Haengnam Coastal Walkway, Ulleungdo

From the time I bumped into an online magical spiral staircase looking over a sparkling blue ocean with seaside geofantastic cliffs, I knew I had to go to Ulleungdo. Ulleungdo has become a hotly popular tour destination, and so getting there was just a matter of making a reservation in advance ... and of course hoping the weather would be fine enough to make the ocean crossing.

While I was obsessed with seeing the geofantastic coastal walkway, my friend was obsessed with getting some squid-ink bread. And miracle of miracles, both the squid-ink bread bakery and the Haengnam Coastal Walkway started in the same town, in Dodong, just the next port-town over from where we were staying and where our ferry came in from Gangneung, in Jeodong.

It's the little things in life that make one happy .... just squid-ink bread!

First, we had to get the squid-ink bread from the local Dodong specialty shop to appease my friend. Once she had her nibblies, she got all happy, and I was happy too. I have a bit of an issue with gluten, but these were small so I thought "Why not?" I hardly ever cheat so if I do on rare occasions, I usually don't have an issue. Oh, yeah! I'm not a bread fan, but those little buggers were soft, moist and tasted like pumpkin, which of course they should since pumpkin is an ingredient. I totally expected a bitterness or some kind of after-taste from the squid-ink, but nope. Taaty! I do recommend!

I was still fixated on that coastal walkway, so it was time to go get my "bread".

The GeoPark: Haengnam Coastal Walkway--from Jeodong to Dodong

There are two segments of coastal walkway, one that edges the Jeodong harbor coastline to a promontory on which stands Gadubong lighthouse and then the connecting segment that goes along the Dodong harbor coastline. Together they make the Haengnam Coastal Walkway. Originally the walkway continued on after Dodong but at some point this section was iron-gated off because of falling rock. Later, after showing pictures of this long walkway to a friend who had visited Ulleungdo seven years ago, she was amazed and started planning her return trip, because back then there was no information whatsoever of the walkway and she's certain it didn't exist then. Yeah, probably under construction like the segment going north from Jeodong, which is currently under construction along with a road to complete a full-island circle route. 

Typically from Jeodong to Dodong a person could happily walk the whole very scenic coastal walkway, provided it wasn't closed due to inclement weather or high seas, which would easily sweep someone off the path. However, just 3-4 days before we got to Ulleungdo a woman had been walking the walkway when some rocks broke loose and injured her. She wasn't killed, but easily could have been. The walkway was immediately blocked off with iron gates, which were already in place and are typically closed after certain hours or during high seas. Unfortunately for me, however, I couldn't get to my "bread", the spiral staircase, because it was in the section that was closed off. The rocks hadn't fallen from the staircase or near it but down closer to the water, but the gate was in place already, so it was easy to seal off the dangerous area .... by also sealing off the fabulously scenic staircase. How sad! But I still wanted my "bread"!

Walking from Jeodong to Dodong, before the blocked off section.
This is one of the most scenic spots in the whole walkway!

This is the section that got sealed off because of the falling rocks 3-4 days previous.
The spiral staircase is visible but not clear because of the morning shadows.

Lots of male fishermen, but occasionally a woman was out fishing too. And then there was this couple. How sweet!

Approaching a seafood restaurant on the segment that is open to Dodong. People hiking along the coastal walkway really enjoy stopping here for a quick raw seafood refresher. Also, it's easy to see how low the walkway is, and to imagine how dangerous it is when high seas kick up!

A fisherman just wheeled in a wheelbarrow of fresh catch: this load was sea urchin. Don't touch or you'll be sorry! Not quite sure how these are cut open and served but they are served raw. Any takers?

Fresh sea urchins! Yummy!

Now for the "illegal" shots. I climbed up to the lighthouse using the open Dodong segment of the trail and then continued past the lighthouse trail to the Jeodong segment. After winding through a thick forest I came to the head of the trail ... and the tall iron gate that prevented the picture I wanted. I just wanted a picture of the the top of the spiral staircase in the foreground and the profile of the rugged cliffs disappearing in the distance. So, I climbed the fence. I didn't go down the staircase, just had to go a few meters to top few steps to get my pictures .... and and my heart sang at the beauty. And it still sings ... because I got my "bread"!

The Jeodong coastal walkway segment. The closest part was where the rocks fell.
I'm standing at the top of the spiral staircase ... loving the view ... remembering the view ... forever!

I'm guessing, based on what our pension owner said, that across the bridge is where the rocks fell.

THIS IS THE VIEW THAT BROUGHT MY HEART TO ULLEUNGDO!

This is my "bread"!

From the lighthouse, the Haengnam Coastal Walkway.

A very rugged view! Lots of caves visible too. Some of the rocks have candles burning
for this is a ghost-haunting superstitious land.

From the lighthouse a view of the whole harbor and Jukdo (Bamboo Island) in the distance.
One resident lives on Jukdo, this island that is 4km from Jeodong port. The whole island is a high rock covered in bamboo. The top of the rock is only accessible via a 365 step spiral staircase. Tourists are invited to take picnic lunches there, and there are frequent ferries (2 in the a.m. and 2 in the p.m.) to the island.

Finally to Dodong port, a very tiny port compared to Jeodong's, which is also small based on mainland standards.

A wider view of small Dodong port. This is the port where my traveling companion's bread and my "bread" all happened! It's also the port that had a shaman 굿. There was so much "exotic" on Uleungdo that my eye and camera feasted.

Shaman 굿 at Dodong Port

The first time I tried to walk this trail I was frustrated, because when I had gone a long way, I realized that the rest of the route was closed and I would have to turn around and go all the way back. However, this worked out because a shaman 굿 was just starting as I returned to the port. Evidently it was to bless a boat, for whatever reason I don't know, but the shamans kept dancing in front of the boat, going on the boat and banging their timpani cymbals, the noise of which is frightening to spirits, and offering food and liquor to entertain and/or appease the spirits. 

Obviously the shaman ritual was about making wishes or dispelling evil from the boat. These wishes are made to the Dragon King, who is said to be the god of water, waterways and therefore everything that receives water, goes on water, takes food from water. If this is a new boat, was just refurbished, changed hands, or encountered a bad experience or omen, then the shaman 굿 is necessary.

The shaman bowed three times, played the timpani throughout the boat, and now waves the 5 colored flags that will tell fortune according the color the guy selects: blue, red, white, yellow or green.

I'm not sure of the significance of the fish but fish were used throughout the ceremony. A dried fish was taken to each of the four directions in the cement space in front of the boat, the fish's head was struck on the pavement and then flung to the sea, one fish for every direction. This fish was part of the waving-around-the-boat ceremony, and then it was put in one shaman's mouth while she whirled around ... to confuse the spirits perhaps? I really don't know.

The head shaman, who, one minute was like a whirling dervish and the next she was clutching her back, rasping and huddled over. But after resting a bit, she was up and jumping and finishing her ceremony. Obviously the others greatly respected "grandmother", a term of respect, and kept urging her to finish.

Again the boat owner (assumption) bowed to the spirit offerings,
which was a buffer to the spirits in the boat beyond. Three times he bowed.

The good-luck pig is essential for bringing luck in the ceremony, and if the pig is smiling, then it's very propitious. The musicians played, shouted "ulsigi" and "joh-da" at key points. Their music was to invite and entertain the spirits and then send them away happy and replete.

Tidal Landbridge to Mokseum, Seonjaedo

A bit south of Incheon lies the little island of Seonjaedo, which is a long connecting island to Youngheung-do, a much larger destination island for campers and seekers of water fun. Taking bus #790 from Oido station, line 1, exit 1 or 2 (across the street) takes approximately one hour to get to Seonjaedo.  But it is a scenic hour with narrow roads and more village-type structures and gardens rather than the vertical denseness of the big cities.

I got off at Seonjaedo when I saw the beautiful Mokseum off to my left, a very stunning sight. My timing couldn't have been better as the tide had just gone out and the sandy thread of a walkway was still drying in the sun and gentle breezes. Thank goodness not many people were there, so walking to the other side of the small island was a real getaway from the crowds. Of course I had my sarong along, which I used as a beach towel, and a book ... and that was how I whiled away my afternoon!

Historically speaking, Seonjaedo Island is believed to have been settled since the Neolithic Era. During the Goryeo and earlier Joseon Dynasties, it was called Sowudo island but in 1871 was renamed Seonjaedo, which means "an island where a divine fairy came down and danced." Wish I knew the background to that story! In any regard, the tiny outlying island (Mokseom) appears to be a fairy island when the tide is out and a sand landbridge connects it to the larger Seonjaedo.

A "business" was thriving under the bridge. Couples and whole families were paying the (I thought) rather usurious fee of W8,500 per adult to rent a hand-hoe, a bucket and get round-trip transportation to a cho-gae (clams) field about 3-400 meters away. Pictured below are people jumping out of the transport after digging for a period of time, looking for cho-gae.

These don't look like cho-gae (clams) to me, but anyway,
they will definitely find themselves in the cooking part later today.

Sim Chung, a Korean Fairy Tale Ballet

A YouTube clip of Sim Chung

Sim Chung is probably one of the most famous pieces of Korean folk tales. The story is of the dutiful daughter of a blind peasant. Her mother dies, according to some versions, while giving birth to Sim Chung, and so her father raises Sim Chung by himself and together they have a meager subsistence. And yet, they are happy together and totally devoted to one another.

When Sim Chung is in the bloom of her youth, her blind father meets a Buddhist monk who tells him that in donating many pricey bags of rice to Buddha, his sight will be regained. The father tells Sim Chung and Sim Chung determines to help her father get the bags of rice, but in order to do so, the only way to get the money is to sell herself for ransom to a merchant who needs to make a sacrifice to the Dragon King.

Sim Chung, in her deepest filial piety, pledges herself as the sacrifice for the benefit of her father and leaves on the merchant ship. When out to sea, she willingly plunges herself into the sea and sinks to the bottom.

Sim Chung parting from her father after selling herself as a ransom. The sailors have to force the villagers away and tear weeping Sim Chung from the arms of her father. (Picture source)

On the ship and out to sea Sim Chung is told she must plunge herself into the sea as promised. The sailors and merchant are in great fear. A storm is raging. She must plunge herself as sacrifice to appear the god ... or they will die too. She jumps.

At the bottom of the sea the sea fairies gather and dance and she awakes in their midst. They dance around her and the Dragon King comes and dances also; he finds her most beauteous and also most virtuousness for sacrificing herself for her father. He proposes. She declines expressing her love and ache for her father, so the Dragon King takes pity on her and releases her, making it possible for her to return to the surface of the sea. He places her in an enchanted lotus blossom which grows to the surface of the water and is spotted by servants of the king of the land. The servants harvest the spectacular lotus blossom and transport it to the garden of the king, where the lotus blossom bursts open, releasing Sim Chung back among her people, but this time in the court.

The king is entranced also by her beauty and the great respect and filial love she willingly gives to her father. He also proposes marriage and Sim Chung accepts. Once married, she immediately prepares a great feast and orders all the blind men of the kingdom to attend with the hope of being reunited with her lost father.

The courtship dance of the king and Sim Chung.

The court exulting in the first feast by the new queen ... the feast in which the queen
in great filial piety desperately searches for her father.

The feast goes on for some time and Sim Chung is in despair about not being reunited with her father, but before the feast is over, her father comes groping in. Sim Chung flings herself in his arms, knowing that though she paid for his visual cure, he is still as blind as before. Her father initially refuses to believe that she is alive, but once he feels her face and hears her voice again and again, he is stunned and abruptly sits down. She flings her arms around him again and with his sudden belief that she is alive, "POP" his vision is restored.

The moment when the blind father regained his sight!

In this variation of the story, all of the blind old men even had their vision restored afterwards with the touch of Sim Chung ... for supposedly it was her filial piety that awakened the souls of the men and gave them vision beyond anything they had experienced before.

And thus ends the tale of Sim Chung, 

lauded as a great tale of Confucian values 

because of its rich thread of filial piety.

RAS Garden Party 2016 and Selfies

Every year the Royal Asiatic Society Korean Branch has their annual Garden Party, typically alternating one year at the British ambassador's residence (2013 and 2014) where the British ambassador is the honorary president of the RASKB and the other year at the American ambassador's residence (2015). This year again we were at the British ambassador's where the garden is a total delight. And or course to host such an event because of posting signs leading to the event, food arrangements, book set up on long tables, and then selling our large selection of English books on Korea we had volunteers. 

The historical British ambassador's residence
photo courtesy: Sue Bae

The honorary president of the RASKB (the British Ambassador) and our president Brother Anthony,
and on the far left is a former president of the RASKB
photo courtesy: Byung Geun Chun

Wonderful, wonderful books - all in English on various topics about Korea
and all at a 10-30% discounted rates to RASKB members
during the annual Garden Party/Book Fair.
photo courtesy: Sue Bae???

Three volunteers this year are students from Ajou University in Suwon, and without them, we would have been very inefficient and under-staffed. They did a great profession job, even looked professional in their black-and-white outfits, but immediately after the Garden Party was over and guests had pretty much left, they turned into selfie-snapping maniacs (haha!). Ah the ubiquitous snapping of selfies wherever people go. It was so funny and they seriously looked great, so I just asked them to hold their pose a few seconds longer so I could dig out my iPad and snap them in return. Candid shot!!!

Daraengi Village Festival 2016

Daraengi terraced rice fields of Gacheon village is on the southern edge of Namhae Island. It is mostly an agricultural village growing garlic in the spring and of course rice through the summer. Supposedly 108 levels of field exists to accommodate farming to the natural curves of the land. While the origin of the village is uncertain, the village is thought to go back to the Silla Dynasty according to documents of both the Kimhae Kim family and the Haman Cho family who have been in the village for generations.

The village gained attention after being featured in a popular commercial, and now it is particularly well-known for its 108 terraced fields of rock and soil as well as the shaman Gacheon Amsu rock, the guardian rock for the village. The rocks are supposed to give fortune in fishing, and fortune in conceiving. For centuries the phallus-labia Amsu stone has been an object of prayer for prosperity and sons. The jutting male genitalia is surrounded by female genitalia and so, according to legend, a sterile woman can give birth after making wishes on the rock. The locals call the phallus rock the male Maitreya and the labia rock the female Maitreya.

In 1751, the Namhae county magistrate, Jo Gwangjin, had a dream where an old man appeared and said to him, "I am buried in Gacheon but cannot rest comfortably because horses and oxen pass on the road above me. If you disinter my body and move my grave, you will be eternally blessed with good fortune." The magistrate therefore excavated these boulders and placed them on the slope of Gacheon. Then he enshrined them as the Maitreya buddha and, offering plenty of rice, held a ceremony to the stones. The 23rd day of the 10th lunar month was the day these rocks were uncovered. Locals to this day still conduct ceremonies on the anniversary and pray for tranquil shipping routes and plentiful catches of fish. (This seems rather ironic as the village now relies on an agricultural economy.) These stones were originally used to pray for abundant harvests and prosperity; however, over the course of years, this role expanded to include prayers to protective deities of the sea as well as the village and has even been elevated to include prayers to the Maitreya buddha. Prayers for conception are still made here as well.

The biggest day of the festival is today, but virtually no one was here before noon. It was the a.m. hours (perhaps 11-ish) and just before people started coming that the "real" festival happened. Before the festivities could kick off, locals (probably the leading officials or maybe the heads of clans) offered food and drinks to the spirits and made ceremonial bows. I'm not sure who they were making wishes and prayers to, but I assume that the Dragon King who is said to control the well-being of all individuals and villages along waterways and ocean fronts, is one of the primary recipients for wishes for prosperity, health, and longevity. The table was set up on a sharp hill to face the ocean. Fewer than 20 people stood around, which included one photographer with a mega-huge camera that seemed really out of place in this quaint village with basic conveniences. The prayers lasted a mere 10-15 minutes and then the tables and food offerings almost instantly were packaged up and hauled away ... and yet, this was one of the most momentous "performances" of the entire festival for the festival could not begin until this small wish for blessings took place. Lucky me to be passing at the beginning of the first bows.

Whenever the spirits are invited, drinks to entertain them appear along with copious amounts of specialty foods.

A very unique display of fish on this table. And lots of red foods too, since the red is supposed to be for dispelling misfortune.

Ah that smiling pig head. If it's smiling, fair fortune will be all the more.

With wishes for fortune made to the proper deities, the samulnori performance kicked off. The folk dancing, rituals and musical performance are traditional in rice farming villages and are supposed to ensure and augur good harvests. The performers started in front of the village meeting hall and then made their way to various points in the village to pour out libations to the deities, pour some down their own throats too, and finally circle around and back to meeting hall, which in the meantime, held the opening ceremony for the festival. The festival has officially started!

I'm not sure if the performers made offerings in front of the Amsu stone but they did in front of the village rice grave. The rice grave is where the villagers pay respects to the village spirit with a ceremony on the full-moon day (15th) of the 10th lunar month. The principle feature of the ceremony is the burial of cooked rice at three spots within the village—center (possibly this rice grave or possibly the Amsu stones just a few meters away), eastern and western. The ceremony takes place at the center location around 8pm. In the a.m. on the day of the ceremony, the soil where the newly cooked rice will be buried has to replaced with fresh, unpolluted soil collected from the mountains.

In the ceremony itself, the village spirits are offered various foods prepared from newly harvested crops, fruits and fish—the provender of the village. People then make wishes for good harvest in the coming seasons and for fortune and the well-being of villagers. Much importance is placed on the cleanness (both mental and physical) of the Master of Ceremony. To be nominated as a Master of Ceremony, the person should refrain from traveling far lest he come across undesirable events like a funeral or lavish parties, etc. Even within the household there should not be a pregnant woman. To warn unclean people away from a house with a designated Master of Ceremony, a special warning string is attached to the house gate.

The performers encircled the Rice Grave and three times they collectively bow. 

Libations of alcohol are poured over the Rice Grave. The spirits must drink and enjoy. 

And of course the participants must drink and enjoy along with the spirits—glug, glug.

Once ceremonies for blessings have been performed at key spots in the village, the performers return up the hill to the meeting hall where the beginning ceremonies for the festival have begun.

Daraengi is known for its picturesque rice terraces, and it is also getting known as a place where plowing the old traditional way with a cow can be experienced. Tourism companies are starting to make a big deal of this.

In the early afternoon in time for the bigger part of the festival, a busload of foreigners touring with Adventure Korea showed up. They had reservations to stay in the village and had a very nice agenda—first and foremost, to plant a couple of rice paddies. They were given thigh-high boots and straw hats and taught the method—basically, go forth and plant in straight rows following the plumb line and planting one rice plant at every red tape marking on the line. No education needed—Go forth! Their backs were killing them by the time they collectively planted two fields, and the rows were definitely not straight, but they were having a great time and the villagers were too while watching them.

Of course before they started planting they had to drink together for companionship and strong teamwork—everyone drank together, even the alcohol-bearer was tipped a cup so he could participate with fervor and strength.

By this time the local farmer was tired from plowing. He and another man had been switching turns at the plow, so now the foreigners were encouraged to have a turn—all part of their Daraengi agricultural village experience.

A 4.5 kilometer rather rough trail connects Daraengi Village and Seongju, a nearby fishing and agricultural village that is also quaintly beautiful and certainly less touristy. Though a steep, rocky tough climb, the views of Hallyeo Haesang Maritime National Park along the route are supposed to be spectacular.

Somaemuldo island, Geojedo

Somaemuldo Island is one of the top attractions in the Hallyeo Maritime National Park. This is due to its unusual rock formations along the rocky sides of the islands and the sweeping ocean views interspersed with islets. Because of its popularity, the original ferry route from the tip of Geojaedo, which takes over 90 minutes (26 kilometers), has now been augmented with a new 30-minute faster and more expensive route from the Tongyeong Port. Either ferry route is a beautiful experience with scenic rock and island formations appearing and disappearing along the horizon and with flocks of begging seagull escorts.

Maemuldo is in actuality a close huddle of three islands—Daemaemuldo, Somaemuldo and Deungdaeseom. Daemaemuldo as the largest, which is understood by “dae” meaning “large” has its counterpart Somaemuldo with “so” meaning “small”. Most tourists prefer to get off at Somaemuldo as it has breathtaking views of other islets as well as allows visitors to experience the “Moses miracle” when the sea parts between Somaemuldo and the tiny, sharp-peaked island behind—Deungdaeseom, literally meaning “lighthouse island” because of the lighthouse at its peak. 

Getting to Deungdaeseom, also called Haegeumdo but I don’t know why, one must wait for the tide to ebb. People in our group ended up wading part of the 150-meter waterway in thigh-deep very cold water as they pioneered the route for the following large numbers of tourists flocking to experience the ‘miracle’ and climb to the lighthouse, which has been featured in several movies and commercials. The lighthouse was built during the Japanese colonial period as were a few other lighthouses around Korea—the lighthouse at Daewangam Park, Ulsan for example. With the island being so small and with little on the island besides the lighthouse, it takes only about 20-30 minutes to walk around the island and see everything. However, before the return a recommended view is to gaze at Somaemuldo from Deungdaeseom; it is said that one can see rock formations that look like a sitting dinosaur.

Walking around Somaemuldo takes longer as people will want to search out some of the spectacular rock formations—Yongbawi (dragon rock), Buchudae bawi (Buddha rock), Geobuk bawi (turtle rock), Chotdae bawi (candlestick rock) and the spectacular Geulssingi cave. And then there is Nammae bawi (brother and sister rock) which is actually two rocks, one on top of the other; the name was inspired from folk tales of a twin brother and sister, and each rock has its own individual name—sutbawi (charcoal rock) is the top rock and is larger and darker while the rock below is ambawi (female rock).

Expect to walk for 2-3 hours if following the 3.1 kilometer walking course, but observatories and boardwalks have been well-designed to lead the hikers to the most peculiar-shaped cliffs and scenic waterway views. To get to the trailhead, walk past the 500-600 year old camellia woods and continue 30 minutes onward to the Mangtaebong Peak from which the islands of Tongyeong appear on the surreal parchment of the silver-blue Haegeumgang River. From this viewpoint, sunrises and sunsets are said to be spectacular!

To hike the 5.5 kilometer coastline hiking course around the larger Daemaemuldo takes about 3 hours, and on clear days Tsushima Island, Japan can be seen from the 210-meter Janggunbong Peak. Regular ferries navigate between Somaemuldo from two villages—Danggeum and Daehang—but weather conditions make water travel in the waterways unpredictable.

Maemuldo literally means “buckwheat island” as it (Daemaemuldo) was once one of the largest producers of buckwheat in Korea. In 1904, the Gimhae Kims migrated from the mainland to the island as they heard the island was abundant in food and no one would starve. After settling, they established a whole village, which was secluded and only in recent times has become a popular tour destination.

Due to its popularity, booking ferry tickets in advance for weekends and holidays is necessary. Expect booking difficulties also in late-October early-November as Somaemuldo holds its annual Siberian chrysanthemum festival. For booking in English or Korean.

The day was cold, wet and rainy so a few of us migrated to a cute little tea house where interesting and bizarre snacks and drinks were served in appealing ways. This is an island and everything must be imported except what is locally grown, so expect to pay whopping tourist prices. The lemonade--mine just water and fresh-squeezed lemon--was a whopping W7,500. But it sure tasted nice and the ambience was great! The owner came over and showed me his album of show dogs and one of his friendly dogs came over and gently begged--a real sweetie.

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References

Somaemuldo Island (소매물도)
Traveling Tongyeong City

Korea Map (Towns): Destination Tongyeong-si

Walk on Water, Enjoy Lighthouse and Ocean Views at Maemuldo Islets