Today we had the opportunity to hike around the Bukhansan National Park in Seoul. Similar to the United States, Korea has a national park service which maintains and conserves the sanctity of environmental sites around the peninsula. There are twenty-two different national parks in Korea, and Bukhansan features granite mountains, lush forests, and is home to various Buddhist temples. As someone who loves the outdoors, I couldn’t wait to begin hiking up the mountain. The views were breathtaking and along the trail flowed a natural stream which we had to cross several times to reach the peak. 

At the top of the mountain were several religious temples which were created to offer individuals a place to reflect and pray to Buddha. Our steep trek led us to the Seungasa Temple, which was named after the monk Seungga. The temple was gorgeous and was characterized by the aspects of traditional Korean architecture including intricately painted ceilings and curved roofing tiles. The steps at the top of the temple contained a Golden Buddha carved out of rock. As I appreciated the stunning views and reflected, a Buddhist gave me a Korean rice cake to snack on. It was an unforgettable experience. 

After our eventful hike, we had some free time before we attended a Korean cooking class in the evening. Our task was to make bibimbap, which is a Korean hotpot which contains rice, sesame oil, gochujang, and various banchan. As a Korean-American, I already had some experience with Korean cuisine back in the United States. Bibimbap has always been a quick lunch menu item for me, but it was interesting to see how the dish could be customized to different likings. Our dinner was delicious, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my group members and friends as we shared our communal meal. After a long day of hiking, the warm meal was fantastic.