Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Fascinating Bicycle Trip - WSK newsletter - Know Korea!

In spite of the landscapes you’ve seen many times while going to work, home, or other places on foot, by train or airplane, every time you will get a different impression according to which vehicle you are riding, and how you look at it. Of course, there is no need to tell that riding a bicycle is the perfect choice to enjoy this recent spring breeze. Then, how much do you know about the bicycle and how far have you traveled with it?
Get ready to leave into the warm spring sunlight, if you don’t want to miss the beautiful landscapes of Korea!
Pleasant playground for bicycle riders, Gwangnaru Bicycle Park
Bicycle riders along the path in Gwangnaru bicycle park
Have you been to Gwangnaru Bicycle Park? It is a new park which has many facilities including the 124,000㎡(1,335 square feet) wide of bicycle racing stadium, a bicycle experiencing park, a bicycle training place for children, and a rail bike place.
Especially, the racing stadium which placed the bumpy paths and other challenging obstacles is very popular among riders and manias who have special bicycles like Mountain bike (MTB) or Bicycle Motocross (BMX).
Besides, you can try about 80 kinds of unique bicycles such as the one riding on square wheels, the one moving aside, the one that moves when lying on it and the one that a couple can drive facing each other, which is the first ‘Bicycle experiencing place’ in Korea. ‘Rail bike’ that is drawing a huge popularity in Jeongseon in Gangwon-do, Gokseong in Jeollanam-do is also open to public.

Why don’t you have this exciting experience that will keep yourself out of the stuffy city!
 
Location: 483-8 Cheonho 2dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
Holidays: every Monday
Available hours: 09:00~18:00, (Nov~Feb) 10:00~17:00, (May~August) 09:00~19:00
Contact/Info.: 02-120 / Night time: 02-3780-0777  

Memoir on ‘Nostalgia’ bicycle paths in OkCheon
Bicycle riders on 200li(=49miles) long ‘nostalgia’ paths with full of forsythia in OkCheon
While passing through the ‘Nostalgia’ bicycle paths in Okcheon, visitors can enjoy not only the beautiful Daecheong Lake but also the spirit of the poetry town where the pioneer of Korea’s modern poet and the writer of ‘Nostalgia’, Jeong Ji-yong was born. Why don’t you give a wonderful day-off to yourself to get out of the repeated routine and soak up the beautiful scenery of the countryside and its friendly atmosphere?
Through the hiking course, ‘Nostalgia 100li(=24 miles)’, people can have a look at the overall shape of Korean peninsula from Mt. Dunjoo after visiting the birthplace of Jeong Ji-yong and the literary museum where people can still feel his spirit. It became very popular after being introduced by one of the famous TV programs in Korea, reality-variety show ‘1 night and 2 days’ show on the KBS2.
The length of the course is about 82km (=132 miles) long, and it takes approximately five hours and a half to complete it. It includes smooth paths for beginners and unpaved roads and forest roads which are the favorites of intermediate and advanced mountain bikers and manias.

Location: Okcheon-eub, Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
Contact/Info.: 043-730-3501~2 (Okcheon-gun Division of Culture and Tourism)


All About Bicycle, Sangju Bicycle Museum
Unique Bicycles displayed in exhibit hall of Sangju Bicycle Museum
No worries for those who cannot ride a bicycle! Sangju Bicycle Museum will give you the satisfaction.
This museum, which focuses on bicycle for the first time in Korea, was established in Sangju which is famous for a number of bicycles and its citizens who enjoy riding them rather than cars on their way to school, work, home and even picnic.
In this museum, which is called ‘the heaven of bicycle’ and ‘a school of bicycle’, you can take a whole look at everything about bicycle including its history, design, and so on. It introduces the history of bicycles through its 60 bicycles displayed in the exhibit hall and you will definitely enjoy the various experiencing halls about bicycles, including the souvenir shop.
Sangju must be the wonderful place to remind you of all the happiness, heartbeat, other memories with lovers.
 
Location: Ilwon San 3-4, Donam-dong, Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Contact/Info.: 054-534-4973
Available Hour: Summer (April~ Oct) 09:00 ~ 18:00, Winter (Nov~March) 09:00 ~ 17:00
Holiday: every Monday (Tuesday applies when Monday is a National Holiday)
Jan 1, Luna New Years day, Chuseok (Thanksgiving day of Korea), and other closing days by Sangju mayor

Why don’t we go on the bicycle trip to every corner of Korea this coming Spring!

※ Photographs : Korea Tourism Organization


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