posco at night
At night POSCO turns the multicolored lights on, and the skyline of red-and-white-striped smokestacks turns all the colors in the fluorescent rainbow.
the hands of harmony
To get there, take bus #200 outside of the Intercity Bus Terminal. Transfer buses at êµ¬ë£¡í¬ Guryongpo and head for í¸ë¯¸ê³¶ Homigot.
While the beaches in this town are too rocky to be considered viable for swimming, there is an artistic oddity worth noting; The Hands of Living Mutually or Hands of Harmony. This is a massive bronze sculpture of a hand stretching up from the water in a small cove.
This charming place is a bit of an obscure tourist trap. Amateur photographers from all over the country come to shoot pictures of the sun rising through the fingers of the hand. Some bring expensive state-of-the-art equipment whilst many will merely whip out their cellphones and start shooting. This can be a crowded shoving match over the rocks and ocean. Some will even venture waist-deep into the water, hand-phones held high, amidst squawking seagulls, to get a better shot of the bird-soiled sculpture.
New Year's Eve is presumably the best time to visit, The Hand as there are fireworks and festivities that run until dawn shortly after 7:30 a.m. Many however, come during the summer months, when temperatures are more agreeable. While there are hotels within an easy walk, some opt to sleep out on the square with a friend, a sleeping bag, some mosquito spray and a couple bottles of soju.
The sun rises early in Summer shortly after 5 a.m. in late-June, especially given Korea's lack of Daylight Saving Time and perhaps inappropriate time zone.
Near the sculptures are a lighthouse and museum along with numerous tourist shops, seafood restaurants, peddler tents and the likes. The local-owned tourist shops can be immensely helpful when finding a place to stay or the next bus out.
Visitors may be wary of the traditional squat-toilets in the public restrooms nearest The Hands. Western-style plumbing can be found at the restrooms outside the lighthouse museum nearby.
There are a few hotels within a ten minute walk toward town, mostly wedged in the network of small roads and alleys west of The Hand. These places start at approximately â©40,000 per night and checkout can seem obnoxiously early after viewing sunrise and going back to bed. Pension accommodations can be found on the other side of town, past the broadcast stations along the shore. Getting to these will involve a little exploring. Pensions during summer start at about â©70,000 per night per room.