Join me for a walk around Geochang

Cheryl took the camera a walk in a hope to show you some more pics of our little town. I think you must have seen everything by the end of this!!! This is the crossroads at the bottom of my apartment we're gonna turn left.

This is the main street downtown.

On our left is the market which has many smells and sights but mainly just smells.

Nearly at the epicentre of Geochang... It's roundabout.

The government building on this roundabout has a few fancy statues.
We're going right at this roundabout.

This is where I took some korean classes... er two to be precise cos I'm usually busy and know enough to get by.
Random sellers in the street amuse me as it's like a carboot sale in a city centre. This one sells anything wicker but most popularly hats.

A favourite little end of town as it holds many bars capable of holding large crowds (most korean bars have tables for 4 people.
An American phenomenon but the american batting cages are a little fun and only cost 500won for a machine to launch balls at you at either 130 (me being a baby) or 140 km per hour (me being drunk)
There are also many machines outside to have competition with. A lot are the remnants of 2002 world cup which gave the koreans a love of football and picking things up with a 3 pronged claw.
Apparently my technique sucks but I have gone from hitting one ball per turn to hitting most of them.

If you cross the street you get to Geochang library with many a tribute, basketball court, pagoda's and er... books.
The view around the library is nice to sit and read in the summer.
And there are some cool horses for kids to play on if you're looking for a break.
This is actually the new library as you can see by it's artsy exterior.

This basketball court is something else the koreans have borrowed from America. It's floodlit so you break your ankle in the dark.
The memorial is a tribute to those lost at times of war... and a handy place for kids to play. These next few statues are all next to each other.

This sign makes me laugh as most Korean signs are informative and text book like without any bias, agenda or provactive words. This one considers facts a little differently though and is in front of the aforementioned statues.

These next few shots are of an ancient though redeveloped centre for the scholars of Geochang. They're heavily influenced by buddhists.

Sometimes i just like the view from these places.

For more on the education facilities read here.


As you can see they have redeveloped it nicely.

Walking uphill and out of town we find a lot of rice and plant farmers that hide a few secrets.
follow this path to the right.

And you come across a small hamlet with a few houses and updated cobbled streets.
This plaque will tell you about the statue well hidden in the hamlet off the small path. I wish people new more about what used to be here.
One stone temple of sang rim ri.

You can take me anywhere and I'll do anything to look silly on camera. Anyway we next head up the path towards a small mountain.
If you lie on your back half way up then you get this view.
I love this lamp post and the various other similar ones that remind of the Lion, Witch, Wadrobe thing that C.S. Lewis wrote.

I've shown you picks from this three tier hut before, the view is amazing.


The path is fairly straight up the mountain so unless you want to detour you will come across a small exercise park.

Thats right... walk up a mountain then start exercising. I'll demonstrate for you.

None of these pictures were posed.
Promise
This picture is clearly in the wrong place so just remember it for later.....

Next you find a second park, this time more for playing. the stones are aids for massaging your feet.
They actually hurt while you walk over them but despite my scepticism I have to admit after you've finished your feet do feel a lot better (not just because they stopped hurting) and you are a little more relaxed.

This will explain that wall (well actually an old fortress) that Cheryl was sitting on earlier.

Here we are, nice for a picnic but it's a long walk back if you both forgot to pack something.
During Japanese invasion s this wall was a lot higher and not used by idiots pretending to jump. it was actually a successful defence except the japanese drove the koreans out of the mountains and forests by killing all the animals and food that was there. There is very little wildlife there today.
Cheryl pauses to reflect on that for a while.
While I take advantage of feeling on top of the world, or fairly high.

Hope you enjoyed our little walk (about 2 and half hours) and saw a little more of where I have lived for the last 11 months.