North Korea.... kinda.

I spent the first day in Seoul just relaxing and getting familiar with the city. I was staying in Seoul for about 5 nights but I didn't really have any set plans. One thing I knew I really wanted to do was visit the JSA camp in the DMZ (the neutral zone running between North and South Korea). The USO runs tours of the JSA and I was really hoping to take one but the lack of planning on my part didn't allow it to happen. Instead I found a Korea tour company that ran tours. Now I'm not big on guided tours, in fact I hate guided tours, but the only way to visit the DMZ is through a tour, so i sucked it up!

We started heading north out of Seoul and the first stop was the Odusan Observatory, which overlooks the Han River. On the other side of the river is the North Korean town of Gaeseong City. The Odusan Observatory also houses an interesting and almost assuming measure that shows how everyday North Koreans live. They even had a mock classroom and living room.

After this we kept heading north along the river, where you could see lots and lots of barb wire and military watch towers. We hooked a left and headed into the DMZ, where the bus stops and a South Korea Soldier checks all passengers Passports.

When we reached the JSA (Joint Security Area) all the passengers switch to a JSA bus driven by a South Korean soldier. From here the tour visit is very brief but super interesting. We're allowed in one of the meeting halls where technically half the building is South Korea and the other half is North Korea. This is the highlight of the trip. The bus also takes us around the compound as the tour guide points out other important sights such as the Bridge of No Return.. one of the few bridges that still connects North and South Korea.

Like any typical tour…. it ends in a gift shop. Yup, a gift shop. The only gift shop in a DMZ! All in all i'm glad I did the tour. I think i would have enjoyed it better with the USO because the tour guide I had was okay, but not the best… but hey at least I can say I took a few footsteps into North Korea!

The view of North Korea from the Odusan Observatory.

1) A South Korean guard tower along the Han river. 2) A South Korean solider standing guard inside the North Korea / South Korea conference room (inside the JSA)

The JSA with the North Korea town of Kijong-dong in the background.

Bridge of No Return... one of the only bridges between North and South Korea.

1) Our South Korea bus driver. 2) The only giftshop in a DMZ.

FERRY TO MOKPO, TRAIN TO SEOUL

I was really really looking forward to the ferry ride from Jeju to Mokpo and then the KTX train ride from Mokpo to Seoul… but unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worst and I was stuck with a few nasty days! Next time I visit Korea I'll make sure to do so in the summer! I ended up taking the slow ferry to from Jeju to Mokpo, about 5 hours. I stayed the night in Mokpo and then took the KTX (Korea's fast trains... not as cool as japanese fast trains but a WHOLE lot cheaper!) to Seoul, about 3 and a half hours. All in all it was pretty simple and fast!

Pushing off from the port in Jeju.

The open sea.

1) One of the many islands between Jeju and Mokpo 2) A shot out the window of the KTX train from Mokpo to Seoul

JEJU, KOREA

Jeju Island is perhaps one of the most popular domestic tourist spots in Korea. For this reason I wasn't sure what to expect (Its been called the Hawaii of Korea). I wasn't sure if it was going to be cool or just totally over built and touristy. Well both were true. It was definitely touristy, but geared towards Koreans so that just made it even more interesting to me. The coast was fairly built up, but the minute you turned off the main road, you would hit farm land.

I was hoping to rent a motorcycle but since it was low season I couldn't find any shops with one ready to go, instead I had to settle for a 125cc scooter. I spent two days just cruising all over the Island. The 125cc could at least hit mid 50s but maxed out at 92 kph.

On the second day I rode around with Mark, an english teacher on break, who had his own 250cc motorcycle. The great thing about riding around Jeju is that it had a lot to offer scenery wise. Jeju is a volcanic island and has the highest peak in Korea. So once you started to ride up in altitude, the landscape would change. All these photos were shot within two days, I think you can probably see the diversity.

Jeju was pretty badass. This may sound silly, but Jeju was my vacation within a vacation. For this reason I didn't really take all to many photographs, I mostly just rode my 125cc around (I clocked over 300 km in two days!) and drank coffee (just like at home!).

Over looking the island of Udo.

#1 - Climbing to the top of Seongsan Ilchulbaong Peak (north eastern side of the island) #2 - Beach on the north west coast.

Seongsan Ilchulbaong Peak

Wild flowers near the coast.

My beast... actually it had a sticker on it that said "my bike is a beast"

An island and a horse.

Underground lava tubes, one of the longest in the world.

Continuing along the coast on the second day.

#1 - Wind farm, north west coast. #2 - Directly behind the wind farm, traditional burial mound.

On the second day the wind got really nasty, so at this point we turned inland.

Shortly after turning inland we can across this farmer co-op.

Climbing up on route 1117, the scenery quickly began to change.

Up at about 700 meters, looking out towards the sea. I would have loved to have kept claiming, but the scooter didnt like the step hills.

A vegetarian restaurant called "the loving hunt" it was great to have a veggie burger, in fact i ate three!

Directly behind "the loving hunt" was a random batting cage right on the street. 500 won (less then 50 cents) for 10 balls! I couldn't resist. I visited the batting cages a few times.

Sunset at the harbor.

FERRY FROM BUSAN TO JEJU

I had a vague plan for Korea, but nothing set in stone. When I started doing research on Korea I knew one thing for sure, I wanted to take a ferry somewhere. I decided on Jeju, the largest island off of Korea's coast (also the most southern point of the country and a popular vacation destination for Koreans, but more on that later). From Busan there is a daily (except sunday night) overnight ferry to Jeju. The ferry leaves at 7pm and arrives in Jeju 6am the next morning. In the summer this is probably amazing, but this time of year the ferry left and arrived, while it was dark out. I have never taken an overnight ferry before but it ended up being great! I sprung for the 2nd class 4 person bunk bed room (vs sleeping on the floor with upwards of 30 other people). The latter would have probably been much more interesting but I really wanted a good night of sleep. The cost for the 11 hr ferry ride was 57,000 won (or about 53 bucks).

After catching up on some photo editing and talking to my roommates for the night (two students on there way to Jeju to cycle around the island) I had a good night sleep and woke up at Jeju ferry terminal the next morning!

This was not my ferry, but a ferry adjacent to it. The one I was taking was about the same sizes.... just a lot older.

Passengers boarding.

Busan at dusk.

A worker checking tickets.

A small arcade on the ship.

Oh man, a night club. I cant say I stayed awake long enough to check it out.

There was this weird map highlighting different country with sterotypical pictures... I think this stereotype is "the creepy American pedophilia"

Goodbye Busan!

Unfortunately I was on the wrong side of the Island to get really great shots.

Then again there is always the local fish market to check out at 6am.

Boats in the harbor.