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Hanji Happenings Tour to Sth Korea

Insadong
Now that Christmas and the New Year have passed us by, plans are well underway for our upcoming trip to South Korea in March.

The word has gone out to see who is free during the allocated week in late March so they can join at least Anna and myself exploring Insadong and Andong Si.  My small group of Hanji ladies are all keen but sometimes other commitments have to come first.

We'll be heading there in early Spring so the weather will be cool but that's not likely to dampen our enthusiasm to explore the Hanji supply shops and to soak up some of the culture of this fascinating destination.

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