26 places to see
[My Korea] My Korea allows readers the opportunity to explain why particular locations in Korea are special to them. To submit your own recollection, e-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr
Autumn Words and photos by Lianne Bronzo
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lose your eyes (actually, keep them a little open to read this) and visualize the following scene. Crisp winds send pumpkin spice scents to your nose, as you pull your burnt orange infinity scarf tighter. A flannelclothed scruffy dude, clinging onto a sixpack of Pumpkin Ale. Dessicated leaves, crunching as he walks up the driveway for the carving party.
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Ah, it must be autumn. Having spent six years in the one-season state of Florida, I was captivated by my first autumn experience in Korea. I have since taken a liking to leaves and am always seeking the best sites to view foliage, so much so that my partner has begun surprising me with beautiful leaves rather than flowers. After all, “Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.”
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November 2014.indd 26
Leaves are both the gatherer and producer of food for the tree. During spring and summer, leaves thankfully soak up the sunlight as they provide us with shade. As days get shorter and nights longer, there is less sunlight for the leaves to devour. The leaves’ chlorophyll thus breaks down, allowing other pigments their chance to shine — yellows, oranges, browns and reds — pigments not usually visible due to the overpowering chlorophyll. The result: the Earth is blanketed with such colors as amber and burgundy. Come September, post-summer Korea rejuvenates with life. Festivals sprout around the country each weekend and people spend more time outdoors than in fluorescently lit airconditioned rooms. From the brilliant yellow gingko trees to the miniature leaves of Korean maples, taking a stroll under the vibrant colors is a mandatory autumn activity.
2014-10-27
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