Wolchulsan - Hiking the Smallest of Korea's National Parks

This past weekend, I finally got the chance to do something I had been meaning to do since I'd seen pictures of it way back in the spring - hike Wolchulsan, the mountain in Korea's smallest national park.

A view of Hyangnobong ( 향노봉 - Hyangno Peak), on the left, and Cheonhwangbong (천황봉 - Cheonhwang Peak), on the right, at Wolchul Mountain (월출산).

 While Wolchulsan is not very big, covering area of 56.1㎢ and reaching a height of only 808.7m even at Cheonhwangbong, its highest peak, it is arguably the absolute prettiest of Korea's National Parks - and I have not only a number of other avid hikers, but plenty of photos to back me up on this.

Water streams down many of the barren rock faces in the park.

A little under a kilometer from the entrance you encounter a turn off to Gureumdari (구름다리), or the "Cloud Bridge", barely visible connecting the two peaks in the background of this photo. As this path involves trekking 300meters straight up, we decided to take a more leisurely path up to the top of the mountain and hit the bridge on the way down.

Some of the fall colours en route. Spot the natural fauna in their brightly coloured camo ;).



The stunning Baram Waterfall (바람폭포)

On the way up. A view of both the bridge and the famous "Book Rock".

Gureumdari.

Looking down. Even though the day was a bit hazy, the view was gorgeous.

More of the view.

Wanting a lazy weekend, we didn't do the full traverse but, rather the 9.4km/4hr (the website claims it takes 6 hours) loop up to the top of Cheonwhangbong from the Cheonwhangsa entrance. I figure not having done the traverse is a great excuse to go back - not that it's needed!

A view of the peaks from the top.

So stunning.

Check out the cool rock formation in the right-hand corner.

To say it was super-windy at the top is probably an understatement.

Chilchi (칠치 - the seven step) Waterfall from above. Baram falls is the last of these seven steps. 

Gureumdari from above. So much fun to jump on! (not everyone agreed ;).)

Looking down.

A clearer view from below the clouds.

The bridge from below.

Emerging into colour once again.

Rocks!

One of the best things about Wolchulsan is the fact that you encounter so many landscapes in such a short space of time. From the completely barren granite top, you descend into beautifully treed forests and then even further into bamboo! There is also a 'nature trail' at the base near Cheonhwang Temple (천황사) which affords a lovely, well-signed and extremely unpopulated (unheard of on hiking trails in Korea!) peek at some of the local flora and fauna. Unfortunately, my camera skills only allowed me to capture the former.

Wolchulsan is an absolutely stunning mountain. I would have gone much sooner if I'd realized just how close to me it was!  It's located about and hour to an hour and a half south of Gwangju on the outskirts of a small town (with good regional bus service) called Yeongam (영암). Go.

The Gwangju Biennale

This past weekend I finally made it out to The Gwangju Biennale - a roughly 2 month-long (Sept 7th - Nov 11th, 2012) modern art festival occurring once every two years (or biennially).

Biennale Hall.

Gwangju's Biennale was established in 1995 and is widely recognised as one of Asia's biggest and best contemporary art festivals. It is international in scope and is meant to continually embrace the spirit of the civil uprisings and memory of the bloody repression of the Gwangju National Democratization movement in 1980.

This year's theme was the ROUNDTABLE, with six sub-themes: Logging In and Out of Collectivity, Re-visiting History, Transient Encounters, Intimacy, Autonomy and Anonymity, Back to the Individual Experience and Impact of Mobility on Space and Time. Overall 92 artists and groups from 43 countries had a hand in the projects.

While I'm not usually a particularly artsy person, I figured that this was too big of an event not to check it out!

Some of the permanent artwork on the exhibition hall.

Community Members were invited to create their own rubbings while shopping in Daein Market for Do Ho Suh's "Rubbing Project III"

One of the giant wood and steel ginseng roots from Benjamin Armstrong's "Conjurer I-IV".

Possibly one of my favourite pieces, "From Where They Left" by Ahn Kyuchul , was once a full mural, but the tiles have been dispersed about the city.

Immigration instructions at Xijing Men's "Welcome to Xijing: Xijing Immigration Services, 20". I would love it if this was what customs were actually like!

Another piece which I truly enjoyed but which is not photographed here was the 13min 45s parallel videos "El Fin Del Mundo, 2012" by Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joonho.

Unfortunately the title and artist of this piece eludes me (which is a shame as it was one of my absolute favourites!).

But check out some of the writing on the walls.

Photographing moving film is surprisingly hard. Seeing this projector brought back so many memories of elementary school though!

If you happen to have this or next weekend free and are in the Gwangju area, I recommend that you go check it out. Tickets cost 11,000 won in advance or 14,000 won at the door. Included in this price is free entry to the other museums in the area. At present the Gwangju Museum of Art has only one exhibit up, but the Gwangju Folk Museum is always worth a visit! 

Looking out over the Biennale - Jungeo Park (중어공원) area behind the Gwangju Museum of Art.

Farm Fun

As we arrived early for the Lantern Festival in Jinju, my friends and I decided to go explore the countryside - this provided the perfect opportunity to play with my camera's (surprisingly powerful for such an old point and shoot) macro function. Enjoy the resulting pictures below!

Couldn't resist this shot. Possibly the best Korean kimbap (korean-style non-fish based, sushi-like seaweed (kim) rice (bap) rolls) shop name I have ever seen.
(For those of you that can't read it, it says "Lee: Kim to the Bap")

Jinju Namgang Yudeung Lantern Festival

Lanterns on the Nam River (literally South River) in front of Jinju Fortress. 

This past weekend also boasted Jinju's Namgan Lantern Festival - busy weekend, I know! Fortunately, Jinju  (진주) lies only 2 hours southeast of Gwangju, making it possible to visit two festivals in one weekend. The Namdan Yudeung Festival is held every year in October to commemorate the use of lit lanterns as a military strategy to protect Jinjuseong (진주성-Jinju Fortress) from night attackers coming across the river during the Japanese invasion of 1592.

A balloon advertising the festival floats about a colourful fountain on the south side of the Namdong.

A lovely dragon lantern. Many of my lantern photos were taken during the day for lighting purposes but, I assure you, they were equally, if not more lovely, at night.

A lady bug! and entire bamboo forest had been set up with lanterns - many of them in pairs located in... shall we say, compromising positions.



The entryway to one of the three temporary floating bridges crossing for crossing the Namgang during the festival.

A vie of the river and one of the bridges from the east.

Jinjuseong is not just a fortress, It is a fortress with a  history.  During the Japanese invasions, Korean General  Kim Si-min was said to have held the fortress against 30,000 invaders with only 3880 troops of his own. Sadly, when the Japanese returned, they brought 100,000 soldiers, killing many of the 70,000 Koreans who were by then stationed there. The story does not end there, however, and the fortress is now home to a shrine dedicated to one Nongae. Nongae was one of the girls selected to 'entertain' the conquering Japanese generals. Rather than submit willingly, Nongae lured Japanese General Keyamura up to a supposedly lovely vantange point on the cliff and jumped, bringing him along with her.

Poor guy just looked like he needed a break!

An outdoor torture chamber.

Fall too adorable. We all ended up piling in at one point too.

Period Re-enactments.

Tombstones.

The remains of the Dragon Bridge, once the scene of an ill-fated romance between a governors daughter and his servant. 

Lantern soldiers guard a look-out pavilion.

Jinju's famed musical fountain.

Thousands of golden Buddha at one of the temple shrines in the fortress complex.

Lanterns at night! Reminding me of just how much a love pumpkins.

Everything in Korea is a photo-opp :).

Holding the fort.

A final view.