Likely to Revisit
The winter star in the south
Geoje
Unsurprisingly, I found myself drawn once again to the sunshine of the winter.
Perhaps, it was the warmth of the sunshine that hugged me and the waves that glittered on the surface of the water.
Or everything was possible because it was Geoje.
📝Text 📷Photos by. Jae-hyeon Park
Maemiseong Fortress
The Power of Steadiness
I was surprised that it was built on the coast and named “Maemi” meaning cicada. But what surprised me even more was that the fortress was built by one individual. The coastal fortress was made over a long period of time by Sun-sam Baek, an ordinary farmer who merely wanted to keep his crops safe after he lost his farming field to typhoon Maemi. Long years of his hard work and persistence led to the construction of the fortress, which now attracts tourists from around the country. It is a fairytale-like story.
It looks like a castle that often appears in fairytales. The white fortress blends in nicely with the blue sea and looks like a part of nature. Looking down from the fortress, you get a gorgeous view of the sea. The Geogadaegyo Bridge I crossed to get here comes into view from afar. Tourists visiting the fortress travel back in time as they explore the fortress. They can easily figure out how this place will evolve over time, although there is no way of knowing what the future holds for them.
The beach in front of the fortress is covered with smooth, round pebbles instead of sand. These pebbles are called “Mongdol.” Each time the waves hit the mongdol on the beach, the pebbles roll over and make a charming sound.
Oedo Botania
An island that is not lonely
A botanical garden may not sound like an exciting place to visit. But it is a different story when the whole island is a botanical garden. Once you arrive on the island, you have to climb a hill to get an overview of the entire island. It is not so hard to climb. The climbing path is pleasant and enjoyable as the beautiful giant trees you see along the way are a sight for sore eyes. The exotic landscape created by a considerable number of palm trees and cactuses makes you feel as if you were in another country. Together, the well-pruned trees and flowers constitute a lovely landscape that makes you keep pausing to appreciate it. Since it is a small island, you can get a view of the sea from anywhere on the island. After getting glimpses of the sea on the way up, your eyes get filled with the blue sea when you get to the observatory. The majestic waves that come flowing in from the faraway horizon reach the shore and gently hug the island so that the island does not look lonely.
You can reach Oedo by boat only, and there are 7 quays through which you can enter the island. Haegeumgang is also worth visiting on the way to Oedo. You will surely be mesmerized by the majestic beauty of the solemn-looking rocky island.
Dojangpo Village
Serenity into the Mind
There are ceramic murals and sculptures across the entire village. The village was named Dojangpo because there was a storage for trade ships carrying ceramics to Yuan Dynasty and Japan. A ceramic piece with the address written on it hanging on the gate of each house makes me smile. At the center of the village is a path in the camelia grove. The dense forest of camelias hundreds of years old exudes a mysterious atmosphere. After walking for a while, you will get to an ultra-small church of pilgrims and a site of a well with a sign bearing a verse from the Bible. The kind of serenity that seems to belong to another world permeates slowly and gently into my mind. I guess I travel for this very moment. As I turned around to leave, what lingers on my mind is the words on the yellow slate roof of a house in the village: “Thank you for everything.”
The Hill of Wind and the village make for a great tour package because they are located in close proximity. Seen from the top of the village, the hill offers a great view.
The Hill of Wind
The sea as seen from the hill
What I like about wind is that I can feel it even though it is invisible to the eye. Perceiving the existence of something through sense of touch is a special experience. Here on the hill, you can sense wind with your entire body because the ocean wind is so strong. A windmill on this windy hill completes the perfect landscape. Looking at this landscape from the bottom of the hill, it reminds me of a painting by an impressionist artist. The sea as seen from the hill looks particularly blue as if it did not know it was winter or when night came. I cannot keep my eyes open, and it starts to narrow my eyes. I do not know why. Maybe it is the wind or the blueness of the sea. At last, I close my eyes and make a resolution in my mind: I will be back here to see how green or how blue it is in summer.
If your schedule permits, be sure to view the sunset or sunrise here. A photo of the magical color of the sky and the windmill will be a work of art in itself.
