i was having such a wonderful, cozy saturday morning in my apt (brunch, strawberries, good music, yoga mat, friends & family online to chat w/, etc.) that i had to force myself to get outside in the brisk air & see something new. so i just put on my sneakers and started walking....and didn't stop for 4-5 hours. i remembered that one of my korean coworkers told me about a hike w/ a temple not too far away by subway. i had all day, so i just walked...you miss so much otherwise, right? when i got to the metro station where this hike was supposed to be, i had no idea which direction to go. i took a peculiar little path that looked like it could turn into a hiking trail...and i ended up in a shanty town. makeshift houses of tin & plywood, constructed right along a little canal, and right beside, but just hidden from, huge skyscrapers of expensive condos & apartments. i wasn't sure if i should keep going...felt like an intruder or something...but i met a guy, chang (really nice guy), on his way home who spoke a little english. i showed him my little map and he directed me to the mountain. i walked through all kinds of strange little shanties before i made it to an actual trail. there were plenty of people on it, sporting their hiking boots and trekking poles, but i didn't spot a single other foreigner. i walked up and up, shedding my coat and scarf before i was even halfway there. at the top of the ridge there was a nice view of the hazy sprawling city. as i continued along the ridge, it began to go down, down, down....and i wasn't sure just where i would end up. i never did come upon anything resembling a temple, though. perhaps it was written on one of those signs w/ an arrow that i couldn't read..hmm. oh well. back down in the city, i weaved my way through streets and alleyways, munching on street food (pancakes w/ red bean filling, veggie fritters), until, finally, i found my way back home. great day today...and i just realized that, other than my brief encounter with chang, i haven't
spoken to anyone today. kinda cool.
i was having such a wonderful, cozy saturday morning in my apt (brunch, strawberries, good music, yoga mat, friends & family online to chat w/, etc.) that i had to force myself to get outside in the brisk air & see something new. so i just put on my sneakers and started walking....and didn't stop for 4-5 hours. i remembered that one of my korean coworkers told me about a hike w/ a temple not too far away by subway. i had all day, so i just walked...you miss so much otherwise, right? when i got to the metro station where this hike was supposed to be, i had no idea which direction to go. i took a peculiar little path that looked like it could turn into a hiking trail...and i ended up in a shanty town. makeshift houses of tin & plywood, constructed right along a little canal, and right beside, but just hidden from, huge skyscrapers of expensive condos & apartments. i wasn't sure if i should keep going...felt like an intruder or something...but i met a guy, chang (really nice guy), on his way home who spoke a little english. i showed him my little map and he directed me to the mountain. i walked through all kinds of strange little shanties before i made it to an actual trail. there were plenty of people on it, sporting their hiking boots and trekking poles, but i didn't spot a single other foreigner. i walked up and up, shedding my coat and scarf before i was even halfway there. at the top of the ridge there was a nice view of the hazy sprawling city. as i continued along the ridge, it began to go down, down, down....and i wasn't sure just where i would end up. i never did come upon anything resembling a temple, though. perhaps it was written on one of those signs w/ an arrow that i couldn't read..hmm. oh well. back down in the city, i weaved my way through streets and alleyways, munching on street food (pancakes w/ red bean filling, veggie fritters), until, finally, i found my way back home. great day today...and i just realized that, other than my brief encounter with chang, i haven't spoken to anyone today. kinda cool.
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