Seogwipo, High Five!

Went to Seogwipo (Soggy Po) on Jeju island for my week off this summer. I didn't leave Korea but I got as far South as I could. Where everything was most un-Seoul like.

For the first 3 days we took the coastal, scenic road around the island. It's not a large island, you can go from the northern most city to the southern most city on a direct road in about an hour, but we circumnavigated the island and took our time. Our vehicle was a sexy white scooter which required a not so sexy red helmet. We stopped at gorgeous turquoise water beaches and took roads that were lined for miles with seaweed drying in the sun, getting ready to be wrapped for your culinary pleasure around California rolls. The seaweed was occasionally joined by laundry lines of squid or blankets of garlic cloves, but mostly it was just seaweed. Another day, another road, a truck full of energy drinks has an accident and for a half mile or so we are intoxicated with fruity, highly caffeinated scents. Cows (both with horns! both male?) mounting each other but stopping to stare at us indignantly for interrupting. There were giant oranges, depressing zoos, and a pretty cool Mongolian themed Medieval Times park. Our navigation was not always at high alert. Went past Jeju-Si, the biggest city on the island, missed the entrance to one of the waterfalls, as well as the biggest temple in Asia (a claim I have some doubts about, but it was a large temple none the less.)

First night the drama unfolds like a high school tween drama. We drink from R2D2 at Cool Hoff before making our way to sing at Korean karoake late into the night. Wandering white boy ears hear the undeniably English voices belting out “Sweet Caroline” and open the door to join us in the famous chorus. For Seogwipo is a small town and there can only be so many English speakers. And they all know each other. A small town is a small town. Even if it is on an island. Ate great Korean food. Duck! Raw Pheasant! Hallabongs! Jaw-sicles! A meal made up entirely of side dishes. Sandwiches. Lots of sandwiches. Mmmm. Deserted houses in orange groves with newspaper clippings dated to when Clinton was first elected. Winking ajummas, bad movie sequels, good people, funny people, maybe one crazy, cute kids, even came across my own beatnik coworkers wandering aimlessly in parking lots and on piers.

Hallasan, the tallest mountain in Korea. On our way up a worker warned of dangerous shoes. I laughed it off, my hiking sandals serve me well in Seoul.

In Seoul the trails are not dotted with treacherous ankle breaking lava rocks.

Took the long trail up. Seongpanak. 3 hours up , 5 hours down. Never been so permeated by wetness in my life. On way up it was your typical mist, on the way down it was torrential downpour. Got to the top, took a picture. Looked at the lake and crater for a minute. Started shivering. And headed back down. Journey dotted with mysterious signs with the nonsensical phrase "The Top of an Election is a Clean Election."

Torrential downpours supplemented by beautiful blue skies, the likes of which are never seen in Seoul. Waterfalls. Many, many waterfalls. Tourist traps? Yes. But beautiful none the less. Waterfalls that have previous been devoid of water trickled a few drops down rust tinted mountain sides. Birds, lesser cuckoos, Roe deer, puppies, giant bugs and snails. My favorite part? Igor Fefflehoff