Nowhere as beautiful as here

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A foot of snow makes everything beautiful; it turns the mundane into the pristine; the immaculate into the unimaginable.

The greater Seoul area has never been as beautiful as it has over the last couple of weeks.

No plans for the weekend? Go to any of the palaces, go for a walk in Seoul Forest, or better yet, get out of the city and wander through the countryside. Paju, north of Seoul is a great place to start (and there`s not as much traffic). Now definitely isn`t the time to bundle up in front of the television.

Here`s a one or two day itinerary to get you started.



Gyeongbok Palace

10 a.m.: Start the day at Gyeongbok Palace

Any palace would do. But Gyeongbokgung is at its best when it`s covered by a blanket of snow. Photos of Gyeonghoe-ru and Hyangwon-jeong will be on your wall for years to come.



Photo 1:One of the most photographed places in Korea, Hyangwon-jeong, in Gyeongbok Palace, is reflected in a surrounding pond after heavy snowfall.

Photo 2:Gyeonghoe-ru, in Gyeongbokaung, is the largest pavilion in the country and was originally built in 1394.



Photo 3:A man walks by Geunjeong-jeon, in Gyeongbok Palace. Built in 1394, it is Korea`s largest surviving wooden structure.



12 p.m.: Lunch

Leave Gyeongbok Palace to the east and find a cafe in Samcheon-dong. There`s dozens.



1 p.m.: Drive north

Get in your car (why not rent one?) and drive north to Dongmakgol, Gyeonggi Province. Take Highway 1, then switch to Highway 37. From Seoul it should take about two hours and you`ll pass some beautiful scenery along the Hantan River. If you have time, drop by Hantan Beach for some quick photos.



Photo 4:The Hantan River is seen through some trees during a light dusting of snow last weekend.



3 p.m.: Dongmakgol

When you finally get to Dongmakgol, there`s a horse ranch that`s not hard to find. From here, you can drive around (or park and walk) to enjoy the scenery. Since the sun sets early and you`re in the mountains, you only have a couple of hours of daylight left.



Photo 5:A horse ranch in Dongmakgol, Gyeonggi Province, about 40 minutes northeast of Seoul



Photo 6:A field of gochu sits at the base of a mountain in Dongmakgol, Gyeonggi Province.

(mattlamers@heraldm.com)



By Matthew Lamers