On Father's Day, our local USO tour group went hiking at Gyeryongsan National Park, a mountainous park just northeast of us. Prior to purchasing tickets, I asked David, the young man who works at the tour desk inside the USO, if he thought us old folks would have any problems on this hike. David knows us pretty well at this point; I like their tours, and we kind of stand out: we are often the most elderly participants on these adventures! David's recommendation was to stop at the last temple because the final kilometer to the summit (2500 feet) was straight up. Thank you, David, for the warning!!
This is Vincent, our tour guide. Korean men often wear capri length trekking pants. Sometimes I will see men in town wearing these, too, and it always makes me take a second look. Of all the different things I have seen in Korea, men in capris make me look twice. I am not sure what that says about me.
The entrance into the park was so flat and deceptive of what was to come. The beauty was consistent throughout our trip.
A Korean group was coming out of the park as we were going in. We were there about 10 am, and the hike to the summit takes about 2 hours at a steady pace, so these folks got started early. For most Koreans, 10 am is early, unless you are a farmer.
I just loved the railing on this bridge. All of the parks we have seen thus far in South Korea have Buddhist temples, giving me the impression that parks are as much a worship area as they are a 'communing with nature' area. The railings make the Buddhist-feel stronger.
This is the first temple, Gapsa. There are a total of 4 temples in the 29 square mile park. We saw 3. The park is also known for endangered animals that live there.
It may be difficult to see, but center left of this photo is a Buddhist monk in traditional garb. He is wearing a straw hat and there is a fellow just in front of him, making him look very large when in fact he is not.
The inner courtyard at Gapsa. It was a large temple. Some sanctuaries are posted 'no photos', and I try not to take pictures while people are kneeling inside. We may enter the temples, shoeless of course, and I have done that, but again, not if people are worshiping.
Small Buddhas on the outer wall of Gapsa where people place stones and ask for guidance in life.
It doesn't look that steep, does it? Yeah, hike it when you are 50 plus, then let me know how steep it felt.
Some areas were packed dirt, most were rocky, and then there was this bridge of sorts, square rock pilings to walk over a creek. Pretty cool.
Temple #2 has a name, but I am not sure what it is. This temple had Buddha paintings adorning the walls.
Prayer requests hang from the ceiling.
On the floor to the left is a bag of rice...
and here are bananas and soju (rice liquor, like Golden Grain; you could run a vehicle on this stuff) left as offerings. The monks will take the food items and use in the monastery except for the soju unless there is a ceremony where alcohol is used. Some sects of Buddhism do allow the monks to drink alcohol, but I do not know if any of the Korean sects do.
You know I was birdwatching at this point. We got behind our group at the very beginning because I had zero intentions of keeping up with those folks. Bill usually passed me when I stopped, then I would catch up.
Sometimes he would sit with me, and he helped me find a blue and white flycatcher I kept hearing at the creek. It was right in front of us, very beautiful.
I also sighted a Varied Tit (like a chickadee back home but has a rufous body and buff on head/neck), Eurasian Nuthatch (like our red-breasted), and a Yellow Throated Bunting (I don't have a comparison for this one). The park is known for having Ruddy Kingfishers during the spring and summer, but those birds are rare sightings these days.
Taking a break from trekking and birding. Although the temperatures at the foot of the mountain were hot, the tree cover and elevation made it feel much less here.
OUR summit. This is the last temple on this trail. Bill had lunch at the base of the temple grounds while I walked up some more to explore.
It is just pretty and peaceful. I saw the Yellow Throated Bunting here.
I kept walking up...
This is the highest sanctuary. People were kneeling inside, so I did not take interior pictures.
This is the view from my personal summit where the highest sanctuary building was located. There was a small dirt trail going behind the sanctuary where a few people where going up more. I was not so inclined, ha, ha.
On the main temple grounds, the sanctuary's theme was painted Buddhas. Under the eaves where different Buddhas painted doing vairous tasks...
and inside were hundreds of miniature painted Buddhas. I was told some were wooden and some were like paper mache.
For those of us with bad knees, coming down a mountain can be as grueling as going up, but we made it. I noticed at the bottom of the trail was this cistern. The water comes from the turtle's mouth, and there are blue ladles to use for drinking. I assume this is for the monks and not tourists.
I could visit this park every day. It was just that lovely. And we ate some delicious squid pancakes after our trek! Yum! Not like breakfast pancakes, y'all, like savory pancakes with green onions and all the great side dishes with vegies and tofu. Bill tried mahkuhlee (I am sure I am not Romanizing the word correctly), a carbonated rice wine. I had tried it previously. It really is pretty good, but is definitely for sipping. I think it was a fabulous Father's Day although William may have a different opinion. It certainly was one to never be forgotten!
