This is the Buddha’s-eye view from Buseoksa (Floating Rock Temple) near Andong.  The colors are reminiscent of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina. Buseoksa is on the short list of great Korean temples, and is considered a “perfect temple” because it has: 1) “sarira” (relics) of the Buddha himself; 2) printing blocks of Buddha’s words; and 3) many monks.

Here is Jess, shilling once again for the University of South Dakota, but also shilling for the Punggi Insam (ginseng) Market.  Dozens of small booths display and sell ginseng products of every kind, but the market functions mainly as a clearing-house for Korea’s world-renowned ginseng root.  The main event is the annual ginseng festival in the fall, when most of the produce is sold after a 5-year growing cycle.