We spent a day in Damyang which is famous for bamboo and old trees neither of which were exciting. The town had a really nice feel with a long walking park and hundreds of families enjoying themselves. The government provides tons of free things for people to do and they really take advantage of it. It is great.
My favorite site in Damyang was a series of boulders placed across the river. It afforded the more daring a way to cross (and fall into) the river.
We spent our first night in a love hotel. We knew it would be hot when we saw the hallway lit with black lights and painted with flourescent paints. We got into our room which had your standard 6 foot long mirror next to the bed. I have no idea how they expect you to brush your hair using it, but I guess it was OK.
You can read more about the vacation after the jump
Soswaewon is a small garden that was made in 1520. Simple garden with small waterfalls... really nice. What was really surprising was the number of small structures that dotted the countryside. Some were for living, others built in remeberance of forebearers all were just beautiful. Korea's traditional buildings are some of the most beautiful in the world and stand in such contrast to the series of ugly concrete towers that most people live in today.
I love the folk villages and Nacan folk village is one of the best. The village is an ancient fortress with traditional simple homes on the inside. A lot of the homes are open, so you get a real sense of how people lived in Korea hundreds of years ago.
Outside of some villages you will see carved wood poles with scary faces to frighten evil spirits. They had a great one.
Next up was Odongo. This small island on the coast is supposed to be some sort of botanical paradise, but it isn't. I am sure when the Camillas are blooming it is beautiful, but it was only OK when we were visiting. Some nice views of the seas though.
One thing that I was bitching about was that so much of the beauty was spoiled by what had been done to it...fountains, loud music (and people too), and a lot of nature being stripped away.
I was sitting watching the fountains and realized I was all wrong. The park was full of families out enjoying a sanitized verision of nature. It is not to my taste, but it is to Korean tastes and they are using it like crazy. Anything that gets people out of the house and into a bit of nature, especially as families, gets a thumbs up from me.
Soswaewon is a small garden that was made in 1520. Simple garden with small waterfalls... really nice. What was really surprising was the number of small structures that dotted the countryside. Some were for living, others built in remeberance of forebearers all were just beautiful. Korea's traditional buildings are some of the most beautiful in the world and stand in such contrast to the series of ugly concrete towers that most people live in today.
I love the folk villages and Nacan folk village is one of the best. The village is an ancient fortress with traditional simple homes on the inside. A lot of the homes are open, so you get a real sense of how people lived in Korea hundreds of years ago.
Outside of some villages you will see carved wood poles with scary faces to frighten evil spirits. They had a great one.
Next up was Odongo. This small island on the coast is supposed to be some sort of botanical paradise, but it isn't. I am sure when the Camillas are blooming it is beautiful, but it was only OK when we were visiting. Some nice views of the seas though.
One thing that I was bitching about was that so much of the beauty was spoiled by what had been done to it...fountains, loud music (and people too), and a lot of nature being stripped away.
I was sitting watching the fountains and realized I was all wrong. The park was full of families out enjoying a sanitized verision of nature. It is not to my taste, but it is to Korean tastes and they are using it like crazy. Anything that gets people out of the house and into a bit of nature, especially as families, gets a thumbs up from me.
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