Jeju City, South Korea

Tuesday, February 26, 2019       Jeju City, South Korea

We arrived in South Korea at 7:30am. The Korean Customs opened their counters for us around 8:15am. Larry and I waited patiently for our customs group number to be called….Number 20. This procedure allows only a small group to leave the ship at a time so that long laborious lines do not form for customs officials. It really is a speedy process. We actually made it through customs and boarded the shuttle to the city center about 9:15am….a pretty smooth process.

We were greeted royally by  musicians and dancers out the terminal door. 

This instrument has a harp sound...very sweet sounding.

We caught a shuttle bus into the city. It was neat to see these gigantic solar panels for the port  terminal.

                                 A lighthouse sat up on the hill as we  left the terminal.

Doesn't this look like a airplane control tower? It is a tower for the ships coming and going in the port....very space age looking!

                                       We are so happy today...our first time in South Korea!

                           We visited the old government walled portion of Jeju City. 

                                    It was very scenic with gorgeous ancient oriental  buildings.

                                          Such intricate designs painted under the roof line.

                                   This  ancient neighborhood of Jeju City had its beginnings in the 1500’s.

 Inside we found not only the old government buildings but also the government leader’s home and a buildings for his family.

The governor put this pond in the complex for fire purposes....but he did not like the sound that the frogs made so he drained it. It was refurbished a couple of hundred years later. Now goldfish and black fish swim in uniform circles....fun to watch!

He had a building for concubines (which we were told he rarely used), a building for the military, doctor, musicians, and servants. 

What an imagination to create this oxen.

The leader was carried around in this chair.

                                     Authentic ladies were dressed as in the past...so cool!

Ancient gong!

This governmental area was used to keep records of the surrounding citizens who lived outside the wall. We saw pictures of the area starting in the early 1900’s.

 The tremendous growth in the village occurred between 1960 and 1970.

This gentleman looked the part of  the authentic workers but.....

                                                 he was actually on the ship with us....HAHA!

I was thrilled today to see the first blooming Cherry Blossoms! This is a great sign that the rest of our trip is bound to be warmer!

                                     1 USD equals 1110 Korean Wan....our third money change.

Today, Jeju Island is called the Maui (Hawaii) of the Korean coast. Honeymooners from Korea, Russia, and Japan come here every year.  Chinese citizens are not allowed in Korea. These statues remind us of what you would see on an island in the Pacific!

                              We also enjoyed visiting the underground mall (for people watching),

                                                                the city fish market, 

                                                            and the city food market.

                                                           

We really enjoyed the high speed internet!  Koreans brags about having the fastest internet service in the world.....it was AWESOME!!!!

Our day was short with the ship pulling away from the dock at 3:00pm. Larry and I will be visiting this area one more time….in March. We can hardly wait! We really enjoyed our day in South Korea.