The 15th Hampyeong Butterfly Festival

September 20, 2013 at 8:17+08:0009 (Uncategorized)

 

The 15th Annual Hampyeong Butterfly Festival 4.26-5.8

  With its vibrant and beautiful colors of nature, Hampyeong’s butterfly festival is a “Happy World with very few Butterflies”. What we thought would be a festival full of vivacious swarming butterflies turned out to be a zoo of other creatures that fulfilled our expectations. A close, yet distant friend of mine made a statement that reflected this feeling perfectly.

“Sometimes we go looking for one thing, and find something else. Usually, we never appreciate what we have until it’s too late. Whether it be travel, routines, things, or people.”

It’s good to enjoy all of life’s moments, and be grateful and appreciate what we’ve got. One day, it may all disappear.

 

By walking through the world in a childlike innocence, I felt as if the natural ecology of Hampyeong park was filled with hope and I was swept way by the natural beauty of it all.  It was the beginning to a great day. 

    

The highlight of our trip was seeing this giant flower tree with a mushroom head in the middle of the park.                                   

                      Displayed underneath were each of the horoscope signs. 

 

                                                                   

 

Kum Oas Ana Hall was the main attraction, although most of the butterflies were untouchable.

  The representative butterfly of the festival is known as the Tiger Swallowtail. Since 2010, this butterfly is introduced in the  4th grade elementary first semester textbook.

 

 

 

 

 

On an ironic note, there were more butterflies displayed in artwork than live butterflies in the conservatory.

After spending a great deal amount of time wandering through an array of beautiful colorful flower arrangements.           

I never anticipated there to be a parakeet rain forest conservatory. 

                             This wasn’t something I anticipated to see.  

                               

                                   The experience of feeding parakeets!

 

                  Such an amazing display of colors and different personalities!

 

 

I had a crush on this blue parakeet. He or she was so relaxed in my hand that he/she fell asleep!

 

     The Hampyeong Butterfly Festival attracts 2 million visitors. Festival organizers say they released over 150,000 of what     Koreans call nabi (나비), or butterflies just for visitors.  Guests can view 38 species of butterfly, including both exotic varieties and those native to Korea which are pinned up in frames.

         For a fun day in the spring, Hampyeong has something for everyone.

                    Admission: ₩7,000 Adults; ₩5,000 Youth; ₩3,000 Children –