Down the Era of the Joseon Dynasty in South Korea during Winter

This is an anti-mainstream tourist spot in South Korea. Because it can make you feel like you're back in the Joseon Dynasty.
South Korea, known as the Ginseng Country, has millions of things that are very unique and popular with many people. Not only are Korean dramas and K-Pop present, but South Korea also has a variety of attractions that are very Instagramable and also have high historical value.

Starting from my fondness for the history of the Joseon Dynasty, I decided to take a look at the heritage of his dynasty in South Korea. I was already paid for my curiosity because the Joseon Dynasty heritage was very well maintained and seemed to have never faded into the progress of the times. Here are 4 unique and anti-mainstream attractions that must be visited if you want to enjoy the winter.

1. Jongmyo Shrine

Jongmyo Shrine is a temple built to store tablets of the Joseon Dynasty king and queen. The location is in Seoul City not far from Changgyeong Palace. Jongmyo Shrine can be accessed on foot from Jongno-3-ga or Jongno-5-ga stations. Until now a ceremony was held to honor the late King and Queen of the Joseon Dynasty at Jongmyo Shrine.

There are different rules regarding visiting Jongmyo Shrine. If visiting other than Saturday, it must be guided by an interpreter. It's a pleasure to have the chance to Jongmyo Shrine and discuss directly with interpreters about Joseon's history. At that time I was guided by a local interpreter who was very friendly and explained about Jongmyo Shrine in English.

From the discussion, I got a new knowledge that not all tablets of kings and queens were placed at Jeongjeon Hall (Main Hall). For kings and queens who have less achievement or a very short period of government, the tablet is placed at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall (Hall of Eternal Peace). In addition, tablets from two kings of the Joseon Dynasty, Yeonsangun and Gwanghaegun, are not in the Jongmyo Shrine because the two kings were descended from the throne of their time.

The visit here was very memorable because in addition to gaining new insights, when it was snowing and there were only about ten tourists visiting, it gave me an exclusive impression. The condition of the buildings and trees covered in snow fascinated me as if being brought back to the era of the Joseon Dynasty.

2. Changgyeonggung (Changgyeong Palace)

After being satisfied to explore Jongmyo Shrine, I proceeded to Changgyeonggung, also known as Changgyeong Palace. This palace is a 10-minute walk from Jongmyo Shrine. Changgyeonggung is one of the 5 grand palaces inherited from the Joseon Dynasty and was once the place of King Taejong's life after surrendering his throne to his son, King Sejong The Great.

Although the area is not as big as Gyeongbokgung, this palace is no less beautiful, especially when it snows. Travelers in this place are also relatively fewer so that I can capture the moment exclusively and that makes me even more memorable when there are local tourists who enjoy Changgyeonggung's pleasure while humming traditional Korean songs with melodious.

3. Donggureung

Donggureung which means East Nine Royal Tombs is located in Gyeonggido Province. The distance is a bit far from the city of Seoul, but it can still be reached by public transportation, namely taking the train to Gwangnaru Station then proceeding by public bus. Located in the Guri area, Donggureung is the funeral area of ​​several Joseon Dynasty kings and queens.

Not all kings and queens are buried here, but Donggureung is the largest compared to other royal tombs. Here is also the tomb of the first king of the Joseon Dynasty, King Taejo. Visitors should not be careless when exploring this place. In each tomb there are 2 road sections arranged from rocks.

The higher road is dedicated as Spirit Road, while the lower one is Kings Road. Visitors can only walk on Kings Road. At this location there is also a museum that displays and reviews the nine funeral areas.

4. Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung

Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung is a royal palace that was built during the reign of King Jeongjo. The palace is located in the Suwon area and can be reached by train to Suwon Station which is then followed by a public bus.

This palace is surrounded by fortress. One of the interesting things is there is a replica of King Jeongjo who is paying homage to his mother, Lady Hyegyeong, at the time of his mother's birthday celebration.

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Here's how it feels to live 4 months in the Australian Desert

I've been bored by working in the office for several years. Then, I decided to apply for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.
If anyone doesn't know, this visa allows us to stay and even work for one year anywhere in Australia. After waiting for several months since I submitted, I finally got the visa.

My adventure began with finding a ticket to Australia. I have a Tiket.com application on my cellphone for a long time because I was accustomed to buying airplane tickets and hotels, the process was very easy and there were many promos. Incidentally, I also found a promo for international flights, one of which was to Sydney, Australia and without thinking I bought a Jakarta-Sydney ticket. Absolutely # all the tickets at Ticket.com

Arriving in Sydney, I began to look for work because without work it seemed rather difficult to fulfill everyday life which costs far higher than in Indonesia. But of course I did not forget to tour and visit Australia's iconic places. One of the goals I want to go to is Uluru. Perhaps many people have never heard of this place, Uluru is a large iconic sandstone located in the middle of an Australian desert that is considered sacred by Aboriginal people who live around it.

It turns out that near Uluru there is a resort complex that employs people from various countries to work in hotels in the resort complex. I also tried my luck and sent a CV, who knows while working, I can go visit Uluru.

Unexpectedly, after the interview process and others, I was accepted! With enthusiasm I flew from Sydney to Yulara, the name of the small town where the resort was located, twenty kilometers from Uluru. Yulara like a small city between the desert in central Australia and its citizens is only resort workers and tourists both domestic and foreign who want to visit the famous Uluru.

Maybe most people's shadow of desert is brown desert throughout sight. But the uniqueness of the desert here has reddish sand and many plants and unique vegetation that grow. So this location is often referred to as the Red Center.

I worked at the housekeeping division at one of the hotels in the resort. All workers at the resort are provided with a place to stay by the resort because the location is truly remote. I look forward to my working holiday to visit Uluru directly. There are several transportation options from the resort to Uluru, such as joining a tour using a bus or renting your own car.

I and some friends decided to rent my own car because the time was more flexible. We only need about twenty minutes to get to Uluru. It felt so amazing to be able to see the big rock up close.

There are several choices of activities that can be done in Uluru, such as trekking around Uluru either by foot, bicycle rental or segway. Visitors can climb to the top of Uluru, but this is not recommended because of the steep road and respect for Aboriginal people who consider sacred Uluru. The line will also be closed starting in October, 2019 later.

Me and my friends chose to surround Uluru on foot. Throughout the trip we were able to see some interesting spots such as caves with graffiti from Aboriginal, some waterfall points if big rain was coming, some dingo (native Australian animals like dogs) that live wildly around Uluru and a stretch of trees and unique plants that can only seen in the Australian desert.

Besides Uluru, there is also a location for other iconic rocks that are respected by Aboriginal people and used as tourist attractions, namely Kata-Tjuta. This place is not as famous as Uluru but is equally beautiful and interesting to visit and explore. In addition, tourists can also enjoy camel riding experiences enjoying the sunrise and sunset with the background of Uluru and Kata-Tjuta. Or those who have high adrenaline can also try skydive and enjoy desert stretches from a height.

It only starts with buying airplane tickets at Tiket.com to finally be able to settle in the desert for almost four months and try various activities while living there. It's an experience that will never be forgotten! And if readers are attracted to Australia there is no harm in making this place one of the tourist destinations because Australia is not only famous for its metropolitan cities and beaches.

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