Last week, we had our Summer vacation. These nine days we had off is the longest vacation we receive during our 19 month contract. Needless to say, we were determined to make the most of it.
We booked a trip that was named the "4-Day Relaxing Jeju Trip by Ferry" through a travel agency based in Seoul called Adventure Korea. The itinerary was chock-full of events including festivals, museums, hiking, sightseeing, shopping, and meals. We stayed in a very lavish hotel relative to what we've been accustomed to so far (including our night in a "Mongolian tent"). We had a tour guide so entertaining, caring, and effective. Much to our delight, we got all of this for a very reasonable price!
Since we took our photographs in bursts, much of the trip was not documented and the parts that were are superfluous, but you'll get the gist. So without further adieu, please enjoy the sporadic photo chronology of our vacation.
After a few missing a few buses in Busan, we were relieved to meet our group. We began our journey by spending a day together on the mainland at the annual Water Festival.
After Bobby got scolded for premature-elevation, we set up the rockets again and blasted off!
If you think this looks fun you are severely mistaken. You ride the swing while an obnoxious man with a microphone aggressively shoots water from a hose in your face. The goal is to land in the furthest kiddy-pool. The prize for doing so, which only Jestine accomplished, was a bag of dried mushrooms.
We finally made it to Jeju after an 1 1/2 hour boat ride
On this day of trekking the beach we saw an abundance of trash.
Bobby got in trouble for sitting in on the military/lifeguard training.
Some of the trash was slightly more noteworthy.
Here are some photos from another day of trekking. Our tour guide told us there would be a very flat hike, which turned out to be a sweat-inducing gauntlet that weeded out the majority of our group.
At the beginning of our hike, we went down to the black sand beach and visited holes in the mountain created by the Korean military to house artillery.
We found one Local washed up on the beach!
View from inside the holes.
Jestine posed for the camera inside the holes.
Many posed at the sign at the beginning of our hike...
...Few attempted to climb...
...But there can only be one.
These are called "The Brother Islands" because of the way they face each other.
There were plenty of gorgeous viewpoints along the trail.
Of course Bobby had to sprint to the summit.
View from the top.
The survivors. Some of us were a little upset with Max (who was taking the picture) for dubbing this a "very flat hike".
After our hike, we visited the O'Sulloc green tea museum. Korea gets all of its domestic green tea from Jeju because of its ideal climate and topography. It was a quick and rather uneventful visit, but the tea samples were bomb.
We began our last day in Jeju with a maze. We won.
To be completely transparent, Bobby did some rather impressive climbing over a few obstacles, made his way to the finish line. and backtracked to get the rest of the group. Call it ninja skills, call it craftiness, call it cheating, call it whatever you want. All is fair in shrubs and war.
We also visited the largest lava tube in Asia. Our apologies that our camera skill gives it no justice. It was astonishing.
After the lava tubes, we visited a famous setting for many Korean films.
Warning:
Contains pictures that some views may find disturbing.
Viewer discretion advised
Intended for mature audiences only
Contains pictures of a sexual nature.
The following are photos from Love Land-only found in South Korea.
It opened in 2004 and is a sex themed museum.
The entrances to the bathroom
Even the signs were dirty
There was a special room in the exhibit that included clay figures
Every high school boys dream
It was a wonderful trip full of adventure and meeting new people.
More to come.
-Jestine and Bobby
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