On Wednesday, Aug. 15th, we had a national holiday--and no class. On this day, I didn't really have any plans, but a few ideas. Fortunately for me, I was able to carry out most of those ideas.
I took over 180 pictures. I'm sharing just under 60 here. It was a bit difficult to choose, but hopefully they are the ones that portray my day the best.
A bright way to start off the day.
Down at Tab-dong. Where do you want to go?
A walking path along a man-made river near the sea.
Typically Korean: exercise equipment on a walking trail.
1st stop: a museum the shape of a Chinese Junk.
It's big, but very small for a ship.
It's in honor of the Chinese refugees who came to Korea.
The entrance.
You can choose which language suits you better.
A map of the popular refuge routes from China.
On deck.
Looking back to the cabin.
It was very hot that day. I kid you not.
A shopping street in Tab-dong.
This is called "Theme Street". It has tiled-posters of many different movies (mostly Chinese and Korean).
Too bad I don't know any of them.
See any familiar brands?
One street separates this shopping boulevard. Here's the entrance to the "other half".
Fish market!
Hmmm . . . fresh seafood . . . exactly what I don't eat.
Oh! Jeju had a fortress!
(not surprising, just haven't read about it before)
Same marker with what's left of the fortress wall.
Yes, a street.
I haven't seen brick streets (painted over or not) since Europe.
Next stop: Jeju's Folklore & Natural History Museum
Go up those stairs to the very top and you're there.
It was really interesting. It had a lot of geological and geographical information about Jeju. It also had lots of scenes from the typical everyday life of the people of Jeju from way back in the day. I was quite camera-happy . . . then I saw the "no photography" sign.
Hmmm.
I kept on taking more pictures. But I won't post them here, just to be safe.
Going down to the Marine section of the museum, I see a water lily.
and another.
An interactive hologram. See my footprints?
This is the end of the Folklore and Natural History Museum
Walking out on some random trail, I came across this interesting work of art.
It was dedicated to the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
A sad yet normal sight in Korea: playgrounds without children.
That day was basically Korean Independence Day. On any national holiday, you will see tons of Korean flags everywhere.
Ooooo! On a sidewalk?! I want to meet the artist!
That's the end of Jeju city, now off to Yongduam (Dragon-head rock)
The area where the dragon-head stone is. Can you see it? It's that odd-shaped stone on the top right.
Close-up shot.
That's it?
I wasn't impressed.
I'm so glad I didn't pay a thing to see it.
Some info about Yongduam (in English) if you're curious.
This is how they dry squid. It's very popular here. I kid you not, you see squid everywhere.
The Ramada Inn
If I can, I'd like to explore it some. I hear the buffet is great (and expensive).
Behold, a natural masterpiece.
Don't know the name of this bridge, but it was better than the dragon-head rock, that's for sure.
Another angle.
Ah, it's a hanging bridge--the kind that you feel the bridge move every time you take a step. I liked it!
From the bridge, looking at the pagoda from where I took the previous picture.
Marks of the Jeju Olle Trail.
This is a network of trails that go around the perimeter of the island. There were about 20, but I've heard they're making more.
Here, I'm beside the Ramada Inn, looking at Halla Mountain with its regal crown of white clouds.
End of Tab-dong, now entering Sarabong.
Horses!
Real live horses!
Too bad I don't know how to ride'em.
According to a friend who took me here, this cave was the "village refrigerator."
A map of where we are. I've been here about 3 times before, and I've always taken the yellow trail up to the top of the hill.
I always have to pause and take this pic as I'm hiking up the hill.
From the top of the hill.
Same place, part 2.
and part 3. That's Halla Mountain, by the way.
The next hill and the city right beside it.
The Buddhist temple is actually further than it looks.
Who goes there?
The ferry port.
Strange yet very interesting flower.
Ah, lovely.
I go and swim there sometimes. The swimming pool is great, although I was shocked at the depth. It's the same exact depth everywhere in the pool. I thought it would be like the others I've seen and swam in, where there's the shallow end and the deep end.
An Independence Day Parade that I had no idea of until it passed my bus.
Jeju has quite a few known foods that are grown here.
That's the end!
Come back and see where I'm off to next!
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