Haedong Yonggungsa

In my birthday post, I shared a few pictures from Haedong Yonggungsa. As I've said before, temples in Korea all tend to look the same. They're all the same green and red color scheme and the construction of the buildings are exactly the same too. Whenever someone suggests going to a temple, I always pass. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. The only difference is probably the way you get there. I think this is why I fell in love with Yonggungsa. It still has the same temple structure you see everywhere else, but it's stunningly beautiful and very different from the others.

On the way to temple, there is a different kind of feeling. I could feel the anticipation rising as we passed animal statues of the Chinese zodiac, walked down steps lined with bamboo trees and strolled across wooden bridges. As soon as the temple came into view, I was overwhelmed with how breathtaking it was. The temple is nestled on top of rocky cliffs and has the ocean as a backdrop. The place was overflowing with people and I've heard that it's always busy regardless of the time or season. I understand why it's so popular and always busy. It's a magnificent temple that is unique and beautiful and one that everyone in Korea should visit! 

Wandering Wednesday | Tennessee Road Trip | 2 of 3

On the second part of our Tennessee road trip, we drove to Pigeon Forge and to the Appalachian Mountains. These were the first mountains that I ever saw up close. Also, this was the first time I went hiking and I was very excited. I couldn't have thought of a better place, the Appalachian Mountains are beautiful.

Interesting side note, Markus and I are wearing strange looking neon t-shirts because my students were fundraising for a missions trip to Mexico. The spray painted Mexican themed designs onto t-shirts. At the time, it was all the rage. And now? I still stand behind my decision. I would do anything for my kids and if wearing a shirt while in the Appalachian mountains is a way to support them, I would do it again and again.

We drove up one of the mountain listening to soundtracks and rolled the windows down. Between the five of us, no one said a word. We were in awe of the beauty that surrounded us. We finally made it to the top of the mountain and parked.  We walked on a little trail to the very top. This was the first time I ever walked anywhere that steep and my legs were so confused. They didn't understand what was happening. It was quite an interesting experience.

While exploring, we found the Appalachian Trail and the boys were ecstatic. They managed to convince Victoria and I that we should hike the trail. When we started, it was great. I felt like a real explorer on my first mountain adventure. Then after about 20 minutes, I was done. My legs turned to jello. I was having trouble breathing. It wasn't a good look for me. Despite all that, I'm still really happy that my first mountain hiking experience was on the Appalachian Trail. How sweet is that?

Taejongdae | 2 of 2

During our visit to Taejongdae, we were able to fit in quite a bit. It was the perfect afternoon despite the weather conditions. On this particular day, it was really cold and windy. We went on a treacherous ferry tour around the island. Seriously, I thought we were going to sink. We kept flying through the air and landing hard on the water. At one time, I looked at the ferry captain and I must've looked terrified because he reassured me that we were okay.

Thankfully, we survived the ride on the death ferry and were able to climb up on the rocks and have lunch. We thought ahead and picked up fancy triangle kimbap at Lotte Department Store. We climbed up really high, found the perfect rock, shared our food and enjoyed the view. I've always wanted to go on a picnic and this was my first one! Couldn't have picked a better place to have my first picnic.

After Markus and I had lunch, we walked up the pathway toward the lighthouse. We walked down the stairs toward the ocean and the wind was so strong that it literally pushed me back. I thought I was in a hurricane, it was that intense. We muscled through it though and it was worth it. The rock formations aren't what I was expecting and were so massive and majestic. It was like exploring an alien planet. As I've said before, I absolutely love Taejongdae. Every time we go, I always find something new and something I've never seen before.

Chatsworth House | Derbyshire, England 5 of 5

One of my favorite parts of the 2006 Pride and Prejudice film is when Lizzy Bennet walks through the marble statue room of Pemberley. I actually thought it was a room that they created for the movie, since there was a marble statue of Mr. Darcy. In actuality, it was the other way around, I think the producers saw the room and then created the statue. 

The marble room was quite amazing. I could almost hear the song from the movie,

"Living Statues of Pemberley"

playing in the background. I've seen marble statues before, but never this close. I couldn't believe how realistic they looked. They looked like they would get up at any minute and put some clothes on. It was a nice way to end our tour of Chatsworth House.

Finally, we've reached the final part of Chatsworth House. Being able to spend the day here was a dream come true. I'm so thankful for my thoughtful husband and for our dear friends James and Ari. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have been able to walk the halls of "Pemberley". 

Twelve Days of Christmas Cinema

After the success of Creepy Cinema 2012, Markus and I decided that we wanted to do something similar for Christmas. We settled on 12 Christmas movies, because 31 days devoted to film is a bit much. We were scrambling all through October trying to watch all the movies and at times, I wasn't free to enjoy them as much. I think that 12 is a perfect number and will help us both get into the holiday spirit.

We tried to choose movies from all different time periods and genres. There are some beloved classics as well as quintessential Christmas movies. Despite the fame of many of these movies, I haven't seen them all and have only watched half of them. I'm so excited to begin the Twelve Days of Christmas Cinema and I hope you enjoy my reviews as well!

Credit:
Santa Claus graphic: The Graphics Fairy