7 June 2022
Small bonus mountain
Hiking around Yeongdo island to Taejongdae
Today was supposed to be a small activity, take a short walk over the bridge, walk around an island, come back again, go do my washing (laundry).
Well, first I found a mountain. That was a 2 hour diversion.
Then the coastal walk I wanted to take was no longer in existence as it is in the process of becoming a road.
Then the excellent back up coastal walk was a lot longer than I realised. So almost 40,000 steps later, I returned to my hotel and still found time to go do my washing.
The island is Yeongdo, from most angles of Busan it appears joined on but it is an island. There are other islands that have been merged with Yeongdo (I think) by filling in the ocean.
It is much like the rest of Busan, but right on the southern end you get to Taejongdae resort. I am not really sure why it is called a resort, it is a giant park with a fake tram if you want, to go see a lighthouse and appreciate the view. It does not have hotels and beaches that cost money or a pool with a bar in it. I think there is a ferry to take you around, and you can go see the 'female divers' who I presume hold their breath for a long time and collect shells.
So after my surprise extra long activity with the great views, I found a laundromat and set off.
Boss man was there servicing the machines, and was very interested in how I was translating the Korean instructions with my phone. He asked many questions in broken English which I was happy to answer, but shook his head and said 'we live in outer space world like the star trek now', I presume in reference to the camera translation thing.
Anyway, as I sat waiting for my washing, he goes out the back, and comes back with a whole heap of girly costumes from another dryer in the back room and starts folding them and putting them in plastic bags. Naughty nurse, cat woman, french maid, miss pacman (?), wonder woman etc. So I assume a local business has contracted him to do their laundry.
The view from the bridge, I already posted this pic the other night.
Walking up the main road of Yeongdo island and it looks like any other part of Busan, hardly a fishing village island like the internet suggested.
Here is one of a few local markets, complete with idiot on scooter.
The giant highway overhead is for cars only, no subway on the island. This is the highway that those weird bridges that seem to encircle every beach connect to. The island seems to be the shortcut route.
The streets got very very steep. They have had to put a grippy surface on the road. This must be terrifying in winter.
My hike up what I assume is being translated weirdly as 'Mount Bonnae' was actually quite strenuous. You can drive up.. but I chose a route behind a temple, and I was sweating much more than I planned to today, but the view was worth it.
Here is some view.
Today I actually could get to the very top. These towers are just TV transmitters, no military bases on this little mountain.
Excellent views.
Islands, ships, cool weather.
All these ships are full of the natural gas they stole from Australia that Korea already paid for that Australia didn't want.
It may be a small mountain, but apparently it is high enough to get awarded a ribbon.
OK, here you can see 2 more green areas. The closer one was my original plan for today, note the road being built on it, that cancelled my plan to go around the coast there. The second one further away is Taejongdae resort. Now to get down from this small mountain.
First I had to go through a fire.
Then the way down was SUPER steep. I really did not expect to be using my hands on my walk today.
I got to the beach. At this stage I was still planning to hike around a bit of the coast on a boardwalk.
But, there is the site of the former boardwalk.
I pressed on, and arrived at Taejongdae after maybe another hour of walking along some nice roads. This is the 'tram', it is a Mack truck. I never saw it in use all day.
Some nice views to be had from here as well. The little boat is one of the ferry's that takes you around the resort.
Here is the lookout, but it looks out on just the Ocean. It has a few cafes and a lot of cats.
A bit further around, the main attraction, the lighthouse. At first I was a bit underwhelmed.
But there are a few hundred stairs to take you all the way down to the water in a howling gale.
This would be the most terrifying spot for a relaxing picnic I could imagine. I was struggling to stand upright in the wind.
The lighthouse area has a few more cafes in the semi circle building.
View the other way, you used to be able to walk along parts of it, but falling rocks have closed it. There is a tiny rock island with another little lighthouse on it, which I now realise is what the previous observation cafe tower built into the cliff was looking at.
Nearing the end, and one last challenge appeared. Also, photo of big trees for my mother.
And then soon after getting back, straight to the laundry. I can wear underpants again.