Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine May 2018 | Page 88

86
Travel | Seoul
1
It’s a Saturday afternoon in
northern Seoul, and I’m high
on Bukhan mountain. The air is
fresh, there’s a creek flowing
nearby, and I can see the city
shrinking in the distance.
1 A view of Bukhan mountain.
2 A local Seoulite enjoys the view
Normally I’d be spending the day shopping
for deals in Myeong-dong, or checking out
new restaurants in Itaewon. But this
weekend, I’m on a mission to explore the
quiet side of Korea, and I’ll start by taking
part in my first temple-stay.
For two days and one night, I’ll live life as
a Buddhist monk does: sleeping on a monk’s
schedule, eating what they eat and bowing
as many times as they bow. Which is a lot.
South Korea introduced temple-stays when
they hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup, in an
effort to show football-crazed fans there’s
more to the culture than Gangnam. It’s
typically an organised experience packed
with craft-making, mountain meditations,
question time with a monk and, of course,
superb Buddhist cuisine.
during a mountain meditation.
3 High in the mountains of Bukhansan
National Park, Geumsunsa temple offers
respite to world-weary Seoulites.
“We get a mix of Kore