속초, 설악산 (Sokcho and Seoraksan)

This is from our adventure to Seoraksan, the major national park of the Gangwon region, if not the whole country.  It's a very big park, you could spend days getting lost there.  We only had the day.  In addition to the outrageous beauty and natural nature high, I had a swell of warm memories of visiting similar National Parks back home with my family.  I miss them and I can't wait for them to visit. 

The entrance is incredible. It's like being in a dream or a documentary.

It was a perfect spring day.  The place is bumping with tourists like us.  I am of the opinion that it's a waste of time to fight the crowd, they have just as much right to enjoy it as you.  I don't mind getting a picture of some beautiful part of the world with some people in the way.  I'm one of those people too.  We are part of the beauty.

River running through the entrance to the park.

Claire takes better pictures than me. She also can step further onto ledges.

So steep. Holy shit.

It was perilous, this was as close to Seoraksan summit as I could manage without having a total panic attack from the heights, steep drop offs.  Even this was way beyond my freak-out point.

This is on our way out. My shirt says "Don't Trend On Me" and I bought it from a Native-run clothing company (website: oxdx.storenvy.com).  I wanted to mention this because I care deeply about cultural exchange in a respectful way.  This place reminded me a lot of the Black Hills in South Dakota.  It has deep cultural-spiritual significance to the Korean people, as the Black Hills does for the indigenous Lakota and Cheyenne people. 

Claire "photo-bombing" some mountains. haha, suckers.

And now, on to Sokcho.  This city is amazing, I highly recommend a visit there for anyone in Korea.  The only travel blogs I could find before we arrived had nothing to say about the city, except that it is touristy and mediocre.  I found neither of these to be the case.  Sokcho is a splendid and clean city, nestled between the peaks of Seoraksan and the coast.  I highly recommend you go to Sokcho!

 Last part of the trip was a temple called Naksansa, down in Yang Yang.  It was my favorite place in Korea to date.

Unbelievable.

Views of home in 동송

This is a glimpse into my "home life."  It's not in-depth but I think it's pretty true to my experiences.  I hoped to take a picture everyday when I got here but that's not gonna happen.  Living in the moment is a constant goal of mine, I have not yet come close.  But every moment is a new opportunity.

Cheorwon is a pretty delightful, if not isolated part of Korea.  Claire and I are battling constant illness and the struggles of first year teaching.  It's wonderful to watch the transformation from late winter to spring.  I miss the spring showers of Ohio, it's dry here until summer.  I don't miss the pilgrims.

As far as normal life in Korea is concerned, it's not a very big adjustment in terms of amenities and lifestyle.  I have all of my basic needs met, the challenge is to push beyond what little comfort zone you can build up with routine/relaxation.  So these pictures are a snippet of the smaller adventures over the last two months.

Lots to love. Have a look.

View from 도피안사 (Dopiansa) Temple, right outside of Dongsong. Taken on March 1st, 2014

동송 during some sleet.

 The mountain next to Claire's school.

금학산

My place

This is as far as I could make it up Geumhaksan (금학산), this is a good example of how steep and scary it was, to me at least.  Beautiful day.

On a clear Friday after school.

GUSH

North side of town.

Late February, a block from home.

This was in February also. 

Some Western food in town.

More pictures of our trips to Sokcho and Seoul are coming soon!  As well as more notes on the DMZ and jazz.