Last weekend I headed out toward Jeongseon.  Jeongseon is in the northeast part of south Korea and is a bit difficult to get to.  But, being difficult to get to can be a good thing (i.e., no tourists; no nothing).

Jeongseon used to be known for its coal mining, but those mines ran dry (is that the right verb?) and now they’ve built a fancy new casino (which you can see nestled up in the mountains above the deserted mine).

But, one of the main reasons I trekked out to Jeongseon was to see Dongwon Coal Mine.

Dongwon was the last coal mine in Gangwon province, and one of the last in Korea.  It operated from 1962-2004, but it pretty much looked like nothing had changed since 1962.

But there’s more to it than it just being a mine… it was also the site of a major Korean labor fight.  From April 21-24, 1980; Dongwon mine went on strike after refusing a 20% raise increase (the union wanted a 42.75% raise).  160 policemen and workers were injured, 81 workers were arrested, and one policeman died.  Then, the miners and their families (5,000 strong) basically took over the town by overrunning the police.

While this moment in Korea’s democratization movement is often overlooked by the protests in Busan-Masan and the Gwangju Massacre that occurred one month later; it still remains a very important moment in Korea’s long and windy path toward democracy.

In an odd side note, if you visit Jeongseon, you will find a deserted city that has the nicest roads and government facilities you will ever see.  This is because when the government closed the mine in 2004 they promised Jeongseon payments of $100 million.  However, only $20 million have been made, but even with that, Jeongseon appears to be doing well (at least from an outsider’s subjective viewpoint).

To get there: take a bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal… BUT (and this is very important) if you want to get there fast, get a bus that doesn’t stop at every small town and intersection along the way.  On my return journey, I took a direct bus to Seongnam Bus Terminal and it was much, much faster for this very reason.

Here are the photos (you can see them in all their glory here)

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Last year I had the unique opportunity to visit Changdeok Palace at night (it’s very rarely open at night and even then only open to a handful of psychotic fans rushing to get on the sign up page… see those posts here & here).  Well, I finally went during the day.

It was still amazing.  I just love Changdeok Palace.  Even though I hate that the Joseon Dynasty crushed Buddhism, pushed women further into the kitchen, and shut off Korea from the rest of the world (a simplistic view, I know)… I can’t help but stare in awe at these buildings.

They were used until fairly recently… well, until the Japanese came over in 1910 (the saddest place of the palace, in my opinion, is looking at the room in which the last cabinet meeting of the Joseon Dynasty was held in which they voted to agree to the annexation treaty with Japan).  And after the Japanese were forced to leave at the end of WWII… the Korean government allowed Princess Deokhye to live here until her death in 1989.

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I spent my Korean New Year with a Korean family.  While it was wholly interesting to see the customs and rituals, the best part was being able to be with a big family enjoying a big holiday.  It reminded me of how much I miss my own.

Korean New Year, or Seolnal (설날), is probably the biggest holiday here.  I booked my ticket a month ago and left right after work.  Due to the massive amount of traffic of people leaving Seoul for their hometowns, the typically 4 hour bus ride took over 6 hours.

It is a three day holiday.  The first day we prepared food.  We started at about 3:30pm, and when I went to bed at 1am I could still hear the women cooking.  I had heard about how hard women work during Korean holidays, but this surpassed all of my expectations.  I was incredibly tired the whole visit, but I only did about 1/20 of the work of the women while also sleeping a lot more…

The second day, we woke up and set up the table for the charye ceremony for the ancestors who have passed away (see photo above).  During the ceremony, my friend and his father bowed and paid their respects to the father’s parents.  During the break, my friend’s sisters came in and bowed.  They also asked if I would like to bow, which I was hesitant to do, but was glad I did.

After the ceremony, we cleared the table and ate and ate and ate.  It was pretty much heaven.

The following day we visited the mother’s parents who are still alive.  It is custom to bow and say happy new year, after which they offer words of wisdom and give you money.

This was an experience I will never forget.  Not too many foreigners are invited into a Korean home to see this, so I feel very honored and lucky.  Also, my friend’s family is incredibly generous.  They gave me a bed and more food than any one person should ever eat.

Here are some photos of the preparation.  You can see the full set here.

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smoke coming from the wood fire that is heating the ondol floors in the tea house

Of all the things to do in Korea, my favorite is quickly becoming doing ANYTHING where there are NOT lots of people.  Last year I got to see Changdeokgung Palace (first trip & second trip) in a small group.  I also visited Hahoe Village on eve of one of the biggest holidays so no one was there.

Now, I’m realizing that isolated temples in small beach towns are pretty deserted in 15 degree weather… but only if you arrive very early.

I went back to Buan last week (here’s the first trip) with datesRibs in an effort to see Jikso Falls… the waterfall I tried to see the week before.  I thought by going with a Korean I would have no trouble.  But… as it turns out… some Koreans don’t like hiking up mountains for hours in the freezing cold and given the prospect can come up with some pretty inventive stories like “oh, we have to transfer buses 7 times and then hike for 4 hours” or “oh, my friend just called and I have to be home early tomorrow, we won’t have time to hike”… so, needless to say I didn’t get to see Jikso Falls.

I did, however, get to see Naeso Temple (or Naesosa) in the early morning and it was incredible.  I’d never been to any temple without throngs of people.  This day, there was one other person there and we could hear the morning ceremony taking place in the main hall.

Naeso Temple was originally built in 633 during the Baekje Kingdom (18 BC – 660 AD) when Korea was divided into three kingdoms.  The current temple was rebuilt 1000 years later in 1633 during the Joseon Dynasty.

I definitely recommend early an early morning trip.  See the full photo set here.

at every temple there are guardians and beneath the guardians are the "evil" beings they are protecting us from... this is one of those evil beings

Naesosa was laid out really well and the lines of the buildings flowed nicely

the mountains surrounding the temple were gorgeous... even in the dull grey winter

the pagoda in front of the main temple

after walking around a bit, we had tea in a wood building over 250 years old with the traditional ondol floor heating

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Byeongsan Seowon is a Confucian school in Andong, Korea,  first established in 1613 during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897).

Even though I lived in Andong for a year, I never made it out there because it is almost impossible to reach unless you have a car.  It is just a few kilometers away from the UNESCO site Hahoe Village, but only two buses per day make it up the winding dirt road to Byeongsan.

It is much less famous than Andong’s other Confucian school, Dosan Seowon, I’m guessing because Dosan was set up by Yi Hwang, Korea’s most notable Confucian scholar.

However, despite not being as famous as Dosan Seowon, it is much more beautiful.

A large part of me has become immune to sites like this.  I’ve seen so many traditional Korean buildings, I think I could build one in my sleep.  But then I come to a place like Byeongsan Seowon and I’m blown away.

In front of the school is a beautiful beach and river.  The school sits up on a hill surrounded by gorgeous mountains and nothing else.  It’s simply breathtaking.

Also, because it is so hard to get to (and because it was FREEZING) there was hardly anyone there.  Which, since I dislike people, I loved.

Here are some photos of the school and the sunset by the river.  You can see the full set here.

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I was supposed to be vacationing on my favorite island in sunny (and hot) Philippines… instead I’m stuck in Korea (thank you Confucius) in 10°F weather going to empty beach towns.

I’ve always been drawn to the places that were once the center of attention, but are now… disregarded.  I’ll never forget my parents taking me to a real mining ghost town when I was kid… that was wonderful.

Being inspired by my friend Brian’s photos of Jeju Island, I headed out to a small beach town I’d never heard of — Buan.  Because it is 10°F, I got a super cheap rate ($25) at a new hotel, and amazing service at all the restaurants (I was the only customer).

Buan was beautiful.  I want to go back, but I want to go back with a Korean friend because it is far from foreigner-friendly.  I really wanted to see this supposedly amazing waterfall, but I couldn’t figure out how to get there and many of the locals were not keen on talking to me.

Here are some of the photos… you can see the full set here.

I didn't get the best sunset, but I was lucky to catch these folks on the rocks.

some folks ventured out to the edge... unlike me

these guys just got out of the military (mandatory in Korea) and asked me if I would take their picture... they were so happy (to be out of the military... not to have their picture taken by me)

after being on the cold, rocky beach all day, it was nice seeing this on the walk back to my hotel

I know this is the header image, but I thought you might like to enlarge it... :)

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The date of birth on the right on the date of death on the left. This was a student; a 17 year old kid. Murdered for protesting for freedom against the president/dictator that the Americans put into power.

March 15, 1960: Election Day in Korea.

In Masan, over one thousand protesters gathered as it became increasingly clear that the election for President and Vice President was rigged.  The military opened fire, blacked out the city, and called for US Marines to help damper the protest.

On April 11, the body of a high school student was found in Masan harbor.  The boy had been missing since the March 15 protest.  The government continued to say that the student had drowned, but when protesters forced their way into the hospital where his dead body lay, they discovered that his eyes were blown out by grenades, which is how he died.

From Masan the protests spread to Seoul, then to the rest of the country. It led to the resignation of (the corrupt) President Syngman Rhee in what became the April Revolution. His prime minister, Gibung Lee, committed suicide along with his entire family.

Syngman Rhee was the first president/dictator in post-colonial, post-Korean War Korea.  His resignation was an incredibly hopeful moment for Korea… until Park Chung Hee entered to create a new dictatorship.

It was hard to get a firm number of those that were killed in the protests.  The very nice lady at the museum didn’t know for sure, but it appears that anywhere from 15-30 died while protesting for freedom (many of them young students).  Many more were injured.

It’s sad.  It’s sad for Korea.  It’s sad for America.

Masan has a beautiful memorial and museum dedicated to the event.  Those who were killed or injured in the protests are buried here.

You can see the full photo set here.

photos of those killed in the protests

graves of those killed and injured in the protests

sculpture commemorating the protest

puppet reenactment of the protest

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Yesterday I wrote about the top 10 posts of 2010.  To be honest, they weren’t my favorites.  I liked a few of them… and some of them I was amazed got read at all.

So, here are 5 of my favorite posts that I think should be in the top 10.  I loved these posts.  I think what is interesting is that they are all posts from traveling and they all brought up significant emotions for me as I was there… I think I did a poor job conveying how important these places were to me.

1. Christmas at Masan fish market (December 2010): Christmas was a bit unconventional this year.  I really enjoyed taking pictures at the fish market, and I was fairly happy with the results.  I think they are probably the best pictures I’ve taken.  Plus, it was the first Christmas I’ve ever spent with a “date,” so that was kind of special.
2. Hahoemaeul… again (September 2010): Hahoemaeul, a traditional Korean village in Andong, is one of my favorite places in Korea.  When I re-visited back in September the place was surprisingly empty.  It was wonderful beyond words.
3. Siquijor — butterfly sanctuary (May 2010): Going to the butterfly sanctuary located at the top of a mountain on the island of Siquijor, Philippines, was an amazing experience.  I was alone in the room with enormous butterflies and gorgeous flowers.  The 2 minute video is the real winner here.
4. Changdeokgoong… again (November 2010):  Changdeokgoong is a royal palace built in 1412 in the heart of Seoul.  It is never open at night, but for a few short weeks in October and November they let in 100 people during the full moon.  I got to go twice… it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done.
5. Naksan Temple (September 2009):  This is my favorite temple in Korea.  Very few temples are on the water as most are found on top of mountains.  Naksan Temple is on the northeast coast of South Korea and it is breathtaking.  The pictures do not do it justice.  If you visit South Korea, I highly recommend visiting.

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For Christmas I went down to Masan, which is a fishing town on the far southern side of the Korean peninsula.   I spent a good deal of time walking around the fish market.  All of the  ”shop” owners kept laughing at me wondering why I was taking pictures of their dead fish…  But everyone was really lovely… and very different from Seoul.

You can see the full photo set here. Video at the bottom.

Watch the video:

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By chance (i.e., human error) I was able to go back to the moonlight tour of Changdeokgoong (Changdeok Palace) with a couple of friends.  Changdeokgoong was one of the main palaces of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897).  It was completed in 1412, and while only 30% of the original palace remains, it is still a sight to behold.

Changdeokgoong is amazingly beautiful and these very rare nighttime tours are breathtaking.  They only let in 100 people, so you get to experience it without getting shoved 400 times (a truly rare event in Korea).

The first time I went, I was in love.  It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had… really.  And, while I truly love my handheld Canon s90, I wasn’t really happy with the outcome of many of the photos.

This time I came armed with my new Nikon D7000, and the photos are much, much better.

Here are the photos… you can view the full set here.

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I went to Nami Island this weekend with two friends (who write the very funny and frank blog, Shotgun Korea).

I love the Fall.  It is my favorite season, and so happy that I get to see beautiful places like this.  The only drawback was that out of the 5,488 people there, I was evidently the only single person (well, me and kid in the stroller)… it’s kind of a couples place to go.

Here are the photos.  You can see the full set here.  (Video at the end.)

[simage=3359,max,n,center,][simage=3360,max,n,center,][simage=3364,max,n,center,][simage=3365,max,n,center,][simage=3368,max,n,center,][simage=3372,max,n,center,][simage=3374,max,n,center,][simage=3376,max,n,center,][simage=3377,max,n,center,][simage=3392,max,n,center,][simage=3386,max,n,center,][simage=3395,max,n,center,]

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I went to Buseoksa (or Buseok Temple)… it was incredible.  It is one of the most beautiful temples I’ve seen in Korea (along with Naksansa and Donghwasa) sitting in the beautiful mountains of the Northern Gyeongsang province.

The history of the temple is quite impressive.  It was originally built in 676 AD during the Silla Dynasty (57 AD – 935 AD) by Uisang.  But Uisang didn’t do it alone!  He was helped in this feat by his beloved, Seonmyo.  Seonmyo and Uisang loved each other, but Seonmyo was heartbroken when she heard that Uisang would be leaving her to go build Buseok Temple, so she jumped into the water and drowned; then becoming a dragon who would go on to protect Uisang from all meddlesome pagans and ne’er-do-wells.

I wish Abigail Adams had a dragon backstory.  It’s so romantic and so much better than “she stayed home to tend to the farm.”

This temple is a must see.  In addition to being stunningly beautiful, the main building is one of the oldest wooden structures in Korea, being built in 1376.

Here are the photos.  You can view the full set here.

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I had the rare opportunity to visit Changdeok Palace at night.  The Palace is normally closed at night as it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has limited electricity.  It was one of the best things I’ve done since moving to Korea.  It was incredible.

They only allowed 100 people in this tour, and in my group there were only seven of us, so it really felt like being alone in the Palace.  (This would be notable anywhere in the world, but especially in Korea where it is difficult to use the bathroom without 138 other people.)

A brief history: King Taejong had Changdeok Palace built after he had his brothers murdered in a struggle for the kingship at Gyeongbuk Palace.  Construction started in 1405 and was finished in 1412.  It’s been rebuilt a few times after each invasion/burning by Korea’s nice neighbors.

One interesting fact is that Emporer Sunjong lived there until 1926, even though he was no longer Emporer after Japan colonized Korea in 1910. Crown Prince Euimin lived there until his death in 1970 and his wife Bangja, Crown Princess Euimin, lived there until her death in 1989… more history here.

Changdeok Palace is especially renowned for its design in blending with the surrounding nature (as opposed to just building massive structures to show everyone who is in charge).

We ended the tour with a beautiful traditional Korean concert.  Here is their version of Arirang, probably the most famous Korean folk song.  You should hit play and listen as you look at the photos.

It is impossible for me to write any meaningful commentary.  The best I can say is that it was a gorgeous night and it was truly breathtaking to be able to walk in the Palace with so few people.

Here are the photos.  You can view the full set here.

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After my plans of going to the countryside were thwarted by thousands of festival-goers, I quickly went online to find the nearest cultural landmark to my house (one great thing about Korea is that you’re almost never more than a few minutes away from a National Treasure, temple, or cultural asset).

So, I went to Namhan Mountain Fortress (namhansanseong/남한산성).

[simage=3005,288,n,right,]Hiking in Korea is serious business and I was severely underdressed.  Whether you’re going 20 miles or 1/2 mile, one is usually decked out in a Gore-Tex track suit, a backpack with Korean lunch and makgeolli (traditional Korean rice wine), trekking sticks, and appropriate visors/head gear.  I was a wearing jeans, a Banana Republic sweater, my Cole Haan slip-ons, and my overnight messenger bag… but I’m a foreigner.

When I got to the Sueocheong Command Post, I realized there was going to be a performance.  I mentioned a few weeks ago how easy it is to randomly run into street theater in Seoul and other cities… well, it evidently happens on the top of mountain fortresses too.

According to my friend, this is a traditional military performance used to test their skills.  I was very impressed.  Be sure to watch the last 0:40 as they start hitting each other very hard.

I was impressed with Namhansan Fortress.  The current fortress dates back to the 1600′s, but Koreans have been using this site for defense since the 7th century.  (Read Wikipedia for more info.)

There were a lot of people, but that’s always the case with hiking in Korea.

Here are some photos.  You can see the full set here.

[simage=3008,max,n,center,][simage=3010,max,n,center,][simage=3012,max,n,center,][simage=3016,max,n,center,][simage=3014,max,n,center,][simage=3026,max,n,center,][simage=3028,max,n,center,][simage=3030,max,n,center,][simage=3033,max,n,center,]

Directions: Take Subway line #8 (pink line) and get off at Namhansanseong.  Then take Bus #9 to your desired starting point.

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I don’t like sunrises.  One has to wake up obscenely early or go bed obscenely late, and either way, 5:30am never feels good.

And if I don’t like sunrises, I positively hate the photos we take of them.  I don’t understand how we, as a species, could be so universally attracted to the sunrise & sunset that every time we see one we think it’s a good idea to start clicking away with our cameras.

It must be an evolutionary flaw that will no doubt leave us lower in the food chain (well, this and electing Tea Party candidates).

I say all of this because a few days ago, I woke up at 3:30am so I could walk several kilometers to see the sunrise… and to take photos.

Basically, I fell for Sokcho’s marketing.  They have Seorak Sunrise Park and it looks so pretty in all of their pamphlets!  I figured if they named an entire park after the sunrise that it must be something to see.

It wasn’t.

My life did not improve from waking up early.  I was just really tired for the rest of the day (and I missed the sunset because I was napping).  Of course, I knew all of this before I even woke up to see the sunrise, but I, like so many others, did it anyway.

So, this is my contribution to the failure of the human race: sunrise photos… if you want previous submissions, you can view sunset photos here.

You can see all the sunrise photos here
More info on Seorak Sunrise Park

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