There’s no better place to experience the life of the 16th-century Joseon Dynasty than the UNESCO recognized Hahoe Folk Village. An hour away from the city of Andong, the Nakdong River flows around Hahoe Folk Village. The name Hahoe indicates the unique characteristics of this village, which translates to ‘the village enveloped by water’. Hahoe …
Experience the 16th-century Joseon Dynasty in Hahoe Folk Village Read More »
What can you expect from the most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal? Before going into the Pashupatinath Temple, we sat in front of one of the holy men. He prayed in the name of Pashupatinath. The short blessing ceremony seemed appropriate to prepare ourselves to enter the sacred place. He blessed us with holy water, …
Life and Death, It’s All Part of a Life: Visiting Pashupatinath Hindu Temple Read More »
Large ancient tombs of kings and nobles of the Silla Kingdom can be seen around Gyeongju at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex. There are twenty-three large tombs located here; the most famous being Cheonmachong and Hwangnamdaechong. Daereungwon Tomb Complex is the Historic Site No. 512 of Republic of Korea.
Do you know who is the person on the 1000 banknote of Korean won? That’s Teogye Yi Hwang. Toegye Yi Hwang (퇴계 이황) is a name that cannot be forgotten by most Koreans. We remember him from our vigorous school studies. He was an important Confucian scholar and he is the person on our 1000 …
Dosan Seowon: Stepping into Toegye Yi Hwang’s Confucian Legacy Read More »
The circle of life at the Vigeland Park Frogner Park, part of historical Frogner Manor, is located in the Frogner borough in Oslo, Norway. It’s more commonly known as the Vigeland Park in the English speaking world because of a permanent sculpture installation by Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland’s work is located within the Frogner Park. Featuring Gustav …
Visiting the Vigeland Park: the World’s Largest Sculpture Park Made by a Single Artist Read More »
Stavropoleos Monastery is absolutely beautiful. Stavropoleos Monastery, Mănăstirea Stavropoleos in Romanian, also known as Stavropoleos Church (Biserica Stavropoleos). It’s an Eastern Orthodox monastery for nuns in central Bucharest. We saw a nun singing beautifully outside of the monastery before the prayer session. The church is built in a unique Romanian architectural style, Brâncovenesc. The Brâncovenesc …
My Favorite Architecture in Bucharest: Stavropoleos Monastery and Brâncovenesc Style Read More »
On Christmas Day in 1989, Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, were executed by firing squad. It’s difficult to understand and sum up the history of a foreign country, especially a complex one like Romania’s. Romania began a transition back towards democracy in 1989 after the revolution that overthrew the country’s government and …
It’s that time of the year again. Let’s look back and review the 10 best destinations of 2016! This year was full of new experiences and visiting familiar places that I adore. I spent a lot of time in Korea this year so it was a great opportunity to explore more of my home country. …
Best Destinations of 2016: Alaska, England, Quebec, and More Read More »
What is it like to see wild bears in their natural habitat? There are a few typical images you’d associate with Alaska: hanging glaciers, rich native cultures, wandering moose, bears, and Denali to name a few. I was fortunate to experience a lot of Alaska’s finest, but bear viewing hasn’t crossed my path yet, until …
Bear Viewing in Alaska is Even More Amazing than It Sounds Read More »
How many times aurora chasing is too many? I had a good feeling about this. There was this tingling feeling in my belly. The nights had been clear for last few days. Here and there I heard other people talking about it. So finally, I went out to chase the northern lights in Anchorage, Alaska. …
The Day I Saw the Northern Lights in Anchorage, Alaska Read More »
