Hwasoon Korean Tea & Dessert Cafe + Reservoir ~ 화순 꽃피는춘삼월 + 세량제

It's almost June. As spring winds down, it's about to get a whole lot hotter here in Korea. Our favorite way to beat the heat is by devouring some ice-cold bingsu! Patbingsu 팥빙수 is a Korean dessert made from shaved ice and topped with sweet red bean paste.

This bingsu comes with a small side of ddeok 떡 and is topped with generous amounts of red bean paste, whipped cream, frosted cereal, fluffy rice cakes, and a big scoop of Häagen-Dazs green tea ice cream.

With a recommendation from Ji's sister, we decided to try a traditional Korean tea and dessert cafe here in Hwasoon. Hwasoon is a lesser known town just Southeast of Gwangju. However, it's natural beauty will make it an area you'll definitely want to explore.

There are many tea rooms with traditional floor seating as well as a more modern cafe area. We were lucky to sit outside and snap a few pictures during golden hour because, oh man, the garden was breathtaking.

The toasted injeolmi 인절미 arrived a bit after the bingsu. Covered in savory soybean flour and a side of honey, it came warm and puffed up ~ the perfect combination of crispy and soft (as dessert should be).

After dessert, we hopped back in the car towards a small reservoir. There was a very small trail wrapping around the water and even a sign claiming the area as one of CNN's "50 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Korea." We will definitely be back next April to see the cherry blossom trees lining the water bloom. Living in the city is great, but I often find myself thinking about how much I miss the color green. I definitely got a good dose of the color ~ at least for a while. We walked, swatted a few flies, and drank in the fresh air. Sunday well spent.