Haeinsa Temple by Day

Anytime a holiday falls on a Friday or a Monday, Koreans call it a "Golden Weekend."  Three day weekends are rare enough that they have to have a special name, so there's absolutely no way we could waste it by sitting around the house.  We packed up our van with the plan to head to the green tea fields in Boseong and to see whatever else caught our eye on the road.  The first stop was at Haeinsa temple, a beautiful complex tucked deep in a forest and surrounded by mountain peaks and trickling streams.  Haeinsa is one of Korea's largest temples and a UNESCO world heritage site.  It's an incredibly beautiful, peaceful place to stop and spend an hour or two.  We saw deep blue skies during the day and pitch black skies at night, swirling wisps of clouds and stars shining through the normally empty night sky. If you like hiking, there's an amazing hike up behind the temple that leads to a stunning view of the surrounding mountains and valleys.  This weekend was also Buddha's birthday, a busy time at all temples, and a great time to visit.  Paper lanterns hang from every temple and line many of South Korea's streets adding a touch of color to the otherwise grey city streets.   The Golden Weekend label proved apt this weekend as we had an amazing adventure through Korea's southern provinces.  As always here's 10 pictures and some foolish comments.