I seriously have no idea how I should start writing about the whole escapade.
Quite many things happened during those days and of course days before and after too haha..
But talking about before will take another posting so nahh I won’t get into that else I’ll be talking nonsense on top of nonsense :p
It took me quite some time to get this posted as well because i can't seemed to continue uploading the rest of the photos to the post. So till i figure out why, you may put your own picture to match my babbles..else you may click away..haha..
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It was an afternoon flight out of KL to Incheon.
15 Apr 2011
Arrived Incheon and by the time we checked out and checked into Incheon Airport Guesthouse it was slightly after 10.30pm. Gotta say that it felt sooo good to be back! Korea
The guesthouse has got a complete kitchen so we had light supper hehe..
Note: Due to the late night arrival we decided to stay put in Incheon and take the opportunity to tour the city before departing to Jeju the next day via Gimpo.
16 Apr 2011
Mom and I went out early in search of breakfast and we found this tofu restaurant just behind the guesthouse. It was a cold morning so we ordered tofu stew set and it was delicious and just nice for such weather.
I would recommend this if you are staying around the area.
It has been 7 years since I last met Mel (가가멜) unni and she was worried if I would be able to recognize her. How can I not? I am so glad to see her again!
언니..오래만에 진짜로 반갑다! 언제까지도 언니의 예쁜얼굴을 기억해요^^
I had wanted to go to both Incheon’s Chinatown and Bupyeong market but since we do not have much time, unni suggested we skipped Bupyeong and took us first to Wolmido and then to Chinatown. We did not cross over to the island though but we had a long walk along the port area. Unni said this was what she used to do with her then boyfriend, now hubby, during their dating days hehe..
Unni said Incheon Chinatown history dates back over a hundred years ago and it was clearly depicted with Chinese wall paintings of The Three Kingdoms and buildings around the area.
Unni recommended Jajangmyon for lunch at one of the restaurant she frequents and it was yum yum!
언니 구경하고 공항까지 데리가 주셔서 정말로 고마워요. 다음에 또 인천에서 만나요! 나 아직 부평시장에 가고싶어요 ㅋㅋ
I used to ‘see’ Gimpo Airport through fans’ pictures whenever they chased Korean stars flying out of Seoul
For the first time ever, I came across flight attendants playing games on board a flight. We played the Korean version of Rock, Paper, Scissors (Kai Bai Boh). Prize was a set of orange notepad but I lost on the second round boo hoo… Oh they even gave out cartoon balloons to the kids on board. So nice!
My first time in Jeju Island
I later checked with the taxi ajosshi and he said it would always be wiser to stay on the northern part of the island either where I am now or in Jeju City
It was still too early for dinner so we went ‘supermarketing’ next door at EMart (Korea Malaysia
Then it was dinner time. Abalone time!
HwaJin JeonBok (화진전복) a restaurant frequented by our dear YJ. Ok. I guess one can never not do anything BYJ when in Korea
We ordered the Abalone Set and the Abalone porridge. One word. Delicious! In order to help digestion, we took a stroll along the coast just right in front of our hotel. Ahh..btw the restaurant is just about 5 mins walk away from the hotel ^^
17 Apr 2011
Guessed I was too excited about touring the island that I made us got into the wrong taxi!!!
With Youngsun unni’s help I had rented a taxi that will take us on our excursion for the day. Taxi ajosshi even called the night before to ensure everything is ok. Our plan was to meet at the lobby at 9.30am but I wanted to check my mails so we came down to the lobby at 9.15am. At 9.25am ajosshi called to say that he’s here and I shall come now. So I got my things and we went out to the hotel entrance. Then, I heard someone calling out “Yokee-ssi!” I turned and an old taxi ajosshi coming my way. So happily we got into the taxi and I started telling him my itineraries. He said ok and just to reassure things I asked him on the rental fare again and he said 100,000won. It was supposed to be 90,000won as agreed but I thought after looking through the number of places I wanted to go he might need a little more so I said ok. We started off and about 5 mins later my phone ranged. I answered and “요키씨, 저의 택시 타지 않았어? 다른 택시 탔어요??” (Yokee-ssi, did you ride on another taxi??) Oh dear, oh dear! Then it struck me. No wonder he wanted 100,000won and the call-out sounding like “Yokee-ssi” was actually “Taxi?”
O.M.G.! We are on the WRONG taxi!
I quickly asked the old ajosshi to get back to the hotel. The correct ajosshi called again and asked to talk to the old ajosshi. Hearing the one sided conversation, I knew the correct ajosshi was scolding the old ajosshi and told him to take us back to where he is waiting now. When we got back to where he is, oh dear…. I saw a man of about 40s in light blue suit jacket with dark sunglasses waiting for us. It was kinda my mistake too so I paid the old ajosshi the fare shown on the meter which was 5000won even though I knew he cheated with that! We got into the correct taxi and waited while both ajosshis were still arguing. Basically, the correct taxi ajosshi blamed the old one for stealing and misleading his client (us). Haha.. anyway, things got settled and again we were on our way again after I explained and told the ajosshi our itineraries and of course we asked for his recommendation too.
But I told him, “입장 비 필요하면 가지 마세요.” (If there’s a need for entrance fees, then please don’t go.) Cheapskate? Well, that’s because these places are normally those ‘touristy’ places that exhibit things we’ve already seen. Ajosshi seemed to understand my point well and you’ll find out why later ^^
He even told me to ask him to stop the car anytime if I wanna take pictures.
Our first stop would be the Sunrise Peak (성산 일출봉 Seongsan Ilchulbong). We were driving along a stretch of bright yellow flowers when ajosshi stopped the car by the roadside. He ushered us to take some pictures while he went to talk to an old ajumma manning a little hut nearby. Later, he came and said that he has negotiated with the ajumma to allow us to get down among the field of flowers for pictures for a 50% discounted price of 1000won for 2 person. Paid the buck and off we went onto the field. Let me tell you, I’ve always dreamt of being among or ‘with’ a sea of flowers just like this. So jakun right? But I just can’t help it la..haha.
Finally, we reached Seongsan. It was quite breathtaking even looking from the foot. Mom did ask me to take to the top which would take about 40-50mins round trip but I just can’t leave my mom alone. I told mom not to worry, I’m coming back again and I’ll conquer Mt.Halla too. Guess what she said? “Then, when you come again, make sure you come here for the sunrise.” Yes, of course! And YES! Mom’s not calling me a freak anymore for coming to Korea
Ajosshi said he’ll take us next to Seongup Folk Village
There are actually a lot of these folk houses along the way and it depends which one you stopped at and basically they are all the same. I told ajosshi we couldn’t take much pic now as camera’s battery running low so I gotta save some energy for more nice stuff later. My fault for not charging the night before..DingDong me! If you’ve watch ‘Tamra, The Island’ or ‘Daejanggum’ before, the village here look just like those in the drama. In fact, the one we went to was used as one of ‘Daejanggum’s location.
Next, food time! 혹돼지 먹자!
Ajosshi recommended this particular restaurant but too bad I forgot to write down the name :p
The popular choice seemed to be the spicy marinated set but we wanted to taste the original taste of the pork so we went for the non-spicy ones and we were right to have chosen that. The pork tasted really different from our local pork and were delicious! Among the banchans served, mom got curious with one. Ajosshi said it’s called kosari (고사리) and started telling the goodness of it and how it’s being made from fresh. You know when it comes to description like this my Korean is just so-so but I managed to get the gist of it la..haha.. Lunch cost 48000won and yes we paid for his lunch too which is part of the deal.
We were on the road again when ajosshi stopped the car by the roadside in the middle of nowhere. He asked us to get down the car and walked us across the road squatted down and showed us some ‘weeds’. It was kosari. He explained that this is how it is fresh and which one can be eaten depending on the growth of the plant.
On our way, ajosshi took us to this section of the road where the blooming yellow canola flowers were planted on both side of the road. He said this is the prettiest place with canola on the island. He remembered my low battery camera so he said to just take a few nice pics will do. When we got back to the car, I realized, he purposely came to this road just to show us the beautiful sight because he made a U-turn back to where we were supposed to go for our next stop. So nice of him right?
Next stop the Jeongbang Waterfall (정방폭포). I’ve chosen Jeongbang over Cheonjeyeon Waterfall , which is just nearby, because of the presence of ‘haenyeo’ (sea women or female divers in Jeju).
I thought we were leaving the Jeongbang for the following destination when ajosshi said he’ll be taking us to another waterfall. Eh?? Quickly, he said “걱정마, 여긴 공자.” (Don’t worry, this is free) Hahaha. It was a mini waterfall just a few minutes away from Jeongbang. According to him, this is the smaller version of Jeongbang and frequented by the locals. I saw an Olle Route sign nearby so those going on this trail will get to see this fall too.
He also took us to Seongpanak (성판악) the highest ground on the island, before Mt.Halla which is 720m above sea level. There's a natural water source (spring water from the mountain) at this place where he said is refreshing and we should get a bottle of it and we did ^^
Next, Mom’s I-must-see place, The Mysterious Road (또깨비로).
Mysterious Road. Mom insisted on coming to this place. A friend told me not to waste my time because it’s all just an imagination. Well, mom has just got to see it to believe it! When we got there, ajosshi did the usual thing (I bet every guide will do the same), switch off the engine and let the car ‘roll uphill’ and it did! He then parked the car by the side, we came down and he scooped some water from a nearby stall, poured them on the road.
The water flow upstream!
He rolled a bottle of mineral water on the road and it rolled uphill!
Mom wasn’t satisfied.
She took the scoop of water, poured them on the road from a reverse angle, but still it flow uphill!
Final attempt, she took the water bottle, made it to roll downhill, but the bottle stopped just there and rolled uphill!
Hahahahaha! Mom’s satisfied.
The ‘mystery’ is due to an optical illusion. The road appeared to be going uphill due to its surrounding. If you are as curious as my mom then please do drop by and have fun!
The night before, on Jeju TV was a report on the beautiful blooms of the cherry blossoms around Jeju University. I was telling this to the ajosshi and so on our way to our last destination of the day, he turned into the road leading to the university ^^
Final destination, 5-days Market (오일시장). Ajosshi’s advice: It’s kinda crowded in there. Just take a look around, you don’t have to buy anything but there’s quite a variety of food in there so you may try some of those.
So in we went and yeah it was crowded. A typical market with fresh vegies, seafood, dried stuff, household stuff, clothes and food etc. Some of the stuff sold here are Jeju’s specialty so it’s worth paying here a visit next time you are in Jeju.
By the time we got back to the hotel, it was slightly passed 6.00pm. Paid the ajosshi and to show our courtesy I gave him some oranges we bought along the way. But he refused and reminded me that he’s a local. During the day he did say how bad he feels for mom because he couldn’t speak English and he felt sorry not being able to communicate with her. I think he’s such a nice person. Taking us to those few ‘extra’ free spots and giving us some tips here and there. Oh, on our way back, he asked what I plan to have for dinner. I told him about having some nice hot guksu (극수noodle) and asked if he has any place he can recommend. Without our knowing he drove to a restaurant nearby and said that we can try that and even taught us how we can just walk back to the hotel which is just nearby.
언니, 이런 좋은 택시 가이드 아쩌씨 소개해주셔서 넘 고마웠어요~~
이 아쩌씨가 우리 영슨언니가 한국이란 것을 안 믿어요.
저한테 연락했던 분이 누구예요?
재 친구예요. 한국 친구예요.
어? 한국 친구?
네. 왜요?
한국사람 아닌 것 같은데. (*고개를 젓는다*)
ㅋㅋㅋ 언니야, 미안해
18 Apr 2011
We didn’t do much as it would be a noon flight out of Jeju. It has been a great 2 nights stay on the island. The food, beautiful sceneries, wonderful weather and oh nice ajosshi hehe..
Jeju, you’ve got my vote as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. 언니 나 투표 했다!
And Jeju, I’ll be back!
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