This morning started especially early because we were going on a hike. When I learned I was going to Seoul, I knew that I had to go hiking in the Bukhansan National Park before I left. A group of us left at 6:30 in the morning to meet some Pitt Alumni from Camp Casey who were accompanying us on the hike. After an hour-long bus ride, we started walking to the trail head. After about a half hour of walking, we reached the start of the trail to Baegundae Peak, a two-mile trail to the highest peak in Bukhansan at 2,744 feet above sea level. The trail was essentially all up hill and was very rocky. As we ascended, we were able to see more and more of the city. We eventually reached the timberline where the peak was exposed, and the trail was only steep rock. We had made it that far and continued up to the very top to get the best view. At the top, there was a Korean flag and a 360-degree view of Seoul and the rest of the mountains. It was a breathtaking sight and made every bit worth it. After taking lots of pictures, we went back down the mountain. When we reached the bottom, I got an ice-cold grape Fanta and a map of the national park. We were then off to a well deserved lunch.
We took the subway back to Coex mall and ate at the Shake Shack. I felt entirely rejuvenated after a large cheeseburger and fries. We then met up with the rest of the group to do a Korean cooking class. We made Bibimpap from scratch. The meal literally means mixed rice and incorporates an array of stir fried vegetables and an egg on top. We chopped and cooked carrots, onions, oyster mushrooms, and chives. We then seasoned and cooked strips of beef. Lastly, we cooked an egg sunny side up to be placed on top of our bowl. Once everything was prepared, we put each component on top of the rice bowl to look very presentable. Once we were ready to eat it, we mixed it all together and went to town. The bibimpap was delicious, and it tasted even better knowing we made our own. We have an early start tomorrow touring Camp Casey, so I called it a day to rest up.
