Early morning wanderings led to unexpected H. U. Lee International Gate and Garden

On a trip to Little Rock my mom and I continued our usual tradition of an early morning walk. It is amazing what you can see as the sun comes over the horizon in a new city. We were staying at the Double Tree along the Arkansas River and after traversing past the beautiful Old State House Museum and the Capital Hotel we came upon the astounding H.U. Lee International Gate and Garden.

We were greeted by an 80-ton Douglas fir gate that was handcrafted by South Korea artisans and leads to a garden. We walked through the gate to find an array of statues a fountain and a reflecting pond. Familiar with Foo Dogs because my parents collected them, we were amazed by the beauty of this spot in downtown Arkansas. The H. U. Lee International Gate and Garden Ifound is a symbol of friendship between South Korea and America honoring Lee, the founder of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA). The gate wasa gift to Arkansas by the family of the late H.U. Lee, founder of the ATA, whose international headquarters are in Little Rock.

Early morning musings sometimes lead to wonderful surprises!