Iching for Incheon {Cath}

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THREE DAY BREAK AGAIN! And this time it was off to Incheon!!

Unlike our Mokpo trip, this one seemed to be characterised by IMMENSLY good timing!! We exited English Village just in time to take the free early morning shuttle bus in to Ilsan.

We took the subway into Seoul where we decided we should buy a tent. (The conversation went something like, "where should we stay tonight? ..."I know! Lets buy a tent!") I love it! Thats the best thing about travelling with no reservations or concrete plans and a day pack as your luggage -plans change, and it's great!

After some brief discussion and an internet search at a nearby computer we decided to head into the massive market of Namdaemun (It's crazy, there're a few computers in the subway with a high speed internet connection just available for the public to use... no charge or anything... it's nuts!)

On the short walk from the subway to the market we had a chance to see some more of Seoul. The buildings in Korea never cease to amaze me, granted most of them are rows and rows of identical apartment buildings, but every now and then there's new architecture showing off the modern creativity of the city. Or you'll see crazy things like a traditionally styled buildings converted into a Starbucks coffee takaway!!

Namdaemun is a massive market, the second biggest covered market in South Korea with anything from food on sticks, cloths, swiss pocket knives and toys to army gear and fashion stores! (It's really difficult to describe the vastness of this market) Most importantly, there is a whole street of the market dedicated to rock climbing and the outdoors. Needless to say this was where we spent most of our time, eventually emerging with a tent, two sleeping bags, compression bags for our sleeping bags, blow up cusions (a gift!!yay!) and significantly dented wallets! Finally, with everything squished into or tied onto our backpacks, we were back on the subway off coastward again!

Again with our freakishly good timing... and with the help of a retired pastor we met on the bus to Wolmido (Incheon's port ), we were about 5 minutes early for the hourly ferry to Yongjong-Do, an island off the coast of Incheon.

We were welcomed to Yongjong-Do by a handful of merchants selling the usual dried fish (and other Korean treats) and clanging their scissors to the beat of a blaring radio. Pretty festive all in all

We started wandering around the village a bit until we saw our next bus (to get to the port on other side of the island) at the bus stop about 200m away! aaah, and again we became the one, the only, the dashing team travelling tandem!! The 20min bus ride provided ample recovery time!

We bought tickets for the ferry to Muui island, where we planned to camp, only to see our ferry just leaving... and then it saw us and a few other late passengers and turned around to come fetch us!! Can you believe it?!

The fishing village of Muui looks so romantically simple in it's way of life. Fishing boats are all tied into the coast line after a day's labour and fish restaurants line the coastal road with their ingredients swimming in their tanks just inside the doors. We chose to have supper in one of the restaurants overlooking the sea.

It was a typical Korean restaurant with no shoes, low tables, and kimchee starters. We ordered a pot of 'spicy seafood stew' -the waiter pointed to the phrase in our book and that was the translation- After a few splashes and a couple of thuds from the other room, a big pot of very fresh, (they were alive when we walked in! ) crab, clams, octopus and shell fish in spicy water with a few mushrooms was brought into the room and set over a gas cooker on our table!

The idea is that you all cook together and then pick enough for one or two bites of what you want from out the pot as soon as the food is ready. It was probably the most delicious crab I've ever eaten! (OK, so I've probably only had crab once before BUT I don't know how it could taste any better!! What a fantastic meal!)

As the sun started setting we decided to make our way to the Keunnuri Beach Resort just on the other side of the 20% gradient hill. Everything was closed as we entered the camp site, so we tried to tell one of the restaurant owners in the resort that we would settle the camping fees in the morning. I think she understood...
Our new tent was pitched in a clearing just above the moonlit beach, with the assistance of the two penlight torchers my mom gave us before we left. After finding a place to brush our teeth we settled into our new sleeping bags in our new tent and giggled at the days happenings.

There is nothing better than going to bed exhausted and snuggled up in a tent with the sound of the sea to sooth you to sleep.

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Photos

Off into the sunset
The sun's setting, we're still looking for a good spot to camp. But how could anyone be stressed in such a beautiful place!

Welcome to Mu-ui do
Where shall we sleep tonight?

Scissor Music
Cath jamming with the locals

Fish Markets
Yup, those are dried giant octopus tentacles on the right

Mu-ui fishing village
Enjoying the late-afternoon sea breeze

Dig in
Seafood doesn't get any fresher than this

Figure it out as we go along
Pitching a new tent in the dark. Susan, we'd have been seriously lost without the torches you gave us!