After an afternoon of driving through the countryside, I went for a hike near Jin-jeon-sa temple in the mountains along the east coast of South Korea. Coming up the stone steps, I was greeted by this dog. He seemed so serene, surveying 'his' valley--appropriate for a dog guarding a temple, I guess...

The mountains here are rugged but seasoned by centuries of culture. All but the most isolated valleys are carved into rice paddies, their forested slopes dotted with Buddhist temples, many dating back to the Shilla period (57BC to 935AD).

Not too far from here, just to the south, is the resort area of Pyeongchang, which has been chosen as the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Come visit now, before the region becomes more well known outside of NE Asia...