Bathing Optional

One Year in Korea

Continents

		$This is as close as we ever got to North Korea. Panmunjeom is the heavily-touristed United Nations outpost located at the DMZ, the 2km-wide no-access zone separating North and South Korea. In the distance can be made out the Norths propaganda town, a farce of a city and collection of false building facades. Like some abandoned movie set, the propaganda town sits idle while pro-communist North Korea slogans are blurted out the huge speakers hanging off the contender for the worlds highest flag pole. \r\nOnly one other time did we get so close to the North. That was while overnighting it in Seoraksan National Park. Not far from our mountain hut, we could see the lights of military outposts and wandering soldiers in the hills to our north. \r\nThese days, re-unification is high on many Koreans list of priorities.$	$Christmas came soon after Maciejs arrival in Seoul.\r\nHere, we celebrated Christmas Eve in as posh an atmosphere as our wallets could afford.\r\n\r\nFrom left : Grant, Zach, Kurt, Jason, Louise, Louises friends, and Maciej$
	$Seoraksan, by many, is considered South Koreas foremost National Park and with mountains like this, its no big surprise. We didnt do the winter hike, but a long hike following a huge typhoon in the summer turned out to be one of our best.\r\nNavigating through the debris, including steel bridges, fallen trees, and massive boulders, we somehow crossed the Park. All the while, our jaws hung low in awe as we viewed amazing crags, sheer cliffs, and fabulous cascades and waterfalls. This Park really does top them all !$
$Every year, Buddhas birthday is celebrated when the western calendar matches the lunar date of April 8th.\r\n\r\nIn Korea, the coming of this date is marked by a daily growth in the number of simple paper lanterns that hang outside Koreas thousands of temples and culminates in festivals at which hundreds, but more often, thousands of these lanterns are lit in a brilliant display of lights !\r\n\r\nOn the peak day, we found ourselves at Doseunsa Temple at the base of the beautiful mountains of Bukhansan National Park just north of Seoul.$


$This was one of the few classes that I had for 9 months, it was my favorite classes full of kids with lots of energy and love.\r\n$

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