D o n g m u m M a r k e t

Our flight back to Seoul is at noon, and not wasting any time, we checked out early to head for Dongmum Market.

Dongmum Market is where the locals of Jeju-shi get their produce.

 The market is divided into several small streets, selling mostly fresh produce

Oranges are in season now. Small but sweet.

They are made into jam, concentrated syrup and tasty snacks.

Spicy anchovies that will go well in any meal.

Cabbage ready for kimchi making.

Not forgetting the chilli

In another street where they sell cooked food...pig trotters.

Not exactly something I could stare at and eat.

Live octopus is a delicacy to some people.

Squid haven if you fancy the chewy sea food.

These go into the soup as stock.

The catch sold out fast when the morning come to an end.

We tasted the grilled hair tail fish, which is a favourite in Jeju.

My conclusion? Expensive and not much meat.

We finally left Jeju for Seoul after 4 days. My feeling from the visit to Jeju is mixed. It did not start well as we could not get the rental car. We have to rely on travelling around in a taxi. Because of this, I did not see all the beautiful sights that the island is known for. The bad weather further dampened one day. 
On the other hand, thanks to Mr Kang our guide, we were able to experience and taste food that we would never known or could order. He lead us to some fabulous meals that somehow compensated the uneventful trip. It was my fault from the beginning, so I have to accept and be satisfied with it.

And another travel trip awaiting....

J u s a n g j e o l l i C l i f f

 

 We ended Day 3 to Jusangjeolli Cliff and braving the drizzles.

 The cliff has volcanic rocks that formed when molten lava solidified when contact with the cold seawater.

 The hexagon rock formation is almost perfectly uniformed.

 This aerial view shows how impressive the symmetrical columns were formed.

 Spotted two anglers by the edge.

 Robson Green Extreme Fishing it is not.

 Despite the relentless beating from the waves, the column stand tall.

 Some of these columns jut out as tall as 20m high from the surface.

 The cliff stretches over 2km long and is part of the Olle walking trial.

Although it was still raining, hogs of visitor continued to flow into the park. With a well maintained path, lots of greenery, flowers and palm trees, the park offers a relaxed feel for everyone to enjoy its spacious ground.

And another travel trip awaiting....

 

J e j u C h o c o l a t e M u s e u m

As the rain continued to pour, the logical course of action would be to stay indoor. We headed to Jeju Chocolate Museum next, and was surprised to find its location tucked away in an industrial area. It is surrounded by factories and for a moment, I thought we were visiting a chocolate factory instead of a museum.

 

 As the sign says, it is a top 10 chocolate museum in the world.

 The building looks like a castle from the medieval time....

 ....with stone wall and wooden doors.

 And guarded by a knight.

 The premises is big, but the chocolate factory is surprising small, with only a couple of workers at work.

 

 The melted chocolate does not look appetising at all.

 But the end product certainly is.

 Assorted chocolates.

 Freshly made white and strawberry flavoured ones.

 This cabinet showcase the many chocolate containers from around the world.

 The once-happy couple.

Chocolate posters from around the world.

 A display of toy figurines.

 Soldiers fighting for their territory...

 Wooden toys.

 Family taking a break under the cocoa tree.

 A runaway tram from San Francisco? It is just a lookalike.

The visit to Jeju Chocolate Museum is short, but interesting. Here, we learned the history of chocolate where cocoa was cultivated, harvested and made into the chocolate form. In fact, the chocolate making process has not changed much since it was invented in 1100BC. Till this day, chocolate remains a favourite for many, with some considering it an aphrodisiac delicacy.

And another travel trip awaiting....

J e j u G l a s s C a s t l e

It was raining last night, and it certainly dampened our holiday mood when the rain continued this morning. As there aren't many indoor places to visit in Jeju, we have to brave the rain today.

One of the stops we made is to Jeju Glass Castle, a theme park showcasing structures, gardens and exhibits made entirely from glass.

To stay away from the rain, we started with the indoor souvenir shop tour.

Cat figurines.

Christmas comes early.

Glass clocks.

Sports crystal figurines

These look like the houses in the Swiss Alps.

And the music goes on, with the accompanying orchestra.

We take to the outdoor exhibits next.

Saranghae.

Dangling crystals.

Exhibit of the 2002 Fifa World Cup held in Korea.

Don't they look like lighted microphones?

 Snowman melting in the rain soon.

We have our coffee break in the cafeteria inside the glass dome.

Linus' dream of the Great Pumpkin rising from the pumpkin patch.

Colourful giant mugs.

Tulips made from glass.

But these are real lotus flowers.

I couldn't figure out how the hologram work. 

Exhibits of the human form....

.... is always an interesting subject.

The tour at the glass castle lasted slightly longer than planned, not because it is interesting but because we were hiding from the rain. The miserable weather continued throughout the day, and Mr Kang decided that we should visit only indoor places of interest after this. We couldn't agree more.

And another travel trip awaiting....