I went across the street and checked the schedule for the 202-series buses to Gyeongpo. Long waits. So I went back across the street and waited for the 314-1 to Anmok. I only had to wait about 20 minutes, and we were off.
With Typhoon Hinnamnor approaching, this was the calm before the storm. In fact, that's what pushed me towards the ocean. I thought there might be some big waves. There weren't huge, typhoon-related waves, but they were still quite a bit bigger than when I was there before.
I started walking north. You can walk through the pine forest on sand and pine needles, while still being very close to the sea. I mean within 20 or 30 meters or so. The Gangneung folks protect a nice strip of coastal forest for a long ways up the coast.
I could see the Skybay Hotel, one of my best landmarks, in the distance and headed for it. It was pretty far, as usual, but I didn't mind. There were very few people about and a good sea breeze. It was threatening rain, but not raining yet as I hobbled along. A very good day for a seaside hike.
It was a bit disappointing when I realized that the Skybay Hotel building I was using as my landmark was not, in fact, the Skybay Hotel, but I have considerable experience with this type of minor navigational setback. From my position, I was able to see the Gangmun Bridge, which probably has some other name. What I knew for sure, having walked it previously, is that it wasn't too far from Gangmun Beach to the Skybay Hotel.
Gangmun Beach is where it started raining, but it wasn't a hard rain, just enough to make you use an umbrella instead of a hat. Okay, it was a bit harder than that, enough to make my backpack wet as it protruded out from my little travel umbrella's circle of protection, but the point is that it was a nice, welcome rain by the beach, and it added to the atmosphere.
It was getting towards sunset as I approached Gyeongpo Beach, and I was rewarded with a bit of a sunset. That is, the sun slipped under the clouds and showed itself enough that I could manage a few sunset photos, even on this rainy, pre-typhoon day.
Oh, but then... I wish you could have been there with me. Some other people were, including two young ladies whose wonder and joy was infectious. 쌍무지개!!! Double F'ing Rainbow!!! Not just one, but two. Not much of a sunset to the west, but what a wonderful performance nature was putting on to the east over the water.
Finally, I understood everything as I stood there in the rain taking photos of the rainbow from under my umbrella. I am retired. My retirement job has found me: A chronicler of sunsets and rainbows I shall be. And I am free to choose the time and place. Goodbye, cruel cubicle farm. You were a means to an end. Now I am free. Finally free.
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