After this glimpse to Jeju Island, it is clear that it is a place I wouldn’t mind going back to in the future. It still has a lot of places waiting to be visited and explored, and we only managed to visit around a small portion of the island. Like, a really, teeny-tiny portion!
Just a glimpse. Marked some of the places indicated on the map that we checked out. I wanted to see a field of green tea, but I think the Tea Museum was closed when we were there. Maaa~n, I wanted to recreate some Running Man scenes. haha!
First, let’s talk about the place where we stayed at. It was already late in the evening when we arrived at the Guest Hostel we’re staying at. I don’t quite remember the name of the hostel, since I wasn’t the one who did the booking. (And I’m glad I wasn’t!)
It’s a four-storey building that does not have an elevator (so those with huge luggage will have to grin and bear it or, just like us, ask for help from the staff). It’s owned by an elderly couple who are seasoned travelers. The Omma (mother) has one wall containing keychains she collected from every country and city she’s ever been in her life. Amazing, really. I want to be like her! Haha! She’s also very friendly and warm, and she joined us during one breakfast, chatting with us in her halting, but perfectly understandable and utterly adorable, English.
The room itself. Well, I fell in love the moment I stepped inside. It was soooooooo spacious, and the floor was HEATED (you cannot believe how thrilled I was. It was, after all, the tail end of winter, so it’s quite cold outside). Instead of beds, there are mattresses you just have to unfold when it’s time to sleep. IMO, this beats those impersonal posh hotel rooms.
In our many jaunts around the small portion of Jeju we were in, we often came across these statues. In souvenir shops, in parks, and basically anywhere!
They are called dolhareubang, the symbol of the self-governing province of Jeju. In Jeju’s dialect, it literally translates to “stone grandfather”. Of course, we noticed that some renderings were not purely that of a grandpa. Some were modified to look young and utterly adorable. Here are a few we’ve seen in souvenir shops and convenience stores.
There were no 7-11s in Korea.(WHHHHAAAAT~!?) Lol. That’s bound to be a breath of fresh air if you came from a city where, every block or corner, there is a 7-11. They do, however, have many convenience stores, and Jeju’s equivalent to 7-11, it seems, is CU, which is short for CVS 4 U.
And they also happen to sell one of the best-tasting oranges (hallabongs) you’ve ever seen! I even bought one home with me back to the Philippines! Haha!
The pic above had chocolates. Yes. Jeju chocolates were also everywhere (duh, they have Chocolate Land and Chocolate Museum, after all). The two above, the one on the bottom pix? They were given to me for free – for tasting – by the ahjumma who is selling them. XDD
I tasted a few of the Jeju chocolates while I was there, and my favorite so far would be the Kiwi ones. They had really weird but surprisingly tasty chocolate creations. There was even ricewine chocolate!
And if you are planning on buying chocolates as pasalubong or gift for when you get back home, don’t buy them from Chocolate Land. It’s much cheaper to go around some stores in the city. Like this convenience store, which was called Jeju D-Mart.
Speaking of souvenirs, here are some pix from other stores I looked at. I didn’t buy any, though.
At the Jeongbang Waterfalls, we saw this class on a field trip. In the school field trips I was in when I was still studying, I don’t recall being required to go in full uniform. haha!
I saw this statue and immediately thought of UP’s Oblation. This was for an Art Gallery beside Jeongbang.
When we were in Jeongbang, we also saw a group of elderly ladies on the shore, and they were selling oysters. I forgot how much they were selling them for, though. It was Peach who approached them. And they didn’t want their photo taken. Oops.
Stealing a moment of this father and daughter.
My snacks. The Meiji was from Hong Kong, one of the things my friend She bought while on her one-day layover en route to Seoul from Dubai. She saw that I was bored and hungry, and so gave this to appease me while seated at the back. 🙂
Remember Jeju Loveland? If, at any time, you feel tired from all that walking and feel like sitting down, you have these statues waiting for you to sit on. What I’m showing is just the top of the backrest. You can imagine what you are actually sitting on. ….can’t you?
Again, some random shots for ya.
While leaving Jeju, we found this Little Museum at the Jeju Airport. It had a few displays of antique crowns, candlesticks, and such. There was also an exhibition of kids’ paintings, celebrating Korea and Japan friendship day or something.
From the little I’ve seen of the place so far, it is safe to say the Jeju Island is one of my favorite places ever. It’s on my list of “places to go back to” (what, I have a list? Oh boy. I may need another lifetime.)
Goodbye, Jeju Island. Until next time.
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