Chuseok vacation day 3 part 2: Gosu Donggul cave

Back in Danyang, we crossed a flower lined bridge over the scenic river to Gosu Donggul cave. The cave wasn't nearly as large as the one we saw during summer vacation, but it was far more impressive, filled with interesting formations. It had an intimate feel in that we walked right among the stalagmites and stalactites, to the point where it was difficult not to brush against them.

Outside caves was a demonic-shaped palm reading machine. We walked back across the bridge, seeing a praying mantis on the way. From Danyang we took a long bus ride to Andong, where we stayed the night.

The pictures for this section start here.

Chuseok vacation day 3 part 1: Guinsa temple complex

On Saturday of Chuseok we went to Guinsa, a massive temple complex in Sobaeksan National Park. It is a new temple, founded in 1945 by a smaller Buddhist sect. It is set imposingly along a narrow ravine, with the buildings--already far taller than most Buddhist temples--towering over us as we walk through it. The complex is covered with a symbol that we hadn't seen before but that I now know is called a vajra, a weapon for destroying impurities and temptations. It was everywhere, from the buildings to the bumpers of their cars to the lantern shades. There were lots of interesting buildings, inside and out, with bridges connecting some of them. I especially liked a shrine where a huge feast was set out for the major figures of the sect.

The top of the ravine had a huge golden pavilion with an equally huge statue of the temple's founder inside. There a guide gave us booklets on the sect with beautiful pictures of their temples as well as glow in the dark bracelets with vajra on them.

We went to the founder's grave on the top of the small mountain and then on around the mountain where the Lonely Planet map said there was a trail into the mountains of Sobaeksan National Park, but in fact there was not, so we went back down through the temple. A woman gave me a bag full of ricecake (dense, sticky, slightly sweet blocks of smushed rice) because it was Chuseok. The temple was decorated somewhat for the holiday, with lanterns and even giant paper bells.

Pictures of Guinsa start here.

Chuseok vacation day 2: Cheongju

After my adventures in Songnisan, I met up with Alanna in Cheongju. The next morning we took in the city's sights, starting with the Golden Pavilion. The path to the temple complex was lined with tall wooden totems and next to the pavilion itself was a towering modern temple. The pavilion looks quite impressive from a distance, though close up it looks rather tacky (it might actually be spray-painted gold). We walked through a crafts festival to get to a fortress-like catholic church. We then took a bus out of town to Sangdang Sanseong fortress, which now pretty much consists of its 4.2km long walls. It was interesting to see an empty fortress. Most of the fortress walls are filled with and surrounded by modern cities. We tried to get to various sites on the map in the gateway before we realized that the map was of the fortress as it was hundreds of years ago. On the way out we saw rather large spiders on the top of the bus stop shelter. That night we left the city and went out to Danyang.

The pictures for this post start here.