No two ways about
it. Unquestionably, travelling in a tour requires discipline. Yes please. There
is no such a thing as you wish in a clearly listed tour. Obviously, you can’t
follow your own travelling heart by wondering as you please. Instead, it is about
abiding to the unspoken travelling rules. Otherwise, you will be billed as a
nuisance by the tour guide and tour buddies. So sorry everyone, if you can’t pay attention to the tour guide on safety rules and time limit, you better ditch
the idea of tour travelling (Sapporo/Hokkaido). I know better. I can strongly vouch because experiences speaks louder than words. In Jeju
Island, it had to be the same agenda in the morning. Waking up by 7.00am,
sometimes even earlier, showering of course is your choice, followed by
breakfast and most to most by 9pm, sometimes you have to pack if we are not returning to the same hotel. Also, do try to empty your bowels instead of
restlessly interrupting while on the way for sightseeing (Istanbul Turkey, Pretoria South Africa & Colombo Sri Lanka).
On this second day in Jeju Island ((Jeju Island Part 1 & Korea Day 1), we
left the hotel at about 8.30pm to arrive at one of the restaurants across the harbor
for breakfast. I can’t tell exactly which restaurant, obviously because I can’t
read neither speak Korean language.
Breakfast started with toast and coming
with it butter, jam, soft boiled eggs and abalone porridge. Abalone however I
think got lost at the harbor instead of making its way into my bowl of
porridge. Where? This missing KGB abalone matter however seemingly got the tour guide all worked up. In fact, he thought I was playing morning sparks with him. Thankfully other tour
buddies echoed. Otherwise, beats me though. Anyway, he then handed over a
few more bowls of porridge, clearly with a few pieces of abalone. Flavorful and
tasty, eaten with soft boiled egg, we agreed that porridge is an acceptable start for the rainy weather.
After breakfast,
within the next one hour plus, we were already in Jeju Folk Village while
rain continued trailing in front and back of us. Holding the umbrella handed
over here and among the rest of the tour groups, we walked around this rather small Jeju village for the insights to Jeju clan’s early settlement.
Their houses, by the sea daily living, activities and assumingly living happily as one big happy family.
Later, we were told about Jeju's horse bone power during the ½ an hour demonstration whereby we also tasted the horse powder drink. Then, your guess is good as mine. Either unforcefully or forcefully
luring you to buy the products. Nope. I wouldn’t dare. Sorry, leave me alone
even after tour guide’s pep talk. The Chinese tour buddies on the other hand willingly bought. They sure will, isn’t it? Of course.
On our way out
from Jeju Village, we stopped for another tour guide's commission earning
shopping. Buy if you want to, but don’t waste your time trying to gasp a thing
or two by reading the labels. Remember, I told you? Korea is typical Korea in
their sense and sensibility language? Indeed. I didn’t mind grabbing some of
the Vitamin C and a few boxes of the fruity sweet treats. Potentially worth the
buy for my own consumption and for closest friends only.
Lunch on this day was
before 12pm. Appreciated. After all, rainy weather does trigger hunger. However,
nothing special. The same Korean hot pot meal alongside Korean sides. God! Shouldn’t
there be something new on our menu for a change? Then again, when hunger is
hunger, we still ate, not before quietly sulking to each other.
After lunching, we
spent an hour plus at Aqua Planet. Asia’s largest aquarium (Bergen Aquarium). Housing
over 5,000 marine creatures from domestic regions and abroad, offering
versatile features and also a hands-on experience, mainly for children in touching
real-life sea animals and partaking in many of the science and history classes
that goes on throughout the year. Being among the
bus loads of tourists and locals, we marveled at the underworld while taking as
many snapshots. What captivated me the most was walking through the aquarium
tunnel. Such an amazing feeling as though you are in it, between the various sizes,
colorful, joyful and aimlessly swimming living beings. Awesome!
The next point of
stop was Jeju Teddy Bear Museum. One of the first museums in the world for exhibiting
all sorts of teddy bears and stitched dolls. Grandpa teddy, grandma teddy,
kiddy teddies, royal teddies, your teddy, my teddy and all that associated with
teddy living. Naturally a kiddy land, I didn’t mind, but if I had a choice, I
would have forgone Teddy Bear Museum.
Next on our itinerary was 3D Museum. My
first ever experience, basically for picturing albeit you have to patiently wait
for others to give way before mimicking your own posey-mosey style. Not bad.
Entertaining to inject fun, laughter and comical madness.
We also had a stop
at the indoor ice sculpture gallery which was too much for me to handle
Freezing cold until I couldn’t even take pictures. A quick walk prior to quickly existing. At about 3.30pm, we were already in Seongsan
Sunrise Peak. An extinct volcanic crater, jutting out to the sea and for
strolling along the quaint stone fencing up the scenic Seopjikojo/Seopji Hill.
Nature and flying your hair breeze, instead of tagging alongside the tour
buddies, I walked on my own as far as I could for the mesmerizing far and
beyond view as well as the lovable green luscious surrounding. Actually, I didn’t walk till the peak, just within where I was comfortable with.
Returning downhill in an hour, I bought the spiraling in a stick fried crispy potato and touted as must try Jeju orange juice, sat at the bench across the hill for my own moment of time.
When everyone came together again at the stipulated time, off we went left for
dinner. What else is new with Korean food? Sincerely nothing. Seafood steamboat with
Korean side dishes I won’t even bother mentioning. Curtain for the day was
later drawn in the hotel while enthusiastically looking forward to exploring
Nami Island next day.
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