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How to Pack for Korea: The Wins and the Regrets
Packing for a year in South Korea was remarkably difficult. Never having traveled here before, we had a hard time managing our expectations about what we would and would not be able to find easily. We figured the chemist might be able to find some clothes and shoes to fit him if needed, but as a taller woman I was afraid to count on finding anything in Korea that would fit me. Plus, we are #1 cheap and #2 efficient, so we weren’t willing to bring extra bags or to add weight beyond what the airlines allot for free. We found lots of packing lists on the internet, and for…
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Mountain Parks Blooming: Places to See in Jeollabuk-do (Part Two)
Our road trip started with South Korea’s south coast and the province of Jeollanam-do, but we ended by driving back up to Seoul through the western province of Jeollabuk-do. This area offers a rural and small-town feel, very different from Seoul and distinct from the coastal towns and villages we visited earlier on this trip. Here, we explored the foodie city of Jeonju, hiked the rugged peaks of Naejangsan National Park, and trekked through the towering stone pagodas and blooming cherry tunnels of Maisan Provincial Park. In part one of this post, we visited historic Jeonju Hanok Village. In this post, visit nearby Naejangsan National Park and Maisan Provincial Park.…
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Jeonju Blooming: Places to See in Jeollabuk-do (Part One)
Our road trip started with South Korea’s south coast and the province of Jeollanam-do, but we ended by driving back up to Seoul through the western province of Jeollabuk-do. This area offers a rural and small-town feel, very different from Seoul and distinct from the coastal towns and villages we visited earlier on this trip. Here, we explored the foodie city of Jeonju, hiked the rugged peaks of Naejangsan National Park, and trekked through the towering stone pagodas and blooming cherry tunnels of Maisan Provincial Park. In this post, visit historic Jeonju Hanok Village. In part two of this post, visit Naejangsan National Park and Maisan Provincial Park. Jeonju Hanok…
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Yeosu Blooming: What to See on the South Coast
We were lucky enough to visit South Korea’s south coast during the peak week for cherry blossoms. Though we hoped to see blooms while we were there, we got extra lucky on the timing as the blossoms popped out all over the country about a week ahead of what was predicted. From Mokpo on Korea’s southwest coast, we drove 150km (nearly 100 miles) east along the coast of Jeollanam-do province to Yeosu, a peninsular city close to the center of South Korea’s south coast. We viewed some surprisingly stunning agricultural areas along the way, as well as stopping for a walk through the famed Boseong Green Tea Fields. Then not…
