Hallasan Musings

Halla from the Eorimok Trail

I am forever spoiled by Halla Mountain. Throughout the year, I am awe-struck and inspired again and again by this thumbtack-like mountain.

Some days, her royal Majesty refuses to deign us with her presence, rising above the low-hanging clouds that hug the ground. And on others, her magnetic force pulls in the few clouds, caching her face beneath a veil. How shy she seems.

Feeling above the clouds up on Halla's Yeongshil Trail.

And yet, then come those days where she bursts forth, crown and scepter for all to see, as though her timidity was only a passing phase. A brief memory to be forgotten. On those days, that first glimpse of Halla is always like an arrow to my chest; it stops me in my tracks, my breath hitching in my throat. I wonder if my eyes grow the longer I stare. Pulling them away from her peak is hard and I guess it's not only clouds that feel her magnetic pull. And on those days, I seek constantly for that next glimpse--for that better vantage point. How can others go about their mundane tasks so calmly? How can they not stop and stare?

"Have you seen her?" I want to ask. "Have you looked at Halla today?" I want to shout.

Maybe I'm crazy for feeling such elation from the sight of a mountain, but is it so wrong to find joy in nature?

Someone else's snowman, chilling beside Halla's crown.

With that glimpse in the distance, I'm done. If there's a hiker's anonymous, sign me up now... I'm sure I'll be in good company. It's like a hum in my bones or a poem in my soul. I can hear Maria singing, "climb every mountain" and I long to be off and away.

"The mountains are calling and I must go." You'll find me somewhere out there.

Love and Hugs

Size is relative.

A Rainy Day in Seogwipo

Usually, on rainy days I hole up in my room with a book or movie. Maybe I go to a café and chill, but generally rainy days are low key (with tea!).

Posing by the Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Yesterday was slightly different.

My friend and I had originally made plans to go hiking. The forecast earlier in the week spoke of rain late on Sunday continuing overnight through Monday. As Sunday approached, we were resigned to the fact that the storm came early. Instead of calling it quits, though, we shrugged on rain jackets and ponchos, and decided that today was a good day to visit one of the many waterfalls along Jeju's southern coast.

After the few hours of morning rain, the flow did not disappoint. The wildlife was not bothered in the least by the steady drops and it was fun watching the ducks as they "attempted" to take on the giant koi fish. Silly ducks, really.

Despite our increasingly wet shoes and the humidity gluing our clothes and backpacks to our bodies, our optimism was not dampened. ㅎㅎ. (Although we did follow this up with a taxi ride to a café!).

 Today, my shoes are propped up by the a/c and I hope they will dry before my next hiking attempt, but I have no regrets about our wet detour. Vacation is vacation, even in bad weather, and there is fun to be had.

Love and Hugs

Climbing Mount Halla: Gwaneumsa

I used to think that they were giving you a bit of cushion room when I heard it took about 9 hours round trip to the top of Halla Mountain. They were, I thought, accounting for people who were out of shape or who planned to take longer breaks--or maybe people who planned to climb in the snow or other strenuous conditions.

I've gone up the Seongpanak trail (click for blog post) 3 times now in different seasons and at my weakest, I've taken around 7 and a half hours. When I heard that the Gwaneumsa trail was finally open again, I was ready for a different perspective. And now I know why they say 9 hours.

The Facts for Gwaneumsa (관음사 코스):
Distance: ~8.7 km (sources vary, even on the trail)
Vertical Climb: 620 m start to 1,950m summit
Campground available at base: Sources paid max 6,000 to park, rent site and use shower facilities

Compared to Seongpanak (성판악 코스):
Distance: ~9.6 km
Vertical Climb: 750 m start to 1,950 summit
No campground at base

Conclusion:
Yes, Gwaneumsa is technically shorter (by 2km in the round trip), but you are climbing up an additional 130 m which makes for a whole lot more stairs. Seongpanak is definitely a gentler beginning with the most difficult part at the end. Make sure to bring lots of liquids and snacks for the climb. As of right now, the check point does not sell any food and I don't know if it ever will.

Still, when you finally get out of the trees and can look back toward the coast, it is so worth it.

Panaramic view toward Jeju City. If you can see the small building, its the Check Point about 6km in.

I doubt I will ever climb Halla in better weather conditions. Not only was it an ideal temperature (started with 12° and worked up to about 22°) and sunny, but the day was so clear. I could see islands off the coast that I had no idea existed.

I never knew you could see Gapado and Marado through here! 

That big white half moon shape (Right side close to sea) is the Jeju World Cup Stadium.

Ignoring the lucky weather, I think the highlight of the Gwaneumsa trail in comparison to Seongpanak is that Gwaneumsa weaves more into Halla on the way up and as a result has better views (IMO). Both trails are mainly in the woods until they arrive at their respective check points, but afterward is where the big difference lies. Seongpanak takes you around the dome as it climbs, which is nice, but it's basically looking back at the same parts of the island the whole time. Gwaneumsa takes you into a folded valley and has a switchback, giving you an alternative perspective on the mountain in addition to the distant hills and towns way below AND then the same views as Seongpanak from the top. There was one side of the mountain that reminded me of the hills I trekked around in Somerset. I almost expected a couple of goats or sheep to pop up amid the grass and rocks. Gwaneumsa also has a nice big bridge and some cool caves along the route which again makes it stand out from Seongpanak.

With my sore calf muscles, it's too soon for me to say I'll head up Gwaneumsa again. I still want to summit when there's snow, but who knows what route I'll choose then. Who knows, maybe I'll go up one and down the other when the time comes.

I spy Udo and Sunrise peak~~~

If you're contemplating climbing Halla and are determined to summit, I would recommend Seongpanak if you are not top physical form, but if you would like more of a challenge, hit up Gwaneumsa. If you don't care about going to the summit, hands down I say skip both and do Yeongshil instead. (Or up Eorimok and down Yeongshil; click for Yeongshil in the winter). ㅎㅎ

Happy Trails!

Love and Hugs.

How to get rid of a car on Jeju

(and NOT by selling it to someone else)

With the active expat community on Jeju, it can be fairly easy to buy and sell a car. From the public hagwons and local schools to the increasing number of international schools in Global Education City (GEC), there are a number of people coming and going. It's easy enough to find a car through a friend, one of the active Facebook Groups (Jeju GEC Schools Social Committee Facebook Group,Jeju Marketplace Facebook Group) or through seeking help from "the Queen of Jeju," a Korean translation service for foreigners.

But, what do you do when you want to get rid of a car? Maybe it's dead (or dying). Maybe it's just old and at risk. Or maybe, like me, you don't think it will pass the next mandatory inspection. Whatever the case, I wanted to share what I had to do to "get rid" of my car, since I found it impossible to find English sources. Any searches with "Jeju" and "Car" pointed me toward rental agencies.

Luckily, with the help of one of my Korean friends, she pointed me in the direction of a couple of junkyards.

What you can say:

폐차를 해주세요
(pyeh-cha-reul hay-ju-say-yo)
(Roughly: Please scrap my car)

The first one is on the east side of Hallasan in Jeju:
Korean Address: 제주 제주시 저찬읍 종인내길 281
Address: (Roughly) Jeju-si JeoChan-eup, Jonginnae road 281
Hours: Open 24 Hours--not sure about weekends.
Unfortunately, this scrap yard is about 2km from the nearest bus stop and the forecast called for rain when I went. So I did not go here.

The second one she found is on the west side in Daejeong near the GEC (a lot more convenient for me!):
Korean Address: 제주 서귀포시 대정읍 영락사독로90번길 41
Address: (Roughly) Seogwipo-si Daejeong-eup, Yeongraksadok-ro 90 road 41
Korean Name: 안전자동차해체재활용산업
Phone Number: 064-792-4500
Hours: Open until 4pm on weekdays according to our phone inquiry
I ended up going here after first trying a scrap yard in Hallim (which had unfortunately closed the week before and was no longer accepting cars). As I rounded the last couple of meters of the small, weaving roads, and pulled my car to a stop near the office, I left my car to the sound of a hissing tire. I guess that was as far as Robin wanted to go. Luckily I did not have to drive away.

Unluckily, the lady didn't give me any money for my car and didn't tell me why (I was only expecting between 20-30,000 KRW, but still). I recommend bringing someone who can speak Korean so you're not taken advantage of.

It was definitely a weird feeling taking my car to the junkyard. It was a year of ups and downs, yes, but Robin took me on many adventures and I was sad that this marked the end.

Robin's last cruise along the coast. RIP

Hope this post helps someone else!

Love and Hugs

Olle Trail 7-1, a new favourite

Start/End Points:
(East point) Jeju Olle Travel Center - Korean Address: 서귀포시 서귀동 316-1
(West point) Seogwipo World Cup Stadium Square (North-East Corner of Emart) 월드컵경지장 광장

View of Halla over the Rice Field

You can show the following text to Koreans if you would like help getting a taxi.

도와 주세요. 탁시 전화해 주세요.
(Toe-wa ju-say-yo.
Tak-shi jeon-hwa-hay ju-say-yo.
Meaning: Please help and call a taxi for me.)

East Point location/address: 

제주올레여행자센터에 가고 싶어요. 

서귀포시 서귀동 316-1

West Point location:

월드컵경지장 광장에 가고 싶어요.

(서귀포시 이마트)

Bus #100 goes between the two end points and would take about 16 mins. (A taxi ride is about 10 mins)

Trail Length: ~15 km
Estimated Time: 3.5-5 Hours
Key Scenic Points: Geolmae Eco Park - Hanon (large rice field) - Jenam Children Center - Mt. Gogeun - Eongtto Waterfall (best after rainy season)

Le before and after.

Last Friday, my friend Jess and I decided that along with the nicer weather, we needed to be outside. What better way to get exercise and sunshine than a hike? (Well... or any outdoor sport really. ㅎ). Because we had a limited amount of time, we needed a trail that was less than 45 mins away and that would take under 4 hours. I also didn't want to repeat any of the trails that I've already completed which meant that all the trails close to our school were out.

The benefits of 7-1 is that both ends are near bus stops. Plus, with one end being at the Seogwipo Emart, it also has a taxi stand. This made it very convenient to park at the eastern point, walk the trail and then quickly catch a taxi back to my car. (It would also be easy to catch a taxi in the city back to the Emart should you choose to walk from west to east).

View of Halla on the trail up Mt. Gogeun

Mt. Gogeun, the highest point of the trail, is about halfway through the trail, so no matter which way you are walking, count on a fair bit of uphill.

Note: there are a number of benches in the shade along the top which is where we chose to stop for a small lunch.

Another angle of the rice fields

This is my 11th Olle trail to date, and currently I would say it is one of my favourites because of the diversity of the terrain. I've seen a lot of farmland on my quest to complete all of the Olles, as well as a lot of tangerine groves so far, but this is the first time that I've walked through a large rice field (there just aren't many in Jeju because there are not many ideal growing locations).

For a moment I thought I was back in Vietnam or Taiwan (granted, on a smaller scale). At another point along the trail, we were walking beside these smooth cliff faces. Trees sprung from the tops, looking like tuffs of broccoli and Jess and I thought we were somewhere in Africa. Then we stumbled on an orchard with a sweet little cafe/house that easily looked like it was somewhere in Europe.

Cliff Faces near Eongtto Waterfall.

Near Eongtto Waterfall, a vineyard-looking orchard.

The images really don't do the views any justice. Le sigh... It was simply a gorgeous walk with lovely city views as well (which I of course didn't think to take pictures of... Oops.). Before the summer heat is upon us, I encourage you to get out for some exercise!

Love and Hugs

Sanbangsan Ferry Ride

*Photos from August 2016*

Address: 서귀포시 안덕면 화순해안로 106번길 16
Address: 106-16 Hwasunhaean-ro, Andeok-Myeon, Seogwipo-si
Price Range: Under 20,000 per person
Times: 11:00, 14:10, 15:20
Facebook: Unofficial Link
Parking: Parking available in the Harbour and back toward the beach area if you are willing to walk more

Looking around the side of Hyung Jae Some toward SanBangSan.

 As winter releases its windy hold upon Jeju and the sun begins to bring colour back to the neighbourhoods, all I want to do is be outside. (Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have gone into Outdoor Ed instead!).

SanBangSan and Hyung Jae Some from the south side

Today, instead of a restaurant or cafe, here's information on how to take a mini cruise--in case that wasn't obvious by the pictures... The ferry boat goes past SanBangSan (산방산), around Hyung Jae Some (형재섬; I'm really not certain if this is how you would spell it in English, but it fits the pronunciation best) to the point of Songaksan (송악산; pronounced with a long O sound like Song-ahk-san and not Son-gak-san) and then back again. The whole trip takes about an hour and if you are lucky enough to have clear weather, you get a killer view of Hallasan in the distance.While my friend and I couldn't see the summit when we went, the cloud art made up for it.

We're on a boat!

I stumbled into this trip by accident. I follow a couple local Korean instagram accounts and during the summer one of them posted a video speeding along the coast. I sent it to my Korean friend asking if she knew how to do something like this. I was both surprised and pleased when she said that it was easy and fairly inexpensive.

In Korean, the cruise is called called 산방산 유람선, romanized as San-Bang-San You-Ram-Sun.

Here are some key things to know before you go:
1. Make sure you have your ARC card or Passport with you. Whenever I've taken a boat trip from Jeju, I've always needed to show my identification.

2. You may need to go early to get your ticket. Popularity depends on time of year and day of the week, and I've found that some ferry rides fill up fast. If you have a Korean friend who can help you, I think you can reserve tickets online, but I don't know how. My friend and I went about 30-45 minutes before the departure time and we were okay.

3. Throughout the ride, an announcer tells you different things--probably about SanBangSan, the islands and history, but naturally if you can't understand Korean (like me), you will miss that part of the experience.

4. I didn't get nauseous, but if you get seasick really easy, maybe think carefully about going.

SanBangSan and Dragon Head Rock (Yong-Meori; 용머리)

I really enjoyed the ride because it offered a new perspective on one of my favourite parts of Jeju and my favourite lump of rock (I'll leave it to you to figure out if I mean SanBangSan or Hyung Jae Some ㅎㅎㅎ). And naturally a huge photo-op for our camera-addicted society.

Close up of Hyung Jae Some (형재섬).

It was also really cool to see Hyung Jae Some up close. I never realized that the small islands had such vibrant colours!

Rounding the little islands.

All in all, this is a fairly relaxing outing that would be fun if you're just travelling through or if you've lived here for a while and looking for something new to do.

Looking back toward Jeju~~

Happy Spring Adventures!

Love and Hugs 

Jeju Field Fire Festival

"This world is on fire." 

"Burn baby burn."

"B-b-b-b-b-bonfire."

"Set fire to the rain."

"'Cause baby you're a firework."

Saebyeol Orem on Fire

*Insert more song lyrics about fire here*

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I haven't been to many festivals in Korea but I really think I need to change that. Jeju's Field Fire Festival (제두들불축제) was a lot of fun with various events, perusable booths, and delectable street food.

While the festival is three days long, the highlight is on the second day when they set the hill ablaze. This year, that was Saturday, March 4th. My friend and I decided to hit up the festival early and we rolled in around 2 in the afternoon. The sun was warm--almost to the point of feeling too hot--and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll past the numerous tents. We saw face painting and colouring booths as well as other areas for crafts and games. Fresh produce, silly trinkets and other objects were available, too, but at the time, we were on a mission to see horsemanship and archery.

Booths lined the streets leading toward the Orem.

A slew of wind chimes that I liked to hit.

At the start of the horse show. 

One of the acrobatic feats. 

When we arrived at the horse ring, I was a little worried since it looked so small. And yet the performers used the space well. Around and around they went, twisting their bodies over and around their horses in intricate and amazing ways. I can only image how much practice and training it takes to be able to do some of those stunts--especially on a moving horse. And all that muscle! 

From the top of Saebyeol Orem, you get a killer view, and for a brief period, a mini-concert, too.

Looking back over the festival grounds.

Looking away toward the coast

Looking at us! :P

It was a long day, and the highlight was still to come. As the sun set, the temperature dropped drastically and my friend and I huddled for warmth as we waited for the burning to begin. I wish we had had a blanket like the groups of people camped out around us! As the day wore on, people arrived in droves and the pathways were soon packed. In fact, there were so many people that my data stopped working. ㅎㅎ. 

When the evening program finally began, it was quite the show. A parade of torches and fireworks built up until at last they ignited the field. It seemed both slow and fast as the fire ate through the dead, dry grasses. The reason for the festival is to celebrate (in a way) the coming agricultural season. In burning the old grasses, we also burn away the weeds so that the year can start fresh. A very cleansing tradition.

Fireworks lighting up the night atop of Saebyeol Orem

More fireworks.

I feel so cool taking firework photos.

The Orem burning...

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Jeju in time to check out this festival, I highly recommend it. Even if you can't see the orem burning, there are lots of other things to do and see. ^^ The traffic is gross (especially after the burning), but so worth it. (Definitely bring a blanket or really warm clothes for evening shenanigans!).

Love and Hugs 

Moseulpo - Gosari Kitchen

Address: 서귀포시 대정읍 하모중앙로 77
Address: 77 Hamo-Joongan-ro, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo
Facebook: No official page found
Vegetarian: I don't think anything is meat or seafood free, sorry.
Hours: 11:00-24:00
Price Range: Around ~10,000 per meal
Parking: Street Parking; Neighbourhood Parking

Are you looking for a low-key restaurant with good food and a good atmosphere? Do you eat meat/seafood? This might be the place for you!

Gosari's front entrance is not super flashy or exciting and if you aren't looking, you might miss it.

Gosari Kitchen (고사리키친) is a pork cutlet restaurant, known as donkkaseu (돈까스) in Korean. There are other menu items available (mainly pastas), but the restaurant advertises as a pork cutlet outlet. Ha. Cutlet Outlet. I just wanted to put those two words together.

Moving on. The name Gosari is related to fiddle head ferns and the restaurant's interior reflects this with hanging potted plants. I really like the atmosphere of this small restaurant. It feels nice and light and the staff were very nice both times that I visited.

Many ferns and small plants around the inside of the restaurant.

There are a couple of bigger "room" like areas for bigger parties, but the max you could fit is 8-10 (you can reserve these spaces).

I am no expert on donkkaseu, but a couple of my students and I went there last week and they said it was some of the best that they have ever had. Some high praise, I think. 

They have three different types: Original, Spicy and Oriental. You can then add cheese topping if you would like. I opted for the cheese because I thought it would help counteract the spice, just in case. The presentation definitely passes inspections. Looking good:

Spicy Pork Cutlet with Cheese Topping

Each cutlet is served with a bit of salad, pickles, a side of rice and a couple taters (the fancy plate is only when you get the cheese topping):

Oriental Pork Cutlet

Original Pork Cutlet

One of my students tried one of the pastas and another the risotto. The pasta passed, but the risotto is not recommended. Her verdict? It just didn't taste like a risotto.

Seafood pasta (I can't remember which one she ordered).

With this restaurant so close to my school, I hope to check it out again. Maybe I'll be brave enough to try the squid ink pasta next time!

Love and Hugs.

Daejeong-eup - Wato Coffee

Address: 서귀포시 대정읍 동일하모로 238
Address: 238 Dong-il Hamo-ro, Daejeong-Eup, Seogwipo
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/watocoffee/
Hours: 10:30-23:30
Vegan: You can get a Soybean Green Tea Latte (with or without coffee). I'm not sure about the other "latte" options at this point.
Price Range: Most items are between 3,000-6,000 KRW and then there is one item for 13,000 KRW.
Parking: Street parking is available.

Front of the Cafe.

This is a newer find for me and I think it opened recently. Dear colleagues, it's quite close to our school/neighbourhood on the way to "Moseulpo" and is well worth a visit. Here's a rough map from google--I included the Paris Baguette intersection as an extra point of reference. (Don't you love my doodled words. Ha.):

The blue marks where the 755 Bus stops (at Daejeong Elementary School).

I've only been here a couple of times so far, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my purchases each time. Not only were they delicious, but I thought the size and price were a good match.

The front counter is decorated with sacs of coffee beans.

There are a number of tables and chairs--although it is still a rather small coffee shop. In the spring/summer, I hope they set up a few more outside, too, which would be nice. The tables were decorated with small flower arrangements and the shop as a whole had a good atmosphere.

Different flowers decorate the tables.

I am a huge smoothie fan and generally try the strawberry option whenever it is available. I was not disappointed. I also tried the mango-coconut smoothie which was equally delicious (the coconut flavour was more mild and not overpowering like I thought it might be).

Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie; Garnished with Blueberries and Full of Deliciousness.

The drinks were a lot bigger than what my friend and I expected, too.

Grapefruit-aide.

A little cake for dessert? Okay. ^^

"Raspberry White Cake" which was a cheese cake. Ha.

Currently, the menu is all in Korean so I thought I would edit the pictures with the added English. But there are three pages and I didn't realize how much glare I had from the window. So for now, this is only the coffee menu. Hopefully I will be able to get the smoothies, teas and dessert menu translated, too. Eventually. (For now, know that they have different cakes, bagels and buns).

Coffee Menu

If you want hand drip coffee, you can choose the following selection of coffee beans. You can also buy 120g for 8,000 KRW. 

List of coffee bean selection.

As for me, I'm hoping this becomes one of my regularly frequented cafes. Once the warmer weather hits, I look forward to having more of the cold beverages. All the smoothies!

Love and Hugs.