Seoul Dream Forest

Jonathan and I have been rather lazy about getting out and exploring Seoul. During each two-month term we get two weekends off, so that means that most weekends we are on duty and have weekend activities to do or lead out. On Saturday afternoon when we're done our duties, we're usually pretty tired from the week and busy weekend so far, so we usually just relax and rest for the rest of the day. Sunday sometimes goes the same way, but with some computer work added in that we haven't done during the week. So when the second half of May came around, we suddenly realized that our time in South Korea is starting to wind down and there's still so much more we want to see and do in Seoul and the rest of this beautiful country.

We made a point to actually leave our neighbourhood and get out to see something new on Sunday, May 20. We took a subway in the opposite direction than we normally do and headed further away from downtown (we live about a 30-minute subway ride from downtown). After changing subways for one stop, we waited out in the hot sun at a bus stop, and then caught the bus going to Seoul Dream Forest. About 10 minutes later we hopped off the bus, crossed a busy street and then forgot about the city as we wandered around the park's walkways for a good chunk of the hot afternoon. Despite it's name, Seoul Dream Forest is not really a forest, although it does have a nice collection of trees. It's more like a manicured park with lawns and flower gardens, ponds and fountains, and lots of other interesting features. There were many families out also enjoying the sunny day and lots of young couples with small children. I had a lot of fun watching the kids run around enjoying the nature within the city.

Model of Seoul in the Visitor's Center

Listening to birds and other forest sounds through the built-in headphones

There were different sizes of built-in seats

Seokgyo (Stone Bridge) - a zigzag walkway over one side of a pond

Wolgwang (Moonlight) Falls

Wolyeongji (Moon Reflecting Pond)

Water lilies

The full water bucket tipped over and splashed the kids in the wading pool

Kids playing in the Jumping Fountain

Part of the park from a little ways up a hill

The observatory - we saw it from the main area of the park below and had to hike up the hill to check it out!

Slope elevator to get up the first part of the observatory

View of one part of Seoul from the top of the observatory - a large part of the park can be seen in the bottom half of the picture

One of the many net golf driving ranges in Seoul

A overhanging cafe in the park - they seemed to really like dramatic architecture here

A park caretaker vehicle

Seoul kids keeping cool in a stream

Some of the park from a ridge-top walking trail (the observatory can be seen on the opposite hill)

In one part of the park there was a Deer Garden, an enclosure with quite a number of resident spotted deer

It even included these little wooden huts for the deer to use as shade

Botanical Garden

There were just so many beautiful flowers all over the park to take pictures of...

It was such a warm day that we drank all the water we had brought along very quickly. After exploring most of the park,
we spotted a little snack shop and picked up a couple containers of Dippin' Dots to keep us cool!

This cat we spotted near the entrance of the park looked so much like my (Ali) old cat, Lumby, that I just had to get a picture

Chilpokji (Seven Waterfall Pond)

Potted poppies

Late afternoon sun on the pond by the entrance

On our walk back to the subway, we saw this vehicle parked with one whole wheel off the ground. Picture-worthy, no?