After driving for what should have been a five hour ride, but was extended into ten, due to drunken bathroom breaks and apparently GPS illiterate bus drivers, we pulled in at 6am to the base of mountain who’s name I can’t remember.

Calm before the storm.

We “hiked” (walked up a paved path) to a stunning temple just after sunrise. Rocks upon piled rocks built to withstand the monsoons. Baby buddha statues. Dragonflies abound.

This was peace.

To follow was the contrary- thousands of drunken foreigners congregated from all parts of Korea, skin covered in mud, liver saturated with soju.