Family Trip to Gyeongju and Andong

Here's a sampling of pictures from our trip to the mainland. It was a fantastic trip and great to get to see a bit of mainland Korea. Michelle spent a lot of work putting the trip together and we had a great time. First we went to Gyeongju. This city is the old capital of the Silla dynasty that united Korea into one country a thousand years ago. In Gyeongju, we stayed in the fancy resort hotels and toured the famous Buddist temples. There seemed to be quite the theme though that much was destroyed by Japanese invasions then rebuilt in the 1950's to 1970's. As old as Korean culture is, I guess I didn't expect to see such new looking buildings. After Gyeongju, we went to Andong. Here, we stayed at a Traditional Folk Village. It was great! We stayed with a family in a sort of bed and breakfast where they fed us and we slept on the floor in the huts with a straw roof. At night they fed us some home brewed rice wine and in the day we had a guy who drove our car around giving us a tour. The highlights for me were to make our own paper in a traditional paper making factory and to see the traditional mask dance. All in all, it was a great trip and I can't wait to go back to visit the mainland!

A Buddhist temple near Gyeongju


A Confucian University near Andong


Our Hut in the Folk Village in Andong


Fish Soup Breakfast on the Porch


Traditional Paper Making Factory in Andong


Traditional Mask Dance in Andong


Traditional Mask Dance in Andong


Lotus Flowers in Andong