Gangwon-do escapade- Jeonggangwon (정강원)!

My third trip as rural tourism ambassador this fall/winter semester took me to 

Gangwon-do (강원도),  

the province that is on the east of Gyeonggi-do and which sits on the border of the 38th parallel! This has always been one of my favourite province in Korea because it houses the very first mountain I climbed in Korea- Seoraksan (설악산). This time however, we visited two very different places in the province that shows a different side of the province and all that it has to offer. 

(Disclaimer: this will be a picture heavy post- and will make you want to start planning your own trip here!)

So we left Seoul early in the morning at 8:30am and took a leisurely (ie. a lot of sleeping) three hour drive to Gangwon-do. It is usually only a two hour drive, but the weekend traffic leading out of Seoul is, as usual, a force to be reckoned with.

Our first stop is Jeonggangwon (정강원)- the Institute of Traditional Korean Cuisine. Those of you who are familiar with the 2008 Korean drama Sikhye (식객) about Korean cooking, the view that greets you at Jeonggangwon will be a familiar one!

The hanja sign on the main entrance...

Rows after rows of vats with traditional goodness fermenting inside them~

This is the little road that you will walk down from the main entrance into the main area with all the vats, as well as the dining hall and the hanbok experiential center!

So the first on our travel to-do list was... *drum rolls* the HANBOK (한복) EXPERIENCE!

While this is not my first time wearing the Korean traditional wear (I have previously done it in Seoul as well as while in Jeonju at the hanok village), this was a markedly different experience because...

1. There were 20 of us doing it together- so much more poses that we can try out~
2. The grounds of Jeonggangwon were very peaceful, and were a complete replica of what a traditional Korean country side would be like, so the experience was different from the city buzz in Seoul and the touristy vibe in Jeonju!
3. Do we really need a third reason to try on a hanbok? ^.^

Trying on the hanbok only costs 8,000 KRW and the best thing is that there is no time limit- you just have to return it by 7pm on the same day. In contrast, I paid about 15,000 KRW per person per hanbok for a 4 hour rental (plus a huge deposit!) in Seoul at Oneway Hanbok in September this year! 

Also, it is very convenient to be able to simply step out into a super photogenic place right after putting on your hanbok instead of having to take the subway (and risk dirtying it etc) and waste time getting to a palace etc. 

Doesn't this look like they are from the previous century?

And so here we go.. I decided to go with a hot pink and blue hanbok this time (I wore a pastel coloured one in September when my mum came to visit)...

Close-up!

They have a ROOM FULL OF HANBOK where you can literally mix and match colours to your heart's desire. The staff will help to dress you + give you some advice (since not all hanboks are the same size) and help you find the one that fits you the best! There were more than a dozen of us girls and we all somehow managed to end up with very different colour combinations... 

Proof!

My advice, if you are planning on trying it on is- dress in layers- keep your inner heat tech layer on underneath the hanbok and it will be more than enough to keep you warm! Try not to wear turtleneck inner wear because it will show, and also wear pants/jeans/leggings for full mobility while moving around in your hanbok. Walk carefully (ie. demurely) so you don't trip on the front of your hanbok - I was victim of many near misses in the short 1.5 hour span that we had the hanbok on.  It is good to have proper shoes instead of heels... it helps with jump shots:)

See how beautiful the traditional buildings are behind me!

With the toad- demonstrating why having pants underneath the hanbok is useful... Pose is not recommended because it destroys the elegance of the hanbok.

No filter needed!

Shots like this are also fun to try in there are a lot of you~ (just remember to make sure to adjust how your camera focuses:))

Girl time <3

All of us!

But even if it is just 2 or 3 of you, you can still get creative!

My two male models~

All the prancing around and talking and laughing is energy sapping... so it was time for lunch!

But not before I try on the men's version! Tried (but failed) to look manly~

We all got changed out and headed to the dining area where we were treated to a show of making a communal bibimbap! Bibimbap (비빔밥) is a classic Korean dish, and its name literally means mixed rice. It mostly comes with a variety of vegetables beautifully lined up in the bowl, with egg (either a sunny side up, a raw yolk or shredded fried egg). Meat is optional (hence making this a good meal option for vegetarians!).

All the vegetables...

With a healthy amount of seaweed (kim) and gochujang!

There was enough bibimbap in this GIANT wooden bowl to serve all 20 something of us and with extra servings to spare! I got involved in the mixing (hence no picture>.<) with a larger than life wooden spoon and boy was it difficult! The trick to it is mixing it from the bottom, meaning you really need to scrape the bottom and give it a good toss. Not hard when it is your own bowl... but extremely difficult for a giant bowl because too much strength means the ingredients go flying OUT of the bowl...

We eventually succeeded... and got served in smaller replicas of that giant wooden bowl. I also enjoyed the pancake side dish very very much, because it was made from white kimchi (hence it was sour but not spicy) and the flour was made using locally grown buckwheat instead of wheat (hence the colour).

Feeling like a picture with the bibimbap because I was having a good hair day hehehe^.^

Jeonggangwon is not only a place for you to visit, but also a great place for you to stay at! They offer hanok stays from a starting price of 200,000 KRW a night (for a room for 2), and it comes with breakfast AND dinner (with most of the dishes being locally grown and marinated).

If you are looking for a relaxing getaway, a 3D2N trip to Gangwon-do would be a perfect choice since it is accessible via public transport from inter city bus terminals in Seoul! Buses leave every hour starting at 6 in the morning till 8pm at night. 

For more information about room rates, food experiences at Jeonggangwon and how to get there, you can visit:

http://www.jeonggangwon.com/index.do (English/Korean/Chinese/Japanese)

Seoul: Bugaksan (북악산) hike!

Last Sunday, we took advantage of the one sunny day in-between the consecutive days of rain to go hiking in Seoul! If you think that Seoul is all concrete, then you are much much mistaken! It is actually enveloped by mountains (I kid you not). While it admittedly does not have the highest of peaks, it does have what I affectionately term 'mini mountains' within city limits, which means that they are super accessible by public transport and cheap to make a day trip of since you do not have to take a long distance bus out of the city nor do you have to spend on accommodation near the mountain. 

And this was the mountain I chose after some research:

Bugaksan (북악산)

It is located behind Gyungbukgung (경복궁) and is only 342m high! It is also home to a very scenic pathway, also known as the 'MOST ROMANTIC DRIVING ROUTE', as well as a very impressive pavilion. If you don't plan to self drive in Korea, you can also hire a taxi take you up on that scenic drive while you take in the view with your partner in the backseat:)

But on that Sunday morning, it was the five of us ladies on a 7km round trip hike (To the pavilion and back)! Public buses unfortunately do not drive you up Bugaksan- the closest would be on the foot of the mountain, and then you can take a hike up!

There are quite a few routes up Bugaksan, depending on where you want to end up, and for us, we simply followed the sign that says Bugak Palgakjeong (the name of the pavilion). We were also lucky because there was a huge group of people participating in a GPS competition that Sunday, and they were all on a mission to find Palgakjeong (I eavesdropped) so we tagged along

This is the sign you will want to look out for!

The view along the way: that mountain you see in the distance is Bukhansan, which I also climbed during Chuseok!

Us five ^.^

The hike was relatively easy, with no steep slope or stairs. Half the route was a dirt path, but well trodden, and the other half was on a wooden boardwalk. We all wore normal running shoes and that served is just fine!

The air was fresh, the sky a vibrant blue, and we were all really happy to be taking a break from the city (though technically we were still in the city). We also got some amazing shots of the autumn foliage, which was half the reason why we chose that Sunday- it was now or never since the rain this week was going to cause all the trees to shed most their leaves!

At the start: already seeing hints of red! 

Crossing the road to enter the forest trail.

Going up the steps- AUTUMN STARING US IN OUR FACE!

We were all really excited because it was the first time some of us are experiencing autumn (thank you Southeast Asia for denying us that chance to grow up with a change of seasons), and it was some of your first time going hiking (this is an activity I picked up after coming to Korea because mountains here are so accessible and very much climbable for a relatively (un)fit novice like me!

THEN BAM! 

So pretty it hurts to look...

Now it isn't that hard to understand why autumn is my favourite season right?

BIG SMILE ON MY FACE!

We stopped for pictures along the way, but soon it was evident that the foliage was EVERYWHERE so we kept our cameras and simply enjoyed the view that came with the hike! It took us about 1.5 hours (average pace, stopping for water + pictures) to get to Palgakjeong, and when we did, we whipped out our cameras. AGAIN.

The pavilion had a little garden surrounding it!

Not the best shot since the sun was overhead (it was almost 10:50am!)

A close-up :)

And of course- one picture of us with the pavilion!

We walked around the garden, used the washroom, and spent thirty minutes on top of that observatory deck:) It goes around the pavilion, and you get to see all the various mountains enveloping Seoul! There are also huge binoculars that you can use to get a close up for a mere 500won~

Some of my interesting observations:

A convenience store trying to blend in!

A little ancient pavilion as part of the garden! Wonder why the ahjusshis were eating next to it instead of in it...

For if you feel the urge to write home:)

We had a great time just talking about our experience thus far in Seoul and in graduate school. It was really fun to hear because we all came from different countries and had different backgrounds prior to choosing to do a graduate degree in IR.

A clear indication of the country we are in!

Can you spy the Namsan tower in the distance, along with the rest of Seoul?

One last snap before heading down!

I would most definitely recommend this hike at Bugaksan to those who just want some fresh air and something different to do on a weekend! Serious climbers will probably find this trail quite unrewarding and undemanding in terms of physical exertion. Definitely a good climb for families with children in elementary school or with teenagers!

Also, on our way down...

Isn't she the cutest!!!!!!? We met a pug and her owner gave us the permission to simply play with her. Turns out she is super well trained! Gives her paw to you when you hold out your hand near her feet ^.^ 

Green tea wonderland: Boseong (보성녹차밭)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE ALL THINGS GREEN TEA. Really. Green tea latte (especially the Cafe Bene version!), green tea ice cream, green tea cheesecake, green tea face cream, green tea makeup remover (thank you Innisfree~).... I could go on forever. Being such a huge green tea fan, I was naturally VERY EXCITED when I got the opportunity to visit the Boseong green tea plantation in Jeollanam-do! 

Rows and rows of green tea woohoo~^.^

It was a 1 hour drive from Samjinae to Boseong, and we arrived there in time to take a leisurely morning stroll through the plantation with the owner before breakfast. The air smelled clean and humid, thanks to Boson's prime location- 10km from the southern tip of the peninsula, a few kilometres from a large lake, and no factories within a 1.5 hour drive of it. All of these factors contribute to Boseong becoming one of the best green tea plantations in Korea!

As we walked, we learnt more about the green tea plants- did you know that the flowers only grow on  the underside of the shrubs? Hence they are not visible from the top! The flowers give off a mild fragrance, and are best served as a hot drink after a good soak in a glass jar with honey. 

Green tea flowers :)

What is really great about the green tea from Bo Hyang Green Tea Farm in Boseong is that ever since its founding in the 1930s, there has been no herbicide, insecticide or chemical fertilisers used. Bo Hyang thus became the first Korean farm to be a certified producer of organic tea by the Korean government. Since then, it has become the partner of many international hotel chains and provide quality tea from the hotels' restaurants and cafes!

Fun fact 1: In 2008, tea from Boseong county became the first Korean made beverage to be launched into space as a drink for the astronauts!

Fun fact 2: Tea from the county is also supplied to the Blue House --> ie. Park Geun Hye drinks tea produced in Boseong!

After our very educational morning stroll, we proceeded back to the experience center on the farm for breakfast! The lady of the farm (i.e. owner's wife:)) is an AMAZING COOK and we happily dug into our 떡만두국 (tteok-mandu guk).

Some side dishes to go with our main! All made on the farm :)

Looking kind of green because of the green overhead tent that we were sitting under for breakfast!

Post breakfast, it was onwards to the tea center where we got to sample some of the tea grown on the farm! Earlier in the month, the farm also hosted business leaders from the Gulf and Korean government officials where discussions were underway to export tea from the region to the Middle East, which also has a strong tea culture. 

Epitome of elegance~

The main tea set used by our teacher!

We watched a demonstration of tea etiquette- men sit with their legs crossed, while women sit on the back of their heels. Place the tea cup on the palm of your left hand, and wrap the palm of your right hand around the tea cup before bringing it up to your lips. First inhale the fragrance of the tea then lightly sip it~

The in-house tea expert Mr Choi!

Certified!

There were some biscuits for us to snack on- not at all sweet, and taste like a hint of grain.

Then it was time for us to try our hand at making green tea coins! It is a good way to store tea, as the coins can be stringed into a long necklace and hung on the ceiling in the veranda to air and ferment.

Green tea coin necklace!

But first... we begin by steaming the great tea leaves then manually pounding them into mush using a giant motar and pestle. The green tea turns kind of sticky, and it needs to be pounded until it reaches a thicker, paste-like consistency.

It actually smells really good despite the unappealing look!

The paste is then scooped out in balls and placed on the rattan basket before being distributed to us at the tables. We sat in teams of 4, and had a competition to see who could make the most, and the nicest looking green tea coins! the green tea coins are all painstaking handmade by casting them in wooden moulds (same one that is used to make mooncakes!) and then piercing a hold through the middle before leaving them to air on the rattan basket~

The green tea balls - I affectionately named them green tea ddong (녹차똥)  ^.^

The finished coins! 

The lady who showed us how to make the coins + who cooked us fabulous meals!

Now that we were all done with our activities, we sat down to our final meal in Jeollanam-do before embarking on a 5 hour bus ride back to Seoul. Lucky we ate well, because the bus ride stretched out to 7 hours thanks to the flood of people going back to Seoul after spending the weekend in rural Korea!

Our very nutritious home cooked lunch! When will the day come that I reach this level?

Grilled duck ^.^ Mmmmmm I can almost still remember what it tastes like :)

Home made tteok with a green bean paste filling!

And finally, some pictures with an autumn feel to end this post about the lovely Boseong~

And one of me:)

For more information about Boseong, you can visit:

Korea Tourism Organization

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264293

Boseong County tourism site

http://english.boseong.go.kr/index.boseong