Catching up

Well since I returned from my cross Korea backpacking adventure, it's been a full paced time. Between way too many hours of class time, it's been a rush to see and experience Korea and it's many incredible sites. Since the break I've been to Haeinsa - a Unesco World Heritage temple that while it's one of the 10 great temples of the Hwaom set, it is best known world wide as the repository of the Tripitaka Koreana. That is 81,340 carved wood blocks, on which are the complete Buddhist scriptures, as well as many illustrations remarkably like those in Nepal. This set of blocks are from the set completed in the year 1232. I was actually able to get a print of one of the blocks of scripture on traditional Korean paper. Yep, it is definitely a keeper! I plan on going back and picking up another print as soon as I can before the oppressing heat gets any worse.

I have also since break managed to make it to Gyeong Ju. Home of many sites including the Cheomseongdae Observatory. It is the oldest observatory in Asia. It is also home of the Royal Tombs of Daereungwon, and the Royal Tomb of King Hyogong. Interestingly, they use burial mounds rather than placing the deceased into the ground as in many western cultures. In the "Dynasty" era when a king died, all of his servants and the servants families were buried with him (including the servants children).

The transportation system here in Korea is a 4 way system, that I have to admit mostly works well. There are a number of airports that you can fly from one end of Korea to the other or to China, Japan, Hong Kong or other international sites. The fare to fly from Inchon in Korea to Beijing China is about $500 USD at the time I checked. Then there are 2 different type of rail service. One being a slower/cheaper train service and the other the KTX. The KTX is a super fast rail service that seems to travel an average of 298 KM per hour. this is about 185 MPH. You get there quick and the price is about double the cost of the slow train. The last option other than a taxi is the bus system. There are an amazing amount of bus services that can get you just about anywhere in Korea you want to be. Some of the buses are really quite nice. They have express bus service between many major cities.

Just a warning note on the local bus service in most cities. They move the minute you step inside. Forget about getting to a seat first. Just be prepared for the jolt of rapid acceleration. Also unlike in America where there are seating limits that have to be observed, in Korea if there is one, it is totally ignored. When I traveled to GyeongJu the first time we loaded into a bus that already was way over limit and the driver kept picking up people. In the end people were not only crowded into every seat, but into every inch of aisle and some even stood in between the two people sitting in the seats. I'm not sure but the way we were packed in I may have fathered numerous children and haven't a clue. It was seriously that crowded. We finally just got off the bus and walked to get out of the mass of bodies and heat. Now I travel by rail when ever possible.

I'll be posting some pics from the sites soon.
Until later - Have fun and stay safe!