Bulguksa Temple

Today I went on a little trip to Bulguksa Temple. This temple is a UNESCO world heritage site. While it's best to go see it in the spring or fall, I figured after 6 months in Gyeongju it was high time to pay it a visit. I went with two friends, Samantha and Tina. As the only anglophones there, we got a private tour from a lovely woman who could not have been sweeter to us. Her daughters were even graduates of our schools!

Occasionally during the tour she would explain that what we were looking at was a replicate because the original had been destroyed or stolen. I got full points in consistently guessing the correct country that did the destroying. Can you guess?

Anyways it was super neat and was a fun afternoon activity.

Also I had a teacher lunch today. It was pig spine soup again and I have to say, that stuff is sooooo good. I was super happy to  be able to show off my Korean eating skills once more!

Guardians of the temple

Scary guys, that's for sure

Main gate

This was super neat. This little pig was only discovered
five years ago. Hidden pigs are placed for good luck,
and only those who find them get the luck.
The temple is over a thousand years old,
and he's been hidden for so long!

Stupid sky decided to be grey today, but it was still
very impressive. Those stairs in the back represent
a bridge from our world to Buddha's world.

Touching the golden pig grants financial luck. Apparently
eating pigs does as well. Yet another point awarded
to bacon.

Here there was a stone
sculpture with a little frame.
As you walk forward, the golden
Buddha in the temple (no
photos allowed)'s face
will eventually be framed.
At that moment, you bow
and make a wish!

The lion is the last of 4 lions.
The others were taken by Japan,
and one resides in London!
Our guide explained that
like with children,
the beautiful and talented
ones left, while the ugly
one stayed in his hometown
to care for his parents.

This is a bodhisatvah that is
known to be all-seeing. Apparently
the camera company Canon
(which these photos are taken with!)
was chosen based on her,
because the cameras should
see clearly!

Under a 300 year old tree there
were tons of these little
stone piles. I'd seen them
at namsam too. Not entirely
sure what they mean, but they're
super neat.

At the beginning of our tour a
woman monk saw us and gave us
these delicious rice cakes.
Seriously where in the world
do you go to a packed
tourist site and get
given free dessert?
Koreans are simply the best.

This door was marked as
"NO ENTRY". One look
at this guy's nipples and
really there was no temptation
for entering. 

Terrifying

Can't wait to see this in the spring!

Also unrelated, but on Sunday there was the first full moon since new year. This is celebrated throughout Korea with bonfires at sunset (and other things too I'm sure!) We checked out the local fire and it was warm and lovely.

And finally, check out my amazing manicure. Adri got a whole bunch of beautiful nail polishes. The style is extremely Korean. They love the look of having randomly different coloured nails. It's whimsical and cute!