Tag: Mountains

  • Lauren Maslin: A Road Trip to Korea’s East Coast with Friends ~ May 2025 친구들과 떠난 동해안 로드 트립 2025 년 5월

    친구들과 떠난 동해안 로드 트립

    지난주, 나흘 동안의 연휴가 있어서 유학생들과 한인 친구들과 함께 재미있는 계획을 세웠다.
    가족과 도로 여행을 간 적은 있었지만, 이번 여행은 친구들끼리만 간 첫 여행이라서 출발 전부터 정말 설렜다.E

    우리는 함께 이야기한 끝에 한국 동해안으로 로드 트립을 가기로 결정했다.
    내가 지금까지 한국에서 본 곳들 중에서 동해안이 가장 아름다웠다.
    바다는 파란 마노처럼 반짝였고, 해변은 부드러운 꿀빛 모래로 가득했다.
    산은 나무로 덮인 이불처럼 포근했고, 설탕 뿔처럼 하늘을 향해 우뚝 솟아 있었다.

    작은 마을은 조용하고 평화로웠으며, 사람들은 여유롭고 소박하게 살아가고 있었다.
    저녁이 되면 우리는 해변에서 축구를 하고, 불가사리와 조개껍데기를 찾으며 웃음을 나눴다.
    낮에는 산을 오르며 맑은 공기를 한껏 마셨다.

    매일 아침하고 저녁마다 게하 주인분이 우리에게 밥을 챙겨주셨다. 너무 맛있어서 식사를 순식간에 먹어버렸다… 그래서 사진은 없다 ㅋㅋㅋ 음식이 맛있었을 뿐만 아니라 게스트 하우스 주인분이 너무 친절하셨다. 게스트 하우스 주인분의 성격이 좋아서 그 게스트 하우스에 있는 동안 진짜 편하게 지냈다 ^^

     

    그때 우리는 세상에서 가장 행복한 사람들이었다!
    동해안의 평화롭고 아름다운 분위기는 우리를 떠나고 싶지 않게 만들었지만,
    너무 빨리 다시 도시로 돌아와야 했다.

    최근에 한국 시를 읽고 영감을 받아 내 시를 썼다.마음에 들었으면 좋겠다!

    바다는 우리 앞에서 뛰어올랐고
    기쁨의 춤을 추었네
    우리도 모래 언덕에서 뛰어내리며
    모든 지난날을 잊고
    즐겁게 웃었지

    도시의 오염된 공기가
    우리를 아프게 했지만
    바다의 짠 공기가
    우리에게 힘을 주었네

    우리는 산을 올라 바다를 바라보았고
    햇살이 지고 있었지만
    우리는 따뜻함을 느꼈네
    바다의 따뜻함
    친구들의 따뜻함
    단순함의 따뜻함
    기쁨의 따뜻함

    나는 곧 다시 돌아가서 동해안의 평화로움과 아름다움을 다시 경험할 계획이다.

    (photo taken by my friend 🙂 )  

    A Road Trip to Korea’s East Coast with Friends

    Last week, we had a four-day holiday, so I made some fun plans with international and Korean friends.
    I’ve been on road trips with my family before, but this was my very first trip with just friends, so I was especially excited.

    After talking it over together, we decided to go on a road trip to the East coast of Korea. Out of all the places I’ve seen in Korea so far, the East coast was by far the most beautiful. The ocean sparkled like blue agate, and the beach was covered in soft, honey-coloured sand. The mountains were wrapped in a blanket of trees and rose tall like cones of sugar.

    The small town was quiet and peaceful, and the people lived simple, relaxed lives.
    In the evenings, we played football on the beach and found starfish and shells.
    During the day, we hiked in the mountains and breathed in the crisp, clean air.

    Every morning and evening, the guest house host made food for us. It was so tasty that I finished my meal in no time… so there are no pictures hahaha! Not only was the food delicious, but the host was also really kind. She had a great personality, so we felt very comfortable whilst staying at her place 😊

    At that moment, we were the happiest people in the world.
    The peaceful and beautiful atmosphere of the East coast made us never want to leave, but all too soon, we had to return to the city.

    I have recently been reading some Korean poetry. Inspired, I have written a poem of my own. I hope you like it!

    The sea leaped up before us,
    Dancing a joyful dance.
    We too leapt from the sandy banks,
    Forgetting all the days that had passed,
    Laughing joyfully.

    The polluted air of the city
    Had made us sick,
    But now the salty air
    Gives us strength.

    We climbed a mountain and looked to the sea,
    Though the sun was setting,
    We felt warmth,
    The warmth of the sea,
    The warmth of friends,
    The warmth of simplicity,
    The warmth of joy

    I plan to return soon and once again experience the tranquillity and beauty of the East Coast.

  • Cosmo de Bono: A Trip to the Alishan Mountains – March 2024

    阿里山之旅:

     
    我來台灣已經七個月了,雖然感覺沒那麼長。現在是國語中心的春季學期,我的語言學習進步順利。
    現在是三月,我決定去台灣南部的阿里山玩玩兒幾天。阿里山是台灣有名的自然風景區,茶葉和櫻花。
    不過,從台北到阿里山並不簡單。我需要從台北坐高鐵到嘉義市一個在與南部的城市。從嘉義出發以後,我又坐了阿里山森林鐵路,但是這個鐵路不到阿里山。坐完火車以後,還要坐一個小時的車才能到阿里山。雖然旅程非常長,但是火車上的景色太好了,而且還能穿越森林。
    阿里山有幾個道步。第一天,我散步上了阿里山的最高點-大塔山頂(海拔 2,666 公尺)。道步旅行很美,但是有很多台階…
    在阿里山的隔天,我早上 5 點起床,坐日出小火車了。這輛火車會到高山上的一個觀景點,然後你就可以觀賞日出了。然而,我去的時候是陰天,但日出的景色依然很美。然後散步下山,大約 90 分鐘。
    一般來說,每年的 3 月和 4 月是遊覽阿里山的最佳時節,因為這時候可以看到櫻花。我去的時候其實是櫻花盛開的季節,所以大部分樹都開了花,但花還沒完全綻放。
    阿里山最吸引我的地方是它的環境。我過去不認為台北是一個繁忙或緊張的城市,事實上,我還認為跟歐洲城市比,台北真的很平靜,但台灣南部更平靜。我現在明白為什麼台灣南部的人會開玩笑說台北人總是「匆匆忙忙」的了!
    我計劃不久以後去高雄旅行,我非常期待這次旅行。
    感謝您們閱讀我的報告,希望您們喜歡這些照片!

     

     

     

    A Trip to Alishan:
    I’ve been in Taiwan for seven months now, although it doesn’t feel that long. It’s now the spring term at the language centre and I’m making good progress with language learning.
    As it’s March I decided to go to Alishan in the south of Taiwan for a few days. Alishan is a famous area in Taiwan for its natural scenery, tea and cherry blossoms.
    It’s not easy to get from Taipei to Alishan though. I had to take the High-Speed Rail from Taipei to Chiayi – a city in the south. From Chiayi I then took the Alishan Forest Railway, but this doesn’t arrive in Alishan. After the train journey you still have to take a 1 hour bus journey to get to Alishan. Although the journey was really long, the train ride was amazing as there were amazing views and you travelled through the forest.


    In Alishan there are several hiking trails. On my first day I hiked to the top of Datashan, which is the highest point in Alishan (2,666m). The hike was beautiful but there were a lot of stairs…
    On my second day in Alishan I got up at 5am and took the sunrise train. This train arrives at a viewpoint high up on a mountain and you can then watch the sunrise. Unfortunately, it was quite cloudy when I was there but the views were still incredible. You then walk back down the mountain which takes about 90 minutes.
    March and April are generally considered the best time of year to visit Alishan as this is when you can see the cherry blossoms. I went early in cherry blossom season, so most of the trees had blossoms but the flowers hadn’t fully blossomed yet.
    My favourite part about Alishan was the quiet atmosphere. I never used to consider Taipei as a busy or stressful city, in fact, I still think that compared to European cities Taipei is really calm, but the south of Taiwan is even calmer. I now understand why people in the South of Taiwan joke that people from Taipei are always in a rush!
    I’m planning a trip to Kaohsiung soon which I’m really looking forward to.
    Thanks for reading my report and I hope you enjoy the photos!

  • Mayo – ¡Mi penultimo mes en Valencia! | May – My penultimate month in Valencia!

    He llegado a mi penúltimo mes en Valencia

    Actualmente, me encuentro mucho más enfocado en la universidad y preparándome para regresar a casa. A pesar del ajetreo, logré terminar mis lecciones universitarias y tareas finales, y pronto tendré mis exámenes finales para todas mis asignaturas. ¡Estoy deseoso por finalmente terminar mis estudios!

    El clima se ha vuelto más cálido, y he aprovechado al máximo visitando la playa más a menudo, ya que las partes principales de Valencia pueden ser demasiado calurosas. Sin embargo, lo más destacado de este mes fue algo completamente inesperado: ¡escalada en roca! Me topé con un curso para principiantes y pensé que sería divertido probarlo.

    Una mañana de domingo, me levanté temprano para tomar un tren a Puzol, un pequeño pueblo cerca de Valencia, donde fui a las peñas de güaita para comenzar la escalada en roca. El instructor proporcionó todo el equipo y me enseñó cómo escalar, rappelar y asegurar al escalador desde el suelo, todo en español. Aunque fue un poco confuso al principio, hubo una demostración visual que me ayudó a entender el concepto.

     

     

     

     

    Después de que superé el miedo inicial, no tenía problemas para escalar, y fue sorprendemente tranquilo allí arriba. La impresionante vista fue definitivamente una ventaja. No tenía idea que existiera un lugar tan hermoso cerca de Valencia, y aparentemente, hay muchos otros lugares para hacer escalada en roca por aquí. Me hizo feliz probar algo que no tendría la oportunidad de hacer en Inglaterra, ¡especialmente con su clima!


     

    I have reached my penultimate month in Valencia!

    Currently, I find myself much more focused on university and preparing to go back home. Despite the busyness, I managed to finish my university lessons and final tasks, and soon I’ll have my final exams for all my modules. I am looking forward to finally finishing my studies!

    The weather has been getting hotter, and I’ve been making the most of it by visiting the beach more often since the main parts of Valencia can be too hot. However, the highlight of this month was something completely unexpected – rock climbing! I stumbled upon a course for beginners and thought it would be fun to give it a try.

    One Sunday morning, I woke up early to catch a train to Puzol, a small town outside Valencia, where I went to the peñas de güaita to start rock climbing. The instructor provided all the equipment and taught me how to climb, abseil, and belay, all in Spanish. Though it was a bit confusing at first, having the visual demonstration helped me grasp the concept.

    Once I got over the initial fear, I realized that I had no problem climbing to the top, and it was surprisingly peaceful up there. The stunning view was definitely a plus. I had no idea such a beautiful place existed so close to Valencia, and apparently, there are many other places to go rock climbing around here. It made me happy to try something that I wouldn’t typically get the chance to do in England, especially not in such great weather!

     

    Unfortunately, my time in Spain is coming to an end, and this will be my last full month here. I’ll be leaving in June after finishing my exams. Despite the busy schedule, I hope to find some other fun things to do before I go!

  • Green for miles!

    After a tough climb to the top, the views from Burg Lindelbrunn were stunning and so worth the burning thighs. We ended the climb with a traditional German meal in a hut in the woods at the bottom of the climb. A really unforgettable day.

    Burg Lindelbrunn
  • Die schwäbische Alb entdecken: Harry Nellis – December 2020

    Hallo und willkommen zurück zum Blog! Weihnachten nähert sich mit großen Schritten und eine Weihnachtsstimmung herrscht über das Land – trotz der Einführung eines noch stärkeren Lockdowns. In meiner Stadt und der lokalen Region hat es auch mehrmals geschneit, was total magisch war! Wir finden mehr darüber später im Bericht…

    Am Anfang des Monats bin ich meine neue WG eingezogen, was bisher super gewesen ist! Meine MitbewohnerInnen sind sehr nett und haben mich herzlich empfangen. Wir haben Spielabende und Filmnächte veranstaltet, wobei ich die Anderen besser kennenlernen konnte und mein Deutsch öfter als vorher geübt habe. Am Samstag wurde ich sogar von zwei mit Horror angestarrt und dann korrigiert, weil ich ein Pils ‚aus dem falschen Glas‘ getrunken habe. Hier trinkt man Pils NIE aus einem Weizenglas – Anfängerfehler! Wir haben uns am Ende aber darüber gelacht…

    Ich hab’s auch geschafft, ein paar Tagesausflüge in der Region zu machen. Ich bin mit Freunden mit der Bahn nach Rottweil gefahren, wo wir eine Art traditionellem Weihnachtsmarkt erfahren haben. Der Markt wurde mit vielen Ställen durch die unglaublich schöne Altstadt geteilt, mit kleinen Geschenken, Süßigkeiten und
    Glühwein im Angebot. Deshalb war es kein normaler Weihnachtsmarkt, aber wir konnten trotzdem das Weihnachtsgefühl merken. Auf der Webseite der Stadt wird’s behauptet, die Stadt sei die Älteste Baden-Württembergs, und das kann man schon merken. Als ich die von mir gemachten Bilder meiner Familie geschickt habe, war die Reaktion so, die Stadt sieht wie ein ‚Toy Town‘ aus, was meiner Meinung nach Rottweil perfekt beschreibt.

    Diese Woche war ich auch zweimal auf der schwäbischen Alb, ein Gebirge, das nur 40 Minuten von Stuttgart mit dem Auto zu erreichen ist. Das erste Mal war ich mit einem Kollegen unterwegs und gestern war ich mit ein paar Kumpels. Der Schnee war 20 Zentimeter dick, die Landschaft bergig und auch vom Wald bedeckt. Die Ausblicke waren einfach atemberaubend! Wir haben auch einen kleinen Hofladen besucht, wo traditionelle Leckereien wie Käse und Marmelade verfügbar waren. In Bad Urach, habe ich über die Geschichte der Burgruinen gelernt, die ursprünglich Teil einer Burg waren, die erst im Jahr 1045 erbaut wurde. Später wurde die Stätte als ein Gefängnis benutzt – es war total wahnsinnig zu vorstellen, dass einmal Leute hier gewohnt haben und auch gefangen waren.

    Ich würde in kürzer Zeit bestimmt wieder auf die schwäbische Alb fahren, da es dort viele Stücke Geschichte, schöne Wanderungen und herrliche Burgen gibt. Wenn es wieder schneit, wär’s super! Vielleicht würdet ihr mehr darüber im nächsten Bericht lesen… Bis dann!

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    Hello and welcome back to the blog! Christmas is getting ever closer and there’s a festive spirit prevailing over the country – in spite of the introduction of a stricter lockdown. It’s snowed several times in my town and the local region, which was so magical! We’ll find out more about that later in the report…

    At the start of the month I moved into my new flat-share, which has been great up to this point! My flat mates are lovely and have given me a warm welcome. We’ve put on games’ and film evenings, where I got to know the others better and was able to practice my German more often than before. On Saturday, two of my flatmates even stared at me in horror and corrected me due to the fact that I was drinking a Pilsner beer ‘out of the wrong glass’. Here, you NEVER drink Pilsner out of a wheat beer glass – beginner’s mistake. We were able to have a laugh about it in the end.

    I also managed to go on some day trips in the region. I took the train to Rottweil with some friends, where we experienced a kind of Christmas market. The market was spread throughout the absolutely gorgeous old town, with loads of stalls, small gifts, sweets and mulled wine on offer. It wasn’t a normal Christmas market, but we were able to notice the Christmas spirit nonetheless. The town’s website claims that it is the oldest in Baden-Württemberg, and you can definitely notice that! When I sent the pictures, I took to my family, they described it as a toy town, which suits Rottweil perfectly.

    This week I also went to the Swabian Jura twice, a mountain range that is just 40 minutes away from Stuttgart in the car. The first time I went with a colleague and then I visited again yesterday with a couple of friends. The snow was 20cm thick, the landscape was mountainous and covered by forest. The views were simply breath-taking. We visited a small farm shop, where you could buy traditional delicacies such as cheese and marmalade. In Bad Urach, I learnt about the history of the ruins there, which were originally part of a castle that was built in 1045. The site was later used as a prison and it was crazy to imagine that people had once lived and been imprisoned there.

    I’ll definitely return to the Swabian Jura soon, because there’s so many pieces of history, gorgeous walks and magnificent castles to visit. It would be so good if it were to snow again! Maybe you’ll read more about it in the next blog… see you then!