Gyeongju - Museum without Walls (II)

In Jeju we took taxi tour...  here in Gyeongju, we hop in and off 3-4 busses in a day. We just took buses so we can just sit and rest our tired leg, but at the same time we can view Gyeongju city. Initially, I thought to join city tour, so I didn't plan where to visit in Gyeongju...

Good that when we purchaced Korea Pass & KR Pass, they gave an useful booklet which has a lot of information such as places to visit, map, city tour, and discount coupons (hotels, restaurants, performances,...). 

On top of that, being able to connect is a plus point... we rented Pocket Wifi from S Roaming that we can access to internet by the maximum 3 devices simultaneously. We can search online to get more information too ^^

Korea Pass & KR Pass guidebook with Gyeongju Bus guide

For City tour, please click here for more information

Here are some photos of Gyeongju

but some of the photos quite blur as taken when the bus was moving~~~

Gyeongju City Tour Office, Coffee & Bun Shop, rice field, traditional market, paddy field,

Tumuli Tomb, Hanok House, Hwangnam-ppang bread shops & Gyeongju Station

Charming traditional Hanok-style rooftop everywhere ^^

Tourist Information Centre, Bus Stops, Gas Station, Houses, Ticket counter, Restaurants,... 

   

So, after gathered information, we decided to go to Shilla Millennium Park (신라밀레니엄파크). We alighted somewhere near Gyeongju Tower. Not sure whether we alighted at the correct bus stop... Anyway, we went a convenience store to buy something to drink and the main purpose is actually we need small notes to take a bus later :P 

 Shilla Millennium Park, which reproduces Shilla architecture and a village of aristocrats.

Famous Korean show Queen Seondeok was filmed here too.

Hey... wait!!! where are the rest of the photos inside Shilla Millenium Park?

I didn't lost my way, you can see the photo was taken outside the park... but I somehow changed my mind. My body was raising white flag (surrender) as I was completely exhausted! 

Although I enjoy Korea much, but I rarely do exercise... You know, the only exercise I like is swimming. So, for these 6 days in Korea, I walked the most in my life... and 3 more days to go! Therefore, need to recharge my energy first... :P

Tadaaa! Let's just relax and soak in Hot spring sauna in Hotel Gyeongju Kyoyuk Munhwa Hoekwan.  Yes, thanks to Korea Pass booklet, I accidentally saw that this hotel have Sauna facilities when searching for attractions near Bomun Lake... Furthermore, you can enjoyed 30% off for Sauna if you're using Korea Pass!

Uh Oh!!! After payment... they told us that 3rd floor is for Male and Female on 2nd floor. They just provide 2 towels and there's no clothes provided, so I think there's no unisex (jjimjilbang) area.

Male's Lockers area

You need undress everything and store all your belongings in the locker... yap~ no strings attached on your body! 1, 2, 3,... faster walk to shower area! Well, though I think people won't be interested to look at me, but still no confidence to walk nakedly in front of people and bath together! Aigoo... Aigoo~!!!

Though, some people looked at me, they can sensed that I'm not a local? Whatever, after showered, I can finally jump and hide inside the tub... There are 4 tubs with different hot and cold temperatures. I like the one with Jacuzzi and took a quite nap at that pool... after tried all the pools and sauna rooms.

Re-energise and fresher after relaxing my body... my mind not that relax though~

Spa centres in Singapore, mostly have hydropool or Jacuzzi in the private or couple room,

or have curtains separator between the tubs. For shared tub, you need to

wrapped yourself in a bath gown or towels provided there...

Afraid that my hubby not enjoying the sauna, I just came out half and hour earlier. Expecting that he's outside waiting for me. But, I was wrong! Wow... He really knew how to enjoy his one and half hour of hot spring and came out on time.

While waiting for my hubby,  I was wandering around the lobby and outside the hotel alone... Saw few people brought their own basket of toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, body or face cleanser and 'ddae’ a scrubber which you use to take off the dead layers of skin on your body). Next time I should bring my own toiletries too :P

Small Sikdang near Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal

Kimchi jjigae and Galbi Tang with banchan spread covered almost the whole table.

After dinner, we walked around Bus Terminal to find famous Hwangnamppang (황남빵). It's Gyeongju specialty bread  filled with a sweet red bean paste, which has preserved the same traditions and flavors for 70 years, spanning three generations.

  You can find this big Hwangnamppang store/factory near bus terminal

 Chalborippang (찰보리빵) another popular specialty bread of Gyeongju.

It is round and flat, made with locally produced glutinous barley, which gives it chewy texture.

The bread makers selling Hwangnamppang, Gyeonjuppang, and Chalborippang are located around the downtown area of Gyeongju, bus terminal and Singyeongju KTX station.

Well, it's quite late... so we took a taxi to our final destination for the day..

Evening stroll in this stunning Anapji Pond (안압지)

Anapji is an artificial pond. Imhae jeonji was a detached palaces of the Silla royal family’s main palace. It was built for the crown prince, constructed by order of King Munmu in 674 CE.

  

The pond is situated at the northeast edge of the Banwolseong palace site.

Pond had been surrounded by stone walls, and that 5 buildings had been

standing on the pond's west to south.

Beautifully lighted up pavilions, huge pond and surrounding park.

 

 Too bad... I'm not a good photographer

these photos just not justified the beauty of Anapji Pond

I love those pretty reflections on the pond surface.

Thanks for the restoration and maintenance of this historical place, Anapji Pond is reviving to its former glory.

Here are video and more photos of Anapji Pond: 

Drama "Gung (궁) Princess Hours" mesmerising scenes of the front and back palace courtyards were filmed at Anapji Pond. I hope that there will be more films or dramas setting using Anapji Pond as filming location...

 Back to Seoul the next morning by KTX

Unbelievable...  only yellow sticker on the floor
"고객신뢰선 (운임경계선) We Trust You (Only paid customers can cross)"

Goodbye Gorgeous Gyeongju!

Related Post:

~ [Gyeongju] - Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto

Gyeongju Museum without Walls (Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto)

Situated in the South Eastern part of Korea, Gyeongju (경주)  in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province was the capital of mighty Silla (신라) Kingdom for 992 years (BC 57-935). It was ruled by 56 kings, the longest surviving dynasty in the history of Korea.

Be mesmerised by this Ancient City of A Thousand-Year Kingdom. There's no sky-scraping buildings, but the city is blanketed by ancient landmarks as proud testaments to a bygone era.

 26 minutes of comfortable KTX ride from Busan to Singyeongju

We bought 3 day KR Pass for unlimited travel, therefore the price stated on ticket is 0원 (Won)

The ancient Tumuli tomb of Bangnae-ri, outside Singyeongju station

Once arrived in Singyeongju station, we took a taxi to Hill Motel, but receptionist was not around... we waited for about 15 minutes and decided to have our lunch opposite the hotel.

Kimchi Jjigae with Rice and Banchan (min. 2 pax)

We went to Gyeongju's Tourist Information Center to check city bus tour, but next available is night tour, and if not wrong... we need to book it one day before. Therefore, they suggested us to go to Bulguksa Temple which just next to it.

Let's explore "Museum without Walls"... This posting will be highlighting on The Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. In 1995, both became the first sites in Korea to be designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. These monuments are major historical sites in Gyeongju , which capture the essence of Korean history and Buddhist culture.

1. Bulguksa Temple (불국사)

One of Korea's most cherished remnants of the Silla Dynasty (57-935 BC), the temple embodies the mysticism and beauty of Buddhism, which served as the spiritual and cultural backbone of Silla. was built in 528 during the Silla Dynasty.

 next to it = near?!!

The answer is NO!!! couldn't even see the temple after few minutes walking. 

I guess Tour bus will drop you near the entrance, so you don't need to walk that far.

  

 Make a guess... what is this?

Finally... the entrance to Bulguksa Temple.

Bulguksa Temple is also valued as the pinnacle of architecture and art in the 8th century. It sits upon a high stone platform, which extends one hundred meters long, is traversed by a stone staircase that is said to connect the temporal world (ground level) and the world of Buddha (the part of the temple on and above the platform).

High stone platform

It is also home to many important Cultural Relics such:

 The Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge, 청운교) and Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge, 백운교)(National Treasure No. 23)

There are 33 steps on the stairway, which slopes at a 45 degree angle, and each step corresponds to one of the 33 heavens of Buddhism

 Dabo-tap (National Treasure No. 20)

The pagoda is currently depicted on the obverse of the 10 Won coin.

 Seokga-tap (National Treasure No. 21).

How about stay in this serenity place?

Check this link for Temple Stay

4 Heavenly Kings (사대천왕) guarding the temple...

Check this link for more information about Korean Buddhist Temple

 My mini stacked stone pagoda

One of my wishes is coming true soon~^^

  

2. Seokguram Grotto (석굴암)

Seokguram is known to have been built with Bulguksa Temple. According to the history book Samgukyusa of the Goryeo Dynasty. Kim Dae-Seong had built Bulguksa for the parents who were alive, and Seokguram for the parents of his former life. It's is located 8-kilometers past the Bulguksa Temple, along the ridge of Mount Tohamsan (745 meters above sea level) near the mountain's summit.

Constructed to look like a grotto, the structure was carved into the stone mountainside and then covered with sod. The center piece of the granite sanctuary is a seated Buddha statue called Bonjonbulsang.

Delicately sculpted to look as if rough granite is weaved into silk, the Seokgamoni Buddha has the serene expression of meditation at the moment of enlightenment. The craftsmanship of Buddha's facial expression and posture is so realistic, elegant, and alive that it is simply breath-taking. Despite all the technological advancements of modern times, the architecture, science, geometry, and art that went into making the Seokguram Grotto 1,200 years ago makes it a structure unmatched in its excellence.

  Tranquil walk... nice view of greeneries, fresh air and welcomed by cute squirrels ^^

Large bronze bell placed outside the entrance

(Check this link to see others 3 percussion instruments that normally found in temple) 

  

For donation KRW1,000 per person, you can ring / gong it.

(our expressions just for fun... It's not that heavy to gong it hehehe :P)

Entrance to Seokguram Grotto

감로수 (甘露水 = gan lu shui)

pathway leading to the Grotto - about 10 minutes walk

 Temple outside the Grotto

with colourful lanterns 

To preserve the site, the interior of the grotto can now only be viewed through a glass wall, installed to protect it from the large number of tourists it attracts, as well as temperature change. No pictures of the Buddha were allowed to be taken. Don't be disappointed, you can buy the postcards if you want.

 Seokguram Grotto's panoramic view - Perched on top of a mountain

ANNYEEEOOONNNGGG~~~!!!

~Love and Peace from Seokguram Grotto-Gyeongju~

Related Post:

~ [Gyeongju] Anapji Pond, Kyoyuk Munhwa Jimjilbang and Hwangnamppang