Tongdosa Temple (통도사) photo walk: hongmaehwa 홍매화 (red Japanese apricot) taken on Feb.14, 2017

After long and boring winter time, the news of the blossoms (named maehwa 매화 in Korean: Japanese apricot) always make us excited about spring coming.

This is hongmaehwa (홍매화; nicknamed Jajang maehwa, 자장매화) in front of Yonggak (용각) at Tongdosa (통도사, 通度寺: one of the three major temples in South Korea) in Yangsan (양산). Catching these blossoms at their peak means paying close attention to any news about them in February because their peak is so brief. Even if you feel like you're still in the middle of winter, the blossoms appear in February!

There are more maehwa trees (매화나무) in this temple. The flowers with different colors of dark pink, pink, and white bloom in turns from February until early March. They make a gorgeous background for the very old temple buildings, and make some great photography.

The photos above were also taken at the temple. Since it was built in 646 it has shown graceful, noble and deeply-delicate colors which aren't found in any modern buildings or structures

How to get to Tongdosa if you're in Busan, South Korea? 

Take an inter-city bus bound for Tongdosa at Busan Dongbu Intercity Bus Terminal (부산동부시외버스터미널) in Nopo-dong, Busan, South Korea. (On Google map, its name is Busan Central Bus Terminal). It's located at Nopo subway station (노포역, Line 1)

(1) bus schedule:

06:30/06:50/07:10/07:30/07:50/08:10/08:30/08:50/09:10/09:30/09:50/

10:10/10:30/10:50/11:10/11:30/11:50/12:10/12:40/13:10/13:30/13:50/

14:10/14:30/14:50/15:10/15:30/15:50/16:10/16:30/16:50/17:10/17:30/

17:50/18:10/18:30/18:50/19:10/19:30/20:00/20:30/21:00

(2) fare: 2,200 won (KRW)

(3) how long: 30 minutes

(as of February 18, 2017)

*After getting off at Sinpyong Bus Terminal (신평버스터미널), walk to the Tongdosa ticket booth (통도사 매표소) and pay 3,000 won (KRW).

Walking on the peaceful pine tree path will take you there in about 30 minutes. 

*If you get to the temple in time, 11:30~12:30, for lunch, you can have a free meal of bibimbab (비빔밥: a bowl of hot white rice topped with sautéed and seasoned vegetables (나물)) and a bit of chili pepper paste (고추장) for lunch at Gongyanggan (dining room, 공양간). You can ask anyone in gray baggy pants where the place for the meal is, saying "공양간이 어디입니까?"

Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁) photo walk in Seoul, South Korea: taken on Jan. 27, 2017

These photos were taken at one of the palaces of Seoul, South Korea called Deoksugung (덕수궁). Compared with more sprawling palaces like Gyeongbokgung (경복궁) or Changceokgung (창덕궁), Deoksugung is a very manageable spot for photowalkers, yet filled graceful and photogenic sights that impress photographers. The traditional and western-style buildings embody Korea's wide-ranging history before and during the Japanese colonial times. Furthermore, because it has fewer visitors than the other palaces, it's especially attractive to photographers.

More information on Deoksugung Palace:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264316
http://www.deoksugung.go.kr/eng/index.asp

Among the palaces in Seoul, South Korea, Deoksugung (덕수궁) has a western-style building named Seokjojeon(석조전), completed in 1910, where the emperor and empress stayed. It has a beautiful water fountain in front, which adds to the visual impression on warmer days. There have been many kinds of photo shooting at this place.  

You can get into it only after booking a visit online, or:
http://www.deoksugung.go.kr/eng/visitor/guided.asp
http://www.deoksugung.go.kr/cms/board/suk_res2/step0.asp

If you aren't Korean, up to five people are allowed to enter at a designated time on 'first come first serve' basis. The tour lasts for 45 minutes. English, Chinese, and Japanese audio guides are available at the information desk for free.

15 people at a time are allowed to get inside led by a guide. When I took this tour, I tried to stay away from the group of them to take pictures, but an annoyed-looking guy in glasses forced me to stay only in the group. I photographed a lot of gorgeous subjects such as the sunbeam coming through the window in the dark, bedrooms, stairs, reception room, lobby, dining room, bathroom, so on. 

It was pretty dark inside, so you need to secure proper ISO (I set it at 250~320 sometimes 800). Of course, you can neither use the tripod and flash nor video. 

It took about 45 minutes to look around. The guide let us take pictures at some certain areas during the tour, but, you know, it wasn't good enough because all of the tourists started to use their camera and phone at the same time in the same room.

AT 11:00, 14:00, 15:30 (except Mondays, winter days below -5℃,  rainy and snowy days) there is the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Daehan Gate (대한문: the gate of the palace). This event is fantastic enough that you'll have a wonderful collection of photos. They looked charismatic and brave as if they were real guards. It includes marches with a band dressed in yellow playing traditional music. I recommend you watch any video of this performance (Deoksugung royal guard changing ceremony, 덕수궁 왕궁수문장 교대식) on YouTube and think about which spot you need to stand for your photography. You just have 15 minutes to watch the show. 

More information on the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony:

http://www.deoksugung.go.kr/eng/royalguards/index.asp

Near the palace, you can find another photogenic and exotic place for your photography: Anglican Church of Seoul (대한성공회 서울주교좌성당) built in Romanesque style in 1926. I just missed the chance to enter this church; it opens from 11:00~16:00.

Whenever I visit those palaces in Seoul, I take pictures of them with a slightly heavy heart. Although there are so many subjects there for my photography, they used to be majestic places for the absolute monarch with power and authority, but when this country was merged into Japan, countless people were killed and sacrificed with the collapse of one dynasty. Walking around there, I imagine whether I could have been inside the places as an ordinary person in the past as well. How would it feel?