The climate in Korea is fairly similar to Michigan in that it has four distinct seasons: a warm spring, a hot and humid summer, a cool fall, and a bitterly cold winter (which seems to be starting to ease up as I write this). Koreans take a lot of pride in the fact that they have four seasons, and every Korean is quick to tell you that fall is by far the most beautiful. Coming from Michigan, I had already experienced cool, crisp autumn air and treetops exploding into new colors. I didn't think the experience would be anything new for me. I was wrong.
Changdeokgung Gardens
Changdeokgung is the only one of Seoul's palaces to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you recall from my earlier post, it was the first palace rebuilt after the Japanese burned everything down. The palace itself is not the most impressive one, but it was designated as a UNESCO site because it is the oldest reconstruction and served as the home of the royal family. The last time I visited we missed the last English tour of the Secret Gardens, which are behind the palace complex. Rather than taking a tour in Korean, we opted to return at a later date. This proved to be a good decision, as fall is the best time to visit the gardens.
The gardens are actually what used to be the king's private park, a forest with trails leading to pavilions, pagodas, and ponds. We toured right around the time that the G20 Summit was taking place in Seoul, and our tour guide informed us that the first ladies had visited the gardens the day before we did. He showed us the courtyard where the women had stopped for a tea break. I wondered if Angela Merkel's husband was invited to the tea party, but didn't bother to ask the guide.
The gardens are actually what used to be the king's private park, a forest with trails leading to pavilions, pagodas, and ponds. We toured right around the time that the G20 Summit was taking place in Seoul, and our tour guide informed us that the first ladies had visited the gardens the day before we did. He showed us the courtyard where the women had stopped for a tea break. I wondered if Angela Merkel's husband was invited to the tea party, but didn't bother to ask the guide.
Lanterns Festival
Koreans took great pride in hosting the G20 Summit this past year. For them it marked the culmination of their country's transformation from developing country to developed country. Hosting the event put Seoul front and center in the global community. There were signs all over the city displaying the logo of the summit. In the U.S. and Europe, these global summits are an excuse for socialists and anarchists to come together and throw rocks into windows. In Korea, it was a source of national pride. Even my kindergarteners mentioned the event in class. There were a lot more police on duty during the event, but as far as I know the anarchist protests were kept to a minimum.
Because of the G20, the annual lanterns festival took on more of an international flavor. Each year in November, the man made river that flows through downtown Seoul, the Cheonggyecheon, is lined with lanterns that shine from sunset to about 10 or 11 PM. This year, the many traditional lanterns were accompanied by "lanterns" of world landmarks, flags, and even a lantern with bobble head-like figures of the leaders from all 20 countries.
Because of the G20, the annual lanterns festival took on more of an international flavor. Each year in November, the man made river that flows through downtown Seoul, the Cheonggyecheon, is lined with lanterns that shine from sunset to about 10 or 11 PM. This year, the many traditional lanterns were accompanied by "lanterns" of world landmarks, flags, and even a lantern with bobble head-like figures of the leaders from all 20 countries.
Bukhansan National Park
The highlight of the season, without a doubt, was my day trip to Bukhansan National Park. The city of Seoul is surrounded by mountains, so despite the ocean of high rise apartments you often feel trapped in, mother nature is just a few stops away on the subway. After reading about the park in our guidebook, Alexa, Antonio, and I packed a picnic lunch and headed off. The guidebook said that the hike would be moderately difficult, but "if Korean grandmothers can do, then so can you." When we got off the subway, we followed the hordes of middle aged Koreans dressed head to toe in hiking garb, windbreakers, packs, boots, poles, and all. They looked like they were going for a weekend-long expedition, not a 4-5 hour stroll. Koreans take their hobbies very seriously, whether these hobbies are hiking, sports, or World of Warcraft. The first portion of the hike was a glorified walk in the park. We hiked along wooded trails, dotted with occasional boulders, for a couple hours before sitting down for lunch.
The last portion of the hike, while covering the shortest distance, was truly exhausting. At times we had to get on all fours to scale the rocks, and towards the very top we had to use ropes to climb boulders. The terrain was rugged and rocky. All throughout this portion of the hike, we were getting passed by those Korean grandmother hiking aficionados. I wasn't laughing anymore. When we finally reached the top we were rewarded for our efforts with breathtaking views of four different peaks.
The last portion of the hike, while covering the shortest distance, was truly exhausting. At times we had to get on all fours to scale the rocks, and towards the very top we had to use ropes to climb boulders. The terrain was rugged and rocky. All throughout this portion of the hike, we were getting passed by those Korean grandmother hiking aficionados. I wasn't laughing anymore. When we finally reached the top we were rewarded for our efforts with breathtaking views of four different peaks.
Not a hike I would recommend for my grandmothers...
There was a group of rock climbers scaling one of the peaks. The man in the picture on the right walked up to the top without even using his hands. We suspected he was a ninja.
We enjoyed the view at the top until we saw the first hint of the sunset. To the south we could see the ocean of high rises in northern Seoul. To the north, we could see nothing but trees and mountains. I'm pretty sure North Korea is visible in the picture on the right.
Fall definitely earned its spot as the top season in Korea. All of my favorite aspects of the season back home combined with rocky peaks and traditional pagodas to produce two wonderful, temperate months between the sweltering heat of Korean summer and the bone chilling cold of winter. If only I could have found a cider mill...
Fall definitely earned its spot as the top season in Korea. All of my favorite aspects of the season back home combined with rocky peaks and traditional pagodas to produce two wonderful, temperate months between the sweltering heat of Korean summer and the bone chilling cold of winter. If only I could have found a cider mill...
