. Very nice view and picturesque villages. Went all the way to the south end at Dara Gongwon. Quite pretty.
We went at just the right time of spring, I guess, because the dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃; camellia japonica blossoms) were out in full bloom. Man, the sea, the blue sky, the Mediterranean afternoon light, the flowers…it was gorgeous.
Looks like Wordpress ate my comment! To recap shortly: I’ve been to Chungmu, and to Mireuk-do to the south. The dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃; camellia japonica flowers) were out in full blossom. Very picturesque seaside villages; the total effect of blue sea, Mediterranean afternoon light, flowers, and sunlit towns was gorgeous.
Getting there from Daegu was a bit of a headache (2-lane highway west from Masan; 88 Olympic expressway on the way back) and the train doesn’t really go anywhere near there, but with the newly extended freeway 35, getting there from the direction of Daejeon is probably quite easy.
> Tongyeong/Chungmu! (Why did they change the name?)
I think I have heard that Tong-yeong is the original Korean name, and the Japanese imperialists changed it to Chungmu when they made it their main naval port — certainly, it was the Japanese who planted the famous cherry trees there.
> Also drove south to Mireuk-do, and did
> the perimeter road around the island.
Yeah, that’s a great island, right across the bridge — one really great old Temple in a sweet little park on the north slope of that mountain…