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Traveling South Korea – Waterfalls & Haenyeo on Jeju Island
In my first article about exploring Jeju Island, I introduced up the island’s outdated nickname of Samda-do which alludes to the three most plentiful issues on the island, Rocks, Wind, and Ladies. Properly, I’m going to be speaking about among the girls of Jeju Island as we speak. Particularly, the Haenyeo feminine divers of the island. They earn their residing by harvesting the bounty of the ocean round Jeju Island. Thought-about by many to be iconic of the island the Haenyeo are recognized for his or her robust will, impartial spirit, and willpower. They’re able to holding their breath for over three minutes at a time and diving right down to 30 meters deep (98ft) on the hunt for shellfish. Their normal quarry from the ocean are abalone, sea snails, octopus, sea urchins, sea squirts, oysters, sea cucumbers, and varied edible seaweeds.
Haenyeo historically begin their diving coaching on the age of 11, working the shallows till they acquire extra ability. After about 7 years of coaching, they’re thought-about full-fledged Haenyeo able to diving in deeper waters. An odd factor for a historically Confucian tradition these girls are the breadwinners of their properties, they’re consultant of the semi-matriarchal household buildings on Jeju Island. Whereas not all the time the case, the Haenyeo at the moment are celebrated as one among Jeju Island’s best cultural treasures, even being added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Listing in 2016 and the South Korean Intangible Cultural Property Listing in 2017. However even with that being the case they’re disappearing as time goes on, as of 2014 it was proven that 98% of Haenyeo had been over the age of fifty. A few of the oldest Haenyeo at the moment are properly into their 80s, nonetheless diving the waters round Jeju Island. For more information on Haenyeo try this video on them by UNESCO here.
Okay again from my lesson in regards to the Haenyeo, we’re again to exploring Jeju Island once more. This was the second day of the journey there, the place we had been exploring the south coast of the island. The plan for the day was to begin on the west facet of the coast then journey east alongside the ocean stopping right here and there at completely different sights and sights alongside the best way. We had our sights on visiting among the well-known waterfalls of Jeju Island, Jeongbang Waterfall, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, and Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls, that are all on the south coast. The unique plan was to cease at Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, but it surely was simply too crowded as soon as we bought there. There have been tour buses offloading in addition to only a large buying plaza filled with those who we didnt actually need to must cope with. So we went 5 minutes down the coast to Jeongbang Waterfall. Whereas it wasn’t empty, there no less than weren’t any tour buses at this spot. After we parked we went as much as the ticket sales space and purchased our tickets, 2000 received ($ 1.53 USD) a chunk.
With our tickets in hand, we continued down a number of steps, previous the little outlets in direction of the sales space on the entrance. From there it’s 130 steps down the facet of the cliff to the “seashore”. Whereas the steps aren’t too dangerous as an entire a number of are just a little steep. The steps are additionally reduce from the island basalt stone so could be slippery when moist, so do watch out. If you happen to want a break when taking place or coming again up, there are some viewing platforms you can take a breather on and likewise take within the view. When you attain the underside of the steps you attain a basalt stone path, additionally slippery when moist, that you just comply with to the bottom of the waterfall. Whereas strolling alongside this path I seen this tent out on the rocks to our left as we glided by.
I believed hopefully perhaps they could be Haenyeo promoting their catch and stored going to the waterfall, planning to test it out afterwards. The trail ends with some steps that simply go right down to the boulders. It was a bit treacherous with giant gaps within the boulders and rocks that might journey you up simply, and among the rocks had been moist from the spray and mist of the waterfall making them slick. So if you happen to go take your time and be deliberate together with your steps, you don’t need to eat shit after which must hobble up 130 steps. It takes a bit to cross the boulders however when you get close to the falls and pool, the wind and mist coming off the falling water really feel wonderful. We simply took a while to take every little thing in, and likewise watch different vacationers nearly eat shit on the rocks. Aspect be aware, if you happen to go down close to the shore you’re going to get splashed and probably soaked by the surf hitting the boulders, which we did see occur to a household as they had been attempting to take a photograph.
Now executed with taking within the falls it was time to move again and get a transfer on down the coast. However I wished to take a look at the tent we noticed earlier. After we walked up we noticed the tubs of dwell seafood, it was a few Haenyeo promoting plates of their contemporary catch. They’d 4 tubs that had dwell abalone, sea cucumber, sea squirts, and turban snails that they’d caught earlier. So with each of us loving seafood needed to get a plate of shellfish sashimi proper on the rocks.
They’d two menu decisions, a big plate or a small plate. With each sizes, you choose which shellfish you need they usually reduce it up for you contemporary proper there. We bought the small plate which was 50,000 received ($38.17 USD). We bought the abalone, sea cucumber, and turban snails. Presentation of the seafood is straightforward, a melamine plate with chojang(candy and tangy chili paste) for dipping and contemporary garlic all on prime of an aluminum tray with some chopsticks. Truthfully I believed it was excellent, it lets the seafood communicate for itself.
Across the tent, they’d some weighted plastic seats in addition to some massive items of styrofoam for chairs. I grabbed a pair together with a few rocks for a desk to put the tray on. These things was nice, the freshest I’ve ever had. The stuff I’ve had flown in for work on a regular basis, however this was much better than any of that. Worth-wise, this was just a little larger than different issues we’ve had in South Korea however nonetheless much better worth than what you will get within the US. I already know this received’t be agreeable to most of y’alls palettes, the feel can be offputting to lots of people. However if you happen to contemplate your self adventurous give it a attempt. Additionally when you have the prospect to eat seafood caught and served by Haenyeo, do it. I don’t need to finish this on a down be aware however the Haenyeo are disappearing. They’re getting older out and there isn’t a lot a brand new technology coming in to interchange those that go away. I couldn’t think about wanting my daughters to have such a troublesome and harmful job, relatively I might need them to work elsewhere. So whereas the Haenyeo are nonetheless round take a while and take a look at one thing new if you happen to occur to be on Jeju Island.
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