Biking cherry blossom weekend in the Rome of Korea: April 12-14, 2013

Unlike back home in Canada, spring has definitely sprung in Korea! Along with a few friends, Ian and I went on a weekend trip to Gyeongju, a city nick named the Rome of Korea. This city is about a four-hour drive southeast from Incheon (if there is no traffic). It is famous because it used to be the capital of Korea during the Silla Period (BCE 57 ~ CE 935). We really wanted to head there when the cherry blossoms were blooming; however, it was a little tricky planning a trip around the season because cherry blossoms are only in bloom for a very short amount of time.  So as it turned out, our timing wasn’t the best. There were still plenty of cherry blossoms in bloom, but we were told that had we gone the previous weekend every tree would have been blooming. Oh well, it was still an amazing trip!

We left Friday and drove through the night to Gyeongju. We didn’t get the best sleep on the bus, but it was worth it to start Saturday already in the city. We rented bikes, had a map, and a mini stamp book for the major cultural heritage sites in Gyeongju and we were off! It sort of felt like a waygook biker gang. We went to Bunhwangsa Temple, walked around Anapji Pond where we discovered a little bamboo forest, biked around Daerungwon Tombs Park, and went to the traditional Gyochon Village. We also stopped midday to lay in the park and have a picnic. It seemed like every Korean child in the park was flying a kite, and a few of us joined in on the action. I simply loved biking around on the perfect spring day. It was great to be able to wear shorts and to get some sun on our faces! After our long day of biking, our butts were a little sore! We went out for dinner to a Korean restaurant near our hotel and then just bought drinks and chilled in one room together. We were exhausted from the little sleep we got on Friday night and from our active day.

Sunday morning, we woke up early and headed to Seokguram Grotto, a temple on a hill/built into the rocks.  It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. I liked the easy stroll to the temple, as the pathway was lined with the colourful lanterns. After a bibimbap lunch, we headed to Bulguksa Temple before heading home to Incheon. This last temple was really nice, but I think by this point we were a little templed-out. So after walking around for a bit, we all headed to a café shop to treat ourselves! Overall, our trip was so much fun! It really just made me so excited for spring and summer. Coming back to cold Incheon, I am eager for warmer spring weather to get here so we can wear shorts, eat ice cream cones, chill on patios and enjoy the sun! We have a lot coming up, starting with a pub crawl this weekend in Incheon and the Poprawa sisters make their Korean debut! Larissa and Teresa are coming to Korea on Saturday! I am so excited to see them and the following weekend Molly arrives! I can't wait for these ladies to visit us in Korea!!

Here are some pictures from the weekend :)

Starting out our day! (Patrick and Ian)

Checking out the flowers. (Leana, Isabelle, Nadia)

Lanterns around the Bunhwangsa Temple

Bunhwangsa Temple

Walking around Anapji Pond

Anapji Pong

The boys (Ryan, Ian, Patrick)

The girls (Natasha, Leana, Isabelle, Nadia, Emily, Arazue)

Ian hanging around the cherry blossoms.

Ian being a panda in the random bamboo mini forest we found while walking around the pond.

So much bamboo!

Biking through and around the Daerungwon Tombs Park. You can see the tombs on the left hand side.

Our biker gang! There were nine of us in total!

Gyochon Traditional Village. We stopped to have snacks and buy a drink! 

Picnic in the park surrounded by kids flying kites.

Tombs of past Kings

Biker gang group shot!

Sunday morning we explored Seokguram Grotto, a UNESCO World heritage site.

Trail to the temple.

Hapjeong! (Leana, Isabelle, Nadia, Natasha, Emily)

(Patrick, Ryan, Ian)

Near entrance to Bulguksa Temple.

Bulguksa Temple

Koreans build these Inukshuk looking rock towers and make wishes. These were all over the temple.

The stacks of rocks were really found everywhere, even on top of this door frame. 

This is the one Ian made.