Although I knew there would be mud flats in Buan, I didn’t really expect that there would be an ecological park there. The park is located in an area of lowland in the southern end of Buan. As a result, the area was frequently flooded in the past and an embankment was built to prevent flooding, which was the beginning of the park. Subsequently, reeds, grass and other plants started to grow thick and a freshwater marsh was formed, eventually turning into an ecological wetland. Then, ponds and hills were created and wild flowers and trees were planted to enrich the landscape.
The first thing that caught my eye at the park was the reeds. I was amazed to see how green the reeds could be. But I got quickly used to the unfamiliar green of the reeds. Or I would rather say I was mesmerized by the green reeds. Reeds in autumn remind me of loneliness, while summer reeds bring me a sense of comfort and relaxation. Everything except the sky was green. Perhaps our eyes are programmed to see green and feel energized.
Reeds sway easily in the wind because they have lush leaves and relatively thin stems, but they rarely break. This is why reeds symbolize “deep affection”and “faith”. In Korea, however, reeds are often associated with fickleness because they sway widely even in the lightest wind. Since this is quite the opposite of their true nature, next time you hear the word "reed," remember to think of "faith."
Wherever or however you walk on the clay paths and decked paths that often cross each other, it is such a pleasant and refreshing experience. The ponds and water fountains scattered across the walking paths take the summer heat off of you, adding to the pleasure of walking on the paths. A long walk eventually led me to a vast area of sunflower field. It was the color of summer, indeed. The bright yellow sunflowers clearly stood out among the green, giving off their charm as a summer flower.
The combination of flowers, trees and reeds continued to unfold until the path ended, also bringing the walk to an end. It was a short, light and pleasant walk. Since the park was created, a broad range of wild animals have flocked together there to mate and thrive. I think I know why those animals chose to settle at the park.

It was in broad daylight that I visited Cheonglim Astronomical Observatory. You may wonder why I did not go there at night. You will be surprised that there are so many things to see there in the daytime, which makes a visit to the observatory even more special. Located within the Byeongsanbando National Park, the Cheonglim Astronomical Observatory was built on the site of a branch school that closed down. There is a small playground, low buildings, and big trees lined up, stretching out from what used to be school premises - all of which created a lovely, nostalgic landscape that I wanted to appreciate for as long as I could. The first thing that caught my eyes was a dome-shaped building. The cut exterior of the building was shaped like an enlarged robot that would likely appear in SF films.
A staff member guided me into a room where I watched a 3D film. With 3D glasses on, the planets and stars appeared right in front of my eyes and looked so real and so close, as if I were floating among them in space. It was indeed an eye-opening experience. Having so much fun watching the video, I didn’t know how time flew by. Then the guide started to explain about celestial bodies and telescopes in plain terms. It reminded me of my childhood dreams of flying in space. When I was a kid, I could imagine thousands of things looking at a single star in the night sky.
Next, I moved onto the dome-shaped building. Being in the 8m-tall dome with the roof completely open, I felt like I was a robot or a spaceship engineer. It was solemn and mysterious. The highlight was the 1,000mm Nasmyth telescope. The largest telescope in Korea is used mainly to observe planets and stars that are relatively far away. Now, it was time for stargazing. We went outside for observation. But since no star was visible, what I went there to see was the sun, specifically, sunspots and solar prominence. Do we ever look straight at the sun? When was the last time I looked directly at the sun? I brought my eyes close to the lens. I could see sunspots. They were so tiny but certainly there. Watching the sunspots made me feel like I discovered a new little secret of an old friend. The observatory was also used as a youth training facility. There were rooms, a futsal field, a jokgu(foot volleyball) court, a stage and pergolas in the shape of zodiac signs. If you visit the observatory for stargazing at night, you can book one of the room available to spend the night after the observation. A lot of parents bring their children to the observatory for nighttime stargazing. If you are interested in looking at the stars, this is a must-visit place.