Water, Nature, and Humankind

If you join a tour program, you can get in and look around Gwangyang Steelworks. On weekdays, a group tour consists of 10 or more people; on Saturdays, tours are organized for individuals or 10 or fewer people. In March, no tour is available during weekdays.

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• Gwangyang Apricot flower Village

  Spring that Lands on Tree Branches

  The scenery was still full of dry branches. This place is filled with apricot flowers in spring, which is not yet here. Apricot flowers will be in full blossom by the time this magazine is published. But the tiny flower buds growing on branches clearly herald the arrival of spring soon after having withstood the cold winds of winter. Our life is slightly affected by the changing seasons, but the very transformation itself means a lot. Spring probably brings about the most drastic transformation of all seasons mainly due to the long wait. Coincidentally, an apricot flower means “dignity” and “patience.” We have no choice but to remain patient and maintain dignity as we wait for apricot flowers to bloom. I wonder how apricot flowers will greet us this year when they bloom after the long wait. Perhaps, Seomjingang River running through the village knows how.

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This year, the Apricot flower Blossom Festival takes place from March 7 through 16. The festival features various contents including the apricot high ball, the mascot Maedori goods shop, and a Life Four Cuts photo zone.

Baealdo Islet Garden

An island that brings people together

People are sometimes drawn to islands for no reason, but you need to plan ahead thoroughly because traveling to islands is often complicated and time-consuming. Luckily, however, getting to Baealdo was not a hassle at all because there is a bridge that connects to the island. The fish-shaped bridge tower and the curved path on the bridge made it fun to walk across the bridge. It was a small island, an ideal place for taking a slow stroll. As I walked up the stairs, there emerged a pavilion guarded by pine trees on all four sides. I looked around from the pavilion. When I was a kid, I would imagine how rivers flow to the sea. Finally, I saw where a river meets the sea. This is where Seomjingang River finally meets the South Sea after a long journey. Looking back, all those good things have come to me after a long wait.

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To get to the islet garden on Baealdo, you can either cross the Star-Counting Bridge from Mangdeok Port or Haemaji Bridge from the Waterfront Park. It is also a good idea to try the Starlight Sky Zip Wire over Seomjingang River.

Baegunsan Mountain Recreational Forest

I want to grow like a tree.

What would it be like to be in a forest of giants? This is how I felt in the Baegunsan Mountain Recreational Forest. The trees were tall, and I had to tilt my head back as much as I could to be able to see the edge of the forest. The forest is silent yet so dense that the trees look as if they would relay what I say across the forest once I make a sound. The forest was dense and large. What I like about a large-scale natural landscape is that it reminds me of how humans are a mere speck in the universe. I imagined how the trees have grown over the years while walking in the forest. They probably experienced large growth spurts when the weather was good but grew strong and firm only after they withstood the cold winter. Taking a deep breath and inhaling the refreshing oxygen and scent released by the trees, I thought to myself that I wanted both my body and soul to grow like trees that grow deeper underground as much as they grow up above the ground.

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The Healing Forest Center runs forest healing programs. The center also has a yoga room, a foot bath area, an aromatherapy area, and a phytoncide café.

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