Sept 1, 05 (Thursday)

We were on our coach in the morning to Haeinsa Temple about 2 hours drive. This temple was established in A.D. 802 and has a number of art treasures in more than 90 buildings. But what really distinguishes this temple is the collection of more than 80,000 wooden printing blocks which compose the most complete collection of the Buddhist Canon to be found in East Asia. Completed in 1251 the blocks remain in excellent condition and are the basis of the most authoritative editions of Buddhist Scripture. This place was place on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List. After viewing this amazing preservation we walked around to a little room where one of the priests and his friends were having a tea. The priest saw the Moore's precious children, 8 and 5 years old, and invited them to have a tea with them. Actually this priest was doing a Japanese tea ceremony, but for children's taste he added sweet yogurt drink to bitter tea. I don't know if this was the cure or no, but from then on their daughter who had trouble with her stomach became just fine. This priest loved these beautiful blonde headed children and asked them if he could have a picture made with them. It was a special treat for these children. The room was situation on the top of the mountain and the view from there was just gorgeous. We even climbed up higher to a place where the bones of the famous priest were kept. The story says that this priest was so pure in his mind and soul that his bones turned to gold.

At the top of the Mt. Gaya with Benjamin Moore

We had about 4 hours ride back to Seoul and checked into Somerset Palace Hotel again.

Haeinsa Temple

Korean Lunch, Bibinba

Tea Ceremony at Haeinsa Temple

View from our coach on the way back to Seoul