Mt. Gureum

Yesterday afternoon the kids were sent home early so the teachers could go hiking. I was excited because last fall we were supposed to do the same thing but the plan never panned out because the school's main hiker was out with a broken Achilles heel. This time Mr. Oh was ready to go and took us all out to where he goes hiking daily. He led us through a variety of stretches that the Korean staff took way too serious for climbing what I can only describe as a over grown hill.
In all there were ten of us hiking and it was a warm hazy afternoon for the effort but there was a lot of brown to take in. To help fill in some colour for me, Mr Bae here descibed in detail all he knows about plants with me. After the first twenty minutes my head was filled with too much knowledge that for the rest of the hike most of it spilt out as he forced more in.
There are times when ropes appeared when I thought they didn't need to be there but considering Korean hikers are mostly retired it makes sense.
Here are some of the teachers, support staff (the youngest secretary hiking in heals) and Vice-Principal (wearing white gloves) who made it to the top.
The hazy view. (It's rare you get a clear day in Korea.)

Going down we took a more direct route and admitely I saved myself from certain death (or ugly disfigurement) clinging to the ropes.
Part mountain, part city.
Zoomed into the apartments that make up Gwangmyeong.