On the drive out of Boseong, Ras, Jenay, and I made a stop to Daewon Temple. I quickly came to like the temple because it was so simple, quiet, and had a lot of wildlife and nature around. It’s a little out of the way, so there weren’t crowds of people there.
There were frogs and lots of tadpoles in these miniature ponds.
Foliage and flowers surrounded the grounds. It made me feel like I was walking through a botanical garden.
Other than the plants, these mini statues with Santa hats were my favorite. I wonder how often their hats get changed.
The temple is definitely worth a stop by if you have time. I had a field day taking pictures of the water lotuses. More pictures from the temple can be seen here.
6. June 2008 at June 6, 2008 - 9:25 am
Love the Boseong Weekend pix. The Daewon Temple is a gem. The pictures are saturated with rich, lush color. Just wonderful.
Have you ever visited the island of Jeju (english.jeju.go.kr) ? The June 2008 ISLANDS magazine discusses Jeju in a brief descriptive note by Jayna Rust, accompanied by a photo of the island’s Yongduam Rock Beach.
Jayna Rust writes: SECRET ISLAND: JEJU On the island of Jeju, join Korean honeymooners who take a break from their regular mainland mountain hiking to stroll up the 6,398-foot Mount Hallasan or amble past Yongduam Rock. For centuries, the island has been protected by “stone grandfathers.” These wide-eyed statues called Dolhareubang have served as guardians as well as castle gate markers and religious objects on the temperate island off the southern coast of Korea. Jeju is often described by Koreans as Asia’s version of Hawaii for its humid summer days and commanding dormant volcano. If statue gazing or mountain climbing isn’t your thing, peek at one of the island’s biggest secrets: its surf spots. Rent a board at Jungmun Beach, on the southwest coast of the island where swells break over the rocky sands in the summer’s monsoon months. Whatever you do, though, be sure to stop at the roadside stalls to pick up some ofl the island’s famous, massive mandarin oranges. ISLANDS June 2008, page 21.
7. June 2008 at June 7, 2008 - 10:55 pm
Yes, I went to Jeju my first (or was it second) year in Korea. I have pictures from Yongduam Rock Beach, but unfortunately don’t have my earlier photos of Korea on Flickr (yet).
I have been to Hawaii, and I have been to Jeju. It is NOT the Hawaii of Korea. Still, it’s a nice place and definitely worth a trip.
10. June 2008 at June 10, 2008 - 1:18 pm
Great pictures, especially of the lily pond. The colors are very nice