Field Trip to Gyeongju

I got a chance to go with my LG Learning Center Class to Gyeongju, South Korea. For those of you who don't know Gyeongju is a very historic site. It was the seat of the Silla Dynasty from the 4th to the 10th century. It is a World Heritage Site because it contains "monuments of exceptional significance in the development of Buddhist and secular architecture in Korea" [quote by UNESCO my last link]. It has the Pulguksa [some people spell it with a "B" making it Bulguksa] Temple and a National Museum. It is located in the southeast of Gyeongsangbuk-do (a province in South Korea). It took about an hour and a half to get there by bus from Gumi.

For more information on Gyeongju check out the following sites.

Gyeongju - Nara City

Traveljournals - Gyeongju Photos

Korea Bike Tour: Gyeongju

Bulguksa Temple at Gyeongju

Gyeongju City

UNESCO World Heritage Site

This is a brochure from the National Museum of Gyeongju. They didn't have any brochures left in English so I took a French Version. I knew at least I would understand 80% of the French pamphlet. I didn't expect to have to use my French in Korea. I guess it just goes to show you never know when something you've learned previously will come in handy.

*******

I didn't have a digital camera at the time I visited Gyeongju but I did take some photos and I've scanned them into my computer. Here they are:

These are the gates to Gyeongju. You can see the parking lot just beyond the gates.

Here is a picture of 3 statutes. I love the stone statutes that seem to be located at every historical site in Korea.

This is a picture of me in front of one of the statutes at Gyeongju.

This is a picture of a Buddha Statute.

This is the Shilla Crown.

Here is a head-less stone statute.

This is some kind of stone pillar.

This is a stone temple of some sort.

This is a closer view of the same temple.

This is my favorite picture from Gyeongju. I wanted to save the best for last.

The only thing that I didn't like about my day at Gyeongju was that it rained very hard. You can see the water-stains on the stone statutes and in my second from last picture you can see how shiny the ground is because of all the rain. The rain made it harder to look around and really see ALL there was to see.