Seolmundae Halmang

I've seen her about town. She was Jeju's tallest resident and one of its matron gods.

Yakcheonsa Temple

               We set off trailing sparks after weighing down Sanba with Sketchbooks and pencils, not to mention the extra unused-to and unfit ginger passenger. The roads were brightly lit by a sun unwilling to admit to itself that it is October and it really should be putting in some downtime and there were relatively few cars on the road. A good thing, because due to the aforesaid luggage we were putt-putting along at a majestic 30kph on the steepest slopes, which would be pretty good if we were on a bike, I told myself, as cars patiently overtook us. Adrienne was amazingly patient as the driver, considering the relative ease with which she can zip around unencumbered.
                The temple was astounding. Temples in Korea are painted in vivid colours, which have a strangely unsoothing effect considering their assumed purpose. Perhaps I am just used to the sombre, intimidating cathedrals back home which seem to suck higher brain functions out through the mouths via gasps of awe. These temples are also the product of intense human effort and display dizzying splendour. Their effect is a feeling of air, of freedom and light. They evoke joy and love of the land, like a yang to the yin of European cathedrals, if I can be forgiven for invoking a third religion for the metaphor.

A Jeju Park in the Evening

Night and Day

The streets of Jeju City are gorgeous. Everything is lined with deep green foliage, palm trees and a sort of 'vegetable graffiti'. Pumpkins and sweetcorn are harvested from empty lots between buildings and fig trees grow like weeds.

At night, the streets bustle with all forms of life. Young families meet in an island of fluorescent light thrown out from a 7-Eleven. The adults chat around a plastic table as the children chase each other in and out of the spotlight.

The air is heavy and baked at night and nearly everything stays open 'til late. Fascinating things on sticks are handed out from kiosks at 500 won a cup and the crowds congregate outside the ice-cream chain Baskin Robins, which does lively business well into the night.

As a Lesson to the Squid (aka Food)

The food here is awesome! I've been a fussy eater in the past and I've come a long way, but my excitement about trying new things was a little tempered with doubts about finding a ton of food I could eat every day.

There was nothing to worry about at all. It turns out everything here is delicious from the seafood to the purple tongue-flavoured crackers pictured above. They have a habit of pounding rice or meat into a jelly, then frying the result in delicious spices or, more often than not, red chilli paste.

Everything combines sweet and sour flavours here, especially snack food. Bread always contains sugar and a good example of this tendency is their peanut cream sandwiches which you can buy, with the crusts cut off, at a convenience store. It is a sweet white bread with peanut-flavoured whipped cream in the middle.

Our First Stop

Marion House is right across the road from work and is where we stayed for the first few weeks. Man, it was too small for two! Sage conducted himself well, sleeping during the day and howling like a banshee at night. We survived with minor flesh wounds and moved on...