Damyang: 죽녹원 Bamboo Forest

When I first arrived at Damyang I made my way to my pension (more detail on that later). The owners of the place gave me a lift to the nearest grocery store, and on the way back got me some local treats. This was bamboo shoot bread, and was very delicious with small pieces of bamboo (edible) inside, along with a slight sweet taste from the bread.

On my first full day in Damyang I headed to the bamboo forest ( 죽녹원) to have a lovely walk through tall stalks of leafy bamboo. Getting around Damyang is pretty easy and it was a short walk from my pension to the forest entrance.

On this day I got there around 10 AM, and that proved to be a good decision as I was able to meander through the forest trails without much bother from the crowds. I have never wandered through a bamboo forest and have always thought the idea of this to be enticing.

As I entered the thicker part of the forest and the light grew dim and shaded in lovely ways by the leaves and stalks, I knew this was a special place.

Damyang is located a bit north of Gwangju in the Jeollanam-do province on the Southwestern side of Korea. Of all my time here in Korea I have never ventured to this slice of Korea, and for my vacation figured I would cover this ground.

When walking through the forest I looked up and admired the leaves through the sunlight, making lovely silhouettes.

As you make your way through the forest you pass water fountains, benches and other little spots to stop and enjoy the scenery. Carved into the bamboo were names of couples who had left their mark.

The forest is of course the location of many famous filming spots, and also where Korea's officials have ventured.

The only panda's in this forest were fake, yet still quite cute.

In one area I noticed a bird close to the pathway, that didn't mind getting it's picture taken.

When you get to the back of the forest you enter into the "experience village", where there are traditional houses (hanok), grassy fields and fountains. I didn't really know what there was to "experience" but I had an enjoyable time sitting on the deck of one of the hanoks and taking a rest. Generally, the path throughout the forest is not to laborious but there are some hills here and there.

One of the fun parts of going through the forest were when random people said hello to me. "Where are you from?" Was one of the many questions, and even one visitor gave me a cold drink they got out of a vending machine. It's one of the charms of traveling around Korea, that is of running into nice people along the way.

Heading out of the experience village I admired the walk back to the entrance, and stopped in at the souvenir shop and cafe.

Of all the bamboo trinkets including fans, whacking sticks and back scratchers, I decided to go home with a bamboo cup.

When you get out of the forest you make your way to the left and there is a pavilion where you can rest and look out over Damyang.

In the above picture you see a water fountain area in the front, where kids enjoyed running through and then in the background you see a line of tall trees poking up. That was the meta-sequoia drive walk that is also famous in this area. However, I didn't partake in that as I have experienced tree lined streets before in Korea.

But stay tuned for more posts about my visit to Damyang, including some fun stories of getting lost and finding my way.

Field Trip at the Seoul Forest

For our June field trip the kiddos headed out to the Seoul Forest. It was my first time going to this place and so I enjoyed seeing the sites alongside the students. When we first got there we went to a green house with moths, insects and plants.

There was also a section that housed small animals, and the kids enjoyed pounding on the walls of these poor animal's homes. I've tried in the past to get them to stop, but they don't really listen.

The highlight of the trip was when the children played in the spouting water fountain. They headed over to the fountain after lunch, and it was really fun to watch them get soaked and scream with glee.

One thing the kids really enjoyed doing, was laying or sitting on top of the spout before it shoots up and then squealing when the water came out.

Afterwards, the kids toweled themselves down, changed their shoes and we all headed over to a play ground. It was a pretty simple field trip but nonetheless good in that way. I'm tempted to go back with swim clothes on and enjoy the fountain myself, someday!

Silleuksa Temple Resort: Yeoju

Alongside the Yeoju Ceramic festival lies the Silleuksa Temple. Out of all the temples I have visited in Korea, thus far, this one proved to be very illuminating. I think what makes this one stand out from the others is that it resides next to the Namhangang river. But you will will also see that there are many treasures to be found on your visit, which add to the uniqueness of this place.

I started off by purchasing my ticket and taking a stroll by the river and through a shaded tree-lined path.

As you approach the temple you see a small place where you can write on a tablet, and then the fountain area.

The stroll around the temple grounds was full of familiar sights and with the lanterns up for Buddha's birthday on the horizon, things felt good.

I mostly enjoyed the twisted trees laid out here amongst the landscape.

Nearby was one of the pagoda shrines where visitors completed rituals.

Again another twisty tree, but this one projecting a really awesome shadow onto the sandy soil.

As I headed away from the temple grounds I found myself climbing a stone staircase only to to come to the top of a hill where a six-tier brick pagoda was standing. Apparently, this is one of only a handful of brick pagodas left in Korea, and it majestically sits above the river.

Above this lies a stele shrine where you can see a better view of the pagoda and river scene.

Walking around the shrine and heading downhill, you are set on a rock outcrop over looking the river. The wind blows a cool breeze and one's weary Seoul body is soothed. I really wanted to just sit out there all day, if it weren't for lunch calling me.

Alongside here was a resting pavilion where many a visitor sat and admired the scenery.

I took a seat at a nearby boulder / bench and took in the view and fresh air. On the opposite side of the river was an amusement park, which was starting to swing into gear. I could hear the thrilling sound of voices as they enjoyed their ride. But it wasn't loud enough to disturb the peace I felt while there.

Heading back, I noticed this amusing placard for the bathroom near the temple and also a nice little gift shop.

I would highly recommend heading out to Yeoju and visiting this temple resort area. For one you can see a bit of cultural history and another you can enjoy some great refreshing scenery. Perhaps, bring some friends and have a picnic if you feel like it.

To get here follow the similar instructions in my ceramic post. Or you can try to follow these instructions:

Dong Seoul Bus Terminal
A bus runs between Seoul and Yeoju (06:30-22:00) and takes 70 minutes. Catch a bus in the direction of the Silleuksa Temple Resort at the bus stop in front of the Yeoju Terminal or Yeoju Town; it takes only 10 minutes.