Korea Travel Online

Photo by Jonathan Harrell, http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com

Korea Tourism Organization, Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education, together with the city of Gimhae arranged a cultural trip for Busan TaLK and EPIK teachers to Gimhae.

The trip was scheduled from April 27-28 to coincide with the Gaya Culture Festival (가야문화축제). This way, the participants will be able to learn about the Gaya culture and take part in the various programs and festivities at the festival. The two-days and one-night program included a hanok-stay experience, pottery-making, bibimbap-making, visiting the observatory, etc.

Gimhae is a city rich in historical legacy. It was the seat of the Gaya Kingdom (42 – 532 CE) and was referred to as the Kingdom of Iron because of its iron work and pottery that blossomed for 500 years.

Today, thanks to the city’s convenient transportation such as the airport, seaport, railway, and highways, Gimhae is not only a dynamic and ever growing city but is also in perfect harmony with the past and the present.

Gimhae Attractions http://bit.ly/YfKLyv
Gimhae Tours http://bit.ly/WZwsEG
More about Gaya http://bit.ly/XYZAGA

Here are some of the places that the Busan TaLK and EPIK teachers went to:
(click on the names of the places for more info)

Clayarch Gimhae Museum (클레이아크 김해미술관)

Photos by Jonathan Harrell, http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com

Clay Academy at Clayarch Gimhae Museum

Photos by Jonathan Harrell, http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com

Tomb of King Suro (수로왕릉)

Photo by Jonathan Harrell, http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com

Gimhae Astronomical Observatory (김해천문대)

Photo by Jonathan Harrell, http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com

Gimhae Hanok Experience Hall (김해한옥체험관)

Daeseongdong Tombs Museum (대성동고분박물관)

Photo by Jonathan Harrell, http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com

Here are some testimonials from the participants:

Jonathan Harrell

Just had a fantastic trip to Gimhae—I enjoyed experiencing the unique sights and sounds of the Gimhae Culture Festival, sleeping in the warm and cosy Gimhae Hanok Experience Hall, and learning about the ancient Gaya kingdom through tomb excavations and artifacts. The food was also top-notch!

Read Jonathan's blog for more:

Part 1 → http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/gimhae-culture-trip-part-1/

Part 2 → http://unvoyageextraordinaire.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/gimhae-culture-trip-part-2/

Kristen Helberg

I was fortunate enough to have a spot on the Cultural Tour to Gimhae this past weekend. It was exceptionally generous of the BMCOE to organise such a trip for the foreign teachers in Busan. I feel like I really benefited from this trip and learned some interesting facts about Korean culture. The ceramic making and Daesong-dong Tombs Museum were two of my favourite activities, as well as the Gaya Culture Festival, which was really enjoyable! The accommodation was really excellent and a definite highlight of the weekend! Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy Korean culture!

Michael Chun

Guest English Teacher
Yongho-dong Elementary

I'd like to thank the BMOE and the organizers of this past weekend's trip to Gimhae. The trip was superbly planned allowing us to experience a truly wonderful side of Gimhae. The museums allowed us a historical view into Gimhae's past, and the Kaya cultural festival allowed us a cultural view of Gimhae's present. I would definitely recommend to friends to visit this rich neighboring city.

Susan Lee

I really enjoyed the trip. Learning about the history of the Gaya culture was interesting but the museums were a little dull. My favourite was the Korean traditional housing we slept at. It was a unique experience and I would love to go there again. Thanks for organizing another fun cultural experience!

Alex Costa

Last weekend, I went on a teacher's trip to Gimhae, and I had a great time. Between making my own sculpture at the Clayarch museum, flying kites at the Gaya Cultural Festival, hearing about the history of the Gaya region at the tomb of King Suro, and staying in a traditional Hanok village, there was plenty to see and do. The food was also so delicious, and I will never forget the kind ladies at the Hanok village who showed us how to make bibimbap. The trip gave me a new appreciation for Korea's long and fascinating history, and I'm so happy I went. This trip was amazing, and I can't wait to see what the next one will be! Thanks again for a great weekend!

Laura Callan

Busan TaLK/EPIK/CPIK Teacher - Gimhae Tour
Really enjoyed the Gaya Festival in Gimhae and the traditional Hanok accommodation! The park in Gimhae is a must see on a warm lazy afternoon with an icecream!

Georgina Simpson

Busan Native English Teacher - Gimhae Tour! Thanks for a fantastic weekend! Great new friends, loved the organisation, the food was incredible, and the observatory and Gaya Festival where especially awesome to experience :) Hopefully the first of many adventures together!

Dan Cho

Overall a wonderful trip, however I found the trip to the museums to be a little boring. A lot of the artifacts were things I had seen at other Korean museums.

Jin Kim

The trip to Gimhae was a refreshing taste of Korean culture. I thoroughly enjoyed the many activities and events put forth to us by the BMOE.
We were fortunate to explore many museums filled with ancient artifacts important not only to the city but to the Korean culture. King Suro’s tomb was especially fascinating as I was able to learn about one faction of the Kim name, the Gimhae Kim's, which I later found out I was not a part of T.T. We also spent a beautiful day at the Gaya cultural festival where I personally experienced a sense overload. The music, the food, it was an amalgamation of traditional and contemporary with performances from current kpop to traditional dances.
After an eventful day of exploring, the day was wrapped perfectly by the traditional hotel we stayed in for the night. The architecture was unbelievable and it felt like we had gone back in time. This trip has truly been an unforgettable experience, one which has further prepared me to appreciate the Korean culture. Many thanks to BMOE and all involved for providing us with such great memories!

Alaina Park Yan Lau

The best part of the trip, however, was definitely the hotel. The hotel was designed to be exactly like a traditional Korean house. It almost felt like we had somehow stepped through time - or, at least, onto the set of a period drama. It was an amazing experience; I loved everything about that hotel. It was definitely my favourite part of the whole trip. The hotel was also short walking distance to where the Gaya Festival was being held and at night, there was a tunnel of lanterns that was absolutely beautiful.

All in all, this was a very amazing trip and I am super happy that I went, as well as grateful to those who organized it for us! Thank you so much! I learned so much about Korean culture, I had an unforgettable experience, and I had a great time!

Dequan Zhou

During this cultural experience, I also had the chance to get to know teachers from other countries. They are chatty and friendly, and we exchanged several views about travel, life and working in Korea. Exchanging of experiences allows us to broaden our horizons, enhance mutual understanding, and cultivate friendship. Specifically, our Korean staff are very responsible and well-prepared. In conclusion, the two-day cultural experience was very enjoyable. We look forward to having more opportunities to understand Korea's culture.

(photos courtesy of Zhou Dequan)

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