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Beforehand after I first talked about Jeju Island I introduced up the previous nickname of Samda-do the place the three most plentiful issues on the island are Rocks, Wind, and Ladies. Properly, I shall be speaking about a few of the ladies as we speak. The Haenyeo of Jeju Island are feminine divers who earn their dwelling by harvesting the bounty of the ocean within the waters round Jeju Island. They’re recognized for his or her robust will, unbiased spirit, and dedication. They’ll maintain their breath for over three minutes at a time and are able to diving down as much as 30 meters (38ft) whereas in search of shellfish. They typically harvest abalone, sea snails, octopus, sea urchins, sea squirts, oysters, sea cucumbers, and varied edible seaweeds.
Historically Haenyeo began coaching on the younger age of 11, working the shallows as a trainee. After about 7 years of this coaching, they might be thought-about full-on Haenyeo. These ladies had been the breadwinners of their properties, an odd factor for the Confucian tradition of Korea. The Haenyeo are consultant of the semi-matriarchal household buildings on Jeju Island. These days these ladies are celebrated as one in every of Jeju Island’s best cultural treasures, even being added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Listing in 2016 and the South Korean Intangible Cultural Property Listing in 2017. Even so, the Haenyeo are disappearing because the years go on, as of 2014 98% of Haenyeo had been over the age of fifty. A number of the oldest Haenyeo now are properly into their 80s nonetheless going out into the chilly waters across the island. If yall need to see extra on the Haenyeo try this UNESCO video right here.
Stepping again from my historical past slash Jeju Island tradition lesson, we’re doing the time warp once more. This was day two of the Jeju Island journey, the place we went right down to the south coast of the island. The plan for the day was to start out on the western aspect of the south coast and go east alongside the ocean stopping on the sights and taking within the pure fantastic thing about the island. The south coast of the island can be dwelling to all three of the well-known waterfalls of Jeju; Jeongbang Waterfall, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, and Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls. We had initially needed to cease at Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, however after we obtained to the parking zone the crowds had been simply too giant. Slightly we selected to go a little bit bit additional down the coast to Jeongbang Waterfall. Whereas nonetheless having quantity of individuals there weren’t any tour buses at this spot so it regarded not too crowded at the least. After we parked we went as much as the ticket sales space and purchased our tickets, 2000 received ($ 1.53 USD) a chunk.
Now with our tickets, we down previous all of the little outlets and gave the tickets to the sales space on the entrance. From there it’s 130 steps right down to the bottom of the cliff. Whereas most of them aren’t too dangerous some are a bit steep, and being reduce from the basalt stone of the island they are often slippery if moist. In case you want a break happening or coming again up there are just a few platforms alongside the best way the place you’ll be able to cease and take a break or simply take within the view. Then when you resolve the steps there’s a stone path you observe right down to the bottom of the waterfall. Whereas we made our means right down to the falls I observed this tent out on the rocks to our left as we went.
Whereas I believed they could be Haenyeo promoting a few of their recent catch, we had the waterfall to see first. When you get to the top of the trail there are some steps after which it’s simply boulders. So watch your step and watch out of the moist rocks they’re tremendous slick. Take your time going over the rocks, you don’t need to get fucked up down there, it’s a whole lot of steps to get again as much as the highest. However when you get close to the pool, the wind and mist coming off the falling water really feel wonderful. We simply took a while to take all the things in, and in addition watch different vacationers nearly eat shit on the rocks. In case you go down close to the shore you’ll get splashed and presumably soaked, which we did see occur to a household as they had been attempting to take a photograph.
As soon as we had been performed on the falls it was time to move again up, however on the best way I needed to take a look at that tent we noticed on the best way down. We went over there to see it was a few Haenyeo promoting their recent catch. They’d tubs of stay abalone, sea cucumber, sea squirts, and turban snails that that they had caught earlier. So in fact we needed to get some to eat for a fast shore lunch.
Their setup was one taking orders and fee whereas the opposite would wash the dishes and silverware utilizing a bath and a hose that they had run down from the highest of the cliffs. They’d two plate choices a small or giant plate, with no matter collection of shellfish you needed. We went with the smaller plate for 50,000 received ($38.17 USD) and selected the abalone, sea cucumber, and turban snails. It’s served actually merely, you order, then she takes out what you need from the tubs and cuts them up for you. The presentation is on a melamine plate with chojang(candy and tangy chili paste) for dipping and recent garlic all on high of an aluminum tray with some chopsticks.
They’d these weighted plastic seats together with some massive items of styrofoam to make use of as chairs. I grabbed us a pair together with a few rocks to behave as our desk whereas we ate. I’ve had abalone and sea cucumber loads of instances within the US with my job operating a Korean sushi place, however these things was so good in comparison with what I may have flown in. The freshness was subsequent stage, as you’d count on shopping for seafood from the diver who caught it. Whereas the value could seem a bit larger than different stops just like the evening market, in comparison with US costs for a similar seafood this can be a nice worth and an expertise that I like to recommend. I do know it received’t agree with most of yall’s palettes. However when you have the prospect to eat seafood caught and served by Haenyeo, do it. I don’t need to finish this on a down observe however the Haenyeo are disappearing, they’re growing older out and there’s probably not a brand new era to switch them. I can’t blame them, I wouldn’t need my daughters doing such a troublesome and harmful job. However whereas they’re nonetheless round take a while and take a look at one thing new if you happen to occur to be on Jeju Island.
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