Mesmerising Jeju

The Love Island

Often the first choice of lovers and wooers, this volcanic island offers locales and landscapes that bring unforgettable memories to one's life.

Beaches, cliffs, coves, lagoons, caves , mountains and almost all of nature are strewn all over the island. You will come across any of the mentioned features as you drive around the island.

 On the second evening, both Esther and dad decided that a visit to the famous Seongsan llchubong Tuff Cone is mandatory for the next morning.The ambitious target was to catch the sun rise. Apparently it is the place where the sun rises at its best. It also meant we were to be on the road by 5 am. Not too inviting an idea but when you are the minority, you just follow. The night was plagued with the fear of over sleeping. So, it was fretful rest.

Much as we wanted to rush for the shot, we regretfully could not make it.

But we had glimpses of it from afar. Almost reaching the locale, we witnessed wind turbines processing energy, tapping on the strong breezes that embrace the island. It was a fascinating sight.

The scenery surrounding the crater was resplendent. Words can hardly describe.

It is just a reflection on the greatness of God.

So you ponder around aimlessly just taking in the majestic view.

It was climbing again. 

You whisper relief into your own ears thanking God that both your legs are fit enough for the adventure. When you come to Jeju and miss this place, it is like you miss the Great Wall when you visit Beijing. No tourist would purposely miss it except for the physically challenged ones. 

Esther is good at photography, true?

 Once the site of a crater, Seongsan llchubong Tuff Cone is now overgrown with vegetation that befits the climatic conditions. Cone trees and other mountain species flourish abundantly, what with the lave deposits. Soil is fertile.

The morning sun is captivating and awesome. You stand at the peak with your mouth wide-opened. So how do you write journals about it? I am writing for future use. My next generations will remember me too through this account. Journal writing through blogging is cool. 

You feel happy sharing your experience with others.

 In June we conquered the Great Wall of China. Now we also conquered Seongsan llchubong.

Good feeling.

 We stood there for sometime just absorbing the beauty of nature.

A volcanic crater now turned into the most sought after spot by all.

A picture paints a thousand words.

Jusanjeolli Cliff along the coast of Jungmun-Daepo, comprises columnar and platy joints developed in basaltic rocks in a lava flow. Cracks are formed from contractions due to the rapid cooling of lava.

Throngs of people , old and young climbed flights of steps to view the place.

Nearby, the Jeongbang waterfall is another major attraction. 

Majestic.

With time in your hands, you just drive and drive and stop whenever and wherever you want.

Even this beach was worth a look.

 Dried under the sun, the cuttlefish is sold to consumers after they have been 'burned' under fire and then hammered to palatable sizes. 

I remembered eating it in this form when I was a little girl in my hometown. 

The vendor was an old lady and her only adult daughter took up the trade after her demise.

Thanks to good photography skills again.

The glass house, a design by the famous Japanese architect, Tadao Ando , apparently won many awards . Not really understanding buildings, it looked just like another structure to me. 

But both father and daughter went into great details of examining the building materials and design. 

Esther felt it was rewarding to be here.

 The glass feature was to allow natural lighting and the privilege of enjoying meals beside the alluring sea and nature. We had tea and we served with much care. Nothing is cheap. It comes with a price.

Around the island too you may be surprised by the stones seen above.

Have you seen this before? We do see clumps of it during travels but never in this volume.

The Sangumburi crater area grows silvery grass in splendor. The silver grass or eulalia is such a winning sight as it captures all hearts. No one who comes here can forget the place. It is simply different and out of the world. Jeju is home to it.

So would be brides and grooms make it a point to come here to be photographed.

The best can only happen here.

Jeju is beautiful.

Women Divers

Haenyeo

In our leisure drive around the island, we knocked at the door of a typical 5 day traditional market along a coast.

Obviously, this coastal locale is a market for catch from the open seas; all so fresh and inviting. Shellfish of all forms and shapes are easily gotten here.

 I was most attracted to this figurine constructed in front of the market. It is a depiction of women power in Jeju. I heard stories that Jeju culture treasures daughters more than sons. It is first of its kind in the Asian region. In typical Asian homes not having a son is doom. But in Jeju the opposite is true. When you have a daughter , you have treasure in the home but when you have a haenyeo for a wife, you can be assured of life long fortune. You will be well fed.

How nice; I would have received great favour there.

Jeju culture practises matriarchal structure in the home. It is the women folk who rises up to the occasion to look after families through their sea diving vocation. Like the Ama in the coastal town of Toba in Japan, the Haenyeo of Jeju are divers who look for shellfish like abalone and turban shells. 

Their age can range from 60 to 80 and the veterans are not afraid of the seas fishing for produce for a good ten months of a year.

Clad in black wetsuits and flippers, they dive without oxygen masks but hold a net to keep the haul; very rudimentary equipment indeed. They are accompanied by a bouyant ring to signal their presence and they resurface after a minute or so to breathe. 

Tirelessly, they resurface over and over again to boost their haul. 

Determined and gritty, haenyeon perseverance is related to many success stories in Jeju. 

Much honour and respect are given to their sacrifices and bravery.  

Perhaps our Jeju experience is most enriched by our encounter with a haenyeo in action. We were fortunate as we drove along the coast and saw bouyant rings floating in the nearby coast. We halted and walked to her. She was busy counting the turban sea snail for the middlemen who had parked his van on the roadside waiting for her to finish counting.

She walked to a shed where bouyant rings were hung to dry perhaps. 

This is evidence that sea diving activities are happening here.

This boss allowed me to hold the turban shells and told me that they will be brought to local restaurants for feasts. He had a gold watch and big gold rings. He must be wealthy.

While browsing through traditional markets, we also saw the sea snails and fresh abalone being sold. Did they come from the haenyeon haul?

This is also how they remove the flesh from its shell.

Everywhere we went, the haenyeon representation is certain. 

There are stories behind the dolls.

Local museums also give credit to the sea diving enterprise of the haenyeos. 

Jeju is proud of them.

A dangerous, difficult and demanding trade, it is not surprising that the number of women divers has dwindled through the years. Unless insisted by deep family tradition, the female gender may look for greener pastures elsewhere.

A photo form the museum to recollect the existence of this brave group of divers.

I was most glad to know about them and they have enlightened my knowledge.

There are so many things to know in life.

I truly know very little.

The brave women folk of Jeju.

Local Sites

The Tea Garden

 The Seogwang Tea Garden in Segwipo-si is renowned for its well-managed effort in producing high quality tea leaves. In an area of 528,928 sq m, the place was thronged with local and foreign tourists when we reached. Jeju is so touristy. The local authority is all out to use both natural and unnatural features to occupy the time of visitors.

The evening sun complimented Esther's photography prowess. The art in her is phenomenal. So I refuse to take photos with her around. I lose my skill whenever she is around. So I use her photos instead. Why not? Many times she would chastise me as she became frustrated when I insisted she does the job. Dad is always her best friend. When she needs assistance in shifting and ideas pertaining to building, they consult each other. Mama is only good for disciplining. Papa is fun.

The tea garden sprawls far and wide. Papa took time off just to be free like a lad.

The Ossuloc Tea Museum is very commercial. It tells of the planting, processing and producing stages of the industry. So every visitor buys an article to bring home. You do not come all the way and not have something to remember the place by. Business is brisk as customers line up for tea, ice cream, cakes and all.

The sweets are not cheap. Have a fruit beverage, consume a piece of cake and perhaps a cup of tea and you will have to fork out at least a hundred or more in Malaysian notes. But you do not come here everyday. Join the crowd and have fun too. But I must confess they do taste fantastic.

 We enjoyed the spread .

In the vicinity of the tea garden is another favourite spot for ladies. 

Innisfree for all. Beauty products of all shapes and sizes seized the attention of those who are followers of them. Korea is home to this range of skin products and you do get them cheaper here.

The ladies went frenzied.

You do get excited when you see the oranges hanging so densely and freely on the trees in almost every backyard. The weather here at Jeju seems to be the best factor for its growth. 

But beware you can get prosecuted if you happen to pluck it off the tree. 

Yes, CCTV is attached at strategic spots to catch thieves.

At a local market, we see them being sold at standard prices.

When you convert, it is cheaper to buy them at Malaysian local night markets.

Why is it so? I cannot get it.

Both daughter and father went into serious throat irritations and incessant coughs after a glorious session of non-stop consumption. Mandarin oranges has a 'heat' factor that can cause some to cough.

Jeju Dongmun Night market is worth a visit.

We enjoyed the fresh oyster on sale. It is really cheap. Salmon pieces too were appetizing. We ate them raw and prayed for no food poisoning. We did not suffer from it. Happy indeed we were.

Jeju folks will never settle for any seafood that is adulterated. Only fresh display from the surrounding seas is acceptable. It is not surprising then that vendors would only sell the best catch. It is a competitive game as every stall seems to offer similar products.

I have always known this as the 'belt' fish but later I discovered that it is called the oar fish. I have never seen them so silvery and appetizing. The Jejuan seas must be local to its existence. 

During the day, we visited 5-day traditional markets which sell local products and where locals to for their taste buds be it in drapery or food. It is fun to mingle among them.

Ginseng roots are offered at a fraction of Malaysian prices and they are used in daily consumption ever so freely. We definitely are not so privileged as them. But of course their trees have no durians.

So, it best not to compare apples and oranges.

Shell fishes are huge. Really huge. Fresh too. 

So, if there is any good reason to reside in Jeju it is definitely for fresh catch from the seas.

My good guess for such unusual produce from the land is the lava factor. An island that emerged from the deposition of lava from the volcanoes is surely fertile for agriculture purposes. Their sizes seem unreal but they are truly exist here.

Seaweed wrappers and spring onions. 

Look at the size.

Black boar trotters being sold openly in the market. They look yummy too.

What then was our favourite food?

Pork noodles served with free flow of sea weed. The bowl size is also huge. 

Every meal is complimented with kimchi and radish marinated in vinegar.

The Korean barbecue affair cannot be avoided. The black boar is a favourite among locals. We were surprised beef was not served. In Seoul we did the Korean barbecue using beef. So, we had a couple of sessions of the meal. It was very palatable. We enjoyed every session.

Perhaps another local cuisine that caught my heart was the sangaetang menu.

 It is chicken cooked in porridge with dates and ginseng. Very tasty.

A disappointing menu is the way seafood is offered. In Jeju the  abalone, oar fish, octopus, and prawns are all mixed together in kimchi sauce. Malaysian seafood display is definitely a level higher or perhaps it is a matter of getting used to the delivery. But if they have never tasted the way seafood is prepared in Malaysia, then it is a shame indeed.

So ends my Jejuan local stories.