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Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Jeollanam-do (Korea)


Jeollanam-do was a trip we made from 19 - 27 March 2026. It was indeed a relaxing and enjoyable trip. In fact, I have been eyeing this itinerary for two years.  Every day there was something to look forward to. We had wonderful tour mates and our guide was very helpful and friendly. Thanks to my tour kaki, our first time travelling together - great company and friend. Thank you for making this trip possible. 
 
Our first stop was lunch and then a visit to Gyeongam-dong Railroad Retro Village which is a retro-themed attraction built around a 2.5-kilometer railway in Gyeongam-dong, Gunsan, originally constructed in 1944 during the Japanese occupation to transport paper materials.  Old houses and shops line the tracks, and vendors sell nostalgic Korean snacks such as dalgona candy. 

Next we had the foot and arm massage and visited Jeonju Hanok Village located in the city of Jeonju and overlaps Pung-dong and Gyo-dong. Hanok Village retains its historical charms and traditions. 


It was a lovely nature walk at Metasequia Road, admiring the trees along the street. Time stood still, as we breathed in the fresh air and strolled along the path.

Picture Postcard Scene


Here we are at Damyang Bamboo Park, where the bamboo trees shielded us from the sun. There were many different paths to take. Truth be told, we got lost. Instead of meeting back at the front entrance we ended up at the back entrance. Thankfully, we contacted our guide and the tour bus came to pick us up where we were. We had a taste of Salt Ice-cream and were given 1kg of salt.
Mokpo Cable Car gave us the opportunity to soar over Mokpo in a red cabinet and allowed us to get a bird's eye view of the port and surrounding islands.
Say Cheese
Here we are at Purple Island, yap, the place I wanted to visit. I was dressed in purple jacket to match the theme. Banwol Island is identified with its native bellflowers known as Campanula Paint, marked for their lilac colour. Attributing to its purple scenery, this unique remote destination is also called Purple Island. It has about 400 houses and buildings with roofs coasted in pastel purple colour, including old-school telephone booths, and a bridge connecting it to neighbour Bakii island. 
Welcome to Purple Island



Boseong Green Tea Field is a beauty on its own. It was easy to walk the path and the Green Tea Field. The Green Tea Planation is breath-taking and beautiful. We even had our matcha ice-cream there.
This is my first time wearing the Hanbok and here we are at Gyeongbok Palace. Pretty interesting dressing up, and walking around with our Hanbok. 

On our free day, we watched the play Nanta, navigating ourselves with the trains and trying to find the venue. Play was interactive and exciting. 
In Gwangmyeong Cave, we saw many geological features and thematic areas set up in cave. It was brightly lit and beautiful.

On our last day, we visited Bukhansan National Park Jingwansa Temple. 


Goodbye Korea. It was a trip filled with many wonderful memories. 

Monday, June 8, 2026

Jingwansa Temple (korea)

On our final day of our trip, the last stop we visited was Jinwansa Temple. Jingwansa Temple (진관사) in Bukhansan National Park offers the genuine quiet of the mountains, a history directly tied to Korean royalty, and a story of resistance that only came to light in 2009. 

Jingwansa Temple is one of the four Buddhist temples that surround Seoul. It was known as the center of Buddhism and academics. Jingwansa Temple is home to a variety of buildings, such as Daeungjeon Hall, Myeongbujeon Hall, and Nahanjeon Hall, all surrounded by the beautiful nature of Bukhansan Mountain.


Jingwansa Temple is one of Seoul’s most important spiritual centers, boasting a history dating back thousands of years to the Goryeo Dynasty, around 1010.

Its founding is linked to an act of royal gratitude: King Hyeonjong (the eighth monarch of Goryeo) ordered its construction to honor the monk Jingwan. Apparently, Jingwan had saved his life when he was a young prince in exile and threatened during a power struggle.

Thanks to this royal origin, the temple enjoyed protection and special status from its inception. Furthermore, during the subsequent Joseon Dynasty, its position was solidified as one of the “four great temples of the Seoul suburbs,” as mentioned earlier. Thus, it served as the spiritual guardian of the western part of the capital, Hanyang.



The peace and tranquility can be felt in this surrounding. 

All too soon, it was time to head to the airport. Thank you for the memories Korea. Will definitely be back to explore other areas of Korea.
 

Saturday, June 6, 2026

Nanta Show (korea)

On our free day, we ventured out taking the shuttle bus to the train station. Had our lunch at one of shopping malls before we ventured on our train station. Went to Daiso then to the theatre to watch the Nanta show. 
Watching the performance at Myeongdong Nanta Theatre



A Non-verbal performance integrating Korean traditional Samulnori rhythm with comic and drama in the kitchen! It was an enjoyable performance.











Mac for dinner before we headed back to our hotel