Iksan, South Korea
Jan 25, 2024
Iksan, South Korea
Our final day in the Korean countryside
The six-story Mireuksaji pagoda at the Mireuksa Temple Site
Over the course of a single day, we visited three areas in the Korean countryside. Our volunteer tour guide, who was also our Airbnb host, made the most of our time outside the city of Jeonju. Our last stop of the day was the town of Iksan and the open-air restoration of the Mireuksa Temple Site.
This was our last day in the countryside before returning to Seoul. In a few more days, our daughter would leave for California. I am always on the lookout for fun and quirky stories to share with you. In this case, we visited a remarkable historical site. Unfortunately, the result was an unremarkable experience.
Although the experience wasn't anything out of the ordinary to write about. The temple ruins were unique and special to witness. The bonus to mark the end of our very busy day was a lovely sunset over the vast temple complex area.
Next week, I'll write about our few days in Seoul and how my wife and daughter kicked me out of our hotel room. I then ended up in an Airbnb in a nearby neighborhood for a few nights.
And there you go, a fun and quirky story to look forward to
Above. The restored pagoda at the Mireuksa Temple Site is the six-story Mireuksaji pagoda. Five of the six stories are visible here. I was going for a dramatic photo of the pagoda, and this is it.
Below, top. This bridge over a creek is at Moaksan Park temple complex, which I wrote about last week. I felt grateful that people cleared off the bridge while I made the exposures. Only later did I realize they were watching me clamber around on the rocks in the creek, trying to not get wet.
Below, bottom. I've been holding this photo in reserve for weeks. Outside a park we visited was a field of flowers. Okay, not only a field - acres and acres were devoted to nothing but these flowers. Nothing seemed to be working in my favor when photographing this scene. It was windy, and the flowers were blowing every which way. There were apartment blocks in the background that distracted from the flowers. And the sun had already set, leaving me with little light for a fast shutter speed. Still, I love this photo. It's not everything I had hoped for. Yet, considering the challenges creating it, I'm satisfied.
The bridge over a creek is at Moaksan Park temple complex
By accident, we found this field of flowers near a park we were visiting
