Iconic Soul: 위험 [Danger] --- 내연산 [Nae Yeon Mountain]

From Sunday, July 1, 2012

Met up with Ling, Michael, and Andy to go to 보경사 (Bo Kyung Sa - a Buddhist temple in Pohang), and 내연산 (Mt Nae Yeon) to go hiking! We were supposed to meet at 9am, but lo and behold, Andy (the one who planned the whole thing) came late @ 9 30am lol. Anyway- we got on bus 105 to the Intercity Bus Station in Pohang and then switched buses to get on a green bus 150 (i think...) that went all the way to our destination. One way took approximately an hour. Once we got there we ate brunch and headed toward the Nae Yeon mountain and its 12 waterfalls! I think we went to all of them? We started around 12 and came back down around 7 30. Coming straight down from where we were took 2 and a half hours by itself.

cute little touristy stuff a shop nearby the mountain sold

lol reminds me of the one from COEX aquarium

grabbed brunch before hiking. pajun for free. aka service

the many side dishes

the area around the mountain is famous for its bibimbap and karl guksu. This is the bibimbap. was 5000won

this is my karlguksu for 5000won also...but I found a dead spider in it -.-

map of Pohang's famous sites

in front of 보경사 (Bokyung Sa)

the Buddhist temples that we didn't actually go in because we wanted to hurry to the waterfalls

drinking water place in front of the Buddhist temples. Andy and Michael actually drank

frollicking in the waters

uh... in case of drowning?

Me and Ling checking out the view while on our way up 내연산 (Nae Yeon Mountain)

waterfall?

ok...3rd waterfall reached?!

if you look really closely, there are people rock climbing on those cliffs!!! brave souls

lol the guy just went under the "Danger" sign

waterfall #6. beautiful!

there were tiny fish in the water. you can also catch them with your hands :o

Andy dove in and swam to the caves

Ling on the bridge directly across from waterfall #6

inscription in Hanja (Chinese characters) on the rocks near waterfall #6

then we proceeded to climb a really steep path towards waterfall #8 and the rest of the waterfalls (we skipped waterfall #7). there were significantly less people on this trail

tombstones? not really sure... they were on top of a boulder that we climbed on top of. maybe someone may have fallen off? it's a really scary drop

left is the boulder that we were on and on the right is an insanely high drop to where waterfall #6 is. got dizzy even daring to look down

puddle of water on top of the rock with a lot of insects breeding

passed a few of these where you add a rock to the pile for good luck

our grueling journey to waterfall 8

yay! waterfall #8 :) Andy swam and dove and went toward the cave. I went in a little bit and the fish were nipping at me I think... or swimming past me. We rested a bit here before continuing on.

Ling on a makeshift bridge we found

legit bridge

hm.. near waterfall #9 but we didn't really see it until we were on our way down the mountain

another rock pile that I am adding a stone to

the river we're following

lol Andy wanted to go Tarzan for a bit.

the highest we got I think... then we decided to turn around because we didn't want to miss the bus to go home

the guy that was sorta our unofficial guide back down the mountain. he was so nice!

back @ waterfall 6. if you cross the bridge you get to waterfall #7, but we saw it from the top anyway.

not sure which waterfall this is... I think one of the first 4

water that I got from the farthest up in the mountain we got. I didn't drink it, but Andy did bc he was super thirsty and he thought I was going to drink it too. Looks pretty clean though and he didn't get sick so I'm assuming the water is safe?

내연산 (Nae Yeon Mt) map

then caught the last bus from the Mt back into downtown Pohang around 7:45pm and then we got a taxi to Hyoja Market to find somewhere to eat. Arrived @ 땅땅치킨 (Ddang Ddang Chicken). It was the best chicken I've had in Korea and possibly ever. We got Set 1 and it comes with 2 chicken dishes for 15000won. The one above was really unexpectedly spicy and crunchy.

part of set. mmm crunchy and sweet?

then we went to a Mandu (dumpling) place nearby. they steamed it right before them served them. mm 3500won

then went to a bakery also nearby in Hyoja Market that is well known in Pohang called 마인츠돔 (Mainz Dom). Bought a pizza looking like bread - that I ended up never eating bc I was full and forgot about it... had to trash :( .... and I also bought croissant looking like breads that were actually not croissants but just regular sweet bread. -.-