Hyatt Regency Jeju Seogwipo

... minutes there until our bus left. While we were driving we were able to look out and enjoy the scenery. Korea, and especially Jeju, is a very green place. The winters are cold, but the summers bring a lot of rain and with the exception of the big cities where everything is concrete, there are beautiful green landscapes. It started raining about 20 minute into our ride so we were a little worried for our planned walk up the mountain, but luckily the rain ...

... bed early. In the morning Kate and I hiked Halla-san, a volcanic crater in the center of the island. Its 9.6 km to the top. Wow, what a hike, but it was worth it when we saw the beautiful view from the top! Mom and Connie went to a traditional folk village while we were hiking. That night called for some pizza as a reward for a 12 mile round trip hike!
We saw the famous waterfalls the next day and then flew back to Seoul after a great vacation in Jeju!

... Sally told me Thursday that the bbq was moved to Friday night and I told her I would come. The meat of choice would be dog. After work I went for a quick run, bought some booze and a bottle of wine for her mom and dad, the hosts. I made my way back to the school to meet Sally as she finishes at 730 pm. We drove to her families apt. which is on the top of a high rise in the city. I have eaten a live octopus, silk worm larva, and a big effin scorpion. These endeavors of course ...

... hotel was pretty decent as well, but after checking in, we went to eat one of Jeju's specialities, namely black pork. It tasted delicious, and washed down with bokbunja - well, let's say it was a nice start to the holiday. We then finished off the evening with a stroll down to Cheonjiyeon to see the impressive waterfalls, set in a lovely peaceful forest.

The next morning was a little stressful as we tried to find a car to rent - most places had sold out! I didn't feel ...

... with it's ruckuss so I moved my camp. The rest of the night passed uneventful and I awoke with the sun. I tried to get some coffee at the corner store but it was not open so I napped until 9am and it was still not open. I set out for Jungmun Beach which was a nice walk down some stairs. It's a cozy little beach on the south side of the island. I watched the competition which was on mediocre waves, perfect for me. I read and took a nap. Around 12pm I spotted another ...

... of the resterants and shops I step into. I can see a visible relief in Koreans when they realize I know how to read a menu or udnerstand simple phrases like "one more beer please" or "that will be 25,000 won". Jeju is almost like whole other country. I suppose it is something like what many people call "sub-tropical". I could speak more on this but I think my photos show this much better than I can write about it.

Jeju is a resort island at the southern tip of Korea. It has sub-tropical vegetation and more than enough rain to keep things green. Took two tours to see the sights--varying from hokey miniature world(Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal ...

This is my second trip away from Seoul going to Jeju island, located 1-hour air travel from Seoul. Our research group went to Jeju to attend the Korea Chemical Society conference. We had the opportunity to climb the beautiful Halla mountain. Oh! it was a marvelous experience to see the ...

... differently for foreigners down there. Most tourism is geared towards Korean, Chinese, and Japanese guests. Up north people generally kiss our asses because we speak English, down there we had more than a few people recoil in fear that we may engage them in an English encounter. One waitress at the Casino in Jeju city actually asked me if I spoke Japanese! Anyways, Jeju was fantastic! A little touristy but a very different atmosphere from the mainland and very affordable. There are ...