Mt. Seoraksan and Haesindang Park

Just a caution, the second part of this post is about the penis park, aka Haesindang Park. So if you feel you will be offended, don't scroll down to that part, I will give you warning!  But also know that Haesindang Park is one of the few places in Korea I really wanted to visit.  I mean, seriously, who wants to pass up the opportunity to go to a Penis Park when one is relatively close!  Plus it was the first picture in my Lonely Planet book I saw about Korea and from that minute I decided I had to visit. It was a blast!

This is my friend Alana! She's awesome, not only because it was her idea to do a girls trip, but because she loves horses as much as I do!  Mt. Seoraksan and Haesindan Park are on the East Coast so it took about 5 hours to get there. 

The East Sea

The Road to Mt.Seoraksan

So you can hike up this side, but we chose to take the cable car.  We were there to enjoy the weekend, not try to kill ourselves hiking!

Some of the maps told you how difficult the trails were. 

In the cable car!  Knowing Korean construction, or lack there of, I was a little terrified, but we did it any ways.  It was awesome!

Hi Buddha, you look really small from way up here in the cable car!

From the cable car, it looked like you were going to crash into the side of the mountain. 

Up at the top!

Don't fall!

Up the stairs of death!  Maybe because Koreans are shorter, or they just didn't construct things well, but the stairs were spaced very close together so steps were really short.  Eventually we just went two by two!

The cliff just drops off behind us!

Going back down!

These guys coming up!

Almost to the bottom!

I really love these bears!  They are so pretty in statue form and in real life!

Have I mentioned how much I love Dragons! 

Woodpecker 

We went on this trail to get to a waterfall. There was a sign that said it was closed, but Alana and I didn't want to believe it! 

We were so happy we went because it was so quiet. So not typical of Korea! We were actually really surprised in how few people were on the mountain!

Alana loves birds! :)

And did the sign stop us? Heck no!

Watch out for falling rocks. 

This pool was so deep! 

I threw some rocks in in to see how deep it was, and we lost sight of the rock before it found the bottom!

And this is why there were so many signs saying to stop and not continue! Construction. The waterfall is behind us. 

We were surprised in how little water was coming out for the time of year. 

Guess they are building steps on the other side too!

There was a small ramp leading down to the water, but it was a construction ramp and didn't look very secure.  So we chose not to be those idiots who cross over the do not enter barricades, and then gets hurt while behind the lines!

From behind one of the signs saying not to cross. 

After hiking we decided to try this pork restaurant that our friend had said it was amazing! So we found it, but they were closed. :( Thank goodness I had the Lonely Planet book that gave us a decent place to eat.  It said that it was in a neighborhood.  They weren't lying!   It was decent food. I was totally prepared for them to not have an English menu, but they did!


We stayed in a love motel: This was our care package.


This was how you checked out of the hotel.

We were on the F floor for Four?






WARNING, YOU ARE ENTERING THE HAESINDAN PARK PART OF THE TRIP!!!!

DO NOT READ PAST THIS IF YOU THINK YOU WILL BE OFFENDED BY PENIS SCULPTURES AND WHAT NOT!  But if you are brave or want a good laugh, then continue!

Entrance to the park. 

Anyone want a penis wind chime? 

On the plus side, the water was beautiful! 

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Clear water. 

The story of the park is that a virgin fell off the cliff and drown. The fishing started to decline, so the men thought the virgin needed some "manliness" so they masterbated into the water.  Soon after the fishing supplies went up.  This was a little shrine to the woman.  

Penis sculptures anywhere and everywhere!

Goofing around! 

Yes we were goofing off, but we all were having fun! :)

Here is a funny video to watch: http://youtu.be/g9zHgtYEsSI

Yes the penis went up and down! 

I really had a great time looking at all the "totem poles" around the park. I liked how unique each were. 

This one was my favorite! It had a stork on top and a child in the middle. 

The penis teeter totter. 

Later we found 4 Koreans laughing and having a great time on the thing. 

This one was cool too. It looked like aliens, with a penis growing out of their head. 

The first little girl I had asked if I could sit, and of course she didn't know what I was saying, so I started to sit down, and her eyes got really big and then she got up and ran away! 

All over Asia ther are these little rocks stacked up on eachother. 

And here are the statues of the men "relieving themselves" into the ocean...with dogs watching! 

This is what I had wanted to see since seeing the Lonely Planet book. 

Zodiac signs, Alana and I with the Horse!

Me and the dragon! :)

Some boobies incase you were wanting to see some!  

Another interesting one. 

Strange statues! 

Down by the water.