Lightning Festival of the Garden of Morning Calm

When the leaves fall and the flowers fall into a deep sleep, the garden becomes calm. After a moment's rest, In winter, this garden is reborn again into the lighting garden by the 6 million LED light bulbs shining brightly. In general, many dynamic Koreans do not let them off to waste long winter without doing anything in the cold winter. Thanks to a lot of attempts, sometimes we can encounter another astonishing moment and unforgettable memories even more than we expected. Shall you come and go with me to find out what's in there waiting for me? Move,Move. 

In fact, the garden has been always crowded with lots of visitors who want to appreciate thousands of trees and various beautiful flowers combined with Korean pavillion and pond expressing oriental beauty from spring to autumn.

*I strongly recommend to visit again in spring when it is full of flowers. 

*The lightning festival of garden will continue until March 26.

Let’s go to the Seoul Zoo(서울동물원) in the forest !

Oh, What a dazzling sun shine of May it was! The sweet sunshine was continuously stimulating my instinct of being away from home. Today is 5 May which is the Children's Day. On this day many public attractions such as main old palaces, royal tombs, Jongmyo(Royal shrine) and other some places related to children are used to be allowed for free admission. I made up my mind to head the Seoul Zoo because I couldn't wait to enjoy the bright spring sunshine.

It is located in Gwacheon city(과천시) next to the south of Seoul and can be accessed easily by subway line 4. By the way why the name of it is ‘Seoul Zoo’ instead of ‘Gwacheon Zoo’? It has been still under the control of Seoul city even though it was opened in Seoul at first in 1909 and relocated to its current site in 1984. 

The most one of all what I love this zoo is shut in by millions of tall trees across the zoo and seems like to be a forest. With this reason this has been loved zoo as well as picnic area for the family by all the generations. Here has been maintained animals and preserved the nature so well. This is the various wildlife living area and yet there is no resistance at all for me to visit there. Of course, I'm not saying you could avoid the scents of animal refuse. If the smells were not there, it would not be a zoo any more. 

The first delight for me was always flamingos put on airs of colorful flame feathers next entrance. Skinny leg, strong red color, pliable long neck! To be sorry,I missed their show at this time. When I visited before,they gave me the elegant and ornate show (3;30pm-daily, 11;00am-additionally on weekend).

Giraffe, zebra, meerkat, Fennec Fox, cheetah, tiger, lion, peafowl, deer, snakes, elephant and so on. The peafowl was boasting by stretching out its magnificent fan on the very right time when I reached. It was turning round and round on the same spot on that way. I touched luck.I met endless baby carriage line everywhere I went. I was given extra gift from all cute, adorable kids. How precious they are! Tiny pavilions located at intervals helped relax time and some people ate foods prepared their own.

Mirror, Mirror, Who's the fairest of them all ?
Are you sick of such and such tourist attractions? Then, don’t hesitate to visit here. It’s worth a visit, definitely. Here is sure to get you through your day and to make something different.***Please remind that this is the 10^th largest zoo in the world. According to their information, it has zoological and botanical gardens where 2,700 animals from 332 species at 29 animals farms and flora live. All must to ready for you is to wear comfortable shoes, casual clothes. ***Please avoid hot season in the end of July or early August.***I’d like recommend to visit Art Museum next to if you have plenty of free time on a same day. It’s worthy for inside and outside high leveled sculptures. You can easily appreciate outdoor sculpture park based on the well-maintained high standard art and fine scenery for free. Please refer my post about museum>>>http://goo.gl/v4uOqy  

The museum in nature, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Gwacheon (국립현대미술관 과천관)

Art museum beside the Zoo???

Absolutely, it is unusual combination that doesn't fit at all in general cases. To be interest, the both are situated to each other next to in a short distance from Seoul. The zoo and botanical garden moved to the current location from Seoul, in 1980s, and became unusual neighbor by building the museum on next to. It is operated by the Ministry of Culture, sports & Tourism. 

This museum, despite of some distance from Seoul, in quality has undertaken main role for last over 30 years in many sides of cultural primary duties to collect, preserve, study, exhibit. They offer free admission in case of permanent exhibition among the eight galleries all round year except Monday off. There were some controversial at first during construction because the location shall hinder its accessibility. However, the problem could be solved clearly by the opening of the Seoul subway line 4 one year before the opening of museum in 1985. It is true that this museum boasts international-sized facilities and the important role as cultural platform especially on the modern & contemporary architecture, design and crafts field.The beacon shape of center part and the fortress shape of both side part of this building were originated from the traditional Korean architecture.

The More, The Better

The prominent artwork must to see in here is the video tower artwork ‘The More, The Better’ which is by Namjune Paik who was world-famous video artist. Of course, you are able to get a chance to appreciate it free of charge. He was Korean American video artist and made it by using the 1003 television instead of canvas. He created this masterpiece to celebrate the coming 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics in 1986. The quantity 1003 means the 03 Oct, the National foundation day of Korea and it reach as high as the three floors. As it stood on 28 years, over 300 televisions didn’t work well. Although there were several times repair, the condition has not improved much since whenever I saw. To be fortunate! They had it total rebirth in celebration of the 70^th anniversary of Korea’s liberation (15 Aug 2015) through perfect and clean repair process. There were controversial whether to keep on going to the old original ones or replace them with new electric components inside when it was recovered. After long discussion, It was exactly reproduced the original form and elements. The repairing cost in some cases was higher than to buy a new one as I heard. It took so long time for the public to gain the original magnificent art. The unique spiral-formed ramp core had such a wonderful structure matching with this artwork that I could appreciate this masterpiece in every angle by walking this slope way.

 It is also true that one of the favorite charming points of this art museum might be the huge outdoor sculpture park on the green boasting superb natural landscape. Thanks to diverse artworks, It is just a kind of picnic event for me to visit this museum. Museum in the forest, this is the exact wording for here, maybe. Don't wait.

TIP: Zoo next to, as you can see in the image, is very lovely place to visit also. It is the one of top 10 Zoo in the world. It is recommendable for you to drop by on the same day as one day course.

How to get there :

Take off at the Seoul Grand Park station (Seoul subway line 4, exit)

>>walk backward in three minutes to take the shuttle bus

.  (every 20 minutes run, free ride, Monday off)

The Herbal Kingdom, Herb Island in Pocheon, South Korea(포천 허브아일랜드)

When the Herb was unfamiliar to the public 20 years ago in Korea, it is said she started to plant herbs in small green house in desolate land, this was registered as specialized Herb Plant Museum in Korea and became landmarks in Pocheon city(포천시), where is located in the northern of Seoul, a little far from around 2 hour drive from Seoul. Herb Island, it's not a real island but just the name only. I used a tour bus that only goes on Saturdays. I didn't want to drive my car because the road of suburbs on weekend are always jam packed with lots of car.  As I looked over the people waiting bus, more than half of them were young couples hand-in-hand. Aha, romantic date attractions?

It has certain charming point that makes people visit here up to million visitors all the year. In the beginning, It is said, it reached just 10,000 square meters only in width and was barren land being overgrown with full of weeds and gravels. At that time there was no road, water and even electricity was not linked at all. They pulled up out the weeds, sow the seeds and planted the trees of Mediterranean herbs. But it was so difficult to get a success that there were several attempts and failures to fit it in the soil of Korea. Most of all, there is big difference in the amount of sunshine as compared with the one of Mediterranean. It is insufficient in Korea.

Inside of Herb plant Museum

The huge herb green house (Herb & Plants Museum) was considered to be the most valuable place of this place. It boasted several hundred type of herb and seemed like to show long cultivation history. I felt the green house is not only the simple cultivation area of trees but also each tree was treated with care. This herb plant museum has been played its’ role for as the matrix of this herb island absolutely, as I thought.

The Santa Claus village, composed at the back side of these herb greenhouses, gave me another pleasure, too. How sweet and cool it was by the fresh flavor of herbal aroma in this hot summer! It was holding cooling event of aromatic herbal showering on the path during these hot summer days till end of August. Both Visitors and Santa Clauses lined on this path were soaked fully with foggy herbal vapor. It was very pleasant and something special aromatic experience.

Aromatic herb showering

Tiny church where we can send the Christmas card in advance

Summer Santa Clauses wearing in blue, small box houses decorated with items related on Santa Claus. People could feel the early Christmas mood on August and send their pre-card for Christmas at the tiny church on the hillside. With all of these in fairytale-like village, people were busy taking photos and enjoying early arrived Christmas day.

In the Herbal crafts exhibition hall

At the Herb Museum

It's under distilling the essential herb oil

The herb museum exhibits all about the herb in the side of food, flavoring, medicine and others. History of herb, herb related goods like oils, wines, liquors, vinegar and teas, making herb candles and soaps, handicraft corner, distillation corner of essential oil, many kinds of herb details helped my knowledge of it. What’s more, tiny items situated each corner added us aromatic pleasure, too. Recommend not to miss here. As time had gone so fast, we felt hungry. We enjoyed herb dishes in the Athens hall restaurant which is decorated in Greek style. How was the taste and price? The mood in there was very good but the price and taste didn't impress me enough.

Inside restaurant

When the sun went down, this place became the more beautiful, stunning and romantic site than daytime with millions of starlike lights and gave me wonderful shooting time. The live show on weekend at square and to see the youth who boarded mini gondola circling this square made me happy even though I didn’t ride it. For a while I sat and took coffee break. Well, the two guys’ singing ability on the stage was not good enough. They had trouble hitting the high notes and some portion of notes was stretched more longer. I was eavesdropping on the next person said to funny when was passing me " What makes them sing just like crying?". Whatever it was, it didn't screw up my romantic feeling at all. Surely, the night has powerful strength to make everything looks beautiful. This light festival of night goes on all the year.Don’t wait to meet the beautiful night time in there. 

Let's have free herbal teas & aroma therapy experience at this Fragrance Shop

Aroma tester

There were two accommodation zones on the back side, Herb healing center and experience building prepared various experiences like herb hydro therapy, herb & hay therapy, aromatherapy, tea therapy, stone therapy and others. Some rooms boast whirlpool bath in herb essential oil. It looked like have high grade and didn’t look cheap just to see it from a distance.

Herb Healing and experience center

D. I .Y. Experience Field

Flames for herb candle at D.I.Y Field

How to get there

1.          Shuttle bus run by DOOREBUS co.: Seoul city hall>Sport complex>Herb Island (running duration: 2hours). 
       Night course is available only on Saturday. Day courses are available on Sat/Sunday. 
        Send email to dooretourkorea@gmail.com for your booking.

2.         Midweek:to Subway1 Soyosan st.#1>transfer to bus 57-1 across the street, not sure about the duration because the bus runs every 2 hours. 

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.