Korean adventure Day 5 (30km, 244m)
A beautiful night listening to the rain pouring down and we all slept…somewhat. Luckily we woke up to a gorgeous day filled with sunshine, clean streets and perfect temperatures.
An easy day of biking day-30 km touring around Geongjyu was planned so we felt ready to conquer the world. I did not expect the very difficult 14 km climb to the temple. Eek. I thought I was going to die. And that was without my (not so light) paniers. Uh oh.
Bulguska Temple, Gyeongjyu, South Korea
A great breakfast (I swear, this is feeling more like a food tour than a bike tour so far! ) and then off to Bulguksa Temple, a World Heritage Site. The biking here was rather terrifying as there was basically no shoulder on the highway and there were a LOT of cars that did not like us being there. But once we were at the temple, the memory of that hill and those scary cars disappeared. We joined the masses as we explored the grounds and all the temple had to offer.
Donggung Palace, Gyeongjyu, South Korea | 2024
Biking back (downhill all the way, thank God) we stopped for snacks before going to our next destination, the Crown Prince Palace (Donggung Palace). Here I notice two little boys dressed up as princes and willing to pose for me. A bit further on I am welcomed by 4 ladies (I am assuming a grandma, daughter and 2 granddaughters) also dressed in traditional wear. Very cool. It is quite popular for people to get into the spirit and get dressed up to visit these temples and palaces.
Gyeongjyu, South Korea | 2024
Next is the 1400 year old Cheomseongdae Observatory, built for Queen Seondeok. It is widely believed to be Asia’s oldest surviving astronomical observatory. There is a lot of symbolism and meaning in the way the tower was built. It was quite interesting.
Burial Mounds, Gyeongjyu, South Korea, | 2024
This area is also known for all of their tombs, which are huge mounds that hold different royal families buried next to and on top of each other. These are found all over the south of South Korea, but are particularly well preserved here.
Acorn Jelly, South Korea | 2024
Dinner is mushroom and tofu hotpot with all kinds of interesting side dishes, including acorn jelly. Yep.
Some of us then head off into town to get a feel for the nightlife. But, don’t get too excited, we have an early morning so we were back at the hotel by 8:10.
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