Ilchulland-Micheon Cave

I am incapable of saying/typing 1000 words right now. Pictures here, I hope they can speak for themselves :')

A picture do tells a 1000 words, no?












If you're wondering where all these were captured, Ilchulland is my answer. Still on Jeju Island.


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The main attraction here is the Micheon Cave. Only 365m is opened for public from its 1.7km total length. My skill in capturing in low light is yet to improve, hence no photo to share with all the view inside. Next destination in this course was and is still my favourite place. Wouldn't be too long before I write about it. Stay tune :')


 
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Seongeup Folklore Village

Still wanna go to South Korea despite the current tension with North Korea?
Since u guys insist, let's continue our journey to where I left before okies.

It's here.


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Side note:
I've mentioned Jeju as a great place for honeymoon. Yes, it's true but recently I go crazy drooling Santorini Island, Greece! Can someone convince me not to fall in love with this beautiful island? Or do u agree with me?


Before we proceeded to village that still preserving Korean tradition, we had lunch in local restaurant somewhere nearby the Seongeup Village. The lunch was included in the Jeju Trolley package price as well. I requested for vegetarian and seafood during booking, but since everyone including Mr Driver briskly walk into the restaurant without bothering us who still hesitant to enter without assurance there was edible food for muslim, we opted to stay outside and had biscuit we brought *sad* They let us starved while everybody else enjoying their bulgogi! 

The restaurant entrance

We were already 15 minutes staying outside the restaurant when Mr Driver disturbed us with his korean languange none of us understand. By his gesture, we assumed he invited us in to have our lunch. In return, the 3 of us waved our hand as a 'no' sign. He insisted us to get in. I tried to look for words 'vegetable' and 'meat' in phrase book to explain to Mr Driver that we don't eat meat and only prefer vegetable. Huh, headache!

After a while Malaysian and Korean exchanging words and gestures trying to get each other understand, we finally went into the restaurant. Mr Driver lead us to unoccupied table with many plates of vegetable and condiments on it. Among the plates was bowl of rice. Then, one of the cook came to us and explained how to eat the vegetarian bibimbap she prepared for us :) *happy got to eat finally* It was the best bibimbap EVER!

Other korean foods I ate is here.

Mr Driver is the one wearing tie behind our back

Full tummies and happy faces

Only then, the journey continued to Seongeup Folk Village, an area during Koryo period was Jeju's provincial capital. It was designated as Folk Village for its many cultural properties such as residential houses, ancient government offices, stone statues, fortress ruins, millstones and stone monument.

Another tour guide took us over from Mr Driver and she guided us to visit traditional Jeju village, where many families still living in choga, a straw thatched house.

Choga

The house is distinct from mainland houses. Its roof is made from weaving Sae, a kind of straw into checked shape by using well twisted straw ropes.

Compared to mainland, Jeju has strong wind and heavy rain. Thus, choga was built low to escape strong wind and typhoon. The walls also built to overcome this disadvantage. Outer walls are thick and made from stone reinforced with mud.

Outside the house, many big vases with cover were seen. It COULD be the storage area for kimchi.  

Jeju's house front gate is also unique. They used three long logs called Jeongnang at the gates of their houses during absence to give message to whoever wanna come for visit. The logs were hanged onto the holes of the stone pillars at both sides of the gate. One log means 'returning shortly', two means 'returning later' and three means 'out-all-day'.


Another thing about Jeju you couldn't miss is Dolharubang or Stone Grandfather Statue made from volcanic stone Jeju is famous for. You'll see dolharubang almost everywhere *look again at restaurant photo above*

With its helmet style hat, prominent eyes, a blunt nose, a tightly closed mouth and a bulging belly, dolharubang usually placed at entrance of a village as a guardian, to symbolize the spirit of Jeju people who overcame difficulty and hardship. The statue may also be associated with incantations and border marker similar to totem poles found on mainland.


After the Folk Village tour ended and before proceeded to Ilchulland, here is us with our unofficial korean language translater :D

 
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Jeju Trolley course

History and Geography started to have a place in my heart and head when traveling become my passion. It never was before :D I hope it's not too late to catch up though. Map 'reading' can never be as exciting as doing it with Google Map. So here, I present to you Jeju Trolley course, proving I've been paying good attention to what being taught (by Google) to me (although not precisely mapped, at least it let u know the whereabout). I think it is AWESOME :')

View Jeju Trolley in a larger map

This is half of the Jeju Trolley course, covering east side on the first day. I've embedded a picture at every placemark for u guys to have a sneak peak of the place. Didn't I tell u it is awesome?


We were having great time of our life at Yongduam Rock, appreciating the nature (I was riveted to the unique basalt rock I couldn't find at home), taking photos at every possible angles we can and even mingle with ajusi selling sea creatures until our driver herded us back to bus. Common situation when using tour agent aight? Obediently we tailing him to the bus while he's complaining to himself in Korean all the way.


Still talking on Korean, the driver drove us to an unknown place (we couldn't understand Korean remember?) and when the bus stopped and everybody else alighting, we followed them. He brought us to pony ranch!

They look handsome with lush green grass and mountain as background. I wish to own one and ride like pro into the wood where it then stop by the small river for sip of water and I lean at tree to rest.


But the closest we could get to the pony was at the fence.

Although I couldn't find the relevance Jeju Trolley included pony ranch visit to its course, the sight of nature do relate to peace of mind.


The driver, to make it up to the complaining he made earlier granted my wish to ride the pony. I was given a red oversize vest, a hat, boot and a pony. Yeehaaa!

My dear pony being a good mother, brought me nowhere near the wood but circling the track instead for she cared about her baby and me.

She couldn't separate from her baby and also wouldn't want me to miss the rest of Jeju Trolley course. You know what it was, u have my map already :D. I'll write soon, I promise.
    


 
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Sarang-hae-yo...Jejudo

Sarang-hae-yo *wink*

Korean Sarang hae yo gesture

I could relate when people say Jeju Island or Jejudo the Korean call it is a perfect place for honeymoon. It's charming, in its own way. The sea, the rock, the weather, the people...ahh just so romantic to forget. Oh I even wish to live there *dreaming*. Life was much slower there than any other places I think it could slower any wrinkle forming process naturally than many cosmetic products available now.

Ticket for happy life :')

Beewon did a great job, gave us more than just a comfortable bed, clean bathroom and other satisfactory services, their great hospitality has made us want to continue staying there after we got back from Jeju for another nights and cancel our booking with XXX Guesthouse. That's the power of hospitality I call it. Those huge luggages of ours, we left in David's room and we took only essential belonging for the 2D1N trip to Jeju. *Special thanks to David for offering your help and acting such a concern father to us, the organized-Asians he called*

A domestic flight to Jeju was booked together with our KUL-ICN ticket from Korean Air for cheaper price! Even if we were to go with travel agent, we still will request for 2 days deviation from the group so we could see Jeju with our own eyes.


View Seoul to Jeju Island in a larger map
Oh, JAPAN is that close already!


So, on our 3rd day we departed from Gimpo International Airport to Jeju International Airport on first flight at 0700. And having spent the night before uploading photos to Friendster (I wasn't on Facebook yet then), it was a challenging task to wake up that morning and get ready before our taxi drove us to airport. Gimpo Airport is the second largest airport after Incheon Airport and serves domestic and limited international flights to China and Japan. Right after we checked in, a cup of coffee was what we wanted badly to stay awake and sane.

Gimpo International Aiport - Korean Air counter

Coffee from Dunkin' Donuts

U can also get to Jeju by Jeju Air and Asiana.

Flight connecting Seoul and Jeju took only about 1 hour and travelled on weekday surprisingly we saw the flight was full with many school kids and also working men. So, it's not only a place for holiday, but for a meeting and conference too.

Morning faces *yawn*

In Jeju, we decided to explore the magnificent island using Jeju Trolley. A perfect choice for convenient and affordable way to explore it over 2 days course. Unlike Seoul, Jeju has no subway operating and buses and taxis are the only main mode of public transportation.

Upon arrival at Jeju Airport, we headed to Gate 4 of International Arrival where the pickup point was and anticipated for this red colour bus. We were still early then for arriving at 0800 and I've provided them my Korean contact number just in case of our flight delayed and they couldn't locate us at the pickup point. The pickup point can be arranged either at the airport or hotel you're staying.

Yes, I just arrived

That's Jeju flag

Punctual as they claimed, by 0900 we were already on the bus with other passengers towards our first destination. We were lucky to be friends with Korean family whom their daughter and son studying in Virginia Tech, US speak English very well. The only glitch of non-English speaking driver cum tour guide made convenient by them. They acted as our unofficial translater throughout the course. The English speaking driver/guide will only be provided if u come in a big group.


Jeju, located in Southeast of mainland South Korea was formed when lava of sub-sea volcanic eruption spewed and surfaced above water some millions years ago. Another eruption formed Mount Halla in the centre of Jeju, being the highest mountain in South Korea. These previous volcanic activities also covered Jeju's seaside with black-grey volcanic rock and volcanic ash soil. And one of the famous volcanic rock formation is Yongduam Rock, our first destination in this leg of Jeju Trolley exploration.

It's a rock formation with the shape of dragon's head if u could see. It is believed from legend told, the head represent messenger dragon's killed by guardian spirit of Mt Hallasan in its quest to gather elixir of life for Dragon King. It fell into the sea and turned into rock.


Its unique shape and scenic seaside welcome many visitors and apparently become one of the main attractions in Jeju. It was visited by wide age range, be it school kids, young couple and also an old folks.

Jeju had me fall in love on first sight.

 
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