Buddha's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Buddha!
So, yesterday was Buddha's birthday and what other way would be better than celebrating it at Bulguksa and Seokguram?
First, a few facts about Bulguksa (Temple of the Buddha Land).  Bulguksa is a beautiful temple in Gyeongju that was built in 751, but was burnt down during Japanese invasion in the 1590s and rebuilt after 1604. The complex includes the Hall of Great Enlightenment with a shrine to Shakyamuni Buddha, The Hall of No Words (a lecture hall, but named this because Buddha's teachings can't be taught only with words), the 관음전 which is a shrine to Avalokitesvara the Bodhisattva of Compassion, the Vairocana Buddha Hall, and the Hall of Supreme Bliss.

I met Harry at 11, grabbed some lunch and took bus number 11 out to the temple. We took some time walking around Bulguksa, taking some pictures, watching a small concert in front of the temple. After that we did the 1hr hike up to Seokguram. It took a bit longer due to being a bit hungover, but eventually I made it up. ASSA!! Once we got up there we got in line for the Grotto.

Seokguram Grotto was constructed by Gim Daeseong in the 8th century during the Silla Dynasty. A legend states that Gim was reincarnated. Bulguksa was dedicated to his parents in his present life while Seokguram was dedicated to his parents in his previous life. The artificial grotto has a granite Shakyamuni Buddha statue that is 3.5 meters tall. The circular room where Buddha sits also has reliefs of Shakyamuni's 10 disciples, Avalokitesvara and two other bodhisattvas, as well as Brahma and Indria (two Hindu gods).
Usually the Grotto is behind a glass enclosure so you can only observe from the outside, but in honor of Buddha's birthday we were able to go inside and walk around the Grotto. It was amazing! Being able to actually see all the reliefs in the statues that you can't see from outside the glass, to touch the stone, to be inside something so beautiful was a great experience.

Feeling much better after being able to see the Grotto, Harry and I got some ice cream and started the walk back down the mountain. It was much easier! haha. We sat in the park area outside Bulguksa for a while then decided to grab some dinner in the village. We decided to try a restaurant that I wasn't familiar with, but the 비빔밥 wasn't great. I had better at another restaurant in that village before, so next time I will just stick with the place I know has great 비빔밥. 비빔밥  is a bowl with a mixture of vegetables, chili pepper paste, and an egg on top mixed with rice. While it wasn't the best, the kimchi there was really good! After lunch, we walked around, found a few places to sit for a while until the lantern ceremony at 7:30. We went back up into Bulguksa and while waiting for it to start ended up getting handed some candles, I even had a korean family give me a lantern (which, I might add, I kept! ^_^)
The lantern parade started with 3 monks playing the big drum in the corner of the temple. After that the monks inside the Hall of Great Enlightenment started chanting and worshiping as all the spectators outside the hall did the same. Then, everyone started walking around the pagodas in circles, carrying their candles and lanterns, and chanting. It was a great site to see! Harry and I walked in the lantern parade for a bit, took some pictures, then called it a night. We caught the bus back into the city, debated meeting up with friends for drinks, but I got home and immediately crashed! haha, such a tiring, but amazing day!

What an amazing memory!