A Free Ticket to Heaven

Keren looking all glittery
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Buses are an easy way to get around South Korea, so we jumped on one headed for Ulsan to see what Rachael had been up to for the last 10 months. Keren (a fellow traveller and friend from Welly) was also visiting Rachael, and they were both at the bus station to meet us when we arrived. Even with our loads, it was a quick walk to Rachael's apartment. Compared with Peter and Ani's bootbox, this really was a shoebox, complete with soft, pink, glittery toilet seat.

Adrienne was still getting over her bug, so Sean, Keren and Rachael went out to find some food. Sean loved the pancakes with brown sugar, cinnamon and a certain je ne sais quoi, while Keren discovered that they were the legal equivalent of heroin. The shochu procured on departure from Japan had to be opened for everyone to try. All we can say is that it is an acquired taste but it isn't a thing that lemonade (cider here) can't fix. Actually, it tasted like mead after adding the mixer.

We made our way down the motorway, Sean panic stricken and without seatbelt, at up to 140kph (!)...

Part of Tongdosa Temple
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Rachael's Korean friend Annie had kindly offered to take us on a tiki tour around nearby Tongdosa and Geongju. We really learnt what it was like to drive around Korea that day, with no seat belt in the middle of the back seat and crazy drivers on the roads, all whilst driving on the right-hand side!

Our first stop was Tongdosa Museum. This museum held artwork and included a room dedicated to Buddha paintings. We were lucky enough to have a guide explain to us the significance of these paintings as we walked around. They were amazing, bright and colourful. One set of paintings were used to explain to people unable to read, what would happen in their afterlife if they did bad things. Another set of eight showed the story of Bhudda's life, and were particularly beautiful. In the entrance to the museum, hanging down two stories was a huge painting of Buddha, so special that the chance we got to see it gave us a free ticket to heaven!

Part of Buddha lies here
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We next visited the Tongdosa Temple. We were reminded of Beomeosa Temple, though this one is much larger. It is also a very important temple because it houses some of Buddha's ashes. They are kept in a Seokga Sari-tap, a box surrounded by a pathway which people walk around three times, chanting and bowing, hoping this will help their wish to come true. Of course we had to have a go at this, though the chanting and bowing didn't quite happen.

We made our way down the motorway, Sean panic stricken and without seatbelt, at up to 140kph (!) to Geongju, in particular Geongju Museum. Artefacts were held both indoors and outdoors, so after some photos at the Emilie Bell outside we decided it was freezing and quickly made our way indoors. Geongju is and old capital in Korea (during the Silla period) and was only rediscovered early last century. Many sites have been uncovered, including a palace - a model of it was on display in the museum. The most amazing thing we saw though was a giant (as in tall) gold crown! I'm sorry to say we don't have a photo of it because of the crowds. You'll have to come and see it for yourself.