An Alien Journey on Earth: FINDING ME AT GANGNEUNG: GYEONGPODAE & SEONGYOJANG

Gyeongpodae

After a failed attempt to buy the Seaside train ticket, I made my walked again to the taxi stand in front of the train station. I first saw Gyeongpodae pavilion in 2Days 1Night (2Days 1Night is a popular travel variety show in

South Korea

). Basically most of my places to go at Gangneung was featured in 2Days 1Night. Gyeongpodae is a pavilion overlooking a Gyeongpo lake. In the show, I fall in love with how beautiful the scenery been seen from the pavilion.

After a small talk with the taxi driver on the way to Gyeongpodae, we arrived! No other car or public transportation was there and as explained by the taxi driver when he made an offer to wait for me there before taking me to my next location. Of course I said yes and hurriedly climb to Gyeongpodae. Nothing there except the pavilion but in front of me, looking from the pavilion is really beautiful scenery of Gyeongpo Lake. It is said that one can see the moon five times when at Gyeongpodae. One sees the moon once in the sky, once reflected in the lake, once reflected in the sea, once reflected in the drinking glass, and once more in the eyes of a lover. Huks, suddenly I featured myself back to 500 years ago when a famous scholar Yi I, wrote his poems while he is there when he is still 10 years old. The poem is now written on 28 pillars of Gyeongpodae. I guess anybody who are here and see the beautiful scenery will definitely would like to capture the beauty in a poem. As my taxi driver is waiting for me, I just managed to capture the beauty in the pictures. Please have a look at the scenery from the eyes of Yil I, 500 years ago.

Gyeongpodae the Pavillion

Gyeongpo Lake view from Gyeongpodae

Seongyojang

On the taxi driver recommendation, I was dropped off at Seongyojang. According to the taxi driver, UJukheon which my actual planned to go is only a walking distance from Seongyojang. Hence, he urged me not to miss Seongyojang. Without any idea on what is Seongyojang is all about, I paid 3000 won for my ticket fee and a pamphlet about Seongyojang. After passing by the ticket counter, I am now standing at a big courtyard.

Seongyojang is actually a house for yangban(noble person) dated 300 years ago. If anybody watched a historical drama about Hwangjini (played by Ha Ji Won and Jang Gu Seok), the drama was filmed here. It’s a beautiful house with a peaceful environment (erkss..maybe because nobody was there except me and the workers).

But I am more attracted to a small pavilion at the right side of the courtyard. The pavilion is actually built on a small pond that being connected by a small bridge. I bet that when I closed my eyes for a while, I can see a handsome Yangban wearing hanbok at the pavilion veranda facing the lake full with white lotus. Hahahaha …but the reality is a closed-no entry pavilion with frozen pond and only me. After half an hour walking by myself touring the whole house while enjoying the scenery and taking my own sweet time, I left the house and my imaginary handsome Yangban and made my way to Ujukheon.