[just get here?...you can read part 1 here]

So who are we missing?…

[counting heads...1...2...3]

And who was it that needed money for the pay toilets…Val, was that you?

It won’t take American, Chica…you’ll need 100 won. Here you go.

So while we wait on Val & a couple of others…check out the view.

I love the juxtaposition of this view….the over 600 year-old monastery on one hillside of the river…with modern skyscraper housing stacked back to back on the other side.

Although when you’re standing on this side it’s a little depressing to see all that steel & glass.

I’ve always pictured Buddhist monasteries & temples as far-away remote bastions of peace & serenity…surrounded by the sounds of nature. Places of complete & quiet contemplation – not in the middle of Korean suburbia with blaring Korean rock music coming from the other side of the river from Korean teenagers just learning the American fascination of jet skis.

(It’s a fad that’s just beginning to catch on here. Which is probably why the monks have the recorded chants & prayers playing over & over in the main square – trying to drown out the noise.)

[leading the way to the left]

Along this side are the monks quarters. They’re divided from the main compound by this old stone & roof tile wall.

But look at the low retaining wall it joins into…down there in the left corner…

See the miniature stacks of stones and Buddahs?

In Buddhism, stacking stones is a form of worship and a way of requesting good fortune.

(I looked it up.)

But if we peek just around the corner you can see their quarters.

Those pots below the clothes line are kimchi pots & I think they will be Lesson 2 of Life in Korea with Jenn.

But I think I really embarrassed Eric with this shot.

All I heard…whispered in anxious desperation…while I was trying to zoom in & focus was, 

“Don’t take a picture of their tighty whities!”

I didn’t get caught taking this photo, but it turns out that those are linens anyway, not the monk’s under garments.

But let’s not sneak up any closer. I want to respect their privacy as much as I can & my luck’s bound to not hold up much longer.

So if we head around this way…

(Ooh!…Look at the pretty flowers.)

…you’ll see the work shed.

Looks like wood for the coming winter & a few straw brooms.

Since there’s still have a few more public buildings to tour, let’s head back.

Besides…I haven’t even shown you the insides of the temples yet. And those are really gorgeous!

We’ll just follow him.

[just get here?...you can read part 1 here]

Ahem…

[putting on my best tour guide voice]

In 1938 Korea was occupied by Japanese forces at the beginning of what was to become WWII.

The Governor-General at the time decided he needed to protect all the historical, cultural & artistic items of the Joseon dynasty. So a law was passed & a list was created.

Numbered one by one, each national treasure was then given protection under the act and over the years the act expanded to cover every South Korea national treasure.

This is number 225.

[graceful hands directing you to the center of the compound]

It’s a marble stacked pagoda that was built in 1472.

If we actually had a real tour guide of our own on this trip, I would’ve known to look for the lotus blossoms & dragons carved on each side. I would’ve zoomed in as close as possible & taken pictures.

But we didn’t…so I didn’t…but at least I got this one.

There are a couple of other national treasures here…number 226 is just back this way.

I hope you wore good shoes….Ready to climb?

[cheesey tour guide laugh]

Whew!…I’m wishing I wore better shoes. I don’t know what I was thinking wearing these flip-flops.

Number 226 is a multi-layered mud brick pagoda.

And somewhere, …written in Korean – ahh, duh…, is what I believe to be the only known information on it.

But all I could find of the translation online is that it was renovated in 1726.

Next up is number…number…fudge, now I can’t find it.

Well, let’s call it number 227.

And you’ve got to climb a few more steps.

It’s a stone stele….

…and I can’t find a lick about it anywhere online.

But look at how intricate the writing is.

But let’s head back down…

Off to the side of the mud-brick pagoda are some grave markers of a few of the temple’s important monks.

Although I have no idea what they’re called, who’s grave they mark or how long they’ve been there.

But they look old.

[said optimistically]

 We’re about halfway through the tour now.

So if you need to go potty, the restroom is back down in the middle of the compound.

Blue is for boys. Red is for girls.

Just meet back here in 5 minutes so you don’t get separated from the rest of the group.