Seoul to Busan Day 4 (Waegwan to Namji)

We slept in for an extra hour and got back on the road at 9AM on Day 4. It’s usually best to start your days early so I’d been pushing for 6AM wake ups and 8AM departures, but boys are slow to get ready sometimes so we usually left between 8:15 and 8:30. I’d love to have a Seoul-Busan trip where I’m on the road by 7AM and done with my day, chilling with a beer and meat by 6PM. Next year maybe.

Before we left Waegwan we stopped to take some photos of the great mural artworks near the train station.

We met a Scottish guy and a Canadian girl and made a new group which worked out quite well. They were on Roadmaster bikes, which look cheap but they were actually quite light and handled far better than my heavy “NEXT Dominate” Korean steel bike from last year. Turned out that the Scot, Michael, had spent many years in Andrew’s neck of the woods in Texas. Again, small world, and it seems to revolve around Texas! Cheryl had finished her teaching contract and this would be her last epic trip before leaving Korea.

Day 4 had some hills and some possibility for getting lost/ taking a detour or two.

After Gangjeonggoryeongbo CC we crossed the bridge and stayed on that side far longer than the map suggests- we should have crossed back over at Samunjingyo (page 29). The road that we were on was quite patchy at times so I’d suggest sticking to the KTO route.  We crossed over later around Seongsandaegyo which brought us to Dalseongbo CC. I am 99% sure that we did the orange “Alternate route” on page 35 – the MTB route.

MTB trail- this is a good section of the trail- lots of up and downs.

It was gravelly in some parts with fine sand in others, not ideal but still do-able while clipped in on a road bike with thin, smooth tyres. Last year we did the on-road hill route which was challenging but rewarding on the downhill sections. The MTB trail is harder in my opinion because it requires a lot more concentration if you’re not on a suitable bike. Make sure that you keep a good distance between yourself and the riders ahead of you if you’re clipped in.

You’re still going to do a hill regardless of the path you choose, so it comes down to what’s more important to you: time or comfort. Next time I’ll probably choose the on-road uphill section because it saves loads of time. The MTB trail turned out to be one of my favourite parts but only because I like risk and adrenaline. It did waste time and energy. WARNING: there were a few cars on this off-road section so be careful when you turn corners at speed. Also, I saw a Korean lose control of his MTB and go straight into a ditch. It was pretty funny (he was OK).

Our route took us past a temple(Seongbulsa?) which you approach from the valley. The entrance to the temple is guarded by two giant statues and you’ll cycle/ push up the hill accompanied by monk chants flowing down the mountain, splling over into the valley below. Stunning. Probably off-course but stunning.

We had lunch in Hapcheon-gun (where we found this classy calendar) and decided that we’d take another detour to avoid the steep hill predicted on p.36 and followed the 1021 (the dotted line from p.38-40) that goes past Changnyeong through loads of onion farms (all being harvested at the time). So many amazing photo opportunities!

** We took the 1008, 79 and then 1021- just use 1008 and 1021- check google maps- you can see how we wasted time around the onion farm area…it was beautiful though.

We decided to call it a day at Namji (p.40) and stayed here (naver 남지청학모텔)- I’d pay 15,000 won to share a round bed any day! Remember that the drinks in the fridge are free , “service”, unlike in the West.

Day 4 summary: 131km total distance (incl. some detours) and 10.5 hours riding time.

Fact of the day: Cheongdeokgyo bridge (청덕교)- just after Hapcheon-gun- is quite cutesy with lots of little pinwheels  dotted on top of the bridge rail.

Seoul to Busan Day 3 (Suanbo CC to Chilgokbo CC)

Day 3 was the best and worst day. Pieter decided to call time on the trip due to fatigue and strain. It’s a tough ride if you don’t have TITS (time in the saddle). Last year Jake pulled out early on day 4 because he didn’t prep. I’m always amazed how many miles people manage to churn out with no prep but their bodies always pay the price.

Part of the Saejae Bicycle Path is Ihwaryeong, which is 548m high. Nothing like a never ending hill to start your day (p.34-35). It’s  made tolerable by the thousands of butterflies that sit on the road and fly around you. After the Ihwaryeong Rest Area CC you will have a fabulous downhill. I clocked 54km/hr (with brakes on) while Andrew got 70km/hr (no brakes). You will be sharing the road with vehicles and motorbikes so brakes are boring but advisable.

After the hill flattens out you’ll get to Mungyeong Buljeong Station CC. WARNING: after you get your stamp you will cross over a highway with a blind spot. Andrew almost got hit by a car as they couldn’t see each other. Luckily no one was going fast and Andrew was quick to unclip and stop. They need to put a traffic mirror there for sure. We later met a Texan who actually came off his bike on the downhill and broke his toe. More on him later.

After we said goodbye to Pieter we carried on towards Sangpunggyo CC. We had to go up and down a bad ass hill first though (p.14/15 in Nakdonggang Vol. 2) but not before we scored some free cucumbers to snack on. Thanks Korea! After the nasty hill you get into Sangju where you have 2 choices. You can avoid the Bicycle Museum, or go up another hill to see some great bikes. Guess what WE chose… I highly recommend taking time to visit the museum. Last year we skipped the museum and took the road leading through the village instead. Both ways lead you back onto the river path. Last year, on day 3, my tyre burst and the rest of the day was shot to hell. This year was perfect. It felt so good to ride past all the spots where I had to change my inner tubes last year – I kept on getting punctures every hour after trying to patch up my tyre. It sucked my spirit big time and we limped into Gumi very late at night as a result.

This year we stopped for lunch at a cool place run by two artistic hippies next to Donamseowon Confucian Academy (p.16). They offer accommodation and food and it must have been good because we ended up staying for about 2- 3 hours. We met the broken toe guy, and it turns out that he graduated from the same university as Andrew, in the same year, on the same day! What are the odds??! We enjoyed makgeoli, pajeon and incredible hospitality here- highly recommended for a rest stop. The owners used to live on Jeju island and gave us each a handful of Jeju chocolates as a goodbye present.

We left, high on makgeoli and good company, and put our heads down to get to Gumi, which would bring us back in line with my original plan. We got to Gumi at 19:30 still feeling strong and decided to make a final push for Chilgok since the trail was so flat. Andrew and I took turns leading and drafting and we were cycling at a constant 25-28km/hr pace. We smashed it and pulled into Chilgokbo CC at 9PM. We had a bit of trouble finding accom so we put that on ice to re-fuel since we were approaching another 170km day. The naver map for Waegwan is a bit out of date, but we ate here (diagonally across from 마고촌) and it was packed with Koreans enjoying the same top quality barbeque as we were. GO AND STUFF YOUR FACE! DO IT!

We eventually found 왜관온천웰스파 (Waegwan Oncheon Well Spa) jimjjilbang past the railway station (and some great wall graffiti) and settled in just before midnight. There are wall sockets in the main area so you can charge your phone while you sleep.

Day 3 summary: 170km door to door (162 before entering Waegwan) 13 hours total time.

Fact of the day:  The world is a very small place sometimes.

 

 

 

Seoul to Busan Day 2 (Yangsu-ri to Suanbo Oncheon CC)

Day 2 was straight forward navigation wise.

Memorable moments include:

– being on the side of the road around Gangcheon (Changnamgogae) (p.25), stationary and half clipped in waiting for Pieter to pee, seeing a huge truck hurtling toward us Final Destination style, me jumping into the ditch with my bike, only to find that the driver was merely avoiding a speed bump, not asleep or out of control. That was a scary moment for me.

– stopping for lunch around Binae/ Jocheon (p.27) where the pajeon, mandu, rice cakes, acorn jelly salad and makgeoli tasted amazing and the owner showed us his chicks.

– Chungju (p.30). When you come into Chungju the bike path is at the very beginning of town so keep your eyes open otherwise you’ll miss Chungju Dam CC. “Miss” like a hole in the head because it is the worst hill on the whole 5 day route in my opinion. It’s really really really steep. Super awesome downhills on the way back to Chungju proper though! Chungju Dam marks the end of the Hangang trail- they sure make you work for your completion stickers. Once you’re back in town, the bike trail follows the river all the way to Chungju Tangeumdae CC, which marks the start of the Saejae Bicycle Path. IF YOU SCREW UP ON NAVIGATION HERE YOU WILL END UP GOING THROUGH A HIGHWAY TUNNEL FILLED WITH SPEEDING CARS, TRUCKS, DEAFENING FAN AND CAR HORN SOUNDS! Don’t get lost like we did last year (and some others did this year!!). Stay safe and keep on the proper Saejae Bike Path. There were a few crappy sections of the bike path including where they were rebuilding a small bridge, which meant we had to cycle over a very uneven dirt track next to it. Be careful if you’re on a road bike with thin tyres. For the most part it is a very beautiful route.

Before you get to Suanbo (p.35) there will be a hill but it’s not a killer. We pulled into Suanbo around 20:30, well after sunset. This town, best known for its hot springs, is completely lit up at night and a welcome sight after a long day’s riding. We could have finished sooner but wanted to end the day by soaking our muscles at the jimjjilbang. You can pay from 70, 000 won upwards for a private room at 수안보온천랜드 (Suanbo Oncheon Land) OR you can pay 10,000 won like we did to stay in the jimjjilbang. It was very quiet here but it could have been darker- none of this matters when you’ve been cycling all day. We had amazing dolsot bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥) from across the road for 10,000 won.

Day 2 summary: 171km, 12.5 hours door to door.

Fact of the day: there are many salmosa (mamushi) snakes in Korea. I counted 5 dead ones and 3 live ones slithering across the road in front of us.

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Seoul to Busan Day 1 (Ara West Sea Lock to Yangsu-ri)

We bussed up the night before and stayed at a jimjjilbang in Incheon. If you’re a light sleeper take ear plugs because there is usually a snorer/ a loud TV. You can leave your phone with the sauna/ changing room attendant- the sleeping area itself had no plugs to use (this is not always the case). Waterpia has a gym as well but don’t worry about using it- you’re about to cycle just under 700km. We locked our bikes together outside (there is CCTV and it’s a lit area). The 2 nearest subway stations are 도와악 or 제물포역(line 1). Seoul subway stays open til around 00:30 on weekdays but it’s worth downloading the Seoul subway app to help you plan your journey if you arrive late at night. The next morning we cycled about 12km to our  starting point, Ara West Sea Lock. DO NOT cross over the Han at any time, just stay on the south side. There are a few confusing signs that might tempt you to cycle on the northern side but it’s a trap. If you don’t care about the Ara sticker you can start at Yeoido CC, which marks the start of the Hangang route. If you don’t give a toss about stickers, stamps and medals just start at Banpo Bridge (you can stay at Jin’s Paradise).

Page 13 in KTO’s Hangang Vol. 1 can be confusing. The Gwangnaru Certification Center (CC) is ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE to Ttukseom Observation Complex CC. The way it’s written might suggest that it’s on the same side. Also, read the map from page 13 up to page 12, not the other way around: Gwangnaru CC comes before Gangdongdaegyo (bridge). We kept the river on our left until we crossed over at Paldangdaegyo (bridge).

Point of interest: As Seoul falls away and gives way to trees it all becomes very scenic. There are lots of bike stalls and CU convenience stores between Ara and Paldangdaegyo (bridge) to sort out food, drink and bike issues. Paldang marks the start of the Namhangang route(North Han River) which runs for about 121km to Chungju Tangeumdae CC. The old railway tunnels that you’ll ride through are amazing, especially the ones with disco lights and classical music.

My original Day 1 plan was to go from Ara to Gangcheon CC. We made a navigation error after Neungnae Station CC (p.17). After Neungnae we should have gone  to Yangsu Station but we ended up turning onto the Bukhangang  (South Han River) route(p.50) by accident (starting with Balgeungwangjang CC). The Bukhangang is beautiful and we rode past stunning modern architecture, watersport centres and funky cafes for about 15km until we realised our mistake. I can’t wait to do this route properly but our detour cost us 30km and over an hour lost.

We got lost after this. Check your route when you see this bridge and café! Don’t go onto the Bukhangang by accident!

We stayed at a motel on Yangsu-ri (island), just past the e-motel. The motel has space upstairs to lock up bikes securely, we paid 17,000 won each (3 people) to share a room and they did our laundry for us. We had issues at the e-motel, which is the 1st motel you’ll come across, since they refused to let guys and girls share a room.  Yangu-ri has lots of Korean restaurants and a pizza place to choose from. Our Korean barbeque cost 14,000 each including beer and soju- perfect recovery food, minus the soju 😉

Day 1 summary: 141km total (starting at Waterpia, including nav. error) 12 hours total time.

Fact of the day: Andrew points out the smell of chestnut trees in bloom, aka “semen trees”. I thought I’d have been the first to sniff out such a thing but it doesn’t smell like anything I’ve ever come across. Maybe I should stop dating smokers, pot heads and alkies, hehehe.

 

 

 

 

Seoul to Busan 2014: overview

I’m back from a really great ride this year so before I delve into the specifics I’m going to do an overview of what you should consider before you set off on your trip.

1. Prep

2. Budget

3. Time of year

4. Resources

5. Packing

Let’s start with number 1. PREP. If you don’t do long rides before setting off on a 655km+ ride, you’re going to have a hard time. You HAVE to make time to go on rides of 60km + at least twice. WHY? Long rides teach you how often you should eat and drink on the bike. You should always eat and drink BEFORE you feel hungry, thirsty or void of energy. When you have no energy, you will feel tired, lose concentration, miss road signs, get lost and waste time. Also, your ass, nuts and lady bits need to become accustomed to the saddle that will become your new BFF on the trip. TRY TO USE EVERYTHING YOU WILL ON THE TRIP IN YOUR PREP PHASE: equipment, food, drinks, clothing, chamois cream, bags. This way you’ll know if a gel will give you the shits, your bike shorts rub you raw or that your bag is too heavy etc. Service your bike beforehand, especially your gears and brakes. Check your tyres for wear- Korean tyres wear out much quicker than Continental tyres. If you see cracks in your tyres or a weird smooth bulge change them! Pump your tyres to the recommended PSI/bar before you set off (my road bike=  110 bar). Clean and lube your chain.

2. BUDGET. I left Pohang with 263,000 won in my bank account and I have 14,000 left. This does not include my bus fare ( approx. 40,000 won). Accom: Save money by sharing rooms with a group or sleeping in jimjjilbangs. My accom during this trip varied from 6,000 – 10,000 won per night in jimjjilbangs to 17,000 won sharing with 2 guys in a motel room. WARNING: out in the sticks they might tell you it’s not OK for girls and guys to share rooms. If you have time to look around, I advise you to do so until you find a friendly hotel that understands that there will be no orgies/ threesomes after a long day’s cycling. Food: Korean sit down lunches can vary from 6,000 to 10,000 won, dinner from 10,000-15,000 won (sharing) and each CU convenience store stop will probably set you back between 5,000 to 10,000 won (water, powerade/ pocari sweat, ice cream, mentos, kimbap, egg etc.). VEGETARIANS should go around to a few CUs beforehand to see what would be OK to eat PRIOR to your trip.

3. Time of year: Last year I did the ride in August during the heat wave. This year I did it in June. I definitely recommend June. It’s cooler, which means you sweat less, burn less, fatigue less. You also see different things at different times of the year. June has loads of colourful roadside flowers and thousands of butterflies, as well as different crops being harvested. We saw garlic and onions this year whereas last year in August we saw thousands of chillies spread out by the roadside to dry. All of these sights are great photo opportunities. I’d love to do the ride in Spring and Autumn one day to see the great colour changes that accompany the seasons here in Korea.

4. Resources: The KTO maps are great. If you’re relying on blogs or on-road maps, use Jan Boonstra, not just any dick who did the ride and got lost a lot…. Do your homework. Plan a route. Look at the distances and estimated times given in the booklets (we were usually 20-30 minutes faster but I’d say we’re above average fitness and on road bikes). Join Facebook’s Cycling Seoul to Busan. Learn to use naver maps. The entire 4 rivers bike path is on naver map road view.

http://maps.naver.com/

1. Click 자전거 on the upper right hand corner…
2. You will then see the bike path in red (exclusive for bikes) and blue (shared with motor vehicles)
3. Click the road view icon.
4. Click the part of the path that you want to see on road view.

Passports: If you want to complete any of the 4 Rivers trails/ cross country (the Ara Lock- Nakdonggang estuary bank route) and get recognition for it you need to pick up a passport (around 4,000 won). There are specific places to pick these up so check this website beforehand for opening times. If you have a nice Korean friends they can order one for you on the 4 Rivers Korean website. You have to get each stamp to get a sticker at the end (you get a medal and certificate for cross country and completing 4 rivers. Each course gets you a sticker and the grand slam gets you a certificate). There are certificate centers at the end of each course to give you your goodies.

5. Packing: I can almost guarantee you won’t be reading a book on this trip so don’t pack it!!! Don’t pack huge bottles of shampoo, sunscreen, after-sun etc. (My bag weighed 6kg before the trip but I packed spares for everything on my bike). En route we saw a young Korean guy who’s done the trip ten times and he had the right idea: 2 drinks bottles on his bike and a fanny pack. That was it. It held his phone, money, spare top, sunscreen and chargers.  His snacks went in his cycle top’s pockets. Next time I do the ride I want to do it like him (I’d add a lightweight rain top). You can wash your clothes every night and if it’s still a bit wet in the morning it’s OK. If you sleep in a jimjjilbang you get clothes anyway and the restaurants along the way are pretty used to stinky cyclists by now… DON’T overpack! You’ll regret it! If you find that your bike was too heavy after your first day, send stuff home via the post office or CU- they often have a posting facility. Our friend posted home 3 of his 8kg load!

My next five posts will briefly detail my trip i.t.o accommodation, navigation, points of interest etc. I hope you find them useful.

From the Seabed

Sometimes the most random encounters lead too the most interesting experiences. Not so long ago, I was cycling along and this Korean guy started talking to me. I complimented his English level and he thanked me. It was a slightly awkward moment when he told me that he was an English teacher at a local high school. Face palm. Turns out he’s an ex-colleague of a friend of mine and boy, is he an interesting character.

Why Seabed? He chose his name because he believes in living deeply, and that everything he says and does comes from the depth of his soul. Poetic. I like it.

Apart from being an English teacher, he is a keen cyclist and photographer. He also casually mentioned that he circumnavigated Korea on a bicycle. This was a while ago but he managed it in two weeks. He also owns a Moulton bicycle with a Brooks saddle. Now, shame on me but I didn’t even know that Moulton existed and it’s a British Brand! I thought the only fold-up bike made in Britain was the Brompton (whose headquarters are opposite SEGA in West London). Turns out Moulton’s quite popular in Korea, what with their own member’s group and Youtube videos. If you like Abba, you should watch this vid:

Seabed told me about Kustom your Bicycle, useful for pimping your ride as well all learning how to spell bike components in Hangeul.

He’s quite into photography so it was great riding with him.  We stopped at a few places along the way, he chatted up the old biddies so that we could get some character shots. It helps to speak Koran eh! Seabed showed me some of the photos he’s had published and told me about some noteworthy Korean photographers.

Jay Cheon Im (임 재 천) hails from Chuncheon and he collected a decade worth of photos of old-school Korea (small villages that capture the spirit old the Land of the Morning Calm). He published a book called “Korea Rediscovered” or “한국의재발”. Out of 1000 images he had to choose only 120. The book is available through Noonbit and retails at 40,000 won. I think that would make an awesome present for someone back home! He uses the Korean version of crowdfunder to help fund his projects and his contributors get limited edition prints in return for their help. Im is currently on Jeju island, where he is documenting the lives of the famous women freedivers, 해녀 . This project is also sponsored by his many followers. If you’re interested in Haenyeo, check out this documentary:

Two other photographers Seabed told me about are 이 갑철 (Gap Chul Lee) and 이 상일 (Sangil Yi). I reckon these webpages should keep you entertained for a while.

Finally, he also told me about a famous Korean poet who lives in Guryonpo, but that will have to wait until next time.

It took me a week to start catching up to the load of information Seabed dumped on me. It will take me at least 4 times as long to properly learn more about these subjects. I hope that you enjoy learning about them as much as I do.

 

Seoul to Busan 2014

 

I can’t believe it’s the eve of another Seoul- Busan cycle trip. I think I’m more nervous this time round, having already done the journey once before. It doens’t help having dreams where your bike simply disintegrates into a hundred little pieces right in front of your horrified eyes… I have a better, lighter bike with gears that actually work. What could possibly go wrong?

635km. 5 days. 4 riders.

I recruited 2 guys from FB’s Cyling in Korea group to join Pieter and I this time round. I’ve sent lots of long emails with do’s and don’t, lists, route plans, pep talks and prep lists. I hope the boys have all read them carefully but I’m not holding my breath. We’re meeting at a Jimjjilbang in Incheon tomorrow night. Pieter and I are busing up from Pohang.

It will be interesting so see how closely we stick to the plan I created. I have no doubt that it will be re-jigged. The basic plan is:

Day 1: 151km/ 13.5 hours (mostly flat) From Ara West to Gangcheon Certification Center (p.8-23 in Hangang Vol. 1).

Day 2: 127km/ 11 hours  (some hills) From Gangcheon Certification Center to Sangpunggyeo Certification Center (p.23-41 in Hangang Vol. 1).

Day 3: 77km/7.40hours  (hills) From Sangpunggyeo Certification Center to Namgumidaegyo (p.15-22 in Nakdonggang Vol. 2).

Day 4: 153km/ 12 hours (hills) . From Namgumidaegyo to Changnyeonghamanbo Certification Center (p. 24-41 in Nakdonggang Vol.2).

Day 5: 86km/ 8 hours (HILLS). From Changnyeonghamanbo Certification Center to Nakdonggang Hagutduk Certification Center (p. 41-49 in Nakdonggang Vol. 2).

My basic packing list:
1 or 2 pairs of cycling shorts
1 or 2 jerseys
first aid kit
water bottles
change of clothes
shower stuff
energy bars
phone/ipod/chargers
day pack
sunscreen
gloves
puncture kit incl. allen keys and 1 spanner
pump
spare tubes
spare tyre (folded)
cycling shoes/helmet
chamois cream
lights
carrier and straps/ bungees/ cable ties
emergency contact list for each rider to carry.

The weather is supposed to be cloudy with some rain over the next few days. I’m hoping that we avoid riding in a heatwave this year. I’m also hoping that we will get lost less this year, ride more as a team and that we will have less breakdowns along the way.

I can’t wait to eat  amazing food, meet some kind, generous Koreans and bond with some cycle boys. I hope that fortune favours us, the Brave. I hope everyone finishes.

Let’s do this! 화이팅!

 

 

 

BIPAF 2014 (Busan International Performing Arts Festival)

My friend entered his play “Treasured Love”  into  this year’s BIPAF’s 10 minute play competition. He recruited 4 volunteers from Pohang, including me, and we started preparing mid April. We lost one along the way so he became writer-director-actor. What a guy!

I didn’t realise how big the festival was. It ran from 2-11 May and the 10 minute play competition was the only one open to amateurs like us.  I’m pretty sure that we were the only foreigners out of 25 plays in the running.

It became clear on rehearsal day that our play was slightly different to the rest. The main Korean themes were suicide, bullying and handicapped issues. Real tear-jerkers- no language required! Our play was about vampires… A combo of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and “Only Lovers Left Alive”.  Needless to say, we gave our best but it was never going to cut it. At least we got some laughs from the audience…

I  learned a lot about what to expect and prep for next time.

Firstly, the theme has to have substance. Koreans like heavy themes, they spell drama with a capital D. The ten minute play should feature both laughter and tears (real ones, preferably shed by a male). There’s got to be Love and a Broken Heart somewhere in the mix. Plus Redemption if you have time…

Secondly, you need a soundtrack. At least one song but more is better.

Thirdly, lighting. Don’t think that having the lights on all the time will win you any points. It won’t.

Fourthly, timing. If the competition is called “Ten minute Plays” then you’d better finish right at 09:59 or 10:00. Seven and a half minutes? Forget you!

Lastly, script. Keep the English to a minimum, keep it basic, speak slowly. If you can, don’t use any language, concentrate on miming and dancing instead. Everyone loves a bit of synchronised dancing, especially if it’s a group of boys popping on the stage.

If I lived in Busan I would definitely have gone to the other shows. I admire  Korea’s approach to making arts and culture accessible to everyone by making tickets affordable.

I hope that next year will see more foreign plays in the running, since there is talent in Pohang, Daegu and Busan. Maybe one day a foreign play can even win. Now wouldn’t that be something!

 

Learning about Pohang from the seat of my bicycle

There is more to this place than just Pohang “Shi” (City). Pohang is actually a region made up of several towns and townships. Last weekend I rode from Jukdo Market (downtown) to The Cape, just north of월포 Wolpo-ri (Wolpo Beach). I had great company- I randomly met the co-teacher of one of my friends while cycling the previous weekend. “Seabed”owns a Moulton and circumvented Korea on his  bicycle when he was younger. I’m going to dedicate a whole post to this guy and what he told me so let’s get to the ride.

 

Once you leave Yeongildae (Bukbu) and Jangseongdong (JSD) behind, hang a right and this will take you up the coast past a few awesome places:

1,2 &3. Jukcheon-ri, Umok-ri and Yonghan-ri: These small townships offer great photo ops and you can find deserted hanok (traditional Korean houses) and 해녀 (bad-ass old ladies who freedive and collect everything from seaweed to abalone). We also stopped by an old ladies house to take some photos of her and her front room. She told us she lives “혼자” – (forever) alone. At least she has lots of photos on her wall.

4. 영일만 Yeongilman: Home to the Pohang Surf School, a Scuba Diving shop where they don’t speak English and the Yeongilman Harbour.

5. 칠포리 Chilpo-ri:   The first decent beach north of Yeongildae- smaller than Bukbu and pretty by Korean standards.

On the way to Odo we were passed by a truck booming out announcements about its wares for sale. Usually you’ll hear “삭와” (apples) or “수박” (watermelon). On this occasion it was the “개” truck. I did a double take because I couldn’t believe my ears. Yep. A dog truck. Lots of little brown maltese poodles in the back.  Seabed explained that the dogs get fed a lot of water before they are sold because it makes the meat more tender. Very surreal.

We also cycled past many rice paddies being planted. Back breaking work, but made better with some makkoli no doubt! Again, idyllic scenery-  great for photos.

6. 오도리 Odo -ri: I really like Odo beach. Smaller than Chilpo, good for camping and the water gets deep quickly (unlike Yeongildae where you’re knee deep for 200m). If you don’t want to camp there are a few pensions around. Peace and quiet.

월포 Wolpo-ri: Wolpo is OK. I think Odo is better but is beach has more facilities.

화진리 The Cape: We ended up at The Cape, just north of Wolpo. The owner showed us around and explained that many famous K-Drama stars and politicians often stay at his hotel. As you can expect, it’s decorated to very high specs and each sea view apartment has its own Japanese sauna. The cheapest room costs 150,000 won per night but I’d say it has the nicest, widest, cleanest, wildest beach I’ve seen 30km to either side of Pohang City. This is definitely the place to celebrate anniversaries and Valentine’s Day.

A note on using naver: Search “포항오도리” and click “지도” on the top left hand drop down box. It will bring up a map of the area. Now hover over the bus symbol and all the other search categories will appear. Click on the Bed symbol “숙박” and it will display all the hotels, minibaks and pensions in the area, including the company’s website if it’s been provided. Take the tropical paradise looking cover photos with a pinch of salt though and look at the gallery for the truth.

If you fancy doing the route yourself click here. It’s approx. 60km and takes about 3 hours on a road bike.

If you don’t have a bike:

 Tsk tsk. Get one.

There is a country bus without a number you can take from the Heunghae Transfer Center Stop. You can get to Heunghae by taking bus 100,500, or 107 from Shiwae (stand opposite the bus station). The bus with no number only goes every hour or so… Taking a taxi from JSD is probably easier, or if you continue on the 500 bus or the 510 you can get to Wolpo beach. 

 

Pohang Orchestra

Tonight I watched Pohang’s local orchestra perform at the Pohang Culture and Arts Center near POSCO Bridge and the baseball stadium. Mendelssohn, Mozart and Dvorak all featured in tonight’s performance.

What makes attending this classical music event so special? Well, for starters, it’s 2,000 won per ticket! Show me anywhere else in the world where you can regularly access good quality music for less than a quid!

Tonight’s performance was conducted by Byeong-Uk Lee (Lee Byung-wook), who usually heads up the Korean Symphony Orchestra and featured Ju-Won Kim (Kim Juwon) on flute during Mozart’s “Concerto for Flute and Orchestra No.1 in G Major, K313. It’s hard for me to find information on these musicians using google but I’m sure that if you naver them you’ll find a trove of information. Most of my info seems to indicate that they’re usually based up in Seoul but both of them have connections with Germany.

Great performance, really enjoyed Dvorak’s “From the New World Opus 95”.

Two things I’ll mention about the overall experience.

1) There are loads of kids. They run around and they whisper and make telescopes out of programmes. Cute and slightly annoying.

2) It’s hot in the auditorium – the musicians were sweating on stage. Don’t sit in the lower section – definitely aim for higher up where the air is cooler. You’ll also have a better view of the orchestra if you sit in the elevated section.

Booking tickets: My co-teacher was kind enough to book the tickets online for me but you can probably buy them at the venue too.

The next performance is on June 19th and will feature works by Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky.

Getting there: Take the 200 from Shiwae Bus Terminal or a taxi to 포항문화에술회관대공연장 (790-722 경북 포항시 남구 시청로 1(포항시청 14층 포항시시설관리공단).

Sidenote: There are also free monthly concerts held on Saturdays at 17:00 – 육거리 포항 아트홀. The last one was 17th May.