"The Climb"

On Election Day a few of us hiked up Gwanak Mountain (Gwanaksan). It was a fairly warm day, and the hike was pretty exhausting for some of us who are out of shape!

It was well worth it though as we reached to summit and could see most of Seoul. Next time, I hope to do the hike at night. What a view that will be.

There were 2 other parts that really stood out. One, our feet were tired from climbing over rocks and up the stairs built into the mountain, so we took a break and soaked our feet in a small running stream. It was extremely cold, but felt great! Two, once we reached the bottom, we relaxed in the shade at one of the few small restaurants that serve makeoli and pajeon. Always an amazing treat.

Here are some photos of the hike:

Overlooking Gwanak

Stonewall facade on the way up to the temple

Some hikers taking a break at the Yeonju Hermitage

The temple overlooking Gwanak

I loved the view...

Another part of the temple teetering on the edge of the mountain...

Seoul Racehorse Park

Seoul Grand Park - Seoul Land in the distance

Southern Seoul

Half of Seoul

Southern Seoul - The Han River

A closer shot - Namsan tower and the Han River

Panoramic - Gwansan

Our little group...