Semiwon Botanical Garden(세미원) , Heavenly views in Yangpyeong, South Korea

The most beautiful blooming time of Lotus in a day is in the morning rather than in the afternoon, as I heard. So I started my home early morning with my family. Usually it starts blooming in late June, matures in July and lasts till around mid-August. I always wonder how it blooms flower and seed at a same time, to be surprised.

This famous lotus garden ‘Semiwon’ (세미원) in Yangpyeong(양평) is located right next to east side of Seoul, surrounded by the Hangang river. So it is so easily accessible from Seoul or the neighboring metropolitan cities of the capital by car, bus and subway. Yangpyeong is also famous for the first officially certified organic cultivation zone in the country. It started as a small lotus garden in May 2004, became larger and larger as times go by and now leads up to 56000 square meters in the size. The government funding aiming for the natural purification properties enabled its’ scale up in wide range of areas. With these steady,elaborate and careful efforts, this now became to end up an tourist attractions where over 400,000 people has visited annually and has increased day by day. 

It consists of various kinds of lotus gardens, fountains, environment learning center, trial cultivation complex, observation pavilion and greenhouse etc. At the entrance wall, it was written ‘the garden of water and flower’ and eye-catching beautiful lotus relief represents the oriental image. Through this beautiful wall, we stopped by the lotus museum on the right side at first  with curiosity. On the 2^nd floor, simple but elegant lotus-themed items were shown.

Semiwon(세미원); the garden of water and flowers

Lotus flower pattern on the Korean traditional roof tile in the lotus museum

As a fact, lotus is very familiar aquatic flower with the Korean by religious reasons related with Buddhism as well as household items in daily lives by the images of cleanliness and nobility since ancient time. People also eat all parts of it-flower, leaf and root. They make a tea with the dried petals of white lotus and dried leaves. Large leaves are used as a wrap for food especially when make boiled rice cuisine. Rhizomes (roots) are very popular cooking material in Korea. In those reasons, this has been very profitably and inextricably linked with Koreans lives and loved through so long time. The cozy stream, water fountains, dazzling lotus flowers, water lilies, upper bridge across this garden which gave us shelter from the strong sunlight.

Each single one enough evoked my admiration to this lovely heaven spots and blew off my awkward thought that why it blooms so this hot day that it will be somewhat hard to see the flowers under strong sunshine. What’s more, thanks to low wooden benches to sit on,benches and pavilion scattered here and there, we avoided early summer heat, drank water prepared ( tip; please carry enough water for your thirst) and took brief break on the low wooden bench.

Have you ever seen the lotus flower? I  was surprised at the big size of flower almost as big as your face and giant leaf as big as enough to be able to sit on it. I did not boring at all because my heart was stolen by the flowers while I didn’t recognize.

fountains being motivated from Korea traditional storage crocks

Cool fountain awaited for us composed of these traditional storage crocks which  have been used for preserving sauces or other condiments. Old times in Korean custom, people put the bowl with clean water on this crock and prayed for their wishes at the night, now recently no more. 

Path for your heart cleaning ,covered by the shape of Korea traditional washboards

Old pine tree in front of Sehanjeong pavilion(세한정)

Painting Sehando in the Sehanjeong pavilion

Newly founded Sehanjeong pavilion(세한정), situated almost last point of this garden, got the copy of painting ‘Sehando’, standing portrait of Chusa (추사 pen name of Jeounghui Kim, 1786-1856) and wish paper to write peoples’ wishes on. Sehando is the most celebrated masterpiece painting of Chusa. His lonely, difficult, sad situation of his exile in Jeju Island was well expressed through the old pine tree and humble house. He was a famous calligraphy, epigraphist and scholar of late Joseon Dynasty of last kingdom of Korea. He got several exiles due to his position of long distance relationship of royal family (He lived under the times four kings) during his life. It was good chance to see his famous painting for me in this unexpected place. However, for all the considering that there was no relation between him and this area through his whole life, it was some strange and totally irrelevant.

Boat bridge connecting between lotus garden and Dumulmeori
People can across this bridge only when  lotus garden opens 

Those traditional flags, standing on the boat bridge, streaming in the air by the winds of river and special reproductive bridge which was connected with 62 ships and floored by the wooden panels, floating bridge of 250 meters in length and 4 meters in width, lead us into Dumulmeori(두물머리), the one of the most romantic place. Thanks to this new bridge, we could reach easily to this famous shooting spot.( possible only during being opening time of this garden. If not, you have to go another way.)

 How to get there;  

1.     Take Gyeongui Jungang subway(경의중앙선)..bound for Yongmun st.(용문역), not bound for Deokso.  >> took off at Yangsu st.(양수역), exit1 >> go straight ahead **Check subway service interval for your return because it operates a half-hourly service in general *** best choice

2.     Take bus no.167 from Cheongnyanggni(청량리역 subway line1) >> off at Yangseo cultural sport park(양서 문화체육공원) in Yangsuri(양수리) 

3.     Take bus 2000-1 at Gangbyeon st( 강변역subway line2) >> off same of above 2^nd point.

Dumulmeori(두물머리) in Yangpyeong,Couldn’t feel better than it is as a romantic place, South Korea

On this fine day, with short pause from a hustle and bustle daily life for a while and sitting on a bench by the river to get past memory seemed like a good idea to me. I stopped by Dumulmeori (or Yangsuri). It is named as Dumulmeori because it is a place where two rivers meet.

In the past, it was a quite prosperous ferry. A dam was built in the vicinity and here was designated as a Green Belt area, and it had resulted in stopping its function.

The boat with an ochre sail is now silently telling past stories indifferently. Don't expect too much of here. It is a simple riverside area with nothing special. If I mention it, three trees of 400 years old are gathered side by side and look like an umbrella from a distance. And it has been bustling for visitors to make memories of their own at the zone recently installed frame to take pictures.

However, the mediocrity and silence more than spectacular views sometimes let our hearts stick to it. The weather was heading towards summer and the lotus was full blooming.

As sitting on a bench while watching the river without thinking and I was reminiscent of my memories with my parents when I was a child, high school campus and friends, college campus at this time of the past, etc. The book pages of Memories were turning over on and on to the past.

It is a place often seen in dramas and advertisements, and the mist of the dawn is quite reputed to be beautiful in spring and autumn. Despite of depending on whenever it is, the atmosphere was great even if i visited in the daytime. I heard that snow in winter makes spectacular view but I'd give up to visit due to its cold weather. The bandit as for me seems to be the very right blooming season of lotus. Welcome to those who enjoy a secluded spot.

Common Ground, Pop-Up container Mall in Seoul, New Attempt to the pioneering spirit

I stopped by a unique building that has been received spotlight as soon as they opened it thanks to the creative appearance. I met a fresh and unique shopping mall that is piled up with blue jagged containers reminiscent of jeans when I walked out of exit 6 of subway station. How great that who had an idea to make this building with lots of containers.  A fresh shock was coming.

Inside, the black piping of the ceiling was boldly exposed, and the black steel pillars and handrails were compartmentalized so that the products of each shop seemed to be more sophisticated and easy to focus. The goods kept whispering to take them away while watching the store. Prices were generally cheaper than department stores and seemed more expensive than neighborhood stores. 

I saw whimsical goods and unique and full of ideas products. I suddenly felt that my soul became to be free by the rebellious spirit in the twenties. We must go to this place.

The shopping mall was arranged on both sides of the square in the middle. There were several food trucks in the square. As I heard, on weekends, they use to perform flea market and various performances. I have seen this place in a music video of a famous girl group (SISTA) before.

On the roofs of both buildings there were properly placed with already well-known restaurants, cafes and not well-known but has own good reputation restaurants and cafes.

It is said that here was originally a taxi garage and a fashion company entered into an agreement with Ward Office and started to operate in the form of fashion, food and beverage, and complex cultural space from April 2015 for eight years. Young start-up designers and dealers were offered a cheap fee and a small deposit when they opened their shops. So, thanks to that, there are lots of ingenious and excellent quality products of mid and low-end brand shops for 20s. The content was as full of pioneering spirit as appearance.

In fact, this region was such and such a stagnant and uncharacteristic area, but with the addition of large department stores and shopping malls as well as the advantage of being neighboring the college street, this region has been loved rapidly. This place adds value to the region. I hoped that fresh attempts would produce good results.

How to get there; Take off the Konkuk university station (건대입구역 Seoul Subway line2 or line7) >> exit #6 >> walk 400 meters.

Walking in the moonlight at Suwon Hwaseong(수원화성 달빛동행) in Suwon, South Korea

I’ve been waited the romantic spring walking in the moonlight along the fortress in Suwon for last few weeks.

Banghwasuryujeong

The night was so mild enough to feel the flavor of spring night. It was the first time for me to join at this kind of special program. I stuck to the computer on the on-line application time and got a fortune to join this lovely moonlight date with family.

This program operates by the Suwon Cultural Foundation on the around 15^th (Full moon day on lunar calendar) day of from May to October annually. It started from the entrance gate of Hwaseong Hanenggung temporary palace(화성행궁) and looked around inside of it, rode the Hwaseong Trolley to the Janganmun gate(North gate of fortress), walked along the fortress and backed to the palace again to see the Traditional performance inside the palace. The whole course takes around two hours.

Visitors were hanging the Korean traditional lantern offered by this program

We received the Korean traditional Lantern (Cheonsachorong) for lightening up the road along the fortress and palace at the Sinpungnu(the main gate of palace, starting point). Thanks to this generous and curious commentator, we got very useful and detail explanation all the two hours round. He was just fit to manage in this program and very interesting man. He was eager to give a full explanation to us. I lost my heart totally in this fascinating place and was hard not to admire at the gorgeous views of the palace.

Palace and the Full Moon in the sky

On the way to the riding Hwaseong Trolley on the back hill side in this palace, there was a surprising performance which a lady singer and a man playing the Korea traditional pipe played for us. What the soft elegant sound at the calm and dark night  it was!!! It was beyond description.

Performance for elegant Korean traditional music

Hwaseong Trolley
It was difficult for me to take a picture due to on boarding of the running trolley. However I admired at the Suwon citizen to listen the explanation of commentator that Suwon citizens have endure many inconveniences and sacrifices to maintain good condition of this heritage because many citizen actually live in and out area of it. I felt the best part of this one must be the walking along the wall between The Janganmun gate(장안문;north gate) and The Banghwasuryujeong(방화수류정 ;command post, national treasure). It was time travel to the past. And it did not end just there.

The Jangmun gate(north gate)

Citizens are strolling at night along the fortress

Hwahongmun stone bridge

The performances waited us inside the palace.

I didn’t know the reason why I felt very hard going sad feeling as when I saw the dancing show performed by this man. After hearing the explanation of MC, I understood what it was exactly and admired his wonderful performance again. As I heard, he expressed the frailty of human life as a man-about-town. It was precious affection which would like to feel again with my family. Ah ! I didn't want to leave the palace ,,,…It was really impressive and charming night.

The Sinpungnu( the main gate of palace)

 I wrote about this Fortress and palace at the previous post of mine.
 Refer it please at here>>http://goo.gl/r7OQGz...........   http://goo.gl/EMocei
Tip You shouldn’t be too disappoint at not to joining this program. They open the palace at night from Jun to September. The fortress is going to light up from 8PM to 10PM during this period.