Drag Your Bike

Bicycling on weekends becomes recently another pleasure in life for the avid cyclists. Going up or down the new cycling path along the river makes us feel like that we are on an adventure. Most parts of the path are flat and accessible to all bike riders, but it has some very steep section near Hapcheon weir 합천보, which starts at the entrance of Musimsa 무심사 temple. Musim means mind free and Sa a Buddhist temple. This section covering a distance of about 3km has been famous for its steep trail among two wheelers since the path was opened.

The road goes up zigzag over a mountain behind the temple, and down on the other side. The path near the top of the mountain offers a beautiful view of river, village, and fields. The road can be so dangerous for those going down, so several warning notices along the path say "Danger", "Slow", or "Drag your bike".

Cross-Country Riverside Cycling Trail

Korean avid cyclists are so happy to celebrate the completion of the cross-country riverside cycling trails along 4 major rivers across South Korea. 1757 km (1092 Miles) is the total length of the cycling trail network, which has been created by 4 major rivers restoration project.

This riverside cycling trail can be seen around Daegu 대구 city partly surrounded by the Nakdong river 낙동강. To the west of Daegu located Gangjeong-bo 강정보, which is the largest in size among 16 weirs of the four rivers; Bo means weir. Dalseong-bo 달성보 is to the south, and Chilgog-bo 칠곡보 to the north. Every weir is connected to each other by the trail, which is well paved either inside or on the riverbanks.

The environmentalists have always argued that 4 major rivers restoration project including this riverside cycling trail unintentionally destroys the nature of the rivers, not restoring or conserving it. The government, however, consistently insists that the project has aimed to restore and conserve the rivers eco-friendly. Anyway, the project was finally completed last month. Time will settle the argument.

I have ever ridden a bike several times to 3 weirs as Gangjeong, Dalseong and Chilgog. The path is mostly smooth with only a few ascents or descents. The fresh and cool wind always blows across the river, touching my face. One spot between Dalseong and Chilgog is still under construction, so the cyclists have to take a detour. Restrooms and benches with shade are found occasionally along the two-wheeler trail. You can make a pit stop in the control office attached to each weir, and cv stores are opened for visitors in some weir control offices.

Back to the Past

Hahoe village 하회마을 near Andong 안동 city is one of the most visited touristic places in the middle eastern part of the peninsula, which is famous for its traditional and historical value. Hahoe means spinning river. In fact, the Nakodong river turns around the village in a horseshoe shape. The photo above was taken from atop the height named Buyongdae 부용대 at the other side of the river, located to the north of the village.

With the rapid industrialization and westernization in South Korea, the old and traditional cultural heritage has not been valuable so much as the economic development, so that it has been sometimes ignored and forgotten. But some villages as Hahoe have been fortunately remained untouched by development and modernization, Hahoe is one of the unique and interesting places in which history, culture and tradition have been conserved well in South Korea. It is worth a visit. This village has been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Site in 2010.

Blue by Bigbang

Bigbang 빅뱅, one of the most popular bands in K-pop, has come back with this song. It sounds so familiar when I first listened to "Blue". In the 80'th, this kind of Ballad music was popular with the youth in South Korea. Some singers playing guitars used to express their oppressed emotion through songs in the desperate political situation. The military dictatorship was totally gone though, the middle-aged Koreans still have the memory of the painful past with those songs.

Time has passed, new Korean generation is introducing the world unique and characteristic music, which is called Kpop, short for Korean pop. The age of IT together with Utube, Facebook, Twitter and the other social network services has given the chance of spreading new trend of Korean popular music, Kpop, which has fascinated young enthusiasts around the world. Kpop is a major aspect of Hallyu 한류 or Korean wave that has affected the world since the 1990s'. Kpop is estimated to create the new culture of popular music by the worldwide fans. Bigbang is one of the most beloved Kpop bands.