Yeondongjin (영동진)

The Northeastern coast of South Korea is a remarkable place. I recently spent a weekend just north of the famed Jeongdongjin beach. It was a world unlike any other I had experienced on this peninsula. The ocean was a clean crisp blue which reminded me of the tropics. It just begged for me to take a swim. Turns out the water temperature is anything but tropical; more at arctic. It reminded me more of Lake Superior. I honestly couldn't stand it long. I guess I am getting old.


The trip consisted of three trains and roughly ten hours each way. It was a grind but well worth it. When you exit the train you are right on the beach! Most hotels offer pick up from the station as well. Our hotel was about two miles north of the station. There was no access to a store for groceries or supplies. Thankfully the woman who ran the hotel drove us to a large market roughly a half hour away. The next day her husband drove us into "town" and we spent a few hours walking along the beach and exploring the town proper. Unfortunately, when we were ready to return his car was occupied. The taxis were nowhere to be found which left only the choice of walking. We set out along the beach and a half mile later were unable to continue. The military is everywhere it seems! Guardposts and barbed wire fences stand aplenty in stark contrast to the natural beauty.


One U-turn and forty minutes later we decide to go underneath the railroad line which parallels the coast and walk along the fenceline rather than risk the speedy traffic along the rather narrow road. Another half mile later we reached another impass. An impenetrable spaghetti of barbed wire and metal. By now we are roasting. I coax my companion onto the railway where must first cross a 100 foot bridge. Thankfully no trains came! I knew that if we continued along the track it would be the quickest way back to the hotel and fifteen minutes and another degree of sunburn we arrived safely to our room.


The reason Jeongdongjin is famous is the sunrise. We happened to be here on the Summer Solstice so a four in the morning wake up was necessary. As we awoke the sky was lightening and we scampered across the railway toward the beach. But, wait, are you kidding? The gate to the beach was locked. We simply sat on a bench as the sky brightened and I snapped a few photos throught the fence. It must have been around five when the sight of soldiers appeared out of nowhere unlocking the gates and patrolling the beach.



With the gates open on to a completely deserted beach we went and were treated to a truly fabulous sunrise. All in all a great trip for me personally. If you are not so rugged I would recommend you book a hotel directly in town. Ours sat in an enclave of homes and small farms with no dining or market access. I liked the isolation. I had a great trip. Korea has so many layers and it was fun to be exposed to a new one.

Unjusa (운주사)

Korea is a mountainous country. The northeastern areas of the peninsula have much larger peaks in greater numbers. Some 1,500 years ago a monk, realizing this imbalance, wished to build many pagodas and statues of Buddha in the southwest in order to prevent the land from capsizing. The monk Doseon (도선국사), firmly rooted in geomancy, beckoned stoneworkers from heaven to help complete this task. The goal of a thousand pagodas and a thousand Buddhas was set for the temple Unjusa. Upon completion this balance would be achieved. Sadly, during the final construction of the last two statues a rooster crowed and called the workers back to heaven.
Those final two statues (Wabul (와불)) are immense and lay atop a mountain on their backs. When you enter the temple grounds statues of Buddha large and small are everywhere. Large pagodas stand on flat land as well as on hillsides. The fact that this fragile ancient construction still stands is more wondrous to me than the pyramids of Egypt.
Somehow this geomancy is reconciled with astronomy. Many say that the temples layout echoes the night sky. There are several discs which mirror the big dipper in proportion. Most striking to me are the three large pagodas in the central valley of the temple grounds. To me they represent Orion's belt. The location of the other pagodas seem to represent Rigel, Betelgeuse, and beyond. Someday I will learn cartography and test my hypothesis.
Apart from the science is the spiritual experience. Taking a hike through Unjusa will without doubt alter your state of mind. A sense of peace and wonder was infused in me that is still locked inside.

Gwanchoksa (관촉사)

One of the great things about Korea is how connected it is. Trains and buses run almost constantly to both large and small destinations. Recently a whim took me on a half hour train ride to Nonsan. From there I took a short taxi ride to Gwanchoksa. The most striking part of this temple is the giant Buddha holding a lotus flower. He stands nearly sixty feet tall. Construction began in 967 and took nearly forty years to complete. It is the largest standing stone Buddha in Korea. Legend has it that a woman on heard a baby crying on the mountain. She went to the location of the crying and found only a rock. Upon this rock the Buddha was constructed. In the foreground of the photo is a large stone lantern which probably stands fifteen feet high. The temple grounds were rather small and it took all but an hour to soak it all in. The beauty of such a place is simply its age. Standing in a place that has been relatively unchanged for a thousand years is a unique experience.