Holiday Journal

My favorite month of the year is April. T.S Eliot said, “April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.”

As I think of what April means to us, my heart aches with the April 19th(4.19) Revolution and sacrifice of the noble young's innocent lives. No matter what I feel, the sky of April is so clear and blue. Flowers beautifully embroider the country(Korea) and light green trees and grass leaves send messages of hope. April is the most beautiful season in Namhae. Swaying yellow rape blossoms with an indigo sea and sky in the background is the main character of April.

• Start
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• Geumsan Boriam
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• Daraeng-i Village
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• Using net to catch Anchovy at Mijo Port
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• Sacheon Yacht Marina
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• Silan Cafe
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• Finish

Bori Hermitage in Geum Mountain

“Bori Hermitage is located at the top of Geum Mountain consists of magnificent view of strange rock formations and cliffs, such as Jangbong, Hyeongriam, Hwaemong, and Sambulam, etc. The Boriam Hermitage dates back to 683, when it was created by a Great Master Wonhyo. He built a Chodang(Thatched cottage separated from the main building of a house) and trained his spirit here. He met the Great Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, then called it Bogwangsa(Bogwang Temple). It's known as one of Korea's top 3 Gwaneum Seongji(Sacred places of the Great Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) with the Naksan Temple in Yangyang and Bomun Temple in Seokmo Island, Ganghwa. It has been told that if you pray to the Great Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, he fulfills at least one of your wish. The first king of Joseon, Taejo Yi Seong-gye stayed at this hermitage praying for 100 days before he established Joseon. He promised that he would embroider the whole mountain with silk if his prayer works. Later, he named 'Geum(錦, silk)' on the mountain. It has been called as Geumsan(Mountain) since then. [Naver encyclopedia]”

The Geumsan(Geum Mountain) has the same Chinese characters with Geumsugangsan that indicates Korea. Its name means a wonderful mountain that seems embroidered with silk.

The Bori Hermitage situated on the top of the Geum Mountain is looking Hallyeosudo of Namhae through a clear view. When I look at the view, something earnest and grateful emerge from my heart and I feel very refreshed.

I got to Geumsan Temple at 4:30 in the morning and managed to climb the top of mountain in 30 minutes going through the darkness.

As a new dawn comes over from far away, the dark blue sky gradually becomes mild and distinct. A bird should fly past at this moment. I forget how I have been tired and feel full of joy due to the fabulous view.

I combined 3 panoramic pictures to open to express the spaciousness of the view before me.

As you stand on the ledge on the way down from the top of the mountain, you would see the sea of clouds, as well as Geumsan Temple and mysterious islands of Hallyeosudo. A number of people must come at the early morning driving all night long to watch this scenery.

When I look at the view quietly, it seems my busy and squabbling life in the real world disappears into the distance and respect for the dream, ideal, and absolute being comes out of my heart. In other words, I feel like I get healed.

There is a mountain range of whale-backed Hallyeosudo which is accompanied by the sea far away.

Bright warm sunshine from the right is illuminating on the statue of Buddha standing towards the sea. It inspires me to feel mystique, even though I'm not a Buddhist.

This is Bokgok Reservoir at the entrance of the Bori Hermitage in Geum Mountain. On days with no wind, it reflects the mountain and sky as like a clear mirror.

• Start
•  
• Geumsan Boriam
•  
• Daraeng-i Village
•  
• Using net to catch Anchovy at Mijo Port
•  
• Sacheon Yacht Marina
•  
• Silan Cafe
•  
• Finish

Darangee Village :

Darangee rice paddy is situated densely and precariously on a steep mountain slope and gives people various feelings. How hard and exhausted it was for farmers to cultivate farmland in the mountain in order to harvest one more sheaf of rice?

One day I watched introduction of an Italian winery. It was story about a farmer who planted grapevines on the mountain slope flush with the sea and hardly raised them he performed acrobatics.

I remember that I heard the wine extracted from grapevines raised with this great effort tastes ravishingly good and it fetches quite high price. I'm wondering how tasty hand-made rice from this Darangee rice paddy is.

Many houses in the village are open as accommodations to visitors. Some of them have been changed to stores that sell Makgeolli(Unrefined rice wine) and coffee.

What I see at first in the village is a white building with impressive red roof that reminds me of the Santorini Island in Italy. Look at the view of harmonious blue sea, red roof, and yellow rape blossoms. It seems fabulous.

It's a trace that farmers changed their shoes to boots for farming. Black fur shoes are waiting for their owners on stone steps.

Tourists with camera are enjoying the beautiful spring of April by traveling the length and breath of the village.

One of the best backgrounds of the rape blossoms is a stone wall in irregular array.

The sky is so clean and blue, the air is clear, and flowers and grasses look fresh and vibrant. They make zigzag wooden stairs look like stairways to the heaven.

Indigo sea is shiny and the yellow rape blossoms are dancing in the breeze.

The picture below looks same but one difference is that I can send my heart by the departing boat. It can be my past lovers or precious opportunity that I missed in my life.

A serious farmer is plowing the fields hard with sad feeling that spring sun shines not so long.

Traveling children who arrived earlier than their parents are heading for their accommodation going around alleys.

Garments that show what is the best order are neatly hanging on a clothesline in a yard of a house.

A tree looking over the village as like a head of the village.

I was brought here for these trees and took many pictures of them, but everything looks strange and new to me.