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Had recieved my luggage last evening, and seeing coming days having clouds and rain in the weather forecasts, this was the day I felt I had to do my measurements which I came for. As said in the outlines of my trip, for data I photograph rocks and rock art in different settings with my IR (infrared) camera. For the Ulsan sites, I wanted as much sunlight as possible, ergo this day was promising. Now to get there. The sites are up in the wilderness towards the mountains, roughly 2 hours from the city. By, car probably not more than 1h10 min - 1h30min, but I will be going on the budget alternative, ie buses. Now, I will actually go into more detail than necessary in regards to bus travel...
On Saturday, I entered a bus two times and both times saw only a kind of thing for travel cards you put your card against, so I showed the driver a 10000 Won bill both times (which should cover it) but both times I was waved away, so I ended up going for free.
This day I was going with two buses one way, in total four rides, so I couldn't keep on doing that regardless if my concience had allowed it, so I went for a walk to the railway station in the early morning. There I waited for the tourist information to open at 9, and got it all explained:
There is actually a kind of transparent plastic box in the front, much like the one you use for charity purposes, where you put the money...so obvious when you know what to look for. There are just two price categories: 1150 Won (8 SEK/ 1,2 USD) for buses with 3 number in them, and 1700 Won (11 SEK/2 USD) for the ones with four numbers. So, I went to look for the first bus, 1703, but didnt find it.
Being my second time in Korea, I must confess I hadnt really met any Korean that I had actually gotten a real lasting positive conenction with. Not that I had ever had any negative, either, but I had simply not gotten beyond hello, thanks and goodbye.
So, at the busstop, having shown a handwritten note from the helpful person at the information desk, and gotten nothing understandable from the drivers, an old man intervened and took me under his wings. He showed me the bus (which he was also going with), chekced that I had the right amount of money, and told me where to get of (NOT the place I would have left the bus on). Small things means so much, and it set the tone for the day.
Even though my Google Maps wasn't on the spot in regards to the spot for bus change, I actually saw the next bus from afar when stepping of, but it was already leaving. Checking my map, I saw I shortcut and sprinted for it...and got on the bus. They actually go rather seldom at this spot (Eonyang), so that was lucky. My eyes checking my photos of the bus route on my phone, I soon was distracted when the bus went in the wrong direction, but it actually was just an extra loop not on the internet. What instead happened was that somehow the scale on my maps, going into the countryside, was not what I thought so I had passed my bus stop when I realised this. So there I stood, with a sign showing that the place I wanted to was 4.5 km away. At least it was something, even though I would be soaked through by then.
Then it happened again - the same bus as I went with, now going in the other direction, stopped and the bus driver leaned out and asked "Bangudae?" ie the place I was heading for! He gave me a ride back (for free) to the right place and pointed the road out to be sure. There is something about nature and hospitality, right? ;-)
To sum the route up. First take the 1703 to Eonyang (first stop aftyer it gets of the big motorway as I remember it). Then catch the 308 and travel to the spot marked below as "B". It is easy to miss so store up on lots of map screenshots on your phone...if you got of at the right spot, there is a bridge just close by over the motorway and then its just straight ahead.
Soon it was even more obvious on the winding, forest fringed road, that I was on the right track, as the surroundings was obviously prepared for toursim with special toilets and parking places, decorations and special walkways. Reaching the Bangudae Petroglyph Museum, to tell it shortly, the Bangudae site consists of mostly animal etchings, most importanly of the whales and whaling culture that existed here long ago. The Cheonjeonri site instead has more of geometric patterns. The later one was the one I chose for my measurements, being easier to access. It was also interesting as it wasn't made on a face facing away from the sun midday (as most of the ones I have seen do), instead it faced almost directly east. Ah, I will stop there. Suffice to say, it is a soaking to stand completely still for even five minutes doing photgraps every 5 second in this humid 35 degree heat.
Shell mask. A bit funny.
This is a replica from the museum of the exact spot I later used for IR photographs.
The nature was quite pleasing and the museum a modern, fresh (airconditioned!) type that does its best to make history alive. As Korea are trying to make these sites a World Heritage, I do understand why they have gone into so much effort.
Wrapping up, I began to leave from the Cheonjeonri side, when reaching the small exit post where two elder ladies (ajummas [swedish:tanter] in the words positive sense) manned the post. I stopped just to ask for where to buy water and ended up getting water (and coffee if I'd wanted), peaches a elder man brought, and simplistic but warm conversation). Third time is the charm as they say, and this was the day I warmed up to Korean people beyond the fantasy world of korean pop and drama.
Korean countryside is quite lovely.
Can you spot the petroglyphs? Noone could from this spot, the normal allowed distance. And usually the dam covers them up at this time of year but it have been a dry season.
Petrified dinosaur footsteps
Cheonjeon-ri rock petroglyphs. Look carefully and you may see them
I got home safely and was planning to call it a day at 15.00 already but somehow couldnt stop myself when out getting a burger menu at the local
Lotteria (local McDonalds equivalent), and went and checked out the movies at Lotte Cinema.
There was this
Pacific Rim...well, I thought, I know it is some kind of giant robot movie, cant be to bad even if its dubbed. And it wasnt dubbed. And it was damn good enteratinment too!
It is quite fitting, I felt, to watch a movie in East Asia where giant robots controlled by humans (ie Mechas) fight it out with Aliens attacking Pacific coastal cities.
The movie was like a new Independce Day, which means lots of big action and fighting, some humor and romance, but above all is the action and effects. And some proud speeches (really only one). But, shit, if the fights werent satisfying. The movie is really all about them and the rest just has to do its part as fillers, not that those parts are anything bad, they do their work quite nicely. If you would love a movie about Steel Giants, Guiellermo del Toro - style - monsters, and a fair Rinko Kikuchi as the heroine, look no further. ^_^
Korean lesson number 2:
Movie title:
파시픽림
Divided into individual letters:
ㅍ ㅏ ㅅ ㅣ ㅍ ㅣ ㄱ ㄹ ㅣ ㅁ
Which in latin letters become:
p a s i f (p/f is the same letter) i k r i m
Which then is read like:
Pasifik Rim = Pasific Rim
That wasn't too hard, eh?
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