Korea

Sep 3-13, 2015
UA1496 IAH-LAX, Sep 4 OZ201 LAX-ICN, Sep 9 BX8109 PUS-CJU, Sep 11 OZ8966 CJU-GMP, Sep 13 TH635 ICN-TPE, BR52 TPE-IAH

One of the main reasons that I collect points is to redeem them for experiences that I otherwise couldn’t enjoy.  The A380 is an amazing aircraft, and Asiana has decked out the cabin with a very nice First Class seat and experience.   The number of points required to redeem was going to increase and we found availability on the LA to Seoul flight so jumped on it.  Once the flight was booked, we needed to decide how to fill the time in Korea and built a nice itinerary with high speed trains, flights and even braved some driving.   The language barrier on this trip was quite high, particularly with car rental process and trying to navigate with a Korean GPS unit.  However, the effort was worth it, including our chance to step briefly into North Korea within the DMZ.  We used points for the flight back and I managed to take business on the Hello Kitty plane through Taipei back to Houston for a different experience.

Sep 4-5

After staying overnight near LAX, we headed to the airport relatively early to enjoy the time in the Star Alliance First Class lounge and get ready for our First Class Asiana A380 Flight.

Tom relaxing in his suite shortly after take off

Enjoying my caviar and champagne service as the first of many gourmet courses

Looking back on the A380 after our arrival the following afternoon

After clearing customs and taking the train into the city, we stayed overnight not far from the main train station.  

Sep 6

After catching up on our sleep, we headed to the main train station and caught our highspeed train to Gyeongsang. From there, we met our rental car representative where we had our first of many language challenges.  We were able to get the gist of the transaction and figured out how to use the mostly English GPS to get started exploring the sites in the area.

Wise Man Figure in the Gyeongju National Museum featuring relics from the Silla Kingdom 

Entrance to Cheonmachong Tomb Complex

Later in the afternoon more burial mounds

More excavations in the Gyeongju Wolseong area

Beautiful mountain flowers still in bloom with 1000 year old Cheomseongdae Observatory

At the end of the day, we make our way to our hotel near Bomun Lake. 

Sep 7

We continued exploring this historically significant area of Korea with a full day of touring the area. 

Bulguksa Temple first reconstructed in 1604, after 751 building burnt to ground

Colourful entrance temple

The beautiful template grounds

Bell tower near Seokgurum 

Lanterns outside the Seokguram Grotto cut into the mountain

One of the many restored homes in the Yangdong Folk Village

Extensive lily pond in the Folk Village

Cut out Buddha on a hike in Mount Namsan 

Bomun Temple that seems to fill in the cut out at the nearby cultural center

Prominent feature in Gyeongju World Culture Expo Park near our hotel

Sep 8

After our last night in Gyeongju, we drop the car off at the train station and catch the high speed train to Busan, in the southeast corner of South Korea.  After a quick check-in to the hotel, we head out on the subway and explore the city.

Beomeosa Temple 

Central part of the temple with the city below

Marker at the entrance to the temple

Catching the cable car to Geunjeong Park

The expansive city below

Looking towards the south you get a sense of just how large the city is

Geumjeong Fortress gate is part of the expansive wall around the old fortifications

Entrance to the UN Cemetary

The large and well maintained cemetery is divided by country 

UN monument

As well as being a large city, Busan is a beach resort area, with this view from our hotel

After a long afternoon touring Busan, we dropped off the camera and went out again to explore a bit more of the city by night.

Sep 9

We had a fairly relaxing morning before heading to the airport for our short flight to Jeju.  Jeju is a relatively small and very touristy island south of mainland Korea.  We pick up a car again and learn to deal with a new GPS that can speak English, but has no English words on the map or in the points of interest.  The helpful rental car agent shows us the key sequence to search for locations by phone numbers, so as long as the location has a known phone number we're all set to go.

Looking back at the city from the area around our hotel

Jeju Museum of War History and Peace, Gama Oreum

Inside the Japanese fortification at Gama Oreum

Finding our way out of the tunnels

We finally make it to our hotel as the day is winding down, and have a relaxing night near the beach.

Sep 10

After recharging the night before, we spend the full day touring Jeju and doing a number of small hikes and covering a good portion of the coast.

With the crowds at Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Rocky east coast

The "Sweet House" on Phoenix Island

Rugged coastline near Phoenix Island featured in many TV shows

Jeju Glass House

Stairs lead up to a small lighthouse

Looking done from Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone volanco

The now fertile top of the dormant cone

Making our way back down to sea level

Some perspective on the beautiful cone

Large entrance to Geomun Oreum lava tube cave

Immense entrance to the cave system

Pretty cool volcanic formations at the furthest point we can explore

One of the interesting rock statues in Jeju Stone Park

Huge rock statue in the rock park

Very cool rock statue inside the museum 

Stone statues throughout the park

Dol Hareubang ("Old Grandfather") stone statues from around Jeju are collected here

After a very long day of touring, we make our way back to the hotel.

Sep 11

For our last full day on the island, we explore the central mountains with some good hiking before checking out of the hotel and catching out flight back to Seoul.

Hiking on Hallasan, South Korea's highest mountain

Deer finding their own way near the trail

Looking up to the summit

Other hikers getting their technology charged at the top

A train has been installed to help move construction materials and supplies to the top

Temple at base of Hallasan mountain

Checking out the hotel grounds before we leave

We head to the airport for an evening flight back to Seoul and the final days of our tour.

Sep 12

A key part of our trip was the opportunity to visit the DMZ area between South and North Korea and to check out a little more of Seoul.  Our timing was somewhat fortunate, as just about a week prior to our arrival there was a flare up when a South Korean soldier stepped on a land mind in their patrol area and the tensions escalated considerably.  Things calmed down to their normal, but still very high tension state, and the tours were opened again shortly before we arrived.

The tourist center at the entrance to the DMZ area

A hopeful statue on unifying Korea at the entrance to a tunnel discovered coming from the North

The very fortified border

Northern propaganda village is simply a facade making a show for the South 

Railway station connecting the North and South

The train leading north

Conference table spanning the border in the heavily guarded Joint Security Area of the DMZ zone, where North and South Korean soldiers stare each other down

The Panmunjom flagpole, the world's fourth tallest

UN memorial commemorating the end of the conflict

Bridge of No Return crosses Military Demarcation Line and was used for prisoner exchanges

Millennium Plaza Seoul

Cheonggyecheon, created as an urban renewal space, is a popular place for walking in downtown Seoul

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gwangwamun Square

Seoul City Hall

Broader perspective on the city hall

We head back to the hotel for our final night in Korea.

Sep 13

Before we head to the airport, we explore a park along the water front Hangang Park

National Assembly Hall

We head to the airport midday for some First Class Lounge time and our A380 first class experience home.  As the experience was more or less the same, we did not capture any more photos.  From LAX, we catch our flights to Toronto and Houston.