서남해안 여행
셋째 날(목포 삼학도, 유달산 노적봉, 해상 케이블카, 곡성 기차마을)
삼학도 이난영 공원에 들렀다. 공원 스피커에서 흘러나오는 옛 노래를 들으며 바다를 바라보니 세월 앞에 많은 것이 변해있었다. 삼학도 공원의 조형물과 잘 가꾸어 놓은 화단 그리고 수로와 인도교를 둘러보고 나와 유달산으로 향했다. 목포역과 구시가지를 지나 언덕길을 오르자 노적봉이 나타났다. 노적봉을 둘러보고 ‘오포대’ 언덕에 올라, 유달산과 바다 쪽을 번갈아 조망하며 경치를 감상했다. 초록빛이 짙어가는 유달산 능선 숲 사이에 정자가 살짝 보였고, 섬과 육지로 둘러싸인 포구는 호수 같았다. 작년 가을에 준공된 국내 최장 해상케이블카를 타보기 위해 ‘북항 승강장’으로 향했다.
매표소에는 아침부터 마스크로 무장(?)한 관광객들이 몰려와 차례를 기다리고 있었다. 일단 케이블카를 타고 ‘유달산 승강장’으로 올라가 유달산 정상부와 목포 시가지, 부두와 멀리 외해의 바다경치를 두루 살펴보았다. 전망은 바라보는 방향과 높이에 따라 다양한 모양과 느낌으로 다가왔다. 고하도 방향 케이블카에 재탑승하자 곧 해상구간을 지나게 되었다. 발아래 까마득히 펼쳐진 맑고 파란 바다와 하얀 거품을 내며 지나가는 배, 고하도 해안산책로와 전망대 그리고 멀리 보이는 목포대교와 다도해... 절경을 놓치지 않으려고 몸과 고개를 부지런히 움직여 카메라와 마음속에 경치를 담았다. 고하도에서는 ‘용오름길’을 산책하며 바다 건너 유달산 전경을 구경했다. 케이블카를 타고 되돌아올 때는 유달산 정상 부근을 지나며 갖가지 형상의 바위와 쉼터에 세워진 정자 그리고 등산객들의 움직임을 지켜보았다. 승강장에 내려 건물을 나서자 가랑비가 내리기 시작했다. 차에 올라 들뜬 마음을 가라앉히고 곡성 기차마을로 향했다.
곡성으로 가는 차안에서 집사람이 스마트폰으로 증기기관차 탑승 예약을 했다. 곡성역 주변은 낯설었지만 그동안 비는 그쳤다. 입장권을 끊을 무렵 금일 증기기관차 탑승예약은 마감이 되었다고 한다. 스마트폰으로 미리 예약하지 않았더라면 탑승은 물 건너갈 뻔했다. 기차마을엔 장미공원, 분수대, 대관람차, 바이킹, 목마 등의 위락시설과 요술랜드, 영상관, 각종 체험시설들이 다양하게 갖추어져 있었다. 철로를 이용한 놀이시설만 해도 레일바이크, 미니기차, 증기기관차 등 다양했다. 곡성역을 출발한 증기기관차는 섬진강변을 따라 천천히 ‘침곡역’을 지나고 ‘가정역’으로 향했다. 철로 변엔 철쭉이 만발했고 계곡 건너편에는 도깨비공원이 보였다. 종점에서는 현수교 형식의 인도교에 올라가 유유히 흐르는 섬진강과 캠핑장 그리고 주변 경치를 구경했다. 대단한 것은 없었지만 추억의 기차여행을 한 셈이다. 휴식시간이 끝나자 기차는 왔던 길을 천천히 되돌아 나와 곡성역에 도착했다. 논산으로 향하는데 흐린 날씨라 주변이 일찍 어두워지기 시작했다.
(목포 삼학도)
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(유달산 노적봉)
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(해상 케이블카)
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(곡성 기차마을)
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