Yesterday Andrew, Hollye and I went to 보문사 [Bomun temple], which is on Seongmo Island which is off the coast of the larger Ganghwa Island which is basically straight west of Seoul at the mouth of Han River. We took a long, slow, local bus from Ilsan to Ganghwa County Seat, thence on a different bus (after some confusion as to where to catch it) to Oepo-ri on Ganghwa’s west side, then a short ferry ride across the channel to Seongmo, and finally, after lunch of clam noodle soup and spicy herring salad, a last bus around Seongmo Island to the location of the temple.
Here are some pictures from this trip.
Waiting to board the ferry at Oepo-ri.
Looking back at Oepo-ri from aboard the ferry.
Many hungry seagulls freeloading off the “do not feed the birds”-disregarding Koreans.
Looking back while walking up the steep driveway to the temple.
The temple gate.
Looking up at the temple area.
Andrew and Hollye walking behind me.
A large collection of statues regarding a stupa. I’m not really sure what this represents.
Looking up the mountain at our ultimate destination.
Looking down a big old tree.
The entrance to the grotto temple.
Temple details.
Small figurines hanging out on some mossy rocks.
Going farther up the mountainside, there was a cast bronze statue of a many-headed, many-tailed dragon.
Looking back down the mountainside.
At the top of the many, many stairs we found the famous buddha relief carved in the cliff-side looking out to sea.
Then we found a back-trail back down the mountainside. This sign says “danger.”
Looking out while waiting for the return ferry.
Another ferry parking beside ours.
Some views of boats upon our return to Oepo-ri.
Here is a collection of temple-wall paintings thrown in here at the end of this here blogpost.
