2009 Spring Visit to Soyang Dam and Cheongpyong Temple, Chuncheon, South Korea - Part 3

Arriving at the main entrance of Cheongpyong temple after traveling by ferry for five minutes from Soyang dam and hiking up the path I saw this tree . . .

With the circular polarized lens filter I was able to take some very nice pics.

The steps leading up to the main gate of the temple are framed by two more trees with the mountain squarely centered in the background . . . it looks really nice.

In Part 5 of my 2008 visit to the temple you can see the weather was VERY different. I think in some ways that I LIKED how cloudy the mountain was at the time.

I will say that walking up the path to the temple when it's NOT raining and muddy is preferable, though.

May 4, 2009 view . . .

September 20, 2008 view . . .

Getting back to the present . . . there was a blue sky but not quite as clear as I would have liked.

Standing at the steps about to enter the main gate of the temple looking back and to the right at some other temple buildings . . .

The views from the temple of the surrounding mountainscape is really nice.

I was trying to do something new with how I frame things and only at the last second noticed the girls coming down the stairs . . .

Second gate views . . .

If you're over 5' 10" you'll need to watch out for your head as you walk through this part, lol.

The temple put up this metal framework to hang lanterns from . . . it's alright, but I like the way that Jogye temple in Seoul does it in such a way as to be almost invisible. That being said the lanterns were really colorful.

There's an elevated small room with 3 doors looking out onto the mountains. Just walk up this small ramp . . .

Back to the lanterns . . .

The stairs Julianne is sitting on were neat. They doubled as a kind of throne with how the sides of it are designed.

Julianne loved these extra large lanterns . . .

I didn't take any pics of the inside of the temple this time--people were inside praying. I did, however, get some in Part 6 of the 2008 series.

The lanterns made cool shadow patterns on the floor.

There are two more buildings behind the main room where Buddhists worship. One that you see in this picture, and another out of the frame and to the right.

I don't know why but I keep having difficulties with my camera leaning to the left--argh.

Looking down onto the main temple grounds . . .

Another couple of shots of the main temple square and lanterns . . .

As I was starting to leave the temple I noticed some other buildings. Julianne likes the silhouette of the fish . . . me too.

Hiking back down the path to get back to the ferry dock takes a bit of time--so don't forget that the last ferry leaves at 5:30pm (and you should double check this info yourself when you visit).

Julianne and I might return one more time while we live in Chuncheon. We'd like to eat at the restaurant with the tables sitting over the stream next to the temple ticket booth.

Almost back at the ferry dock I took a few more pics of the stone piles . . .

On the ferry ride back we were on display for everyone . . . the guy in the center of this frame seemed really interested in us, and in particular Julianne. Turn about is fair play.

Arriving back at the docks next to Soyang dam.

We found a taxi fairly easily to take us back to Chuncheon. Again, it costs around 16,000won, and takes about 20 minutes or so.

We headed to dokgalbi street in the Myeongdong/downtown area of Chuncheon for . . . you guessed it,

I guess we've been to this one particular place so many times that the server feels comfortable enough to take a pic with Julianne--she plays with her hair a little too, lol.

Arriving home Julianne and I got to see a really beautiful sunset . . .

Very nice . . .

Well, that's it for my 3 part series on taking a trip to Soyang dam and Cheongpyeong temple in Chuncheon, South Korea.

J