Gyeongju

There are two things that I adore about Korea more than all else: the beautiful fall and Gyeongju. 

The fall here is unreal. The colors are so vivid, the air crisp and clean, and everything just feels so fresh. Japanese Maples are everywhere, and are seriously the most amazing trees I have ever seen. The colors are incredible, the leave so beautiful. In Seoul we were fortunate enough to have a large Japanese Maple in our yard. In the summer it shaded Emily's play and in the fall it was the source of much joy as I watched it's leaves change. I have such fond memories of Emily and our puppy Sophie romping through the leaves together. I love the fall; I love Korea in the fall.

Gyeongju is a hidden little town about an hour from Busan. It was the ancient capital of the Silla dynasty for hundreds of years and as such is literally a living museum. Because of it's tucked away nature it somehow (miraculously) survived the many wars and sieges of Korea's history unscathed. 1000 year old Buddhas grace the hills. Ancient temples abound highlighting a colorful past. Grassy burial mounds seem to arise out of nowhere. It is a place that I find so peaceful, beautiful and literally breathtaking. We discovered this beautiful place when we lived in Seoul before. We made it Gyeongju twice: once in the summer and once in the all. I always vowed if we were ever back in the fall we would visit again, and this fall I made true to my promise. It was crazy busy, packed, but it did not fail me. We only made it to one temple, Bulguksa, but I loved it. I look forward to more falls and more trips to Gyeongju.