I climbed a mountain and all I got (to see) was this awesome Buddhist temple.

Jet-lag be damned. After weeks of calling a stroll a hike in the Florida flatlands, I couldn’t resist the temptation to begin hiking in Korea as soon as possible. Which is how I ended up, Saturday morning, taking the metro [subway] to Mt. Gwanaksan.* The weather wasn't so great but, well, if there’s a mountain the area I’m going to climb it. So, climb it I did, or at least try to. It’s not that the trail wasn’t well-marked – it was – it’s that it was absurdly well-marked in Korean. So, basically, I started my day by climbing a mountain and ended it by visiting my first Buddhist temple, Seongjuam. (Apparently I zigged when I was supposed to have zagged... or something... but there are 19 on Gwanaksan so who knows?) Although I eventually reached a lesser summit, I’ll definitely have to go back to try to best the mountain again. Still as the pictures here can attest, the temple made for a nice consolation prize.

* Yes, in Korea you can not only take mass transit to mountains but the actual subway to boot. I. love. this. country.






Added bonus: Cherry Blossoms!