Sunday, July 20, 2008

두방사 (Dubangsa)

Path at the top

Butterfly

Walking back down the mountain (this doesn't capture how steep it was)

The Temple


From the top

Why wouldn't you have at least 1 piece of gym equipment!

Contemplative

Ant

From the top

The towers that were also at the top

I think that very windy road on the left is what we drove


We weren't very photogenic

The trusty old lady that got us there!

Right....Now I know exactly where I am

About 1/2 way up

Forest monster!

Giant toad (that scared Mike because it came out of nowhere!)


Yesterday afternoon we hopped on the bike in search of the Jinju Arboretum well, we didn't find it but we found another really cool place.  We had looked at the map before we left and knew that it was somewhere along route 2.  Assuming there would be signs that we could just follow from route 2 we headed that direction.  After 20 minutes on the road and no sign of the arboretum we pulled off.  

The clutch on the bike was acting funny so we decided to call it a day and just head back home.  We couldn't find the entrance back onto the highway so we were on some side road.  Then Mikey spotted a Daelim shop.  So, we turned around and went back.  As we were sitting there I realized that between the two of us we only had 3000 Won (about $3).  I was hoping it wouldn't be more than 5000 Won (because I could have scrapped together some change) otherwise one of us would have to stay there and the other go to the bank, wherever that might be.  The guy was puttering about for quite awhile and then came back and changed a screw on the clutch.  When asked how much he refused payment and in fact gave us something, a frozen bottle of water, excellent for a hot muggy day!  

Now that our bike was better we decided to stop at a temple that we had seen a sign for.  Not knowing anything about the temple or where exactly it was we just followed the signs, and then the road because there were no more signs.  The road was extremely narrow at some points, only one car could fit, we had to pull up into someone's driveway at one point so that a truck could get past.  We came upon a group of older Korean's all sitting under a tree on a platform, Mike stopped because he wasn't sure if it was the road still or had turned into someone's property, so they all stared at us, very intimidating.  We continued on and now the road was winding and narrow.  We would honk the horn going around turns just in case someone was coming.  A couple of the turns were so sharp and steep that I actually had to get off the bike so that Mike could get around it.  

Finally, we reached the temple, we parked the bike and took to the trails behind the temple.  It was only about a half mile to the top but it was so steep and hot that it felt a lot further.  There were points when Mike wanted to turn back but I wouldn't let him and I'm glad.  Once at the top the view was spectacular and very relaxing, and of course there was one piece of gym equipment! The trip back was much easier because now we knew where we were going.  

Oh yea, the dog's name is 삼진 (Samjin).

3 comments:

Jorge said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hey wait a minute - what did he say???

What beautiful photos!!! Ana -- I sure know what you're gonna look like when you get older!!!!!! Just as beautiful as you are today:) Like the tee;) I think in the picture of Mikey at the top "comtemplating" he was actually missing his mommy:) Only a mother coud really tell. Fun,Fun- Love Maw

Mamio Andretti said...

thanks for deleting that bizarre freaky comment