Allie's Got Seoul: Historic 경주 Gyeongju

A “full” trip in Korea, Dad? Didn’t know what he was asking for. On a four-day weekend we headed down to Gyeongju, a small southeastern city. Once the capital of the ancient Silla Dynasty, this living museum is full of artifacts and landmarks. Korean children dutifully pilgrimage to their metropolis of cultural heritage. (The Jamestown/Williamsburg of my elementary years? I think yes.) Side Trip #2.

I have train love. Stations are more conveniently located than airports. No security process. No lines. You hardly have to be there early, but don’t be late—the trains depart sharply. The ride is scenic and you arrive fresh and ready for an active day. We took the high speed KTX down and the slower (and cheaper) Mugunghwa line on the way back.

Our guesthouse was situated in a neighborhood walking distance to downtown. Two-stories, open ceiling, communal feel, outdoor bathrooms in the courtyard. Sound traveled effortlessly throughout all levels of the house, but the guests, all my age, respectfully heeded quiet hours. I was nervous my parents wouldn’t be comfortable here but the warm and helpful owners and their dog (nice touch) made us feel right at home.

Some of Korea’s most treasured sights and artifacts are clustered in downtown Gyeongju, but we immediately ventured outside the city to the two major UNESCO sites, Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. Temples have been among my favorite tourist sites and Bulguksa is possibly the most important in all of Korea. Though large and containing many officially numbered national treasures, it seemed like a typical temple to my inexpert eyes. Seokguram Grotto was a quickie in relation to its importance and travel time. A large stone-carved Buddha sat protected behind a glass plate. We dedicated at least ten minutes to studying its intricacies, about 120 times longer than the average Korean student. I was highly amused by continuous lines of Korean students whisked through, conveyor belt style.

Closer to town, I lamented about how much prettier Anapji Pond would be before dusk, when almost on cue the pagodas came aglow. A beautiful accident. As we headed for a full day’s rewarding dinner we passed the eerily glowing Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory, the oldest surviving in East Asia.

The highly recommended Namsan Mountain (not to be confused with the mountain of the same name in Seoul) in Gyeongju National Park offered artifact-laden trails of varying difficulties. I had nearly settled on one that my mom would find physically suitable when our guesthouse owner insisted on a much more difficult course. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

Getting to the trailhead required bus ride and a few kilometers walk through a traditional village. I tried to convey confidence before marching my tourists up some hundred feet, though at times I wasn’t sure we were going the right way. When asking for directions people looked uncomfortable pointing me up the mountain. We hiked for what was actually only an hour, silently questioning if the exertion would be worth what ever we found. Finally, the tiny Chilbulam Hermitage and ancient Buddhist stone carvings came into view in a clearing on the mountainside. Picturesque. The temple, home to two Buddhist nuns, one Korean and one Czech, warmly invited us to a tea ceremony. They both spoke English well and entertained all “our” questions in the most welcoming of ways. As we were now stranded up a mountain having packed improperly, we were fortunate they provided a temple lunch.

A few minutes further up the trail, the Sinseoram stone carvings sat on a cliff overlooking the valley below. It required using all fours at times, but it was among the most stunning sights I’ve seen in Korea. As I frolicked along the cliff my parents were flabbergasted by the lack of guardrails. I guess I’m just accustomed to Korea at this point...

Gyeongju’s most distinguishable features are the royal tombs. You can’t miss these massive and unnaturally shaped green mounds. Deep inside, under layers of soil and rock, kings and other royalty are interred, in some ways paralleling the ancient Egyptian pyramids. As we walked along the winding paths lined by artificial green hills I felt…as if I was on the raceways of Mario Kart. One tomb, partially excavated, provided tourists like ourselves an idea of what the interior of these mysterious mounded tombs behold. The corpse and remnants of a lavish lifestyle, if you’re wondering.

Our last morning led us to some unique architecture, Bomon Lake, and the tomb of the beloved Queen Seondeok. Two and half days in Gyeongju seemed about right.

A convenient hour bus ride south is Korean’s second biggest city, Busan. I visited in April and knew just how to make a quick trip worth it. My chosen itinerary led us up Busan Tower, through the Jalgalchi Fish Market, and to a cat café in downtown Nampodong (since playing with cats while drinking overpriced coffee is an essential Korean experience. Duh.) In the evening we made our way for Gwangalli beach. My plans to eat local seafood on the sand were foiled but we did have late meal overlooking the lights of Busan’s iconic Gwangan bridge. A failed attempt at the perfect Sunday morning brunch led us through a university area and finally to the U.N. Cemetery. This UNESCO site honors U.N. soldiers from 16 countries who served and fell in the Korean War. I missed this on my first trip to Busan but the combination of history, monuments, and beautiful landscaping made for an unexpectedly gratifying outing. So much to learn if your AP U.S. History had a crush on Abraham Lincoln! Sufficiently worn out, we headed back to Seoul for the last few days of adventure.