Today, we’re going a bit rogue.

And by that, I mean we don’t have a plan for the day.

You and I, we are going for a wander, just to see what we can see.

As I have discovered during my Korean travels, sometimes these can be the best types of days.

I have picked a location to aim for, but how and when we get there, well, that just depends on where our feet take us.

This morning, walking the main streets of the centre of Andong, these are the things we spot…

The daily market with ajumma’s selling their wares.

The streets lined with everyday shops.

A ‘hardware and everything else under the sun’ shop that I love glimpsing into.

Beautiful black and white murals lining the pavement walls depicting scenes of older Korean life.

Before the road we are following brings us to this…

A walking and biking trail that follows the river, a river scattered today with ducks (which I swear look like Red-headed Pochards but I can’t find evidence those are found here in Korea).

We pass a dam.

And we make it to our intended location…the Woryeonggyo Bridge, complete with pavilion at its centre point.

This bridge is notable for the fact it is recorded as the longest wooden pedestrian overpass in Korea, and it also apparently has a sad love legend that goes with it relating to a women and some hemp shoes (I’m not even going to try and touch this one, I’ve learned that trying to attempt to understand folk tales in a foreign language just doesn’t work well). It is also the first time I have seen graffiti in a place such as this, which makes me kind of sad and disappointed in people.

As usual when wandering, the bridge isn’t the only interesting feature we find, but also spot a grand example of the ‘couple clothing thing’ that goes on in Korea. I have now seen this many times, with guys and girls dressing in matching shirts, shoes, or full outfits, and still find it an amusing and quite strange practice.

From the bridge we spy some slightly unusual water craft, all tied up and waiting for a busier weekend to be put to use I think. And an interesting device, used to shoot floatation devices out into the water to save people from drowning.

Additionally, the bridge today is also the scene for a musical feature, and as we try to cross through the pavilion, we are waved to a stop. Hidden from view on the other side is a woman in an evening gown who appears to be recording some type of music video using two phone cameras on tripods, and is being conducted in her efforts by the solitary waving gentleman.

When she has finished, we are allowed to move on but find a similar, albeit far more professional scene, on the other side of the bridge. Today is obviously the day for such activities.  

A team of people with some rather expensive filming equipment are seemingly recording an ethereal looking and sounding type of musical performance by a group of people, with a female singer and three chaps playing traditional Korean instruments such as (I think) a gayageum and a janggu (you will have to google these, one is a string instrument and the other a drum).

With nothing to rush off for, we stand for ten minutes and listen to the lady’s haunting voice sailing on the cool breeze while being warmed in the light sunshine.

It also suddenly reminds me that these aren’t the first filming activities I have seen here in Korea, but that I passed a group filming something on a side street in Seoul, but didn’t recognise anyone, so figured it couldn’t be that important.

Ready for a short break, we are lucky to find a coffee shop open and partake in light refreshments with pretty scenery to keep us company.

Strolling once again, we notice a sign for a folk village and decide to follow the path, why not?

It seems there is a collection of hanoks that have be gathered from different locations and time periods in Korea and transplanted here to be used as an outdoor folk village museum of sorts. There appears to be no-one here apart from us and these chaps, taking a well-earned break I’m sure.

Well, that’s OK, we can just take a look around by ourselves…

We follow the road up through the village, it’s getting quite steep now, and we’re keeping a close eye on our feet when we suddenly look up to discover this…

I don’t know about you, but I suddenly have a total k-drama flashback moment of a scene from Kingdom with our brave heroes dashing for the city gates being chased by murderous zombies. I actually have to take a moment to stare and be slightly in awe of this incredibly huge and random piece of architecture. And then convince myself this wasn’t actually a filming site. But then also look around for a sign that tells me why this would be here. Nothing. There is nothing to explain to us why there would be a massive city wall and gate sitting on the hillside. But it is fascinating none the less. And even better given you can climb up to the top and into the gatehouse area.

Still happy to stretch our legs further, we just keep walking in the same direction and are eventually delivered onto a rather large and well maintained roadway, surprisingly quiet though. Again, I have occasionally stumbled onto scenes like this before, with lovely presented roads and walkways that look like they have been built for a wave of tourist action that just seemingly has failed to appear. I convince myself it must just be the season. I can only assume this area is swamped in the summer months. I wander into a large complex, designated on my phone’s map as ‘Tourist Zone’ completed with attractions such as Confucian Land and Yopium Zoo.

With curiosity getting the better of us, we take the fairly long trek through the complex just to see what the zoo looks like, only to discover (like we thought) it is closed for the season. With a shrug of the shoulders and a feeling of ‘no big deal’ we decide it’s time to retrace our steps and head home, taking in once again the hanoks and the bridge.

It’s getting on for dinner time, we’ve clocked some miles today and therefore we deserve some good food. We make a spur of the moment decision to try a local speciality – Andong jjimdak – a spicy braised chicken dish that originated in this region and that can be found in the centre of the city in ‘Chicken Alley’, purchased from any one of about 30 restaurants specialising in it.

Wandering down the alley it is interesting to note the owners who are happy to look up and say hello to a foreigner, and those who quickly avert their eyes and make themselves busy not noticing the different looking person. It is one of those cheerful types that pretty much grabs us from the alley with calls of ‘delicious food!’ and waving enthusiastically to the doorway of their eatery.

Well, sure then, why not?

The only downside to this dish it seems, is that all the restaurants sell portions for about 4 people only. So that’s what we have to take if we are to try it. With a piping hot takeaway order, we make a moderate dash back to our accommodation, and arrive with it still hot enough to enjoy almost as if we’d eaten it fresh out of the pan (and for the next three days as well).

And there was our aimless day.

It’s amazing the little adventures we can have without even really trying, isn’t it?