Trip to Gyeongju (경주)

For about a month I had been aware that I would be going on a trip this weekend to Gyeongju.  Soojeong's friend told us of a tour where foreigners could go for free because the Korean Tourism Organization was doing some kind of research and they wanted people to go test out the application they had created.  For those of you who know me, you know that I am not one to usually go and hang out with a lot of people from western countries.  This is not because they are not nice people, or that I dislike them, it is because I think that by hanging with people of such similar cultural and linguistic backgrounds, I cannot really experience the culture fully.   Call me a hater if you will, but there is no denying that a large majority of the people who come never make an effort to learn the language, never read up on history and culture, and never open their minds to trying different foods.  Those are the kind of people that I do not like to be associated with.

Anyways, getting back to topic. I was really looking forward to going with Soojeong, Seth, and Lucy, until I was made aware that Seth and Lucy had plans for a Han River tour/beer tasting, and Soojeong would not be allowed to go because she is not a foreigner.  Given the choice to stay and miss out on a FREE trip (and I mean everything from food to lodgings) or spend time at home regretting not going, I decided to suck it up and set out on a journey that became unforgettable.

I arrived at the departure point an hour before the scheduled time.  It was rainy, it was cold, and it didn't look like anyone else was coming as I stood alone under the overhang of the Korean Tourism Organization.  I did notice, however, that buses were passing by and some even pulled to the side of the building.  I made my way over there and was greeted by a tour organizer who told me which bus to hop on.  I hopped on the bus to find three Canadians....and that was all.  We waited for about 30 minutes for more people to show up while we sipped on coffee and at sandwiches.  At last, one more person showed up and we set off down the hightway; one American, three Canadians, a Korean-Japanese woman, and three tour guides.  What would have been a trip of 14 or more foreigners, was now down to five.  As they say though, the show must go on.  Everyone was really nice and I had a great time getting to know them throughout our trip.  I was able to use English, Korean, and Japanese and it was a lot of fun.  Mrs. Choja was very interesting to talk to, and I really felt that I bonded with her after hearing her stories and chatting about various things.  The Canadians were all very nice as well, and we had a great time joking and talking with one another throughout the trip.


On we went and four hours later we arrived at our destination of Yangdong Folk Village (양동만속마을) which is a UNESCO world heritage site that contains many national treasures. We ate lunch there and walked around as the rain continued to drizzle lightly.  It was very beautiful walking up and down winding streets and hills that were lined with trees changing to every fall color that you can imagine. The foggy air really added to the atmosphere and made it seem like something out of a novel.  A place not of this time.

After the village tour we loaded up again and headed to the Gyeongju National Museum (국립경주박물관) where we had an hour or so to walk around on our own and look at all of the different pieces. They had a great collection of golden jewelry and Buddhist art.  After departing the museum we headed to Anap Pond to check out the reflections in the water at night. We then  had dinner at a restaurant and headed to the Kolon hotel where we were to stay for the night.  Since the tour group was supposed to be much larger, they had originally rented 12 rooms for all of us, but because of the no shows, we were able to pick a key and have a large room all to ourselves.  We met up for drinks after checking in and then headed to back to our rooms to call it a night. That shower and double bed will not soon be forgotten.

The next morning we woke up early to make it to breakfast before the crowds came.  I was expecting a breakfast of toast and maybe some juice, but I was delighted to find that there were tater tots, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, french toast, maple syrup, sausages, cereal, fruit and so much more.  I left that table a very happy man.  Speaking of the table, the view from the dining area was quite superb.  The hotels looks over the golf course and down through the valley to where you can see even more mountains.  I walked around near the golf course before we headed out for another day of exploring.


Our first stop was Bulguksa Temple (불국사 ) which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is a temple that has been around since 751 during the Silla Dynasty.  The temple had many beautiful areas and the stone pagodas there are quite famous.  One is even featured on the back of the 10 won coin.  Some people get burnt out of temples and shrines quickly, but to me, they all have a unique history and look to them that makes going to see them exciting.  I had a great time there.  The weather was perfect and the fall leaves were dropping down like rain.

After the Bulguksa, we headed to see the Silla tombs at Daeneungwon (대능원), and to see the Cheomseongdae Observatory (첨성대).  Both places were very interesting.  Those old tombs are quite a site to see.  They look like hills that are round in shape, and they can very from small to very large.  The observatory was used as a way to determine the time of the year to plant and harvest, as it was designed in a way that nearly matches the 365 day calendar.

 Those were the last two stop on our journey. We loaded back onto the bus and headed west to Seoul. I had a great time and I hope that others get the chance to go and visit there sometime as well.