Seoul: Climbing and looking at bikes

My inner mountain goat had me searching for hills as soon as I could break away from the office during my trip to Seoul. The sprawling mega city is home to 37 mountains, so I didn’t have to go far. Unfortunately, I didn’t travel with my bike this time. Just a five-minute ride from my hotel, there’s a decent little climb up Mt. Bugaksan. I’m not sure how long it is, though, because about half a kilometer up the hill, the road and foot trail diverge.

The trail is beautifully done, with crushed cinders instead of a cement sidewalk, like you often find in China. I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t plan on scampering around on the mountain too long. Once I got into it, I was tempted to hike the entire trail. But I didn’t bring any water so I decided not to. I also ran into some kind of ranger station where hikers need to register for some kind of permit. I tried to breeze through it, but a guy chased me down the trail and caught me. I just decided to turn around. Anyway, the views from the mountain were spectacular.

A few more random thoughts and photos:

At the base of Mt. Bugaksan, I saw these cyclists beginning their climb. I really envied them.

Some areas in Seoul have some great bike lanes.

A little modesty, please. I wasn't that impressed.

Enjoying ice cream while trying to kickstart a career in fashion design. These gals are displaying their clothes on the sidewalk in Samcheongdong. I admire their entrepeneurial spirit.