11/07/2025
We went to Samseonggung, a temple built high up in the Korean mountains. Not “kind of high.” I mean “oxygen-optional” high. Apparently, this is where ancient Korean gods used to hang out, which makes sense — if I were immortal, I’d probably pick a place that’s completely inaccessible by car. It’s peaceful, spiritual, and just far enough away that no one asks you to help them move.
The temple is filled with tiger statues, which I assume are there to protect the place or possibly intimidate hikers into finishing the climb. It worked. By the time I got to the top, I felt like I’d passed a physical, emotional, and spiritual fitness test. There was one guy meditating who looked like he came with the mountain. I didn’t reach enlightenment, but I did reach 17,000 steps on my pedometer. That’s close.
