Exploring Gyeongju
This whole trip has been about revisiting places I have been already, so I thought that it would be exciting to go to at least one new place. I picked Gyeongju because it has been on my list of dream places for a while. I was intrigued by all the history and how walkable the city is said to be.
The only way to get from Yeosu to Gyeongju is by taking a bus. I had a whole bunch of issues booking a ticket, and finally had to ask a friend to buy the tickets for me. If you don’t have a Korean bank account and way to verify your identity online, it’s impossible to book the bus tickets. Brixton saved my life and came through with the purchasing.
The bus ride was uneventful and we arrived in Gyeongju promptly. Our hotel was located quite close to the bus terminal. The owner of the place always cracked Joe and I up because she was always talking on the phone with her friends or just chilling with her husband and friends in the dining area. She had an air of not caring, but still would nod her head briefly when we saw her.
After resting of a little, we walked all the way over to Do Not Disturb. It is a really well-known cafe that has great views of some of the royal burial mounds. They have some awesome drinks and so many different selections of salt bread. We ordered an omija ade, black sesame latte, mugwort cheese salt bread, and plain salt bread. Joe said his black sesame latte was on his top two list of drinks that he had in Korea the whole time. They had some catchy music playing, so we just relaxed there and enjoyed the sunny views of the mountains and tombs.
Gyeongju is the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom. There are royal burial mounds all around the city. Though they are not sure who is buried under each one, they suspect many are of royals and very wealthy members of society. It was so beautiful to wander around and then just randomly come upon an area with several burial mounds. I loved how much history was on display in this city, both in museums and outside in nature.
After finishing at the cafe, we wandered around the downtown area. There are so many little shops, restaurants, and cafes everywhere and tucked into the alleys. Gyeongju even has golf carts available to rent so that you can get around the city quicker. Joe and I debated renting one since it looked like so much fun, but ended up deciding not to since it was quite easy to get around on foot. I stopped into a small shop called This Moment, and ended up buying some cute postcards and stickers.
Our next stop was Daereungwon Tomb Complex. Honestly, the tombs all look fairly similar, but this area is fenced in and there is a fee to get in. There is one tomb that they did excavate that you can go into and see what they have discovered from that tomb. The sun was setting and it just felt very peaceful walking around the tombs. Some of them were so huge, it is amazing what humans are capable of making.
Following that peaceful respite in the complex, we hurried over to Gyeongjudong for some Japanese food. It was a very cool experience and I would do it again if given the opportunity. All the food is served in small bowls with a cup of dry ice to add to the ambience. Each dish was delicious and it was fun discussing each one with Joe. The other photos is the facade of some restaurant that we passed by on our way to dinner. It looked so pretty in the dying light.
By the time we finished dinner it was quite late. The cafe I wanted to go to was closing, so we walked down the street and randomly picked one of the only cafes that was still open. Laso Coffee Studio was a gem in the hidden alleyways. The lady was so kind and welcoming. We ordered peach iced tea, a coffee, and some homemade tiramisu. The tiramisu was heavenly; probably the best I’ve ever had. There was a tiny upper deck that we sat on and just admired the sun setting over the hanok houses. What a way to end our first day in Gyeongju!
The next morning (May 24), we took the bus over to Geumjangdae. I think that this area isn’t well-known, since we were the only ones there for most of the time. We ran into two local men at the top, but that was it. The grass and wildflowers were in abundance here, and we even saw a snake! There was a small hike to the top of the hill. It was apparently the place poets liked to congregate to find inspiration and also where Koreans fought against the Japanese. It was nice to take our shoes off and just sit on the pavilion ground and watch life go on in the city.
We caught the bus back into town and then sat down for lunch at Shilla Jemyeon. I was in awe of their entrance walkway since it was stone slabs in water with a fog machine and some koi swimming around. The only serve kalguksu and jeon. We ordered both and the meal was huge and filling.
We walked to another side of town to see Cheomseongdae. It is the oldest surviving astronomical observatory left in Asia. In the English textbook that I taught from, the children learn about Cheomseongdae. It’s also a popular school trip place, so it was no wonder that when we arrived there were swarms of students wildly running around and screaming. To give them time to clear out, we wandered around the gardens in the area. There were so many beautiful blooms that everyone was admiring and taking photos with. It was hilarious and heartwarming seeing all the older ladies taking very carefully staged group photos together. We returned to the tower and admired it up close. Honestly, I was so tired and sweaty at this point that all I wanted to do was lay down in the air conditioning.
To remedy this issue, we walked back to the area where we ate lunch and drank a nice chilled beverage at Goods Coffee. It is a new hanok cafe that is a unique black.
I was very relieved to cool off for a while in our hotel room before heading out for dinner at Burger King. To fit with the aesthetic, this Burger King was in a white hanok building. Joe said that Burger King was okay, but Lotteria and Mom’s Touch were much better. I have to say that I agree with that statement. The food is just so much better at those two.
We took a bus over to Donggung and Wolji Pond. Of course, there were hundreds of school children everywhere. It wasn’t quite the serene evening that I had imagined, but nothing could dampen the beauty of the palace.
The last day in Gyeongju, I think both Joe and I were feeling a bit burned out. Instead of doing the things that I had planned, we agreed to just eat lunch at a nearby convenience store and rest for most of the day. We only left in the evening to grab dinner at Ryoko. They specialize in curry and tonkatsu. Sadly, I was not feeling super good so I didn’t eat much, but it tasted so yummy.
My last part of this Gyeongju trip was going to Woljeonggyo Bridge. It was captivating at night with the moon shining down and the lights glimmering off the water. There was a hanok village in this area that was more authentic than the one in downtown Gyeongju. Joe and I stepped on the stones to cross the river and then did a little stroll on the actual bridge.
This quick trip to Gyeongju was so much fun. I loved having the opportunity to explore a new city that I hadn’t been to. Great company, great food, and some great history. I have been to Jeonju (another hanok village city), and this one was bigger with more history around the city. I would definitely recommend this city to someone who likes history and is wanting to explore a hanok village.