Slow Living

Appreciation is for the Soul, Jeju (Day 7)

After two nights in this comfy accommodation, what really differentiated it from the first two stays were the small yet thoughtful touches; having a washing machine and dryer for our laundry and added real convenience, while the projector, instead of a regular TV, created a cosy, home-like atmosphere for winding down. Simple features, but they made a noticeable difference to the overall comfort and experience.

“It’s often the simplest things that have the power to change the world.”

I located an udon eatery perfect for brunch and stopped my car about 200 meters away, as guided by GPS. I walked ahead to check out the place before moving the car closer.

My first relief came when I saw that street parking was available. Although there was already a queue of cars waiting, luck was on our side; the eatery itself wasn’t full, and we settled in without a hitch.

“No one could deny that this small moment of ease made the start of our meal all the more enjoyable.”

After getting myself comfortable, I realized something was amiss, the menu I had seen online didn’t match what was in front of me. There were only three items, and after translating, I discovered there was no udon at all. It turned out we had stumbled upon a Kalguksu (Korean hand-cut noodles) shop instead.

Bearing in mind my son’s tummy discomfort from yesterday, I had chosen the udon eatery for an easy brunch. Nevertheless, we ended up ordering the Bomal Kalguksu (Top shell sea snail native to Jeju) and a creamy version for me to try. We were also excited to find Seafood & chive pancakes on the menu, a favorite and must-eat treat whenever we’re in Korea.

The pancake arrived piping hot, chewy on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside. It never fails in Korea, and it had us wondering why the ones back home never quite taste the same.

The Bomal Kalguksu tasted wonderfully familiar, it was the kind of noodles I always had during my childhood. Thick, gluey noodles in a rich, sticky broth, reminiscent of Rickshaw Noodles (拉车面), instantly brought back memories of my late grandma, who used to make it often. It was especially comforting as a supper dish, and my mum still cooks it for me from time to time; a dish that never fails to satisfy.

The creamy Kalguksu, on the other hand, felt like a fusion creation, reminiscent of Italian carbonara. I enjoyed it, but its richness could become a little overwhelming after a while.

It didn’t take us long to finish our food, as we were hungry; and having hot dishes in the cold weather nourished us both physically and emotionally. We polished off both the Kalguksu and the pancake, which was the first to be wiped out.

Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed the eatery was run by a family team, a daughter and her parents. I couldn’t help but envy them; it must be wonderful to spend more time with loved ones. Sure, there might be tension and the occasional quarrel, but that’s the color of daily life, isn’t it?

“Most of the time it is only in its absence that we learn to appreciate what we had.”

Shortly after I uploaded the photos and Google review of the eatery, we headed back to Jeju Bultapsa Temple we had visited last year. At that time, it was under renovation, but now it was fully completed.

Located in Samyang-dong, Jeju-si, Bultapsa Temple is a branch of Gwaneumsa Temple, the headquarters of the 23rd district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The temple is nestled at the foot of Wondangbong Peak (alt. 170.4 meters). The temple started out as the Buddhist shrine Wondangsa, one of three temples in Jeju during the Yuan dynasty. Most of the temple was damaged due to the Jeju Uprising on April 3, 1948 and it was rebuilt in 1953. Later, the temple underwent renovations and extension works to get to the current conditions. Today, the temple has Daeungjeon Hall, Yosachae monk quarters, Jonggak Bell Tower, and Cheonwangmun Gate. The temple’s five-story stone pagoda is Jeju’s only stone pagoda from the Goryeo dynasty. It was designated Treasure No. 1187 in November 1993. (source: Jeju Bultapsa Temple (불탑사(제주)) : VISITKOREA)

My son and I walked in to pay our respects to the Guanyin (觀音), Goddess of Mercy, and Buddha. We were invited by the attendant to a prayer room, which I politely declined, hoping we were not rude. The exchange was done through hand gestures and soft murmurs, as we couldn’t converse in Korean.

Climbing higher above sea level to the temple, the crisp, fresh air instantly calmed our hearts, while a simple prayer seemed to settle our minds and even aid the digestion of our hearty lunch. Around us, local devotees exchanged warm wishes, their quiet gestures painting a serene and heartwarming scene that was impossible not to savour.

From there, we made our way to a famous coastal photo spot, and the moment we arrived, the scenery took our breath away. A handful of cars dotted the small open carpark, with visitors making their way toward the pavilion for panoramic views that seemed to stretch endlessly. The wind howled fiercely, whipping around us, and we had to grip our phones tightly to capture the perfect shot. Yet, every gust only added to the thrill.

Time slipped away unnoticed; we spent nearly an hour and a half exploring, as each turn and vantage point revealed a completely new and stunning perspective, making every second feel like a discovery.

Next up was a café stop for a change of pace. I wanted to try a matcha cafe this time. It’s a popular spot, and for the first time that day, I had to wait for a parking space. Street parking wasn’t an option, and the limited lot was nearly full. I even tried to squeeze into a side space, only to find all five spots taken, and with the size of my car, it would have blocked traffic. Patience became part of the experience as we waited for a spot to free up, adding a small layer of anticipation to our cafe visit.

As we walked in, I spotted a four-seater table; lucky us, as the café was busy. There’s a reason this place is so popular, or perhaps I should say famous: the drinks are superbly curated, each one a small work of art. The interior is simple, yet it feels more like a Japanese setup, with chairs perfectly aligned to face the sea. Around us, office workers were deep in discussion, while creative-looking designers tapped away on their laptops, giving the café a vibrant, inspired energy that blended seamlessly with the serene coastal view.

The next activity planned for the day was sea fishing at a fishing park; an outdoor adventure for my son, and I could only hope that the wind would be a little less relentless.

We booked two rods for sixty minutes and began without really knowing what to expect; would it be catch and release, catch and keep, or catch and eat? We let nature take its course and simply waited to see what would come along.

The first fifteen minutes were relatively quiet and peaceful, broken only by staff instructions reminding us to keep our rods lowered. Apart from that, all we could hear was the howling wind; it was a breezy, cold afternoon. As the park gradually grew busier with more patrons, we were eventually left on our own to deal with the catch.

Despite arriving early at the park, the first catch of the day went to the second group who had just arrived.

“So much for ‘the early bird catches the worm’, it didn’t quite apply in this case.”

While I was still feeling envious of their catch, I heard my wife coaching our son to reel in quickly. Yes, he landed his very first catch, the first of his life.

What followed was a flurry of fish being caught by the other parties, while I was still struggling to get a bite, moving spots and adding more bait to no avail. To make matters worse, my son landed another fish. He was laughing ear to ear; not just because of his catch, but also at the sight of me, still empty-handed after the whole afternoon.

The session ended quickly; perhaps partly due to my inability to land a fish. I got teased for not catching anything; luckily dinner was not dependent on what I caught if not, there will be nothing to fill our stomachs!

Regarding what happened to the catch: all the fish were released back into the sea. In the end, it was all about the pure fun and thrill of fishing, not the dinner, so whether I caught one or not didn’t really make a difference except my son has the bragging rights for the day or maybe weeks to come.

With our bodies chilled from the sixty minutes of relentless wind, we began the journey back to our accommodation for the night. This time, it was only for one night, as the rest of the entourage, my mother and sister-in-law, would be arriving tomorrow. They were joining us for the second leg of the trip for a week-long adventure together.

On our way back, we were lured in by a cosy-looking hut along the road. I made a quick U-turn just to check it out. It turned out to be a café, another unplanned stop for the day, but exactly what we needed: a hot drink to warm us up after the chilly, windy fishing session.

Satisfied with our pit stop to recharge, we continued our route to the accommodation. A little over 25 minutes later, we arrived at the address provided by the host and were greeted warmly in Korean by a friendly man. After I replied in English, he smiled and quickly called his wife to attend to us. We followed the female host to the house and instantly felt the warmth and love poured into the unit, we were beaming with excitement for the night ahead.

We unloaded our luggage and took a video and some photos of the house, marveling at the space, before the inevitable question of reality was posed: “What’s for dinner tonight?”.

With no nearby eateries open, or those that were, already closed for the day, we decided to head to a convenience store, as we often do for a quick dinner option. Hopefully, they’d have some frozen foods like fried rice and dumplings to go along with our usual stash of instant noodles.

As the map didn’t reveal much about the convenience store we wanted to visit, I had to rely on my own judgment once again. The grocery run went smoothly, and we picked up fried rice, dumplings, and some spam for dinner. I also uploaded the store’s details to help others who might be looking for it in the future.

Dinner was simple, yet still delicious, though those seemingly innocent-looking dumplings packed a surprisingly fiery punch!

As you might have expected, the night was meant to wind down with snacks and coffee before bedtime, since we needed to rise at 6 a.m. the next morning. But, of course, things rarely go according to plan. My son’s tummyache worsened after dinner. He couldn’t sleep, whether it was the excitement over our arriving family members, the weeks’ worth of spices and dairy, or a mix of both, no one could be certain. Frankly, we were exhausted as well, yet we stayed by his side, comforting him through the restless hours, until finally, just past 2 a.m., he drifted off in utter exhaustion.

“True solace comes when we stand together, offering each other support.”

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