Living Above Worry and Stress : Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa

Life is a cycle, they say. Sometimes you're on top, sometimes you're not. Sometimes, you're happy, sometimes you're drowning in a river of sadness. Work sometimes consumes you and you must take it back. 

Ever since I came back from South Korea, I've been preoccupied lately. Work has been consuming me that I wanted to cut it out of my life. Even my Christmas vacation will be cut short since I'll be needing to run the production line. Stress is beginning to tag along with me everyday and I want it badly out. 

And so when I had the chance to go to Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, I did not hesitate. I want to de-stress for a while, I think I deserve to have one.After our company party at Crown Regency Hotel and Suites, a few of my colleagues went to Imperial Place, about 10 to 15-minute drive from the previous hotel we're in. We were booked at Mactan Suites, honestly it was my first time to try in a bigger and better hotel suite. 

I was really exhausted from the party though all I did was eat, took photos, drink and jamming with the live band, oh yes, maybe because of my wearing-stilettos-all night exhaustion. My feet cried out for rest that as soon as I entered the suite, I walked barefooted around. Imperial Palace was soooo huge that it took us a lot of time getting to our suite at the far edge of the hotel from the lobby. The hotel hallways were so quiet, I thought we were just the only ones walking on it. 

Interior design was superb; lobby was not that huge and  spacious but its okay though; the quiet hallways and of course barefooted around our suite is sooo okay

South Korea Day 9 : Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Namyang

Fast-forward, Day 9. 

After my stay at Pyeongtaek-si, I went to Hwaseong, a small city in Gyeonggi province in South Korea.  Aside from visiting my cousin Marlyn, her fraternal twins, Mavin and Mikael, her husband Kyounglee and my Aunt Rollie, I had an opportunity to discover a place I never thought I could  see. 

While strolling around the neighborhood, looking for a shop to buy some souvenirs, we passed this Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Namyang. Curiousity rushed over me since I know only small portion of the South Korean community is Catholic. 

I found their official website and a few introduction went like this, "The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Namyang, also known as "Rosary Hill,"is one of the places where a large number of Catholics were martyred during the Great Byungin Persecution. To memorialize their martyrdom as proof of their faith, Namyang was designated as a Holy Site on October 7, 1991, the feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary. For the first time in the history of the Korean Catholic Church, a site was exclusively dedicated to the Holy Mother and prayer for peace". You may see the whole link at Shrine of the Holy Rosary of Namyang, South Korea.

When we were inside passing the wide steel gates, I was amazed by how spacious it was inside. I could see few people around, maybe because of the cold weather or maybe because it was Thursday. We went further and though it was around -4 degrees Celsius temperature that day, with layered  clothes and thick jacket, I spent almost two hours roaming, hiking, taking pictures and trying so hard to contain the moment. 

What is interesting about this place is that on aerial view, this rosary hill resembles the icon of Vladimir's Our Lady of Mercy. The area was so wide, from the two spacious areas for the gathering of the devotees, gardens, chapel, rosary road and others. 

This is a unique prayer room, the design may be made in consideration of the weather in South Korea. I like the way my lighted candle burns hot in Her presence. I believe there was a reason why my feet dragged  me to this place.