WINTER BREAK EXCURSION

A favorite "break the winter blahs" excursion, this will help to cure that feeling of "cabin fever"! The RAS prescrip­tion is to get out into the countryside and back in touch with nature. Our excursion will take us to Gwangneung, the tomb of King Sejo and his queen, located in a picturesque National Forest Reserve, and then on to the enchanting Sanjeong Lake.

Amidst the tall and stately pine trees of the National Forest Reserve lie the tombs of King Sejo and his queen. King Sejo, 7th Monarch of the Yi Dynasty, is considered to have reigned quite successfully and is credited for having made many reforms and improvements for the country, if one can overlook the way in which he ascended the throne. He is remembered most for murdering his young nephew Tanjong, the 6th Joseon ruler, in order to become king. This impressive tomb site is considered by many as the most beautiful of all the Yi Dynasty Royal Tombs.

Sanjeong Lake was created artificially as an agricultural reservoir in 1925, and was designated a national tourist attraction in 1977. This snow-covered frozen lake brings to mind images of a winter landscape on a Korean hanging scroll. Along the lakeshore above the dam are shops offering boat rentals in summer, and skates rentals in winter for those wanting to enjoy skating on the frozen lake. There is a wonderful walking path of about 6 kilometers around the lake. Mountains rise steeply from the lake’s edge, and the highest is Myeongseong-san. On the slopes of the mountain are hiking trails and the Jain-sa Temple. The snow brings out the spectacular beauty of the granite mountain. This area, which is north of the 38^th Parallel, was part of North Korea when the country was first divided. North Korean strongman Kim Il-sung had a summer home built along the southern perimeter of this lake. The summer home was destroyed as a result of the war. You can taste some popular Korean dishes (maeun-tang, a spicy fish stew, bibimbap and oth­ers) on the spot or bring your own lunch. After lunch, we will have the option of ice-skating or hiking around the lake, which takes about one hour. Be sure to dress warmly and bring hiking shoes or skates if you own them.

Our bus will depart from in front of the Yongsan Post office at 8:30 a.m. and return is slated for around 7:30 p.m. The cost of the tour is W46, 000 for members and for non-members W55,000. 

TO: R.A.S.                                    

PLEASE RESERVE SPACE ON THEWINTER BREAK EXCURSION ONSUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2012 FOR THE FOLLOWING:

NAME:_________________________________________ MEMBER____ NON‑MEMBER____

NAME:_________________________________________ MEMBER____ NON‑MEMBER____

PHONE NO. (Mobile)_________________________   (email)               ____________________

AMOUNT ENCLOSED:_______________________ SIGNATURE________________________

Please make a payment to the following account: Shinhan Bank Account #100-026-383501 (RAS-KB)