Island of the Gods

Is what Jeju Island is also known for.

Day 1: It's a bleak Monday and I'm here with my husband sitting in the clubhouse for now, eating and cowering from the cold and watching the heavy rain fall. The golfing week has begun with weather forecasts of downpour and chill on this island of Korea. But the weekend is looking slightly better though so I'm hoping to see a little sunshine at least and get some sightseeing going. But it is kind of hard. Not only is it expensive to get around, the signs are hard to read and the English language is scarce.
Hmm, what to do here then? Aside from the golf, I'll still try to get out there though and see why this is considered a touristy spot for Koreans..But I wonder why.... Keep you posted!...
The 18th green

Day 2: The sun is shining. My husband is on the golf course already getting a round out before the weather changes its mind. Meanwhile, I'm here in the clubhouse hanging out with friends and planning our sightseeing trip maybe for this afternoon and for tomorrow.

Day 3: The winds have changed and it's back to rain, fog, and cold. Its chillier now because of the stronger winds. Once again a gloomy setting has blanketed the place. Despite the overcloud, hubby was still able to get some practice done. Our plan to try and see (at least) a part of Jeju is still on.

Time to head out:

With the tourist brochures in hand, I had asked the front desk which were the best ones to go to. Coming from a native, the places we were interested to see, apparently were not the best places to go. And with little time we had, the places we wanted to check out were also quite far. So we felt that it really wasn't worth the expensive taxi trip. He instead recommended for us to go see Yeomiji located in the Jungmun resort. Yeomiji is only about 20 minutes from where we were staying. It is perfect then for my husband since he really didn't want to travel so far and get back so late (he tees off really early tomorrow).

Turns out Yeomiji is a botanical garden.
It is an edifice of all the different plant and flower gardens you could find. Another nature trip.. Hmmm, not exactly our cup of tea for now but it beats the redundance of seeing the golf course and hotel everyday.

To my surprise, many tourists of young and old were in there. I was honestly wondering what their fascination was with the botanical garden. I mean the old ladies and foggies, I could understand. But kids, teens and even yuppies?..I didn't think they'd have the patience for that. :) Maybe it was a field trip for the kiddies? Anyway, without a doubt, it is a nice and peaceful environment to be in.

Nothing exciting but calming instead. With the greenery all around and the relaxing sound of streaming water.. So I guess for the yups-- it is a nice lunch break escape. But for Angel and I, it would probably be the last place on our list to visit if something better came along. ;)

After just a fast tour, two minutes away from the garden was the Jungmun beach...

Sigh! With this dreary weather, we didn't enjoy ourselves either. Just a few fast photos and we called it a day. April for sure is truly not the best month to lay on the shores to get some sun. It's too cold, windy and raining! I asked the locals what their summer months were, and July and August are their warmest time to come and swim, surf, and scuba dive. This is the only time the island gets jam packed. Well, Angel and I really didn't feel like we were missing out. We both could enjoy all those activities with the heat included anytime back home in tropical Philippines! :)

So, what makes this island special? I just found out that Jeju is a top honeymoon destination for most Korean newlyweds and many Japanese. I guess the scenario of cold weather and frequent rains are romantic for them. In fairness though, the place and climate sort of reminds me of Long Island, New York. Gray but clean and somewhat dreamily pleasant. Also, did I mention that it is very pricey here too? Food, accommodations and taxi fares are quite hefty over here.

With very little sightseeing, we managed to make up for that by enjoying instead the scrumptious Korean food and their freshest seafoods for the whole week. My favorite being the Korean seafood pancakes , vegetable bi-bimbab and the sweetest fruits for dessert!

It is kind of hard to go on a low carb diet over here. Their sticky white rice is just too good! You just have to eat it with all the main dishes!
I could eat Korean food everyday and not get tired of it for a long awhile. :) Well, there goes the increase in my waistline! But thankfully I still burn calories in this very cold weather. And with my yoga mat always with me, I just turn up the heat and still manage to practice everyday. So you see, I still try to find some balance. :)

Day 4: First day of the tournament. In and out of the club and golf course all day. It's the fog that is disrupting play. I walked only 2 holes (wished I could have walked at least 7 more holes) and ended up staying at the club--waiting! Thankfully, Angel managed to finish a round of 18 holes and score a 1 under par (71).


Day 5: Its bright and sunny now this Friday but still chilly cold and extra windy. Play has been reduced to 54 holes instead of 72. My hubby plays his 2nd round on Saturday. Let's see if we make the cut. Weather forecast is looking good for tomorrow but who knows, weather here changes very fast. All you can do now is show up, play and hope for the best. (I'm crossing my fingers and praying for good luck!) :)

Day 6: Sunny Saturday and still cold and windy as yesterday. My beloved is out there. I'm going to watch him at the turn. Hang in there Babe!

..Just finished our 2nd round.. It was a cold and windy walk not just for me but for everyone.. The walk wouldn't have been that heavy if he hadn't miss the cut. But he did despite playing well. Tough luck!.. It never fails that I feel bad for him every time he doesn't make the cut in a tournament. Oh well, that's life on tour. I'll get over it soon enough.
Just so you know, when players miss the cut, they mostly change their flights and head home. We do the same, but unfortunately all flights are full so were sticking to our original schedule and fly home on a Monday. Maybe one more day to see the Island?...Maybe not. Were both too drained out. I think were just gonna chill on Sunday.

Day 7: Here we are just chilling in our room on a sunny but still cold and cozy Sunday. Might be doing some last minute outing with Korean friends. The plan is to go clay shooting. That's where they toss clay plates up in the air and you shoot it down with a shotgun. Never thought I'd experience that so let's see how it goes. :)

..Guess what? We did go. :) Most interesting afternoon. The clay shooting required using a shotgun. The power of the rifle the moment you pull the trigger was so strong, my right shoulder is now sore from it. Out of 20 shots, I hit 6 clay plates. Not bad for a first timer.

It didn't stop there. The boys wanted to do more and so we went and did pistol shooting. This time I used a 38 Smith and Wesson.
My score was not bad too at 15 meters. So much for me being a peace loving person--I became trigger happy for an afternoon. Now I know why for some, this is another form of release! But obviously not for me. :) I guess, I could say that this is the highlight of my trip. It was heart racing. Not my first to fire a pistol, but my very first to shoot with a bigger and more powerful rifle. And did I mention that the bullets and shells were real?.. Again for some, this is another way to let loose-- Fire away boys!

Day 8: All packed and ready to fly home. It was nice knowing you Jeju. Thanks for giving my husband a "not-so-good-time" for the 2nd time in two years. You weren't that friendly to us either with your weather. Hmm, I don't think I'll be coming back next year. So, Adios!

Summing up my trip here in Jeju, there are still many places Angel and I will probably never see, temples and museums we will never get to visit and majestic waterfalls we will never get to ogle at. One afternoon is just not going to cut it. What we saw this week wasn't the best of it but What can I say? My husband comes first. Supporting him by watching him play is more important than touring the island. It's the same routine in any other tournament he brings me along. Playing a tournament is what we came here for. Sightseeing is a distant second unless it is easy and accessible. It always boils down to time. And anyway, for me, enjoying the moment with your loved one no matter what country you're in, is always the best.