Saturday 9 November 2013

September in Gangneung - Jumunjin & Gyeongpodae Pavilion [Day 4]

[Gangneung] recommended tourist attractions: Gyeongpodae Pavilion, Jumunjin Beach and Fish Market | by Meheartseoul
Gangneung is a city in Gangwon-do, located on East Coast of Korean Peninsula which is famous for beautiful beaches with smooth coastlines and clean water.

Dating back to the Goryeo Dynasty, Gangneung has played a very important role. Presently, in Gangneung, we can still see Gangneung Confucian School, Gaeksamun, and Ojukheon, as well as many other cultural relics.

The Gangneung Danoje (the day of God) Festival is a traditional Korean festival which UNESCO designated as a masterpiece of human tradition and intangible cultural heritage. It's one of the famous festivals in Korea.
  
A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Seoul Express Bus Terminal.
  
A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Bus schedule and fares

It takes about 3 hours bus ride from Seoul. You can buy bus ticket directly from Seoul Express Bus Terminal or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. To check Kobus for Bus Schedules, Fares and Terminals information.

We took taxi from Gangneung bus terminal to White Castle Resort. Then we asked whether the taxi willing to take us for tour. We negotiated for the fare to KRW100,000 for 5 hours. It's much more expensive than taxi tour in Jeju. But, considering taxi fare from Bus Terminal to White Castle about KRW10,000, so we agreed to it.

We actually called Tourist Information Centre to help as we had communication barrier. I understood a bit of Korean language, and tried my best to talk to him. But, it's much easier with the assistance of officer from Tourist Information Centre. I just told the officer the places that I wanted to visit and some of the places the taxi driver didn't know the location.

We started taxi tour after checked in our luggage in the hotel.


Red and White Lighthouses - on the way to Jumunjin Seafood Market

Filming location. Korean Drama "Goblin" at Jumunjin Seawall
(the above video 0:20)

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Fill up "fuel" to full tank from this fish tank :P

We asked Mr. Nam 기사님 to bring us to seafood restaurant around Jumunjin. He brought us to  this 원주 제천 유지횟집 around Jumunjin Fish Market. First, we need to the fish we want from the fish tank, then the owner prepared "hoe" (회= sashimi / sliced raw fish). This familiar dish of finely sliced raw fish  and using fish bones, heads and tails to cook for the soup.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
 Sashimi + Crabs + Fried Fish + Fish Soup + Banchan

We selected 3 types of fish and asked 이모 (Auntie) whether the soup will be spicy, as normally they will prepare spicy Fish Soup. As if she knew that I'll be asking this question, she quickly answered that the soup will be 안매운 (not spicy) and free 3 crabs for "service" so kids can eat them too.

I didn't know what types of fish I selected, but for the fresh sashimi and tasty sweet fish soup (without MSG) and meal for Mr Nam, we just paid for 50,000 Won. It's amazingly cheap with good service too.

Then we walked to nearby Fish Markets to see how the traditional markets in Gangneung.
- 주문진항구회센타  (Jumunjin Port Seafood Centre)
- 어민수산시장 (Fishermen Seafood Market)
- 주문진수산시장 (Jumunjin Dried Fish Market)

You can buy freshly-caught seafood from Jumunjin Port or Dried seafood products at Jumunjin Dried Fish Market at reasonable price.


Traditional Fish Markets Tour


Jumunjin Beach (주문진 해수욕장) 
located in the northern-most part of Gangneung and very popular for family vacation as water is quite shallower than other beaches in eastern coast of South Korea. White sandy area and pines on the beach accentuates beauty of Jumunjin.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Jumunjin Beach is a medium-sized beach with fine sand and unusually blue water.
Many dark-coloured rocks and stones are visible as well.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Did we stop at the correct spot of Jumunjin Beach?

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
 Anyway, I love it as it's nice and quite beach to relax ^^

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
 Kimchiii~^^


Gyeongpodae Pavilion (강릉 경포대) 
This pavilion was first built by Park Sukjeong, the governor of Gangwon-do, in 1326 at the site of Inwolsa temple from the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668).
  
A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
It was moved and rebuilt here in 1508 by Han Geup, the mayor of Gangneung.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Gyeongpodae was reconstructed and repaired in 1934, 1947 and 1962.
  
 A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
panoramic view of the mountains, Gyeongpo lake, the sea and the pine grove by the beach
for which it has long been cherished.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Gyeongpodae is a large pavilion featuring a “paljak” roof, the most common style found in Korean buildings. The pavilion is divided into 6 sections in the front, and 5 sections on the sides, with 28 pillars surrounding the structure.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
It has various levels to provide better lookouts for scenic points and is appropriately 
partitioned to provide a good division of space.

It particularly looks out to the "Eight Scenic Points of Gyeongpo" (Sunrise view from Nokdujeong Pavillion, Jukdomyeongwo, Gangmuneohwa, Chodangchuiyeon, Hongjangyau, jeungbongnakjo, Hwansenchwijeok and Hansongmojong) and "Three Lunar Scenes of Gyeongpo" (the Lunar Column, Lunar Tower and Lunar Wave).

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com 
The calligraphy of two of the plaques bearing the name of the pavilion were done by
Yu Hanji and Yi Ikhoe.
Inside there is a poem "Gyeongpodaebu" (the movement of the heavens and the moon) 
by scholar Yul-Gok when he was only 10 years old.
And also a poem written by the 15th Goryeo king, Suk-Jong.
  
A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
This pavilion is famous for the spectacular view of the full moon
on the 15th day of the first lunar month.  

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
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.

Moon watching from this pavilion and from the eyes of your lover! It must be the best and the most beautiful spot! Aigoo~~~ Korean are just so romantic and sweet as always! Maybe it's really inheritance from their ancestors, right?!

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
충혼탑 Memorial Tower
this tower was built in 1969 with the best wishes of Gangneung citizens to honor the souls
of Gangneung's patriotic soldiers and policemen who died gloriously fighting for
their country during Korean War.

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Park between Gyeongpodae and Memorial Tower

Ok, will stop here and continue Seongyojang and Ojukheon House on Part II... before you all fall  asleep for reading this long posting :P

A must visit tourist attractions in Gangneung | meheartsoul.blogspot.com
Zzz...ZZz...ZZZ~~~!!!

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