Life in Korea – Page 65

Road Trip! (Day Eight ~ Jindo)

By Newfie | August 26, 2009 | Comments 1 comment

Once again I’m up early to start the day. I’m trying to be quiet since the campground is pretty crowded. My laundry is still wet from the previous rainfall but I change into some clean clothes anyways. There isn’t any sign of rain today and I know from experience that the clothes will dry quickly once I’m on the bike. I check my map, pack up the tent and hit the road. Today I’m going to Jindo, a small island just off the south west coast.

Jindo has two claims to fame. One is the parting of the sea festival which I’ve unfortunately missed this year. The other is the Jindo dog. This breed is considered a national treasure and is famous for its sense of direction and it’s fierce loyalty. I’ve been told by some Korean friends that the Jindo must be adopted as a puppy because it will only listen to one master and an older dog will never accept you as its master. Here’s some more info on the Jindo breed I found at the Jindo testing and research breeding center.

I was really surprised to find that there wasn’t a soul around when I got to the breeding center. I didn’t really feel comfortable wandering around during what may be an inappropriate time but when I saw the puppies I could help but to wander closer. One in particular was more taken with me than the others. I’d have ended my road trip right here if someone would have told me I could have this dog.

As I walked away the little dog sat and watched me. After a couple of minutes I turned around and the dog was still there looking at me. I almost became a dog-napper at this point. I wonder how far I would have gotten with the pup before getting caught.

I left the breeding center and drove towards the southern part of the island. Originally I had planned to stay at the youth hostel but the prices were outrageous so I decided to just do a driving tour. I made it to the southern part of Jindo around lunch time and caught a ferry to Mojodo. I didn’t know anything about Mojodo, to be honest I only went here because I thought it would be cool to say I had visited ‘Mojo Island’. Once aboard the ferry, I go to the top floor and once I see some of the locals cimb up on the roof I follow suit. Everyone is taking photos of each other and the scenery. I’m no exception.

Some high school students have taken an interest in me as not many foreigners are found this far away from Seoul or any other big city for that matter. I notice some of them discreetly taking my photo, eventually they work up the courage to ask for a photo with me, a request I’m happy to oblige. Then they ask me to take some photos of their group with their cameras and they’re also kind enough to take some of me with my own camera. A grade three student is also interested in practicing his English with me, he asks me ‘what’s this?’ as he points at different things; his hat, the boats loud speaker, etc. I point to the water and ask ‘what’s that?’ he tells me ‘bada’ which means sea. After a few minutes he says goodbye and goes back to his family.

Once I reach Mojo I notice that there’s a National park Ranger Station next to the ferry terminal. This station actually rented bikes to people and had a couple of staff members who could speak a little English. They provide me with a trail map for hiking on the island. Unfortunately I don’t have enough time to do any hiking, but the ranger recommended visiting the lighthouse which wouldn’t take too long. This place even provided free mountain bikes to tourists for exploring the island! I go my Mojo working for me now! I ride out to the light house, it’s only a few kilometers but there are plenty of little hills to keep me huffing and puffing. There’s
also a lot of nice scenery which gives me an excuse to stop for photo breaks.

I reach the light house around the same time as some tourists. The lighthouse reminds me of something I’d see back home in Newfoundland. There’s a nice lookout on a hill just about the lighthouse and another just below where you can look back upon Mojo or out into the sea. Unfortunately I don’t have much time here to enjoy the views here because I have to get back to the terminal in time to catch the next ferry. I take a couple of photos and head back.

I get the terminal about twenty minutes early, so while I’m waiting I look around in a convenience store and I find some pink liquor called ‘hongju’. This is a specialty product for the Jindo region so I know right away that I’m gonna buy a bottle. I settle on a black turtle shaped set which is a little more pricey but looks much more interesting than the plain ones that come in regular bottles. I remember my friends telling me about hongju. At 40% it’s the strongest Korean traditional liquor that I know of. It’s made with the medicinal Jicho plant which according to Korean lore makes it hangover proof.

My ride back is uneventful since there aren’t as many people on the boat. Once I’m back on Jindo I start driving back the way I came. Along the way I see a lot of funny ceramic art. Faces have been cut into the large ceramic pots. I tried to find some info on these but I didn’t have any luck. I don’t know who makes them or why, but they are pretty interesting. Some are happy, some are sad, some are scary and some are mad.

After I leave Jindo, I notice a sign on the highway that says Uhang-ri dinsoaur footprints. It’s getting a little late in the day but I figure I can get there. It’s a little side trip that I’m happy to take. Unfortunately the museum ticket booth was already closed by the time I arrived. So I just walked around a bit. I’m glad that I did because a lot of the halls were still open to visitors! There was an outdoor exhibit where you could see some small tracks. But the dinosaur halls housed the best tracks for preservation.

The sun is starting to get low in the sky now so I head out for Haenam. By the time I reach the city it’s apparent I won’t be able to find a campground so I start looking for a jimjillbang which I can’t find either. So I settle on a little motel, I re-wash my clothes, hang them out to dry in the washroom and go to sleep in a nice big soft bed.