The day after Seoul, I headed out on my first outing with Mrs Kwon. When I woke up I didn't really feel like going out with Mrs Kwon. It was entering the fifth straight day of rain and drizzle, and I was still tired from our long day of shopping in Seoul, but I'm glad I went. After a brief stop at her house for lunch, we headed to Dae-dun san, a mountain about 20 minutes outside of Daejeon. Her husband, who was the person who met me at the airport when I first arrived and one of her daughters Megan, came with us. There was a low cloud cover, and the cable car that runs half way up the mountain plunged us deep into the clouds. If you stood around it was cold, but if you kept climbing the temperature was perfect. You'll notice in the pictures me going from a coat, sweater and t-shirt to just a t-shirt. The day was great and it didn't rain on us while we were on the mountain, although there was so much moisture in the air my hair was getting wet from just walking. This was also my first full day with my own camera and I think these will probably be some of best pictures I'll take while I'm here.
Me in front of a sign at the base of the mountain. The sign shows all the different paths on the mountain and how to get from place to place, but if you are going to the very top, you can only take the main path we went on. Megan is hiding behind me, you can see her pink leg poking out on the right. |
We're waiting to board the cable car. You can walk all the way up, but it was already getting late, and Mrs Kwon didn't want that much exercise. Like every where else here, they just cram people into things. The cable car was just packed.
|
That's Mrs Kwon coming up the stairs with her husband behind here. I don't know why this picture shows it so well, but it gives you a good idea of how thick the clouds really were. The clouds created a great atmosphere, I loved it.
|
There were a number of vantage points and picture spots set out on the way up the mountain, most of which would of been a lot more interesting if you could have actually see down the valley. I'll have to go again on a clear day.
|
This is Kum-Gang bridge. It a fairly long metal suspension bridge that shakes with every step you take on it. There is a huge drop off below it, but I didn't bother with a picture of it since you couldn't see it.
|
And this is Samson stairs. This is one of my favourite pictures so far. For the most part the stairs have absolutely nothing below you except the bottom of the mountain, a very long way down, as it runs along side sheer rock faces. |
Just another stereotypical Asian tree. I don't think I'll get tired of pictures of them. |
This is another amazing picture, all thanks to the clouds. Megan is sitting on the rocks. We just finished the climb on the stairs. There's a little drop off before we start the climb again. This where Mrs Kwon stopped while Megan, her dad and I ran to the top. She claimed there was still an hour to go, but we did it 15.
|
An artistic picture taken for all of the photographers looking on. This is at the very top of the mountain. I don't know if the monument has any significance or not. It could just be a this-is-the-top type thing.
|
Just a quick picture of me at the top. That is the monument just poking into the picture on the right. I sort of wish that I was able to take pictures of myself while I was here, I like pictures to be pretty and well framed.
|
Just a quick picture of Megan and her dad at the top. I don't actually know his name, and I feel bad. Husbands and wives don't have the same last name in Korea, so I can't call him Mr Kwon. |
I was having a hard time finding a shot where I could get the entire monument in the the frame without loosing too much detail to the clouds. This is what I ended up with after searching for the right spot. Looks like it's falling over, but I like it. |