I didn’t want to travel directly to Seoul from Busan because of the long bus trip by bus, or by bullet train since it’s an expensive ride. I added Daegu to my itinerary only because I saw it was conveniently en route to the capital. I was only planning to spend the night, but when I arrived at the hostel and walked around the city, I decided to stay a little longer.
In transit
My second trip to South Korea was about to end and I wasn’t quite sure what made me decide to spend an extra day in Daegu. The attractions weren’t as exciting as in Gyeongju, Seoul or Busan. It’s difficult to make assumptions about a place I was only passing through or haven’t read much about. My mind was in transit mode when I included this stop. This was probably the reason the city surprised me in a good way.
I walked along the dining, entertainment and shopping district of Dongseongno and Banwoldang in search of nothing in particular. There was a stage with a few dancers doing their thing in front of a nonchalant crowd. The usual cafes, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and shops lined the streets. I checked a couple of places to see online, but wasn’t quite sure what to do or where to go.
So I just went and walked to a place that looked interesting.
Nowhere in particular
I went to the First Presbyterian Church, Gyesan Cathedral, and the Yangnyeongsi Market because these places were on lists of attractions. I read a few things about them, took a few pictures and moved on. There was something about this city; its somewhere-in-the-middle-feeling of a big city and a town in the province seemed comforting. It was an ideal and welcome break from the usual touring-a-city-and-checking-off-attractions when I was in Busan and Seoul. Then I decided to leave the urban jungle to see the nearby mountains and parks.
I visited Palgongsan Park and Donghwasa during a beautiful autumn day when the leaves burst with red and yellow hues. I took a refreshing walk around the temple complex of Donghwasa. Yes, the statues, temples and relics were ancient history and culturally significant. The park had trails that took visitors to various parts of the mountain. I didn’t have much time to explore all of them so I took the shorter walks.
I returned to the city refreshed, and slightly less philosophical about my views of life and how travel changed me.
I ended up spending two nights just hanging out at Seomun Market after I explored the city and nearby attractions, and ate delicious street food. I loved the fact that I could use my debit and credit card to pay, even if I ordered from a small stall (always be grateful for little wonders). I sat on a small chair and ate, while singers performed folk and love songs in Korean or English on a rare number.
I asked the guy sitting next to me (luckily he spoke English) what the lyrics to one of the songs meant. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was about longing he said.
This brought me back to why I started to travel in the first place and remembered some of the conversations I had with others about it. I wasn’t trying to change or prove anything when I spontaneously booked tickets to my first solo adventure. I just wanted to do it. Others I met wanted to gain perspective, do research, meet people, discover kindness and share it, and all sorts of reasons; shallow, profound or otherwise.
Some reasons change, some remain the same.
Not all experiences are life changing, some are just ordinary and unnecessary, but what’s life like without the pursuit of fleeting and unnecessary things? Sometimes I wonder, if I should just keep going to the next place? And when if I finally get there, what comes next? Maybe I’m in love with the idea of travel like many people do?
The cold air of autumn seeped into my jacket. It’s late. The musicians packed their instruments and prepared to leave. I should too, since I have to take the bus bound for Seoul the next day. I went up the stairs of the metro station near Seomun Market. As I waited for the train to arrive, I remembered George Bernard Shaw once said, “There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart’s desire. The other is to gain it.”
Image credits: Joshua Berida
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