Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak [UNESCO World Heritage] (성산일출봉)

 Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak

 We are driving towards Seongsan Ichulbong Peak! From afar I was already excited to see that peak rising before me. I understand there is a huge crater at the top of Seongsan Ilchubong Peak which is 600m  in diameter and 90 meter high.  We have to hike to the top of the crater which looks like a crown in pictures. 

I am impressed because I read that this peak rose from under the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago and is now declared a UNESCO world Heritage site. 

 

 A ticket is needed to enter and it costs 2000 Korean won for adults.

 We are not in any tour group so the climb was at our leisure, where we could stop at any scenic spot to take photos.

 Hahah! this boy is so tired he has fallen asleep on a bench! Actually the climb was not so bad as the weather was very cool and pleasant indeed!

 Breathtaking views of mountains and cliffs.

 At this place you could go for boat rides and watch "pearl ladies" or Jeju women divers, who dive for pearls without oxygen tanks and frog suits! They will bring up abalones, octopus and crabs for sale and their "performances" are at 1.30 and 3.00.

 The hike up got steeper!

 But look at the smile on his face when he got to the top!

 As for me, the weather might be cold, but I was perspiring so much I started to lose my outer jacket!

 Sweat plastered my hair on my face but look at the view...

 Then the posing started...hehe...

 Posing beside the  sign that says "Descending Trail" because that is when we are going to start the the descent.

Going down is ok, as there are steps to make your hiking easier, but it was winding......

 and steep and so many!!! hahaha!!

You are treated to views of the sea

 and cliffs

 and this is to show you how winding these descending steps are!

 and I got sweaty again!!!

 Finally, we reached the bottom, where the steps gave way to cobbled slopes bordered by wooden fences and gnarled thicket trees that looked like bonsai. Below is an aerial view  of the crater to give you an idea of how we had to hike up and descend Seongsan Ilchubong Peak.......Though it was filled with other holiday makers, at the summit, you are rewarded with a view of the crater and the horizon, just simply awesome! it was well worth the hike up.

“Seongsan Ilchulbong from the air” by Korea.net

Seongeup Korean Folk Village 한국민속촌

한국민속촌

I got the above characters from the internet...

"Korean Folk Village"

We drove to the Korean Folk Village and immersed ourselves in the surroundings of a village that is supposed to be an authentic site of an ancient and well preserved Korean kampung. It has a wonderful collection of cultural artefacts and promotes Korean traditional culture.

Some of the houses are so well preserved I imagine myself being a Korean lass reliving centuries old history and unique local flavours from a different time and place.

Among the replicas available here are a nobleman's house, artisan workshops, farmer's house, seodang or village school, farming village, village street, shops and stalls, all showcasing realistic and actual features of Korean customary living long ago. 

It has more than 269 traditional houses some containing fascinating relics from the Joseon Dynasty which ruled Korea for more than 500 years.  There are an assortment of residential buildings, and workshops which depict customs and trades (blacksmith, bamboo craft, pottery, cotton looms etc) preserved by the local people.

For example there is full set of clothes of a bygone era preserved for us to view.

Quaint houses with low thatched roof.

Uses rocks as garden decor and footpaths.

This must be a pottery workshop or maybe wine factory.

Interior roofing and clever ceiling eaves fascinated him!

Many period dramas are filmed here as it readily provides a traditional setting with real props.

Well preserved stone grinding implement reminds me of my father in law's tau fu fah making machine!

This stone statue is the icon of Jeju Island

I always see this type of buildings in Korean dramas! Now I am sitting on one!

More costumes of traditional times

I can't imagine how a solid door with inhibitive rocks can protect the entrance to this house, but it does!

If you have time you can learn the tricks of the Omegi Wine Artisan.

Me, I wish my childhood was in one of these idyllic farm houses with the cool clime thrown in.

And a garden of profuse blooms.

Another huge grinding apparatus that seems to dwarf me...Koreans are fond of grinding grains into nourishing drinks that replenish the body!

And so, we spent the whole afternoon wandering the streets and there were very few other tourists around that day so I could pose for photos and walk into all of the cute little houses!

However we did not catch any performances or dances.

Sangumburi Crater in Jeju Island, (산굼부리)

We needed to cover as many places as possible in Jeju Island, so we rushed to Sangumburi Crater, designated as a "Natural Monument" and the filming site of 2 dramas "Love Wind, Love Song" and "Goddess of Marriage" both of which, alas, I have not seen!

Entrance is 6,000 won for this natural attraction,

산굼부리

It is a beautiful crater which according to the pamphlets look like a man made stadium from the top.

Saw this girl perched on the ledge of a building made of crater rocks.

With strange sculpture too, made of mud from the crater.

And so we started out climb up the crater..it was pleasant, as it was autumn and the Eulalia flowers on the slope are supposed to turn it into a golden brown field.

This is a map showing the crater which measures about 650 meters wide, 100 meters deep amnd 2,070 meters in circumference (I got that info from "Imagine Korea" website)

We stopped every so often to admire the scenery and enjoy the nippy autumn air.

The hike is not so difficult as there are lots of huts and rest stops for you to rest and continue at your own pace.

Lots of other tourists are also making the trek round the crater too.

Beautiful scenery which you can get only in Autumn

This must be the highlight of our walking trip here....Since it is autumn there is a sea of pampas grass swaying in the breeze on the slopes of this volcanic crater

We are going to walk up a little to get an amazing view of Halla Mountain and take some great photos

Yes! we have reached the top!!!

It is really a relaxing ascent and what an exhilarated feel when we reached the top!!!

Now we begin our descent!

There is a variety of plant-life on the crater.  According to the leaflet, on the north side, Nandaeseong vegetation such as red-thorn tree, magnolia trees along with rare winter strawberries. On the south side of the crater, Ondaerim vegetation such as evegreens, maple cover the area. and beacuse madny different kinds of trees and plants grow in such a limited space, it attracts the attention of researchers.

Sangumburi Crater is indeed one of the highlights of our trip in Jeju island.  The view and scenery is breathtaking.  The hike to the top is easy as there are paved walkways and we get to take as many pictures as we like along the way as we are not in a group tour.

These Korean girls are always asking me to take pictures of their back! It must be trending for them!

A final picture of me among the grass!!!!

I got lots of lovely scenes with reed plants called eoksae (flamegrass) swaying in the background. It is touted to be a special wonder of nature!