By Honorary Reporter Foteini Chatzoudi from Greece
Photos = Foteini Chatzoudi

As one of five Honorary Reporters invited from Nov. 1-8 to a "familiarization tour" in Korea, I got to explore Seoul, attend the K-Wave festival and visit Danyang-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province.

On Nov. 6 in the county, we first hit Mancheonha Skywalk, which had breathtaking views of mountains and rivers. The good weather allowed us to enjoy the stunning landscape and capture beautiful photos. The modern structure of the skywalk was impressive, and its glass floor gave the feeling of walking above the landscape.

The monorail and slide were also nearby. While some chose the slide, I rode the monorail to see autumn scenery.

Afterward, we went a restaurant to try the regional specialty olgaengiguk (marsh snail soup). While marsh snails may seem unusual, they had a mild flavor and provided warmth in the cold weather.

 
The next stop was the Dodamsambong Peaks, three rocks rising from the Namhangang River.

Gosu Cave is known for its limestone formations but tourists can only explore 1.7 km of its 5.4 km span. But its stalactites, stalagmites and other formations make it worth a visit.

When we arrived, staff provided gloves to wear as the railing along the steps was cold and wet. The cave had limestone formations, corals, fossils, preserved bats and microorganisms as well as narrow passages and underground lakes.

On the tour's second day on Nov. 7, our first stop was Ondal Tourist Area, named after General On Dal from the ancient Goguryeo Dynasty. It had a cave, fortress and filming site for many K-dramas.

We then headed to the Buddhist temple of Guinsa in the Sobaeksan mountain range. The temple had many uphill paths and stairs, so just four of the 12 tour members went up. We saw a group of people cleaning many heads of cabbage likely for use in making kimchi.

On the way back to the bus, I bought hotteok (hot sweet buns) from a street vendor. I had searched for it throughout the tour and found it on the last day.

Next was Bobaljae Pass to see the stunning foliage of red maple and ginko trees from an observation deck, not to mention breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys. 

Riding the cable car going over Cheongpungho Lake concluded the tour with panoramic views of the mountains. The gentle ascent to Bibongsan Mountain was relaxing as I took in the natural beauty of the area.

At the peak, we were greeted by a beautiful sunset and took many pictures of a moon sculpture there. Time capsules allowed the group to write their thoughts on pieces of paper.

I was too busy watching the sunset so I had no time to write, but the tour was unforgettable nonetheless. 

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.