Seoraksan National Park, Day I

Seoraksan National Park is undoubtedly the most spectacular national park in South Korea, and is only rivaled by the Geumgang Mountains in North Korea, which are part of the same range and are very close to Seoraksan. The two mountain clusters are rather unnaturally separated by the demilitarized zone (DMZ), separating the north and south Koreas, and splitting Gangwon province into a north and south section.

Seoraksan National Park is accessible from the East Sea city of Sokcho. Most people enter Inner Seorak from the west, and pass by a cluster of grave monuments for ancient Buddhist monks. Here is a detail from one of these.

Some classical graffiti. 

A protypical Seorak view.

WARNING: DROP/FALL!

The summit of Dae-cheong-bong, at around 1700 meters. Dae-cheong-bong translates as 'Wide Blue Peak.' The hiker who reaches this marker stone has braved a brutally steep climb. With luck, there will be a sea-of-clouds view, or (rarely) a view of the East Sea/Sea of Japan; or, perhaps a view of North Korea.

The Great Korean Loach

My travels having come to an end, and my career pursuits having resumed their course in Seoul, South Korea, I have decided to transform this travel blog somewhat. For the time being, new postings will focus on Korean foods, traditional restaurants, and travel in Korea. 

As the first of the Korean features, I would like to focus on a subject of great mystification to foreign visitors and residents: THE KOREAN LOACH. Most important in this matter is not to confuse 'loach' with 'roach.' A loach is a small fish-like creature that lives in the muddy waters of rice paddies. It is not a slug. Nor is it an eel, really. I suppose that only a biologist could settle the question of exactly what type of creature a loach is.

But the most important consideration in the subject of loaches is that they taste delicious. Loaches are commonly served as chu-ah-tang in Korea. Another - more colloquial - name for this soup is mi-kuh-ruh-ji-tang ('mi-kuh-ruh-ji' means 'slippery'!). 

This is one of the excellent chu-ah-tang restaurants in the heart of Seoul: Nam-won Chu-ah-Tang. (Nam-won is a small provincial city.) A bowl of loach soup goes for 7,000 won here, which is typical. (Conversion Rate: around $6 US).

In the olden days, the loaches were dished up whole, but the present-day Korean has become a bit more squeemish, and the loaches are now blended and pureed. Loaches are also served deep-fried, or in dumplings.

The ingredient presentation outside of Namwon Chu-ah-tang.

Loaches in an aquarium.

Portrait of a loach. 

Incidentally, I have heard that a village cure for the hiccups used to be to force the hiccuping child to swallow a live loach. YIKES!

The Last of Nepal

My brief stay in Nepal came to an end over a week ago now, but the images remain. (The final five images, that is).

The Tibetan community in exile rallies around the Boudhanath stupa. Not far from this site is the Hyatt Hotel.

Viewing the world through prayer-flag tinted glasses.

Three details of Boudhanath:

Caterpillar Fungus and Mt. Everest

The Mountain Museum in Pokhara, Nepal, is a bit over-hyped, in my humble opinion, though there were plenty of huge mountain posters on the wall, including this Everest shot.

For those who have kept up with the caterpillar fungus craze in China, or seen the related pictures in the Golmud posts of this blog, the Pokhara Mountain Museum may be able to shed more light on the mysterious phenomenon.

Here we find out that caterpillar fungus's scientific name is Cordyceps sinensis.

The CF is gathered in 4,500 - 5,200 meter alpine meadows in the Himalayas, and in Tibet.

Diagnostic Characteristics: "Club shaped parasitic fungus, later becomes saprophytic on insect larva after its death. It comes out of the anterior end of the larva of the caterpillar (swiftmoth) during the monsoon."

Use: Tonic and aphrodisiac

Pokhara, Nepal

A wild half-day bus trip bound west of Kathmandu, Nepal, brings tourists from India and beyond to the lakeside city of Pokhara. This is one of the legendary hiking, trekking, and mountaineering desitinations in Nepal, with the more-than-8,000-meter-tall Annapurna lurking in the town skyline.

Here is the only glimpse I got, toward the end of my last day there. The peak is emerging here from the clouds.


Being a predominantly Hindu country, cows are sacred in Nepal. Buffalos, like these, can be eaten.



Tourism is in a lull these days. This sign could serve as a the new, desperate slogan of Nepal: Don't Pass Me By!

Just a fragment of the great lake.

Place of worship.

Prayer Flags Every Which Way

Thousands of multi-colored scriptures flap in the breeze below Swayambhunath temple, in Kathmandu. This tangle of Tibetan prayer flags has been draped from the branches of a tree.

View from the hill.

Like telephone wires, but different.

Swayambhunath (Popularly Known as Monkey Temple)

One of the great landmarks of Kathmandu is the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) in the northwest of the city. The hill is crowned with Buddhist pagodas and a hall of Tibetan monks. There is plenty of Tibetan Buddhist iconography, and plenty of prayer wheels.

Note the huge golden vajra (Tibetan: dorje) to the right of this scene.

Secular concerns.

Buddha and Monkey.

I asked whether they serve monkey burgers here at the McMonkey Cafe, but in fact they do not.