Day 2, Jeju, South Korea: Seongsan Sunrise Peak, Jeju Folk Village, Yongduam Rock

Woke up bright and early in Jeju for breakfast before the tour bus took us to Seongsan Sunrise Peak. It started snowing as we left the bus and we made our way up slowly. The strong wind meant that it took a long time to trudge up and an equally long time coming down. The place was insanely crowded. If you intend to visit the Seongsan Sunrise Peak, be prepared to jostle, squeeze, and push your way through throngs of Chinese tourists and be mentally ready to receive numerous shoves and unceremonious nudges in return.

The scenery on the way up was breathtaking and watching the murky waters below through drifts of snow was just so beautiful. The climb was manageable and not strenuous. The challenging part was fighting to stand straight against the gusts of strong wind and braving the cold. Oh the cold. 

This is me at the peak which was surprisingly barren. The view was splendid on the other side though, with an unobstructed view of the town below and the surrounding sea. I would definitely have enjoyed Seongsan Sunrise Peak more if it was just less crowded.

We went to pick tangerines at a tangerine farm near Seongsan Sunrise Peak. It was snowing very heavily by then and I could hardly see beyond the sheet of white falling rapidly from the sky. I took the tweezers and clipped two tangerines randomly. I found out subsequently that I picked the smallest tangerine in that bush. What a smart choice.

In my haste to pull my hood over my head, I ripped the fur trim out. Thankfully it was just a button that could be fixed easily. I took out the fur trim eventually. It may be pretty and useful to keep the snow out of my face, but it was terribly troublesome.

The amazing thing was that we could find beautiful white landscapes just anywhere along the road! This was taken along the road opposite the tangerine farm. So effortlessly beautiful.

Lunch was stir-fried pork from the black pig! Black pig is one of the iconic local food in Jeju. I was always a fan of the black pig as pork from the black pig is always more tender and juicy as compared to the usual pork. This meal was pretty good, one of the better ones since we started our tour. 

We visited the Jeju Folk Village next which was where Da Chang Jin was filmed (hence the poster in the picture below). It started snowing again the minute we left the bus and we wandered around the Jeju Folk Village in the snow. The traditional stone houses and animals in Jeju Folk Village reflected the way of life in Jeju previously. There was also the Jeju icon, known as Stone Grandpa (石头爷爷), which the locals believed brought good fortune. 

We went go-karting next and it was so fun! I had to wear shades though so that the snow would not hit my eyes when the kart went fast. It was my first time go-karting in the snow and it was such an experience!

We visited the Yongduam Rock in the evening. The Yongduam Rock is a rock in the sea which resembles a dragon head. When we reached the cliff where we could see the Yongduam Rock, the wind was so strong and fierce that we were caught off guard. Some of us ran into the nearby souvenir shop to hide from the wind until we were ready to step out again. The waves hitting the cliff were fierce and the currents were strong. 

Dinner was Ginseng Chicken Soup. There were noodles prepared at the side and we were supposed to put them into the boiling soup. The soup was fragrant and the chicken was tender. Quite a good meal too!

 Read about Day 1, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6 of my Korea trip!