We woke up around 6:00 a.m. today and got ready for breakfast at the temple. I definitely felt the effects of sleeping on the traditional hard bed because I woke up super sore. Breakfast was simple but good — I had toast, rice, and cucumbers before we started our day. After eating, we walked up a steep hill to visit the Buddha statue near the temple. It ended up being a bit of a hike, but it was really enjoyable and felt nice to get some fresh air early in the morning. Once we reached the top, we spent some time taking pictures and enjoying the view. Afterward, Emily and I headed back down so we could grab some water and rest before our next Sunmudo training class.
When class started, we mostly focused on stretching exercises, which honestly felt amazing after all the walking and sleeping on the hard floor. Once training ended, we had tea with the monks and the head monk. We were able to ask questions about temple life, their routines, and what it is like living there full-time, which was a really unique experience.
After tea, it was time to pack up, check out, and continue our trip. We got on the bus and stopped for lunch, where I had beef bulgogi with Emily, Anshi, and Nick. There were so many side dishes, and while I tried most of them, not every dish was really my favorite. We also discovered that the women’s bathroom was actually outside of the restaurant, which was unexpected.
Later, we visited ancient tombs that looked like giant grassy hills from the outside. It was really interesting getting to go inside and learn more about them. Afterward, we spent time shopping on Hwangnidan Street, where I bought gifts for my grandmother and cousin along with some new makeup brushes for myself.
Around 3:30 p.m., we got back on the bus and started driving toward Pohang. Along the way, we stopped by a river to take pictures, and our tour guide, Miss Esther, even made me a bracelet. Once we finally arrived at the hotel and settled in, we went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. I ordered steak and fries, and honestly, it was so nice to have American food again after eating Korean food nonstop for days.
