Adventure Day in Maseok, Namyangju

Mannie and I went to Maseok on the second Sunday of February to visit his cousin. Maseok lies in the outskirts of Seoul but still part of the metropolitan area. To get there, we rode Gyeongchunseon, a provincial railway connecting Seoul to Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. 

Maseok lies beneath the mountain range of Gyeonggi Province

One of the main roads in Maseok

It usually takes a little less than an hour by train, but our trip took longer due to some mishaps we encountered along the way. We had to transfer platforms three times. There were stations we missed the train and waited like 15 minutes for the next one. And at one point we took off at the wrong station. Nonetheless, the confusion and moments lost in translation were all part of the adventure! 

These were some of the photos I snapped while on the train ride. I was looking out the window the whole time appreciating the beautiful winter scene. I noticed many organic farms and industrial establishments in the midst of heavy urban development. There seem to be a high-rise boom wherever I travel in South Korea. 

The fun part getting to Maseok was - shopping! It was Maseok market day, which falls on the 3rd and 8th of each month. Fresh meat, fish, fruits, vegetables as well as clothes and housewares are sold by the bulk in the town center.

Fresh strawberries and fried plum

Fruit, vegetables and other produce are available fresh from the farm to the public at wholesale prices. I bought about a week's supply for my cooking.

After eating a delicious and filling meal of gamjatang or pork bone soup for lunch, we headed over to Nike and Orange Factory outlets which was just a stone's throw away from the restaurant. Sportswear like jacket and rubber shoes are sold at incredibly marked-down prices. I was so  tempted to buy a new thermal jacket but thought twice about it since were halfway through winter. I had to buy a new pair of Nike trainers though, to retire my worn out ones. I simply had to purchase them as it comes at 50% off when it would normally cost about three or five times more at the malls.

Nike Factory and Orange Factory outlets offer big discounts all throughout the year.

We attended the 2 P.M. Mass at the Catholic church which was participated by migrant workers. It is evident that Maseok has an active Christian movement as seen by the numerous churches that are present in the area. 

A beautiful painting of Jesus Christ on the wall of the Catholic Church in Maseok

After the Mass, we headed for home. Just when I thought another wonderful day has ended, suddenly it started snowing again. It took a while for us to get a taxi, but I did not mind because I wanted to enjoy the snow as much as I can. So I end my post with these snow pics and a quick video of the train ride back home.

Everywhere was pretty winter wonderland!