Day 4: Escape from the Concrete Jungle

After the excitement of the DMZ yesterday and the busy Seoul we are staying in, we wanted to get away to some nature. So, this morning we went to catch a tour bus to Mount Seona and Naksansa Temple.

At 6:15, the alarm went again—another early morning to get a rhythm and beat the jet lag. It was expected to be a 3-hour bus ride with maybe a bit more traffic because it was a public holiday and a lot of locals would go on a little trip outside the city as well. The bus first took us along the Han River through Seoul, where we got to see the city in the early morning light. The buildings gradually grew thinner, and a very green and hilly landscape emerged. Some buildings were scattered about, but you could see that people gravitated more towards the big cities, with the buildings being a bit more run-down or even abandoned. It was strange to see such a stark contrast with the big, shiny towers of Seoul just a moment before.

A quick pit stop for the long ride was at a beautiful point overlooking a valley, and the longing for the big mountain started. The rest of the bus ride was a bit uneventful, with a lot of spock-ers taking a nap due to the early morning (or jet lag, depending on who you ask 😜).

When we arrived at the National Park, there was a line of cars for a kilometer to get to the parking lot, this meant we got off the bus early and started to walk to the entrance. The public holiday really increased tourism. If we wanted to get to the top of the mountain, we would have to take a cable car, but with the time allotted there and the local tourists in a big line to get tickets, we could not go. We had three other options for trails to take: along the river, to the waterfalls or to a ridge.

I walked along the stream running at the foot of the mountain, through the gorge it had formed beside it. It had big boulders all over the place, and with the big walls, it looked like a giant’s litter bin. Another group went on a big hike to the ridge with a nice view of the mountain and the ocean nearby. This was a long walk, which almost made them late for the bus.

After we left the park, we went to the coast to visit a temple located on top of a cliff overlooking the sea. We were welcomed there with chanting and the ringing of a bell in the distance. They had a very large statue at the top of the temple site, and with the views, this gave us the calm we may have searched for when escaping the city.