Korea: Walk from Goyang to Hwajeong through countryside

If you take a visit to Goyang-si or Ilsan Lake park, or just happen to find yourself far enough outside of Seoul for this area to be of interest to you, rest assured that there is still plenty to do out in this somewhat more suburban corner of South Korea. Goyang is a decent sized town just down the road from Hwajeong, which is a short drive outside of Seoul. 

There's a shopping mall, wall / rock climbing gyms, restaurant supply stores, ample restaurants and of course Ilsan Lake park to see! If your Korean is better than mine (which isn't any good) you'll have even more options available to you. The main road is quite busy and there's a lot of busses and traffic going through, so you can always opt for busses or a taxi if you'd rather not walk or take the trains. There seemed to be several hiking and historical sites of interest near here, too! I'd definitely recommend staying in this area if you're looking to stay near Seoul but don't want to pay exorbitant urban rates, or simply prefer a quieter more suburban neighbourhood. Goyang, being dubbed Flower City, is home to an annual international flower festival every spring! This year it's going to be from April 27th through May 13th, so I'd highly recommend taking a trip out around then if you're in Seoul or the nearby area! The event has been going on since 1997 and includes floral or flower-related displays from over 300 groups out of 25 countries! I didn't get to visit as I wasn't there during the right time of year but I bet it's spectacular. All the farms and gardens that dot the land between Goyang and Hwajeong certainly make the area appear fertile, so I can only imagine how lovely it would be in the springtime season.

 

During this sojourn it was more subdued. The majority of people on the streets were locals returning home from school or work, possibly grabbing a snack along the way. As the sun was setting and I had only taken the long and winding path once, a month or two prior, I was in a bit of a quest to get on my way. I had enjoyed my time at the park, marvelled at all the cute animals, and even ate some spicy noodles but it was time to get back to the apartment and I had miles to go yet...

More photos below!

Korea: Ilsan Lake Park Animal Exhibits

Ilsan lake park is a large park surrounding a lake just outside of Seoul proper. At over 990,000 Square meters it's one of the largest man-made parks in Asia! It's a beautiful and relaxing destination, open year round. If you're taking the subway, take line 3 to Jeongbalsan station and it's a roughly 5 minute walk from exit 2. My first visit here was spontaneous on my part, as my friend and housemate Yonie invited me to go to lunch with her in the town surrounding the park on a day I hadn't any other plans yet. There's also a large shopping mall with tons of entertainment and food options along with all the fashion and cosmetics you could want. Since it's a bit outside the city proper it's cheaper to shop out here, too~! On our first trip out Yonie helped me pick out some skincare at Apieu and espoused their affordability and quality, and had some tasty grub. I ended up at the park because she had a meeting to attend, and since I didn't need to be directly involved (especially given my non-existent Korean speaking skills) she suggested I explore the park for a bit. 

Something came up and she had to leave, at which point I ended up finding my own way home without taking the subway- Hwajeong is the next town over, and though it's a 10 minute drive it was quite a walk. I'm not complaining, though, believe it or not- I was quite thrilled with how far I'd trekked! I didn't have wi-fi or any reliable cellular usage that first time through (all those websites bragging about universal free wi-fi throughout Korea aren't considering the rural / suburban areas so much) and I wanted to get a measure of the feat, so I returned with tools, and camera, ready to recreate my journey. Of course, the walk was for the return home, and I still had some sunlight left with which to enjoy the park grounds. There's a LOT to do here! I'd love to go back and spend more time exploring the park, hopefully with Antho there by my side. The juxtaposition of modern apartment blocks jutting into the sky around the park is in stark contrast to all the lush green gardens, animals and flowers within. I had a wonderful time strolling the grounds! There were many couples and families out enjoying the lovely weather, too. 

Ilsan lake park is definitely a nice destination for a relaxing day near Seoul if you find yourself in the city for any length of time! The photos in this post will be primarily focusing on the animal exhibits, so as to keep from bombarding you with too many all at once. 

Enjoy the photos!

More below!

Japan: Relaxing day off in Urayasu~ 2012-09-27

Sunset on my street. 

Japan: Rainy day in Urayasu 2012-09-06

One thing I thoroughly enjoyed about living in Japan was the weather, simply because it was such a deviation from what I grew up with in Southern Nevada. While some people might grumble about typhoons, I found them fascinating and thrilling- perhaps in large part because I was within safe walking distance from work, so when the trains were delayed due to inclement conditions I never had to worry… ^^; 

I got to know Urayasu fairly well while living there. On my days off I would ride my bike like a bat out of hell, burning off steam and exploring the area. I'd often stop in one of the small restaurants for lunch, mingling with the locals and sharing a beer or two with them.

More photos after the cut~