By Honorary Reporter Virginia Marlo Long from U.S.

Photos = Virginia Marlo Long

Korea is a beautiful place to explore in winter. My best friend and I from Jan. 7-8 traveled to Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, the capital of the Silla Kingdom.

Hanok stay
My friend always dreamed of spending the night at a Hanok (traditional Korean building). We found a Hanok-style guesthouse near the center of Gyeongju so that we could easily explore sights in and around the city. The astronomical observatory Cheomseongdae and historical tomb complex Daereungwon were only a 10-minute walk away. Our accommodation also had modern amenities like heating and twin beds, so while it wasn't an authentic Silla experience, it was definitely a memorable part of the trip.

Our Hanok guesthouse in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province

Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond

Unlike the palaces in Seoul, Donggung Palace is relatively small and easy to navigate and the incredibly beautiful Wolji Pond provided a peaceful touch to the palace.

Donggung Palace

Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village

Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village is near the famous Woljeonggyo Bridge, which has stores and restaurants running during the day. At night, the bridge is lit against the dark sky, flaunting its colorfully painted ceiling and railings decorating the bridge. This was one of the most beautiful bridges I've seen in my life. Once I finished crossing, I also saw artifacts decorating the bridge's upper section.

Bulguksa Temple
On the second day of our trip, we took a bus into the mountains to visit Bulguksa Temple. Originally built during the Silla Kingdom, this Buddhist temple was burned down during the 16th-century Imjin War against Japan. It was rebuilt during the Joseon Dynasty and is now a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. To me, Bulguksa felt like the true definition of a "healing" vacation in that it was filled with greenery, traditional buildings, tranquil ponds and the sounds of nature. A variety of stalls sell souvenirs and a traditional tea house is housed within the temple.

Bulguksa Temple

Delicious food in Gyeongju
Just like other buildings in the city, restaurants in Gyeongju were built and decorated to resemble Hanok. The most famous food in the city that I tried was chalbori ppang (bread), a snack comprising two small pancakes made with glutinous barley flour with red bean paste as filling, and Hwangnam or Gyeongju ppang, another pastry. The former tasted a lot like pancakes and the latter was filled with red bean paste, which reminded me of wolbyeong (mooncakes).

Chalborippang and Hwangnam or Gyeongju ppang

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.