The 4th of July is a time in America when we reflect on the greatness of our country. We ponder the freedoms we enjoy and revere those who made it all possible. So, what did we do to celebrate such a fine occasion? We went to ancient Korean Buddhist temples... But hey, can you blame us considering there are no parades, barbecues, or fireworks in Korea during America's Independence Day?


Don't worry though, we did enjoy delicious cheeseburgers and fries! Good hamburgers are hard to come by here but luckily we have a friend here whose brother runs an American-style restaurant mainly featuring burgers. It's called Burger Mugger but reading it in Korean characters it sounds more like bogo mugga to me. I hadn't had a burger besides McDonald's since we left so that might have factored into how delicious it tasted to me.

The view from the top of the "mountain" (more like big hills for a girl who's used to Utah mountains) was absolutely breathtaking as you could see the overlapping hills cascading down to a valley below. The weather was somewhat downcast but I told Trevor that was ok because I had always pictured ancient Asian temples in a mountain coming through the fog like a mysterious ghost of ancient times.


The second temple we visited was much larger and had more to see. It was more like the temple was structured as an open courtyard and the various rooms throughout the courtyard contained places of worship and ancient statues and artifacts. Once again, most of the insides of the rooms had photography restrictions so I'll show what I can.


A few things I'd like to note about the temple include coloration, intricacy, and symbolism. Both temples we visited used a light blue and orangy-red coloration. I'm not sure what I expected as far as color, but I just hadn't pictured bright blue hues mixed with reds and browns. Aside from unexpected colors, I also noticed how intricate the designs were not only in the painting, but also in the architecture carved into the structures.

There were also several nuances throughout the temples that all had some job to do. For example, one section of the courtyard was dedicated to stacks of rocks which when stacked successfully without toppling any stones allows for a wish. Of course, if you topple any of the other rocks, you ruin the wish of the person whose pile you ruined. There are so many things to see that you just have to experience it for yourself to really understand.
That being said, let us know when you want to come visit! ;) We will surely take you to a traditional temple while you're here! Hurry now before we're booked! :D But really, come visit us!
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