| North Chungcheong (충청 북도 / 忠清北道) | |
| Information | |
| Country |  South Korea |
|---|---|
| Area | 7 407,22 km² |
| Population | 1 620 935 hab. () |
| Density | 218,83 inhab./km² |
| Location | |
 36 ° 45 ′ 0 ″ N 127 ° 45 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
North Chungcheong (Chungcheongbuk-do, 충청 북도 / 忠清北道), abbreviated Chungbuk, is the only province of South Korea without sea front. It is surrounded by lakes and mountains.
Cities
Other destinations
- Danyang - Seaside resort around a lake, surrounded by three national parks.
- Guinsa - The utopian, remote headquarters of the Cheontae Buddhist sect.
- Suanbo - Hot spring and ski resort.
- Beopju-sa - Of great historical and cultural importance, this temple houses the largest Buddha in South Korea.
Understand
Due to its geographical location, this province was the point of convergence of highways and train lines. Although without a seafront, it does not lack natural attractions, with a multitude of national parks, and panoramas like the colossal Mount Sobaeksan, the Mount Songnisan, Lake Chungjuho, and Lake Daecheongho near the presidential residence near the lake. Historically, this is where the first book, the jikji, with movable type. With its sister province in the south, it has a long tradition of aristocracy (yangban). The nobility of Chungcheong has many scholars and statesmen.
To speak
Like most rural areas, things tend to go a bit slower here. The local dialect reflects how the rest of the country would characterize the people of Chungcheong: frank, soft and more relaxed. Their way of speaking is deliberate: the drawling sounds will make you bend down and listen more intently. A typical Chungcheong dialect uses the sound "yoo" instead of the standard "yeo" in informal language to end sentences.
To go
By plane
Opened in 1977, Cheongju International Airport offers some flights to Jeju, as well as some international flights to China.
- Cheongju International Airport
By train
Jungang Line from Chongnyangni Station to Seoul dessert Jecheon and Danyang. The Chungbuk line from Bongyang (near Jecheon) To Jochiwon, on the main line Seoul-Busan, crosses the province in its length, stopping at Cheongju and Chungju along the way. A third line starts from Jecheon towards the east coast. The Gyeongbu railway line crosses the far south of the province and stops at Okcheon and Yeongdong.
By bus
The province is crossed by an extensive network of highways and roads. Regular buses serve both large towns and small outlying settlements from most bus terminals, so most parts of the province can be reached by bus.
By car
Along the southern tip of the province, the Gyeongbu Expressway (No.1) follows the railway to Okcheon. Then it becomes the Jungbu highway (n ° 35) which goes east, serving Icheon, Cheongju, its international airport and Jincheon. In the north, the Jungang highway (n ° 55) connects Chuncheon north to Daegu to the south, and dessert Jecheon and Danyang. The Jungbu-Naeryuk Highway (No.45) divides the province into two, connecting Yeoju and Gumi, and allows easier access to Suanbo.
To see
Encircled by Lake Chungju and the Namhang River, Danyang is one of the most picturesque cities in Korea. Nearby is the Gosu Cave. Inhabited in prehistoric times, this cave is renowned for its breathtaking beauty. TO Cheongju, the Early Printing Museum, where the Heungdeoksa temple was located, is worth a visit. This is where the oldest book in the world was printed, using movable type.
Do
At the artificial lake of Chungju, a pleasant boat ride is offered, which stops at each point of interest. Hot springs water Suanbo is reputed to have therapeutic virtues, and soaking yourself in it after an active day will relax you. Located in the center of the mountain range of Sobaeksan, and frequented by a considerable number of hikers, the Sobaeksan National Park is greatly appreciated for its cultural treasures.
Eat
The only province without a seafront, the local cuisine consists mainly of cereals (grains) and vegetables. Barley is the most popular alternative to rice for many dishes. Among the regional specialties we find:
- sanchae bibimbap (산채 비빔밥), rice with mushrooms, spinach, an assortment of roots, cabbage and other vegetables (sanchae means "mountain vegetables").
- hobak beombeok (호박 범벅), winter pumpkin porridge *
- cheonggukjjang jjigae (청국장 찌개), bean paste stew with fermented bean sprouts.
To drink
Produced at Cheongju, the daechusul is a variety of takju, an unrefined alcohol obtained from grains, of the same family as the famous makgeolli and his cousin, the dongdongju. Carefully brewed with jujubes, glutinous rice, yeast, malt, pine needles and local spring water on daechusul tastes sweet with a little bitter aftertaste. Its alcohol content is 16 degrees.
