I’m really not up to day-long trips, right now. My energy-level is limited. However, it’s still important to get out of the house and I want to show at least some things to Wendy, too.
So I’ve been thinking of shorter half-day or several-hours-long trips we could do. I’ve long thought I should make more of an effort to visit things that are close by – landmarks, temples, parks, etc., that are right here in Goyang City. So many things are nearby that I never visit because it’s always that phenomenon of “I’ll be able to visit that any time I want” which boils down to never visiting it.
With that in mind, today we went to a temple called 흥국사 [heung guk sa] which is on the eastern edge of Goyang, up against where the city touches Seoul at the western end of Bukhansan National Park.
It turned out to be a rather rustic temple – not polished for the tourists, at all, just a working temple, a bit run down in areas. I actually like seeing places like this.
It took about an hour to get there: subway to Gupabal Station, then bus number 704 up the road that parallels the city limit between Seoul and Goyang for about 20 minutes to a rather rural-looking spot. Then walking up a one-lane road, up a narrow valley between two arms of a small mountain, to the temple.
Here are some pictures.
At the top of the road, here is the temple parking area.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a5c5d970d.jpg)
A tourist map of Goyang on an announcement board.
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The gathering area in front of the complex of buildings.
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Looking up toward some of the buildings.
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Bukhansan in the distance.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a6354970d.jpg)
Eaves of two buildings, a hanging bell, and the peaks of Bukhansan in the distance.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a65ab970d.jpg)
A guy flying along.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89bdfe970b.jpg)
A seashore scene.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89e6dd970c.jpg)
A really nice painting up above the level where most of the panel paintings are, up under the eaves.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89c377970b.jpg)
A dragon.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a6e3f970d.jpg)
Some guys talking in what looks like a blue fog.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a6e73970d.jpg)
A guy riding a tiger.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a6eab970d.jpg)
Another nice panel painting.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89c4ae970b.jpg)
Wendy is resting on some quarried stone for building curbs or steps. There was some construction going on at parts of the temple site.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89c4ec970b.jpg)
Jared and the dragon.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8ab3a7970d.jpg)
Another view showing how unpopulated it was, there, and the western side of Bukhansan in the background.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89c534970b.jpg)
Looking up at several buildings – Wendy is standing on the balcony on the building to the right.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a710d970d.jpg)
Looking at the temple from the large gathering area in front of it.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a72d6970d.jpg)
A bored looking dog near the temple.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a74bd970d.jpg)
A hint of fall colors in the parking area.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a7514970d.jpg)
Crossing a small stream on the small road near the main road (I think this stream is the city limit between Seoul and Goyang, but I’m not positive).
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff8a7565970d.jpg)
The sign for the temple at the main road where the bus stop is.
![picture picture](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2013/201309/6a00d83477d44a69e2019aff89f535970c.jpg)
Then we got back on the bus and went back to the subway and I came home.
[daily log: walking, 3 km]
![picture CaveatDumpTruck Logo](https://generalsemiotics.net/img/2004/200408/cdt-logo.png)