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Day 8
We travel across the bottom of
the peninsular and back up the west coast. We visit
Chirsan Chuneun Sa Temple,
and have the privilege of being shown by the Zen Master,
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the
inner courtyard
where monks come from all over Korea to study. We see
tea bushes of over 800 years old, a medicine tree, which
the younger monks took to prevent them thinking thoughts
of desire about women, and a satellite dish on one of
the buildings. |
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travel on to Namwon
& visit the famous gardens; blossom is just coming
out everywhere. We learn the story of Choonyhang who stayed
faithful to her lover. The story is known throughout Korea. |
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Our
next stop is at a Bathhouse,
we arrive in the early evening and are all issued with
a large pair of white baggy shorts and T-shirts. Girls
and boys are on separate floors. |
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10 steps to
cope in a Bathhouse:
1. Disrobe completely.
2. Choose the scratchiest flannel available.
3. Step under a shower and rub skin raw with flannel.
4. Wash with soap & rinse thoroughly (no dirt or soap
should enter the baths).
5. Step carefully into a warm bath, then a hot bath, then
a very hot bath followed by a freezing cold bath (apparently
this is good for the pores).
6. Repeat stage 5 as much as you want.
7. If you have survived the baths and the complete amazement
of the Koreans (all ages) who cannot believe that westerners
are trying out this ritual, you may go for the steam room
or an optional massage. (We passed on the massage).
8. Dress fetchingly in your shorts and T-shirt & enter
a chill out room, where families and friends lie on the
marble floor (Under floor heating helps).
9. Use the sauna (separate for men & women) or one
of the strange wooden chairs with a hole in the seat and
embers burning in the base. (We passed on that also).
10. Attempt to sleep the night on
the floor surrounded by heavy snorers.
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