My Favorite Spots on Jeju Island

Well, I should amend that title by saying these are my favorite spots from my first visit to Jeju... I'm sure future visits will introduce me to other places that are equally awesome. My recent Jeju trip was over the Lunar New Year holiday, which was a four-day weekend. The end of January isn't ideal Jeju weather, but it didn't stop us from touring all over the island and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Here's the best of what I saw... 

One of Jeju's famous dol hareubang, or stone grandfathers.

Our trip to Jeju was part of an organized tour, and honestly, I'm kinda happy we had the guidance. Normally I love plotting out an entire vacation, but this time I wanted to have a weekend of not worrying about what came next. I definitely appreciated having a chartered bus and no responsibility. We went with one of the popular expat tour groups: When in Korea. After doing this tour, I feel like I've gotten my bearings enough to plan a really awesome return trip around Jeju. 

The tour itself was a whirlwind of activities, so here are my favorites: 

Olle Trail #7

Jeju's 13 Olle Walking Trails are a big attraction on the island. We only walked along this one, but it was beautifully scenic and I was impressed with the sights we saw. Plus, it was a spring-like, sunny day and it was just really nice to stroll along the seaside. 

Oedolgae Rock.

Possibly one of the coolest things to see along this trail are the Jusangjeolli Rock Column Formations. Jeju Island is a product of the volcanic eruptions of Hallasan, so all over the island, you'll see crazy lava formations. In this case, the lava formed hexagonal columns that don't at all look natural: 

Jusangjeolli Rock Column Formations.

Jusangjeolli Rock Column Formations -- so cool! 

A shot of the trail - so pretty.

Yongmeori Coast

This was possibly my favorite part of the whole weekend. Not only was it a stunning location, but we had a lot of fun trekking around and taking photos. Yongmeori Coast, also known as Dragon Head Coast, is right next to Mt. Sanbangsan. 

Layer after layer of limestone deposits.

The rock is full of tiny little caves and spots for sitting. 

With Sanbangsan in the background.

Orange picking!

Jeju is quite famous for a few things, and from my experience in Korea, it seems as though their oranges hold the number one spot. I was really excited to see that our tour included a stop for all-you-can-pick-and-eat at an orange orchard! We only had ten minutes to stuff ourselves (and possibly our bags...) with these sweet little oranges, but it was definitely worth it. Pruning shears were passed out, a timer was set, and we went crazy. 

Trees ready for picking.

Give me all the oranges you have.

Kimnyoung Maze Park

If you've ever wanted to reenact Harry Potter or Labyrinth, I've found the place to go. This giant hedge maze was a rather whimsical part of our tour, but I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this part of the tour was during the day when the weather decided to be rainy, making the maze less enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. We did, however, still laugh hysterically as we got completely lost. Also, because our umbrellas were too wide for the maze and we kept getting stuck: 

We just want to get out! 

We never found the center of the maze... Instead, we managed to make our way back to the entrance? Accidentally, of course.

Manjanggul Lava Tube

As I discovered last fall when I explored Hwanseongul on Korea's east coast, I love caves. They fascinate me. Getting to walk inside the massive Manjanggul Lava Tube was no exception. Designated as a natural monument and UNESCO World Heritage site, it was created by the lava flow from several volcanic eruptions. It's actually part of an entire system of lava tubes that are at least 100,000 years old.

Just awesome.

Make sure you stop and check out the different lava formations as you walk.

Going early in the morning is recommended -- it was so empty!

-----

Next time I visit Jeju, I'll definitely be ready to tackle more of the island. Warmer weather will call for more time spent on Jeju's beaches, checking out the waterfalls, and maybe even escaping the heat in museums. There's just so much to do! 

Any recommendations on what can't be missed on Jeju? Leave a comment below! 

Quirky & Charming: Samcheongdong's Owl Museum

In case you haven't noticed, owls are super "in" right now, and Korea is definitely following suit. They also happen to be one of my favorite animals and in the past decade or so, I've amassed quite an owl collection. You can just imagine my elation and fascination, then, when I heard that Seoul has an actual Owl Museum! After spending the morning walking around the Bukchon Hanok Village, my friends and I wandered through the neighboring Samcheongdong to see what this Owl Museum was all about... 

Now, to be clear: this is not a museum with live owls. (Though, that would be really cool.) Korea is famous for its weird cafes, including a variety of live animal ones, but this is simply a little cafe that is stuffed to the rafters (literally) with owl everything. 

The most wonderful facade this owl lover has ever seen.

A mural on the outside of the museum.

All the info you need about the museum. 

According to the information page we were given upon entering, the owls inside the cafe are all from the personal collection of Mrs. Myeong-Hee Bae, who has been collecting for over 40 years! She started young and has made an effort to find unique owls everywhere she goes. Even her family and friends have gotten on board, collecting owls for her when they see one that's worthy of being added to her collection.

A cute little bench, surrounded by owls, and perfect for a photo!

Everywhere you look -- owls.

The museum supposedly houses 3,000 owls, though I would argue that there are even more than that. I could've spent hours marveling over all of her owl pieces -- little figurines to huge paintings to ceramic plates to a Harry Potter and Hedwig blanket tacked to the ceiling. Basically, I was in complete awe of all of her owls and she might be my hero. 

Shelves absolutely packed full -- some of the owls were the size of a fingernail! 

In addition to her collection being so huge, it boasts owls from around 80 different countries, "including China, Japan, Indonesia, Russia, and Zimbabwe." 

I dare you not to be impressed.

The drink menu.

There was an entrance fee of 5,000 won, but it came with a complimentary drink. We were then given little pieces of paper, Owl Museum branded stamps, markers, and crayons. I imagine that this caters to small children in particular, but we immediately started drawing owls of our own and carefully coloring them in while we sipped on our tea. 

Her gorgeous plate collection.

Information:

• Opening hours: 10am-8pm
• Closed every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
• Entrance fee: 5,000 won (comes with complimentary drink)
• For more information, visit the Owl Museum's website, which includes a map that's helpful for navigating the streets of Samcheongdong. 

The area surrounding the Owl Museum is my favorite area of Seoul -- you have Insadong, two of the big palaces, the Bukchon Hanok Village, and of course, trendy Samcheongdong. It was a quiet, visually entertaining afternoon in the museum, and if you're working your way down the list of strange Korean cafes/museums, make sure to add this one. I highly recommend stopping by this odd but charming little museum when you're in the area!

Korea Bucket List: My 2014 Goals

While it may not seem like years have passed since I first arrived in Korea, I'm officially facing the beginning of the end. My departure is still months away, but definitely in sight. By the end of this year, I will be gone. As the calendar flipped over to 2014, I suddenly started remembering all the things I've yet to see in this beautiful country! Here's what I'm looking forward to crossing off my Korea Bucket List before I leave...

1. Summertime trip to Jeju

I recently took a trip to beautiful Jeju Island, but, unfortunately, it wasn't exactly prime beach weather. While still gorgeous (and with weather far preferable to the peninsula's), January does not equal swimming season.

Soon...

Instead, I looked longingly at the turquoise water and silently promised the island that I would be back.

Information: Jeju's official website / Korea Tourism Organization website

2. Boseong Green Tea Plantation

I can't wait to check this one off of my list -- the photos I've seen of the green tea fields make it almost look unreal.

I'm not the biggest green tea fan, but I also haven't decided that I hate it. I figure a trip to Korea's famous green tea fields will be the final test. 

Information: Boseong website / Korea Tourism Organization website

3. Hike Seoraksan

As soon as the weather warms up, I'm going to start building up my hiking stamina. Seoraksan looks absolutely gorgeous (check out the photos from that old Aclipse blog!), from the hiking trails to the national park itself. 

I'm hoping I can actually do this one in the fall because everyone tells me it's the most stunning when you can catch the leaves changing colors. 

Information: Korea National Park Service website / Korea Tourism Organization website 

4. Weekend stay on Nami Island

I went to Nami Island for a day last year and I loved it. However, since it was my first time there, I didn't come prepared to fully experience everything the island has to offer! Next time, I want to book a room in one of the pensions on the island, bring a swimsuit, and go crazy! There's ziplining! And tubing! 

Information: Namiseom website / Korea Tourism Organization website

5. Bicycle around Gyeongju

Gyeongju is often referred to as Korea's "outdoor museum" and I'm already planning a trip there for the spring. Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Kingdom, so tons of historical sites and relics were left behind. Temples, tombs, parks, a grotto... several of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. I'm really looking forward to bicycling my way from one site to the next and learning more about Korea's history. 

Information: Gyeongju website / Korea Tourism Organization website 

One key spot to visit in Gyeongju is definitely Bulguksa. This temple was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, it houses seven of the National Treasures of South Korea, and it's currently a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Sounds neat, right? 

Information: Bulguksa's website (in Korean) / Korea Tourism Organization website

6. Eat live octopus!

Not a whole octopus, because that just freaks me out, but more along the lines of just bits of wriggling tentacles. It looks borderline terrifying, but also fun? I already know that I won't try some of Korea's other delicacies (like dog or bbunddaegi), so I figure I can give this one a go.

I'm thinking a trip to the Noryangjin Fish Market is in order. Anyone want to join me?!

Information: Korea Tourism Organization (for Noryangjin) website 

7. Cherry blossom festival

Every spring, the cherry blossom trees create beautiful canopies of white and pink flowers. My first spring in Korea was so-so for cherry blossoms, and last year I wasn't in the country, so I am absolutely determined to catch the trees in full bloom this year. 

My research has told me that early April would be a good time to see the blossoms, and this year I'm hoping to travel to somewhere with an impressive display. (However, with the mild winter we just had, I'm worried they'll start blooming early and I'll miss it!!) 

I've got my eye on the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, which is one of the largest in Korea. 

Information: Korea Tourism Organization website from last year (2014 info isn't available yet, but this link is still helpful for estimating about when the trees usually bloom in each area.)

8. Suggestions?!

This might be a cop out for the last item on the list, but I figure I should open this up to suggestions!

What I've listed above is by no means my complete bucket list (that one is quite lengthy) -- for this entry I decided to just focus on some of the bigger to-do items.

So, fellow bloggers, expat readers -- what else should I try to do before I leave this wonderful country? Leave me a comment below with your recommendations! 

Monthly Photo Recap: Winter 2013-14

I've definitely been in another blogging slump. Try as I might, I just can't seem to get my shit together and finish the entries queued up on Blogger. November was a busy month, largely because it was the end of the term, and with that, some sad goodbyes to friends who were leaving Korea. December was... I don't remember. It was a thing that happened. Then January was more of the same. February was fine, but largely forgettable. Now it's (somehow) March and the weather, much to my frustration, can't seem to decide if it's going to be springtime or not. We're two weeks into a new term, it snowed last night (flurries, so nothing substantial), and the air has been really hazy and gross.

At this point, I just need the weather to suddenly warm up. I'm hoping it will kickstart my motivation to get out and do things. While it was an unusually warm winter, I was perfectly content to hermit at home as much as possible, therefore seriously lacking in Exciting Things Worth Blogging About.

In an effort to be ready to blog away when Interesting Things happen again, I'm forcing myself to go through the backlog of entries and finally get them published. (Wish me luck...)

To get this new resolution kicked off, here's a "Monthly" Photo Recap of basically my entire winter, broken into months, each featuring my favorite photos...

Nothing like being drawn as a hamburger spaceship to remind you why teaching is a pretty cool job.

Songdo, looking pretty. Really looking forward to everything being green again so I can really explore this area. (Especially because I now work in Songdo -- my school moved!)

Seoul Folk Flea Market = one of the greatest treasures I've found. Though it's definitely for the best that I've just now stumbled across it. I would have spent the past two years buying all the things otherwise... 

Ended the month with a trip to the annual Seoul Lantern Festival, which was one of the first things I saw when I arrived in Korea in 2011. Always nostalgic to visit this festival and remember that very first weekend.

The end of term party in November was one to remember. Saying goodbye to a couple lovely, awesome ladies really, really sucked, but we went out with a bang. 

My (old) walk to work with the trees showing off beautiful fall colors.

    

This was my early Christmas present to myself. >:) 

Aaaaaaand then the snow came. Luckily, this was one of the only major snowfalls of the winter, which I am totally good with. 

My new favorite dessert: mini-pecan pies. I made a ton of these for a big Christmas dinner that Corey and I hosted. We had a huge turnout -- nearly 20 people! And...

...more food than we knew what to do with. This was about a third of all the food people brought over. It was a really great way to spend our last Christmas in Korea and getting a huge group of holiday-homesick expats was exactly how I wanted to spend the holiday.

Then we ended the month with seeing Universal Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker!" It was beautiful and I cried a lot, simply because that's what happens when I watch that ballet...

Behold my future: an OWL MUSEUM. A lady with a love of owls had such a huge collection that she opened up a museum to display them. As an avid owl collector, she's basically my hero.

An area of Seoul I will always enjoy visiting: the Bukchon Hanok Village. I have plans to spend a lot of time there this spring -- so many cultural workshops and activities in these old houses! 

The one class I had last term that really tested my patience, but ended up being one of my favorite groups. This was taken during a Saturday make-up class since we missed a couple days for a national holiday. I'd told them to "look really sad about being at Chungdahm on a Saturday morning," and after a split second of pretending to be bummed, they, naturally, attacked each other and this was the photo I caught instead.

For the national holiday mentioned previously (which was Lunar New Year), a couple friends and I went on a tour of Jeju Island. While it wasn't prime Jeju season (meaning summertime swimming and hiking and sunbathing), we still had a really good time and enjoyed taking in the beautiful scenery.

Another Jeju shot. I'm really looking forward to going back during the summer months! 

Our Jeju trip extended into the first two days of February, so this is a picture from our last day at one of Jeju's many orange orchards. We were given shears and ten minutes to go crazy with all you can pick and eat! 

My Master class, which does both literature and debate, loves doing mock trials. Since the ones in the books aren't always interesting, I started searching for mock trials based on books. That was when I stumbled across a poorly written Harry Potter mock trial. Inspired, and with the enthusiastic support of my class, I wrote an entire mock trial centering around Professor Quirrell's death. Was it murder or self defense?! Instead of swearing in students on a Bible or our book of logical fallacies, one of my students brought in the first Harry Potter book. The whole thing was awesome and we had a really good time. Oh, and the jury ruled that it was self defense, so Harry went free!

I found possibly the greatest Engrish shirt in all of creation. Didn't buy it, but it is a masterpiece and I now regret leaving it on the rack. Maybe someday I'll see it again...

Shameless selfies at a mirror-art installation in a subway station. Also! Guest appearance from my new Canon t3i DSLR, which is going to be put to good use in the coming months. :)

Very, very cool piece in Seoul's Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. That whole thing is made of fabric! Blog entry coming soon! 

Last, here's my latest favorite photo and FB profile picture (obviously). In City Hall station, the benches on the platform of Line 1 have all of these cute little characters. I couldn't resist having this picture taken. It's a pig playing a violin! And he's so cute! 

How-To: Survive Winter in Korea, Part Two

Here in Korea, we're in the throes of (a rather mild) winter, but since I despise the cold, I've been doing everything I can to make sure I make it through my least favorite season with my spirit in tact. Part One of my "How-To: Survive the Winter in Korea" guide focused on five bits of advice that I've learned in my past two winters in Korea. Now I'll round it out to an even ten with the other half of the advice... 

Crank up the humidifier.

While your ondol has some wonderful benefits, it unfortunately also contributes to the dryness that's in the air during wintertime in Korea. After waking up with a sore throat day after day, I realized that I needed to put some humidity back into the air.

Humidifiers can be found at any supermarket chain in Korea, often for as cheap as $20-30.  

Indulge in Korean soups and stews!

One thing (of many) that Korea does really, really well is hot soups. And what better time to eat all the soups and stews than when it's below freezing outside. 

Some of my favorites include tteokguk (rice cake soup), sundubu jjigae (tofu soup), and haejangguk ("hangover" soup, which is also just delicious anytime). I recommend heading to a neighborhood spot and seeing what they have to offer -- most traditional Korean restaurants will have at least some of these, as well as a wide selection of other soups and stews.

Find some strap-on ice cleats. 

My first winter in Korea, I was dismayed to find that they don't really clear the sidewalks. This definitely varies depending on the city or even the amount of foot traffic a particular stretch of sidewalk receives, but my walk to work is basically the equivalent of ice skating. But without ice skates. 

Enter strap-on ice cleats. They look ridiculous, yes, but I for one will not be risking wiping out on the icy sidewalks. I have yet to fall on the ice in Korea, and I am not about to start now. 

My cleats came from home -- my parents had them from a previous ice storm, so they were passed on to me. You can buy you own on sites like Amazon and Gmarket, or you can look around in the sporting goods stores in Korea. If you're into hiking, these are a good investment anyway as the paths and stairs up the mountains are somewhat treacherous this time of year.

Settle in with Netflix and/or Hulu.

It's sure taken me long enough to figure out how to make Netflix and Hulu work in this country, but I have finally done it. Hibernation this winter has suddenly become a lot more convenient. 

Setting up Netflix is easy: install Google Chrome as the browser on your computer and then download the extenstion called Media Hint. Then you're good to go! Thank me later when you're marathoning TV shows instead of going out into the cold. 

Make a checklist of indoor activities for the weekends. 

Korea is full of indoor activities to keep you busy this winter. Here's a quick run down of popular and fun things to check out, with links to those previously covered by Aclipse bloggers, when you're exploring and want to stay out of the weather: 

• Theme cafes - Mustoy, board games, dogs, cats, Hello Kitty... Korea loves its cafe culture and hopping from cafe to cafe wouldn't be a bad way to spend a weekend day. 
• Museums - War Memorial, National Museum of Korea, the Trick Art Museum, or even the new National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. There's plenty to keep you busy, indoors, and warm, while also getting you out of the house and checking off some of your "Korea To-Do" items. 

-----

That's all I have for my winter survival tips! Leave a comment below if you've got any additional advice for powering through the last weeks of winter. Good luck with staying warm! 

How-To: Survive Winter in Korea, Part One

I come from a place with a respectable amount of snowfall and below-freezing temperatures. While I know people from more northern climates would still scoff at my own experience with winter, I think most of us can still agree that sometimes, it's just the worst. Winters in Korea, while brutally cold, are also quite icy and grey. As I face my third Korean winter, here's the first part of my tried and true tips for surviving the cold months.

Nooooooo, thank you.

Get to know your apartment's ondol. 

Ondol, which is the Korean word for the floor heating, is one of the greatest things. Ever. There's something amazing about getting out of bed on a cold morning and feeling warmth under your feet. 

The controls are likely to be in Korean (and temperatures in Celcius), but some quick translating and converting should help you figure out the basics. The ondol control in my apartment is fairly standard, so you can expect something like that. 

Buy yourself some fleece-lined clothes.

I've been hearing that this trend is catching on elsewhere in the world, to which I say, It's about time. Fleece-lined leggings, tights, sweaters -- everything -- have been popular in Korea for as long as I've lived here, and probably even longer. It's amazing how much a layer of fuzz makes a difference, especially when you want to keep the biting wind off of your legs. 

Invest in gigantic scarves.

Giant, chunky, face-eating scarves are all the rage both in Korea and the rest of the wintery world. Guys or gals wear huge scarves without shame, largely because while also stylish, they're absurdly practical. Not only can you thoroughly wrap your neck, but you probably have enough scarf leftover to make a hood or pull it over your mouth and nose. 

Possibly the best part of these scarves, however, is that they're cheap. Really, really cheap. 

Embrace the hand warmers. 

Hand warmers were revolutionary for me. I'd never encountered them before Korea, so I was amazed when I was first handed these little warm pouches. 

Hand warmers are typically pocket-sized and you can find them in any convenience store this time of year. Some even have adorable little characters on them. 

Take your D vitamins!

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is very much a real thing, and Korean winters can be especially gray and gloomy. Last winter, the entire foreign staff at my branch got particularly mopey during the winter because we were so deficient in vitamin D. 

Finding vitamins in Korea isn't difficult, but I've found them to be somewhat overpriced. Luckily, this is where iHerb comes in to save the day. iHerb is a(n amazing) online heath food store with great shipping options to Korea. This year, to preemptively head off my seasonal depression, I stocked up on vitamin D and have been trying to take it regularly. It's been sunny so far, but the cold, dark winter months are far from over. 

-----

That's all for Part One, but be on the lookout for the second installment, with five more bits of advice for making it through winter in Korea!