Korea Countryside - Kanghwa & Sukmodo

[hkskyline]

I knew I went through these photos and posted them somewhere, but they sat online untouched and unshown for almost a year. In 2008, I attended a gathering with friends in Korea for a weekend, and we went out of town to explore a bit of the countryside. I've been to Seoul several times already by then, so wanted to venture beyond the city.

The answer was Kanghwa, which was west of Seoul ...









Once we got to Kanghwa, we boarded a ferry to Sukmodo. If it weren't for my Korean-speaking friend, I'd be completely lost amidst these signs.







The most interesting part of the short boat ride was a live experience of Jurassic Park. The seagulls were well-trained to snatch particles of shrimp crackers from curious tourists. The feeding frenzy was quite amazing.









Having had enough of the frenzy, I turned around and saw land in sight.



Another bus ride later, we arrived at busier area, where lunch was served.









No English again ...



Korean cuisine is a dishwasher's nightmare, with lots of small plates and bowls, each with a different appetizer.

Kimchi, I like ...



Crab ... not so much



Looks like tempura vegetables on the right.











The main attraction here is a Buddhist temple, at the top of the hill. Let's start climbing!













The incline is quite steep .. the photos probably don't show that too well.













































This is a fairly serene place, albeit with too many stairs.







When the trees cleared, the view was very nice.















See the rocks up there? That's where the nice view came from.



















Who wants match-sticks?











Back to the pier for the return ferry.



Before boarding the boat, I wandered around the market to see some of their seafood products.









This does not appear to be seafood.





Good evening, Korea!







Full set : http://www.globalphotos.org/korea-kanghwa.htm