Do you workout? If so, walk away from the screen, grab a box of donuts that you probably don't own, then throw them out the door, then slather your body in crisco, slip n' slide out into the public, and bob for them like your life depends on it. A kitten dies for every donut that doesn't make it to your thighs.
For everyone else, read on.
This weekend I opted to see the sights that mother nature has gifted South Korea. I laced up my sparkling white Nike's and put on my game face. Dobongsan Mountain is one of the spectacles I'd seen on the tourist postcards and thought "whew, that's a doosy". B and I had explored this mountain once before, but confused by the Korean signs, we never made it to the top. So round 2 seemed promising....not as promising as that Dunkin' Donuts bagel sandwich I had right outside the gate to the park...but promising.
Making our way to the entrance, rain drops started to fall and the sky turned an ugly shade of gray. And just when I thought I could possibly return home and read perezhilton for an hour or 2 in my most unflattering pajamas, the clouds parted and the sun bore down..the birds sang and I think there was a unicorn in there somewhere, too.
So we started out along our predetermined dusty trail. There isn't much wildlife in Korea, due to it's location, and was surprised when I jumped with delight at the sight of a chipmunk. They are cute, though... The trail zigzagged through the woods. Water flowed down the mountain, through dominating boulders, and hikers lounged to wet their whistles (soju + mountain climbing = obvious combination to Koreans) and their feet.
Along the way we past a handful of staggeringly beautiful temples. Giant Buddhas hidden amongst the trees were striking...as in I almost had an aneurysm when I saw one. Things I expect on a hike: some rocks, maybe a deer. Things I don't expect: 3 story tall gold statues playing big brother.
The kid in me wanted to touch it, just for a second, but the adult in me said I would break it and to go wait in the car.
There were dozens of hikers, mostly elderly. And I'll be honest. They were kicking our butts. Decked out in their North Face knock-offs, they gave me hopes for growing old.
We kept on chugging. The higher we climbed, the cooler and fresher the air became. The number of hikers began to dwindle and so did B's faith that we would ever reach the top.
It took about 3 hours, but we finally discovered the peak. I couldn't believe I was standing on the jagged rock that I had seen on the postcard. I'm starting to think that's how I should live my life from now on. Look at postcards, find something that looks like a doosy, and put on my gym shoes that I've now proudly worn 4 times.
I recommend this hike to any fellow travelers in Korea. DO: pack some food and water, take your time and enjoy the view. DON'T: be like the grandma we saw being carried out of the park because she had to much of the sauce. Safe travels! - C
For everyone else, read on.
This weekend I opted to see the sights that mother nature has gifted South Korea. I laced up my sparkling white Nike's and put on my game face. Dobongsan Mountain is one of the spectacles I'd seen on the tourist postcards and thought "whew, that's a doosy". B and I had explored this mountain once before, but confused by the Korean signs, we never made it to the top. So round 2 seemed promising....not as promising as that Dunkin' Donuts bagel sandwich I had right outside the gate to the park...but promising.
Making our way to the entrance, rain drops started to fall and the sky turned an ugly shade of gray. And just when I thought I could possibly return home and read perezhilton for an hour or 2 in my most unflattering pajamas, the clouds parted and the sun bore down..the birds sang and I think there was a unicorn in there somewhere, too.
So we started out along our predetermined dusty trail. There isn't much wildlife in Korea, due to it's location, and was surprised when I jumped with delight at the sight of a chipmunk. They are cute, though... The trail zigzagged through the woods. Water flowed down the mountain, through dominating boulders, and hikers lounged to wet their whistles (soju + mountain climbing = obvious combination to Koreans) and their feet.
Along the way we past a handful of staggeringly beautiful temples. Giant Buddhas hidden amongst the trees were striking...as in I almost had an aneurysm when I saw one. Things I expect on a hike: some rocks, maybe a deer. Things I don't expect: 3 story tall gold statues playing big brother.
The kid in me wanted to touch it, just for a second, but the adult in me said I would break it and to go wait in the car.
There were dozens of hikers, mostly elderly. And I'll be honest. They were kicking our butts. Decked out in their North Face knock-offs, they gave me hopes for growing old.
We kept on chugging. The higher we climbed, the cooler and fresher the air became. The number of hikers began to dwindle and so did B's faith that we would ever reach the top.
It took about 3 hours, but we finally discovered the peak. I couldn't believe I was standing on the jagged rock that I had seen on the postcard. I'm starting to think that's how I should live my life from now on. Look at postcards, find something that looks like a doosy, and put on my gym shoes that I've now proudly worn 4 times.
I recommend this hike to any fellow travelers in Korea. DO: pack some food and water, take your time and enjoy the view. DON'T: be like the grandma we saw being carried out of the park because she had to much of the sauce. Safe travels! - C
No comments:
Post a Comment