Korea for the 4th time - May and June 2022 - Page 4

Hiking provisions. Whatever water is cheapest, heated up iced coffee (I drink that before starting), banana (I eat that before starting), muesli bars. I do not need any of your fancy gel pouches and $5 each protein infused Gummi bears.

The hike start point has a few convenience stores and a very convenient bus stop. The bus comes very regularly and goes direct to Suwon station. So convenient.

My course starts and ends at this reservoir. If you think back 2 days when I walked around a reservoir, this is the upper reservoir that feeds that lower reservoir. So much talk about reservoir, more later too.

The lower parts of the trail were smooth enough for mountain bikers, ignoring the no bikes allowed warning signs.

There were 2 graves like this. My guess is they are either recently discovered bodies from the war, or soldiers that died on a military training thing of some sort. The grave stones look new, so do the flags. Now that I click on it, they have the logo of the parks authority on the bottom, park rangers who died in the line of duty?

A rocky section of the trail, but note the ropes and garden bed things surrounding the trees. No chance of getting lost today.

Probably the best view of the day, from about half way up. That is part of Suwon.

Another part of Suwon, that is not the way I came up, but you can come up that way. There are enough trails to keep you entertained for a year.

Those two towers I think will be the furthest point I go to today, time will tell (Update, yes, they are behind the ridge in the foreground, but they were my destination at the far end of the loop).

Probably the only choose your adventure section of the trail. This was also the quietest point, ideal for public urination, of which I availed.

Near the deepest point in the mountains, this hut, with a selection of books to read. Pretty cool.

And then you can pump out a few sets. Someone carried this up here.

Very near the top and now it becomes a US army base, with lots of warnings about not taking photos which I ignored... for now. There is a razor wire fence, I have expertly stuck my arm through it for this shot.

View from the top, the green ridge would be the way I go down, the way up is around to the left of this picture.

While messing about here, I noticed a camera turn and look at me, time to move on!

After fleeing the army, it is time for the selfie. Although you can see more army base over my right shoulder.

The way down looked very enticing, and it was excellent.

You very briefly, for about 100m, join this road that goes to part of the army base. It is all fenced in, you cannot just wander all the way down the road.

Instead you get to enjoy this luxuriously wide path.

The steep bits were also nice under foot, no jagged rocks.

Eventually this becomes a plantation of sorts. There are a lot less plantations in Korea than in Japan on the sides of mountains, at least in my experience. My experience is pretty substantial (another brag).

The only dicey bit of the hike was right before the end of the mountain and getting back to the reservoir. Something was wrong here, there's no way you should need to abseil.

But abseil I did... and then I realised the highway overpass is new, and the trail has been moved, and the map is not updated. But wait there's more to come.

After abseiling, I wandered around the reservoir on a boardwalk for a couple of km, wondering why there were no other people. Then I got to here. Path closed, kindly climb back up the side of the mountain thanks. A pretty sizeable detour!

Finally, I came back to the reservoir. Here is the dam wall. I have done dam wall jokes before, so won't bother today.

And then finally, back to where I started, you can see the antennas at the right. The way up is to the right of this photo, the way down is from the antennas, down the ridges to off the left of screen. If you come to Suwon, do this hike.

Here is a street full of bbq places near the station. I would like to have bbq but it is hard to do as a solo diner. Some of these ones here use hot charcoal, they were not really open yet.

The local doggy day spa. I actually saw this out the bus window earlier, so I was thrilled to go past it again on my walk.

A random street scene with some nice angles, shadows and wires.

I enjoy taking photos directly into the sun.

Nice fire hazard architecture.

To get to my dinner I had to get to the other side of the tracks. I don't think Lotte and AK (the department store on this side) have come to an agreement to make that easy. After going through a car parking building with stream of people doing the same as me, I found a way, but for some reason they have roped off the best spot to enjoy the view.

And here is my dinner. The soup is boiled beef and flavourless seaweed. Then you get all the side dishes (Banchan if I am not mistaken). There is hot and cold Kim Chi, bean sprouts, spinach, some great pickled chilli things, tofu, mushrooms, potato noodles, rice in the metal bowl... all good so far, and fermented sardines. The sardines is the only one I don't eat. But this style of eating as well as hot pot where you leave half of it, is why Korea wastes so much food and had to invent ways to deal with it. Also it is common to get a pair of scissors with your meal here.

Now here I am back near my hotel. Nice sunset street scene.

Bonus street scene.

And for the final pic of the day, a Renault Twizzy. I last saw one of these at the Palace of Versailles in France where the police use them, but here in Korea, normal people buy them and drive them. I doubt you can legally drive them on a road in Australia, which is weird because motorbikes are ok. Oh yeah, tomorrow I go to Daegu.

Before leaving Suwon I took a stroll around the local park, which has a comfort girl memorial donated by the senior citizens who use the park. These are a huge controversy around the world, apparently Japan just secretly paid Germany millions to remove one, and something similar happened in Australia a few years back.

These bricks are made of tyres. Why can't we have nice things like this in Australia? I know everyone loves a good tyre fire that goes for a decade, but bricks are also cool?

Here comes my bullet train. Complete with speed blur. I also learnt today they are French designed, based on the TGV. I bet if I look at one of my previous Korea trips I already mentioned that.

This being a Saturday my train is completely full. Luckily I reserved a seat a month ago. The seats are split into two warring factions who face each other, ready to fight to the death.

And now, I am in Daegu, proof in the form of a sign. Every Korean city has a slogan, I believe Seoul landed on 'I.Seoul.U'. From where I am standing here, Daegu is not at all colourful, so the sign should be taken down. The actual bullet train station in Daegu is east of the city, and in a bit of a wasteland area, last time I was here I walked to my hotel from here, it was far, today I took the subway.

The bullet train station does however manage to have a giant Shinsegae and the inside of the station has lots of shops and restaurants, so when I get here early in 5 days time I will have stuff to see.

Now for my hotel. I was suspicious of this one. The world natural gas conference has been on in Daegu all week, it finished yesterday, but hotels are scarce because of it. I selected this youth hostel. But, it is part youth hostel, part business hotel, part resort, part wedding hall, part conference centre, part bomb shelter. Most of the reviews are from backpackers complaining that the shared kitchen is not big enough and that the staff do not arrange day trips for you. I am on the hotel floor and my room is great. Probably the best room of the trip so far.

Here is the bathroom, complete with blue light to demonstrate cleanliness. So there you go, I will eat a red bean filled bun now.

My hotel has a laundry but it looks a bit crap, so I researched nearby coin laundries of which there are 2, more on that tomorrow. However on my way there, I passed this establishment. They don't beat around the bush in Korea.

Here is the surprise, double decker, underground mall. Double decker as in there are 2 levels underground. B1 seemed to be quite a bit more populated than B2. I am yet to decide if I prefer B1 or B2, further research required. B2 had a pile of random shoes for example, and an old lady selling shelled peas who also tells fortunes.

I danced around in the fountain for a while before remembering my camera is very definitely not waterproof. I know this because I already replaced this camera a year ago after the last one of the same model went for a brief swim.

This is the main junction, and the area currently being fixed up. When last I was here a junior baseball team was being introduced to the population on that stage to rapturous applause. Reminds me of the famous street in Ueno.

Eventually you get to the Daegu station, not the bullet train station, the normal one, and its obligatory giant department store.

I found a place in the basement for a great early dinner. Some sort of spicy beef soup... with kim chi. Basically pho with kim chi and more chilli. I did not need to add chilli. This is rare.

The streets are lined with convenient drowning pools in case your kids misbehave. I do not think these are volcanic in any way, and no one was using them.

Next we have one of the amazing headphone stores that Asian cities have. All the brands you read about but have never seen in Australia.

Can you catch covid via ear wax? You can catch something, and here you can try hundreds of in ear monitors.

Just some wires and a rooftop ferris wheel. I refuse to capitalise ferris.

Under the ferris wheel you have earring world.

Comments were made about ABC-mart, here is a huge one. I just checked, they are Japanese, but also have stores in Korea and Taiwan.

There were a few of these set up in different areas, micro stores or maker stalls, or both.

Just a random street, artbox seen on the left is a bit like Tokyu Hands. They also have bulk bins where you can mix your own selection of chocolates, but that is unfortunately something no one would dare do in a post covid world.

Tonight's sunset shot, with street sculptures.

Korea telecom advertises with furries. Telstra take note.

And for my last shot today, my mountain for tomorrow.

Last time I was here the monorail was under construction. It is now completed. I should probably go on it at some point. I am having a flashback to a cow being cut in half under the under construction monorail last time.

Whatever this place is, it is roped off for repair, Daegu - city under repair.

Crossing under the road, there is a tunnel full of paintings like this. How many times did Japan do bad stuff to Korea? Or are these guys Mongols?

The path around the back of the mountain along a valley is very flat, and rug covered. There are a series of temples and public toilets to admire through the trees.

Eventually it is time to go up, this starts with rug covered stairs.

There were many outdoor gyms today. This one has 6 or so benches with full size weightlifting bars and big weights on them. A nice place to hang upside down for a while.

Here I am about halfway up the back side of the small mountain. It was a steep staircase most of the way, well over 1000 stairs in a row.

The view down was nice. There is definitely less pollution today, but I am doing what I can to improve the sharpness through the smog in these photos.

Another good spot for a view along the ridge to the highest point.

Still had to get to that tower, but it is not far, however it was hot in the sun, but cool in the shade, nice breeze hence less pollution.

More view.

And the view from the top. Now I was anticipating the view from half way down the front side of the mountain where the city observatory is, it is a good thing I did not rely on that view as you shall see.

The aforementioned tower at the rocky summit. All Korean summits have missile launching equipment.

It wasn't all staircases and hessian rugs, heres a nice rocky bit to give your metatarsals a workout.

There is a cable car. Pfft. Actually I recall last time I thought the cable car no longer existed. Looks like it does but I did not find it last time.

The city observatory! Under reconstruction. The view from there is excellent. It used to be a glass deck... I wonder what happened? The area between here and the cable car is very developed, lots of what looks like function halls to rent out. I had originally intended to climb up here at night to look at the city lights, but decided I am never awake by the time it gets dark. It would have been disappointing if I tried that plan.

After descending down the front side without a view to be seen, I arrived at yet another temple. Prayer of some kind was in session with chanting and gonging so I did not venture too far in.

After crossing the road I passed the Flintstones / SpongeBob SquarePants mashup cafe. Sadly closed.

And just as I did last time, I walked down the flag covered street in the middle of nowhere. This time I investigated. Grilled Tripe Street! Every restaurant serves nothing at all except bits of tripe on a stick that you self grill. Popular enough that you need a flag covered street with 50 places to grill some delicious stomach lining.

And as suggested, this left time to do my laundry. More than enough time as the dryer only took 20 minutes somehow. Anyway, I put my dirty clothes in my suitcase and walked out of the hotel. The check-in lady who speaks no English was worried I was checking out. I told her and pointed at the laundromat over the road, but I don't think she understood.
So then I go to the laundromat, and a crowd of old folks who spend their day out the front of the 7-eleven next door not buying anything formed to watch me load my underpants into a machine. A lot of comments were being made and one old lady whistled. I took out my camera and they fled!
So then I go back to drop my bag back in my room so I could go to the supermarket while my washing was going, and the check-in lady wants me to talk to someone on the phone, I showed her a pic of the laundry on my camera and she let me go without talking on the phone... Then I put my clothes from the washing machine into the dryer, and went back over the road to the hotel to get my suitcase, and this was just too much for the old check-in gal, she threw her hands in the air, put them on her head, let out a huge sigh and then put her face in her hands on the desk. 5 minutes later I returned with my clean laundry in my suitcase, and she was still facepalming on the desk.
Such a tough day for her trying to deal with someone who does not speak Korean and does not want her help.

The store on the right appears to be called Donga, and despite saying grand opening is not new. To the left, the borg cube looking thing is the Hyundai store, and despite appearances here, is much bigger than Donga.

Basement food section as discussed, from inside the supermarket looking out longingly into the casual restaurant area hoping to spot deep fried hot sushi.

Basically adjoining the luxurious ultra modern Hyundai department store, you get a traditional market laneway selling dried deer penises for medicinal purposes.

OK, I am fairly certain, but not 100% sure, that this is not an actual octopus. It is something sweet (rice mochi type of stuff) made to look like something else. All of these things are, I think the one next to the octopus is made to look like nachos. There were also giant prawns, kim chi, fishcakes etc. And there were 5 stores selling this type of weird atrocity in a row.

Another oddity, this is a selfie photo studio. There are 20 or more of these within a few blocks of each other. Some have costumes you dress up in. Then you go into a private room and pose for photos, and I kind of wonder what else you get up to in those private rooms a bit like those private karaoke places.

Ferris wheel again, this time with animatronic bowl of noodles.

And here is the sort of place I am not ashamed to eat at, despite its pink decor and girly music playing.

My poke bowl was delicious, came with cream of mushroom soup, and had a lot more good stuff in it than you normally get in a poke bowl, including mushrooms, pickled carrot, baby tomatoes, rolled up egg things (eggrolls I am guessing! Like they put on top of rice and call sushi), and the beef was very good quality. Now I am back at my hotel early because the weather has been updated, rain should be gone by morning, weather should be cooler tomorrow... long hike day it shall be.