ansan sunrise

It is relatively easy to get a spanning view of Seoul from one of its many mountains - truly a city of hills. However the panorama you get at the peak of the hike up Ansan, just north of Yonsei University, is something else. Jared took Jaimie and I on the trek the morning after Sunday Seoulmates. It was an early wake-up call and bit of a walk, but naturally, incredibly rewarding. We spent a good amount of time up there, seeing, watching, listening (to the quietest morning in a bustling city I've ever heard - "The Land of the Morning Calm" rings true), thinking, meditating. It was a wonderful way to wrap up what had been an energetic weekend, and a busy couple of weeks before that, as we wrapped up our first issue of PECAN. Here are some photos from atop the hill, in a city I hold near and dear.

As Jams ponders, an ajumma stretches, perhaps also while pondering

Do you spy the lone explorer?

Jared giving us a re-enactment of one of the ajushi stretches he witnessed

Et voilà, the "ajushi stretch"

So well coordinated, these two

Jared's new best friend and walking buddy, the most adorable

We tore ourselves way from the view and wound our way down to Ansan's neighbouring hood, Yeonhui-dong, where we sat down for some coffee at Manufact Coffee Roasters.

And a little more of the Ansan view, in motion:

xo