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| A traditional house on Jeju |
So last week, I went for 4 days in Jeju Island. So, concerning the situation of the island, Jeju Island is the more southerly island of Korea (and also the biggest one). It has been shaped by a volcano, which is now dead. The island is really different from all the continent landscape : lava is used everywhere, from the houses to the fences, lots of thins are built with these strange dark rocks, which are therefore lava.
Also, the culture there is thousand miles far away from the real/traditional korean traditions, even the roofs of the houses are not similarly shaped.
People are also more welcoming that in Seoul I think, and they also speak a better english (maybe because it's also more touristic).
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| Palm trees & Promenade : Korean Hawaii |
And so for small anecdote, Koreans say that this island is their little "hawaii". Explanation. Koreans can freely travel for around 20 years now, before they couldn't and the only place of expatriation was that small island, its palm trees, its subtropical climate and its clear and blue water.
So, concerning my trip, first I have to say that for a supposed subtropical climate, it was cold, VERY cold, 20° for 3 days, adding the fog, the wind, and some scattered showers sometimes.
But, to make up for any, the last day was awesome, 30°, big sun, beach (finally I experienced this subtropical climate).
I've been visiting lava tubes, which were formed thousand and million years ago : when the volcano was still "alive" the lava flows were gnawed the rock (as the water does too) and now, there are kilometers of tubes dig by lava that you can visit, amazing !
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| The lava tube, 20m circumference |
Then, I've been climbing on some craters of this retired volcano, with an amazing point of view on the sea and the city below. The landscapes I've visited the three first days really make me think of irish landscapes : When we climb up to the crater, it looks similar as the Cliff of Mohair, same unleashed seawater, same fog, same wind, same wild grass ...
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| Irish landscape isn't it? |
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| From the top of the crater, behind what you cannot see is the seawater ... |
Oohhhhh and I forget to tell you something quite interesting : Jeju Island is also very famous for its statues (wich are called dol hareubang : stone grandfather). They may actually remind you the eastern island statues, but there's no similarity between them. The purpose of that statues is to protect the people, it's like an ancient religious culture, but still now, people who are building a house may put one of those statues in front of their house, in order to be protected.
Here are some other random pictures that I took on Jeju, the last day, when it was sunny, warm ... what I expected in other words !
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| Hyojae Beach, West part of Jeju |
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| Jungmun Beach, South part of Jeju |
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| Another kind of famous statue, in the waterfall park |
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| Waterfall park |
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| Seogwipo bridge on sunset |
