20170704 : Hallasan / Mysterious Road? / Manjanggul Lava Tube

4/7/2017 : Hallasan National Park, one of the 3 "Soul Mountains" in Korea.  It is the highest mountain in SK with height of 1950m above sea level.

 We took the shortest trail, about 1.3km uphill, about 30min one way. So did not get to the actual peak and to see the crater.(1160m above Sea Level)

The aerial view at Eoseungsaegak top was awesome.  Windy! a bit cool despite summer time!

We refused to come down the mountain :)

Lying down looking at the sky!

Computer Simulation of Mt Hallasan in winter and summer! LOL

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No choice but to finally come down from mountain experience:)

Drove past this Mysterious Road?

We tried putting the neutral gear in the car and yet it looked as if the car was moving uphill instead of downwards! Like defying gravity but actually it is a mere optical illusion! Very interesting road indeed!

But what was more gratifying was that I had a try on archery!

Hmm. Tough activity.  Couldn't get the bow and arch right and the arrows went off course!

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Manjanggul Lava Tube

Unesco's World Heritage

MY FAVOURITE of this Korea Jeju Trip!

It was not the original as planned.  But the afternoon was scotching hot after the archery.  So we decided to 'hibernate' in a cave! AND guess what? When we went down to the lava tubes to explore this segment of the lava channel, it was so amazingly cool down under (about 15-18 degrees??)!

 There are many such lava tubes in Jeju Island.  This particular one is the largest cave and the only one that is open to public.  The total length of this cave is about 7km long and 23m wide at its widest point and 30m high at its highest point.  There were 3 entrances that were made from the collapse of the ceiling.  But currently only a section of  1 km is open to public.

Imagine this formation around 300,000 to 100,000 years ago! Mind boggling geography! So here in this cave, my memories of geography came alive after 30 years! LOL. Right here in Jeju, Korea! Hey! I am stepping on the real lava stuff.  See the Lave flowlines, shelves, stalacitites, columns &  flowstones & quartz!

Volcanoes!

What amazing educational time!

Here standing at the edge of another crater - Sangumburi crater (formed  by explosion without the lava and has one single hole known as Marr Crater.  The rarest type in Korea and the world. Exterior circumference : 2km Interior circumference 756m. Height of 438m and depth of 132m. Now inhabited by various wild animals.  

A place where some K dramas were filmed too....

20170703-Seongsan IIchubong Crater Peak & Udo Island

3/7/2017-Seongsan IIchubong Crater Peak

On route to Seongsan, we passed another Da Chang Jin filming area where all the small huts were built . Now become some agricultural area.  And guess what? We saw KIWI fruit! Thought only from NZ! LOL

Walked up from base to top of Seongsan - about 1/2 hour!

When we arrived and started walking up - the sky was clear.  However by noon time when we were back to base, clouds engulfed the peak!

 Awesome views from the top of Seongsan - imagine we were standing at the edge of this crater!

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After lunch, we drove over to Udo Island using the car ferry.

Above: Inside the ferry -no seats at all.  Passengers can sit or sleep on the floor 

 At Udo , people rented such tiny wheelers to ride around the island....One needs International driver's licence though. LOL

The FOG descends suddenly!  We were forced to turn back to take another route:(

20170702-D6 : Jeju! Da Chang Jin!

2/7/17 : Oedolgae, Jeju (Da Chang Jin serial shooting scene in 2003)

We flew from Busan to Jeju at about 9am. Rented a car from airport.  Headed to hotel and then to this scenic rock place! And the waterfalls and to the southern part of the island- Seogwipo area.

John's drone - aerial photo from on high!

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Cheongjiyeon Waterfalls

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Seogwipo - Saeseom Island

20170701- End of Busan / Centum- Busan Film Festival- Jagalchi Fish Market

Bottom up view to top - Centum City, Busan,  1/7/2017

Next to this humongous shopping centre is the BIFF complex

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Jagalachi Fish Market

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Hmm, you won't want to try their live octopus :(

The wet market (similar to Jagalchi Fish market) behind our IBIS Hotel, Busan - morning breaky with their gluey sticky beans stuff :(

20170630 Haeundae Beach / APEC!

Korea's largest beach - Haeundae.  Each summer 8000 + parasols fill this beach! Smart or silly beach? I don't know!

The sight of the beach brollies reminded me of Cliff Richard's " We are going on a summer holiday! & On the Beach!" Yeah, now June / July is summer in Busan- Hot!

This trip was one of  walking and trekking and climbing.  We walked from the beach to the other end using their boardwalk across to APEC Centre! And we met an interesting student from Vietnam studying in the Uni in Seoul!

Arrived at APEC House! Felt as if I was one of the delegates! LOL. APEC House where the 2005 APEC Summit was held.

And then we turned around from Dongbaek Island and walked walked walked back to Haeundae Beach again:)

And this was the best part of Haeundae experience!

Glorious Food for lunch! Yum Yum!