A Weekend in Ganghwa Island

After a long week of teaching, my friend Chabely and I were looking for an escape to recharge. We wanted to go somewhere close but far enough to feel well-rested. Ganghwa Island was where my dad was born and raised before moving to the U.S. It had a special place in my heart knowing that this was where he had grown up. I knew that if I never went I would regret it, so I jumped on the opportunity to go last October! 

I know, I know. It took a year to get around reflecting on this trip......better late than never!

It was crisp and autumn in every sense of the word - my favorite kind of weather. I met Chabely at a cafe in Hongdae and then we hopped on a bus to Ganghwa Terminal! We happened to go on the day of a ginseng festival - people were coming from all over Korea to get their hands on Ganghwa's special ginseng. There was a lot of traffic and it was getting hot on the bus, but we were excited to see where we would land.

After a long bus ride, we stepped off at the terminal and took in the simple and quiet view of endless fields. It was so, so refreshing and not a SINGLE taxi was to be heard...hallelujah!!! We grabbed our things and walked to our guesthouse, Asac Asac 아삭아삭. It was a short walk from the terminal, super clean and most importantly - budget friendly! The first floor happened to be a pub called Strong Fire, where we ended up getting a few drinks later that weekend. Strong Fire is also the literal translation of Ganghwa, gang 강 meaning "strong" and hwa 화 meaning "fire". 

Day 1: Saturday

One of my favorite things when traveling is finding little knick knack shops and unique places. So much so that I have a friend who calls me "magic fingers"...you know who you are! We decided to stop by 유림상회, a local store with cute plates, mugs, bowls and silverware. 

Right across the shop was a small bookstore - both businesses are run by a married couple who moved to Ganghwa from the mainland. The wife was very knowledgable about the island and super friendly! I ended up buying a set of tea spoons to send to my mom back home.

Also in the same complex was 김구 고택 or the house where Kim Gu (a famous nationalist politician during the Korean Independence Movement) stayed in Ganghwa. You're not allowed to take pictures here but we were able to sneak in a few (tsk tsk...)! The place has now been turned into a guesthouse where you can learn about Kim Gu's life in Ganghwa.

The next spot we visited was Joyangbangjik 조양방직, a popular cafe on the island. Joyangbangjik reminded me a lot of Daerim Changgo 대림창고 at Seongsu Station - it has that urban, factory feel. The line for coffee was so long we just ended up walking around and talking pictures. My favorite spot was the rooftop! It had a slight European vibe, as if you were being transported to Austria or Germany... but in reality on a tiny island in Korea. 

We finished off the day by visiting Ganghwa Anglican Church 대한성공회 강화성당. This is the first hanok style cathedral in Korea, and the first to come to Ganghwa. 

We took our shoes off and walked inside the church, in awe of how well it had been preserved (since 1900!). The church was an interesting mix of a traditional hanok exterior with a more conventional basilica interior. It was set on a hill with an amazing view of the island at sunset. Needless to say, it was the perfect way to end our night. 

Day 2: Sunday

Chabely and I woke up Sunday morning really craving COFFEE! We walked around for a bit and popped into Cafe Jutaek for our coffee fix. It was close to the church and had an interesting Mediterranean vibe. We chatted and relaxed before heading off to the highlight of our trip!!

Our last destination was by far my favorite and the most memorable.

We took a bus from the terminal to Jeondeungsa 전등사 Temple. The ride there was so peaceful. I looked outside the window as we passed by big and small fields. It smelled like freshly cut grass. All that could be heard was the sound of distant crickets and the quiet chatter of village grandmothers.

The bus dropped us off at the south entrance of the temple. It was a crisp autumn day and the trees had changed color, gently falling in the breeze. It felt like a scene straight out of a movie. The walk to the temple was a little steep, but I was happily lost looking up at the giant trees above me.

At the top, we got a stunning view of the whole temple and drank fresh spring water from the well. It was absolutely beautiful. I felt like I was in a Korean drama...one of those historical ones that my parents love.

We were pretty tired after the temple, but not tired enough to skip out on getting Korean bbq!! We got our last meal at a hole in the wall bbq place on a random street (always the best) before heading back to the city.

Maybe the reason why Ganghwa felt so close to me was because I am my father's daughter. This trip was not just a weekend getaway, but a discovery of where I came from and my roots. I thought it was important to trace back to my beginnings, as it was one way to bring peace within myself. I felt more full, in a spiritual sense, just being in the place where my dad grew up. I felt whole breathing in the air and walking along the streets that he played on. And I wish for everyone to experience the peacefulness of Ganghwa too.