Today we explored more of Seoul and the surrounding geography associated with the city. Most people do not realize that the Korean peninsula is a very mountainous area, and the city of Seoul is surrounded by mountains. In fact, the city is so large that the mountains are often found in between neighborhoods of the city and there are multiple tunnels that interconnect these areas.

In order to understand how the geography of Seoul was developed, we had to see firsthand the nature and scenery that the city is in. That is why we entered Bukhansen National Park located in the middle of Seoul. The national park is the most visited in all of Korea and attracts millions of people from all over the world. Koreans love to go hiking and this park is the perfect spot for this. I learned that some of the mountains located in the park are some of the most ascended in the world.

As a group, we took a moderately difficult path that ended at the Buddhist temple on the side of the mountain. Let me tell you, the hike was not easy. It had rained the day before, so some parts of the trail were slippery and the stream that we had to cross was higher with more water flowing. On top of that, I found myself climbing over walks on all fours which is something I had never had to do before on a hiking expedition.

Upon are arrival at the end of the trail I was disappointed to find that we needed to climb several flights of stairs to get to the temple. All I can say was it was certainly an intense workout! At the temple we were able to see the beginnings of decorations for the celebration of Buddha’s birthday which is in three days. Lanterns were hung and music was playing. After a group picture and a breathtaking view of the city and mountain in front of us we were ready to head back. Fortunately, the path back down the mountain was a lot easier to descend than earlier and we were able to get back safely. All I can say is I have high respect for those who hike often because it is no easy task at all.