When it stops raining, Daegu becomes quite charming. You can finally leave your hotel room and venture towards the mountains that surround the city and shelter many traditional temples.
One of the must-sees in Daegu is the Bullo Dong Ancient Tomb Park, in the northern part of the city, on the way to Mount Palgongsan. The park has about 200 traditional Korean tombs, dating from the 6th century and they are believed to be the tombs of those who ruled the area.
The bodies and items like pottery, iron weapons, gold ornaments were placed in stone crypts, then a large stone was placed on top, onto which dirt was piled, until they got their distinctive shape.
The site offers a nice and tranquil walk between the lush green ball-looking tombs and it’s also a perfect place for picnic. I met a large Korean family who was having lunch and who generously offered me some potatoes :).
After the tombs, Mount Palgongsan is a perfect place for some more serious hikes and temples watching. The mount has three peaks, Birobong and Dongbong which are the highest (1,155m) and Seobong. On the way up there are a number of Buddhist temples where you can stop anytime. I stopped at Donghwasa, which is one of the biggest and oldest, dating from the 9th century
The hike to Dongbong which I took was lovely and not too difficult but it was very misty and raining by the time I reached the peak so I couldn’t see the view from the top (which I read that it’s a very picturesque one).
I managed to get home in time, before the rain started again.
And on my way home I experienced a big dose of Korean hospitality: I was offered a delicious peach by an old lady who was selling them close to the trails, then a nice couple offered me a ride to the bus station and finally, an old lady in the bus gave me her coat as she saw me shivering from the freezing AC.
I accepted all three of them. I was very happy to meet such nice and warm people.