Gwangyang Maehwa Festival




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Thank god…..the weather finally decided to take a turn for the better this weekend which allowed your favorite cold weather phobes the opportunity to get out an explore again. We took the 2 hour trip southwest to the city of Gwangyang for the Maehwa festival which is known for the Maehwa apricot tree that blooms a very pretty white flower that decorates the rolling landscape.
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We ran into some old friends Peter and Leah who were heading out to the fest and made a day of it together. We grabbed some bibimbop on arrival to power up and trekked though the pathways leading us throughout the area, attempting some artsy photog’s of the flowers as we went.
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In true Korean fashion, we witnessed the usual high-heel hikers at the peak of the climb which although somewhat impressive, never fails to induce a “wtf” moment for me.
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After we’d seen enough of the blooms we walked to a second level of the fest where we took in the sounds of some Korean sax players and checked out a field of plum wine barrels. We also got to sample some pickled and spiced plum in the gift shop nearby.

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The last stop in our visit was back on ground level where a large outdoor tent was setup with booths and some sort of award ceremony. In the tent were some handmade tapestries, jewlery, traditional wall art and a cool booth that let you build your own flower crate of wood. Naturally, Nicole being an excellent carpenter, she jumped in and constructed a masterpiece which will be a gift for her yoga instructor in town.

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Nicole can’t get enough of these little Korean babies strapped to their mom’s backs.
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It was nice to get back outside after what has seemed like a long and uber-chilly winter. Lots of fests and events upcoming so stay tuned and thanks as always for checkin us out.

-adam

All of the photos from today are under the photos link at the top of the website.
How do you build a life around adventure and travel?

Intentionally and incrementally. Most families who live this way did not leap from conventional to adventurous overnight. They built remote work capacity, paid down debt, tested longer trips, and had honest conversations about what they want from their lives.

What does an adventurous family lifestyle actually look like?

Different for every family. For some it is long-term travel. For others it is weekend adventures close to home. What connects them is intentionality about how time is spent and a preference for experiences over accumulation.

How do you balance adventure with stability for kids?

By finding stability within the adventure rather than treating them as opposites. Routines, rituals, and family rhythms travel with you. Kids need consistency in relationships more than consistency in geography.

What has travel taught your family?

That people are fundamentally similar across cultures. That comfort zone is a smaller circle than it feels from inside. That the things worth having in life require effort and discomfort. And that time together doing hard interesting things is the most reliable source of family closeness.

How do you handle the pressure to live conventionally when you have chosen differently?

By getting clear on why you made the choices you made and returning to that clarity when outside noise gets loud. Most families living unconventionally describe an initial period of explaining themselves that gradually gives way to just living the life.


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