Falling in love with Fall!

What a week--I think I've walked a hundred miles over the last four or five days!  Here is how I've spent my time enjoying autumn in Seoul...

After a productive day of teaching on Tuesday, Stephanie invited me to join her on a walk/hike up Mt. Ansan, the mountainous area behind our campus. Many of the new teachers took this same hike during our first week in Seoul, but seeing that the gathering time was somewhere around 5 or 5:30 am, I opted for sleep instead. Today, however, I had no good excuse for passing up a walk in the beautiful fall sunshine--so off we went. Stephanie knows the mountain like the back of her hand and was a fantastic guide, even allowing me to stop and capture photos of the incredible fall foliage.

Rows of trees with leaves of green. 

The colors are changing! 

Reaching the pagoda.

Our first stop was a rest point midway up the mountain.  I'm not much of an athlete or what you would call a "nature girl", so by this point in the hike I was ready to stop and take a breather.  My legs and lungs were burning!  We came upon a beautiful pagoda and exercise area where several Korean men and women were working out on a series of machines (just like you'd find in the gym!).  Steph and I had a great time trying out the workout equipment and looking like fools in the process.  We stayed long enough to snap some photos near the pagoda, then pressed on.

Trying out the workout equipment.

Now doesn't this look like fun?!

Me and the pagoda!

Not far down the path we detoured so Stephanie could show me some of the original trenches that remain from the Korean War.  Some are lined with sandbags, others with tires.  Regardless, it is both difficult and frightening to stand on the edge of a trench and imagine what this area looked like just sixty years ago.  The entire mountain had been stripped of all trees and vegetation--the city below was in ruins.  Looking at the photos, you would never know.

One of the many trenches that cut into the mountain.

Remnants of the Korean War still remain.

Back on the main path, we reached a huge flight of stairs.  This hit at the part of the hike where I was totally exhausted, but I managed to coax my body up the stairs.  We were in sight of the top at this point and I wasn't going to quit now!  There is an observation point at the top of the mountain with a 360 degree view.  Seeing the forest surrounding us painted in beautiful fall colors made the entire hike worthwhile!  

The observation point at the top!  We made it!

A view of the city...

Looking over at Mount Namsan

The beautiful fall foliage on the mountain.

If you look carefully you can see remnants of the old city wall.

Daylight was fading fast and Stephanie still wanted to take me down to the Buddhist temple nestled on the side of the mountain.  The trail wasn't much of a trail at all, rather we climbed down the top and side of large rocks with a rope handrail threaded throughout.  It was a bit treacherous, but we made it down and could hear the bell at the temple ringing out.  The temple certainly did not disappoint and we spent a few minutes wandering through the grounds.  The most incredible sight was inside one of the buildings--it was filled entirely with burning candles which cast an incredible glow throughout.  We weren't sure if we should enter or not, so Steph held the door open for me so I could peer inside and snap a photo.  There were cool statues everywhere and a few monks milling about.  The biggest treat was witnessing one of the monks ceremoniously ringing the bell we had heard from the mountaintop.

From the outside, not that impressive...

...but look what you see when you peek inside!  Thousands of candles!

The altar inside one of the main buildings.

Just passing through...

A place of worship.

A very old, and very bizarre tree!

A few sculptures from the row of demons.

I saw this as we made our way out of the temple grounds.   Something about the position of the hands caught my eye.

As darkness fell we hiked back to campus and by the time I reached my apartment, I was beat!  I'll definitely have to make that hike again and again as the seasons change.  There's truly no better view in town!

Parent conferences hit on Thursday and Friday of this week, and I'm happy to report that my meetings with the parents went quite well.  After sitting through a total of nine or ten hours of constant chats with the parents, I was so ready for the weekend.  I managed to drag myself out of bed early on Saturday for an 8am Costco run (gotta go early to beat the crowds).  As soon as I got back, I dropped my groceries in the kitchen and ran out the door--a tour of the Secret Garden at Changdeokgung Palace was waiting!  Somehow I actually made it to the palace, purchased my ticket, and found the tour just in the nick of time.  About 100 lucky English speaking visitors gathered around our very cool tour guide for a two hour guided experience that was full of beauty and history.

Truly I don't remember much that the tour guide said, but I was able to spend some time soaking in the surroundings.  Welcome to the Secret Garden of Chandeokgung Palace...

This is what I came to see!

One of the large ponds on the palace grounds

The trees are "burning" with fall colors!

Entrance to the living quarters of one of the Joseon dynasty kings.  He wanted it to look like a common man's dwelling.

One of many pagodas I saw on my tour.

Part of the servants' dwelling.

Another tranquil pond!

I think the ceilings showcase the most interesting artwork!

Observing proper temple protocol and removing my shoes.

Since I went alone on today's tour, this is the only picture of me you'll see!

I just love the bright colors in Korean decoration.

Check out this 750 year old juniper tree.  Half of the tree was lost in the September typhoon.

The actual palace--I figured I should check it out since I was already on the grounds.

A little closer view!

An interesting adornment on the stairway.  He looks happy to be guarding the palace steps!

The altar inside one of the palace buildings.

I love capturing the little details that makes Korean architecture so cool and unique.

Some adorable Korean girls chasing the falling leaves!

Making my way toward the exit, I came across the little cuties in the photo above and I couldn't help stopping to watch them in their game of "chase the falling leaves".  It was such fun to see kids expressing such an innocent joy at something as simple as a leaf falling from a tree.  It really made me stop and think about the simple joys I chase after these days--reading a good book, downloading a new song, turning up the music and dancing, talking with a friend from home, writing a postcard or letter, receiving mail, working on my life list...  I think one of the reasons God placed me here is to give me a chance to re-discover joy in my life.  So far, I've found the joy in teaching again and I have a bit more time to pursue my passions.  As I reach these conclusions, I wonder if the people I left behind at home are experiencing this same sense of contentment I feel.  What are your simple joys?  Are you seeking them out, experiencing them, and living each day to its fullest?  I sure am trying and I think things are working out fine.  No, better than fine.  Things are working out great.  Can you believe all of this came from admiring the beauty of fall?!