Kkotji Trip

Though I realize this post is long overdue, better late than never, right? I'm sure whoever said that was really wise, so I'm going with it...

So, last weekend, G, Brian and I went to Kkotji. I think there's another name for the place but I'm horrible at remembering the Korean names for things and places if I don't write them down. Anyway...

We left Saturday morning and it was a pretty good drive down. We headed to the western coast and it took about 3 or 4 hours. On Saturday, we took an hour long detour just to go to this special restaurant Brian likes. It was SO worth it! The restaurant (called Avocado) was on the grounds of a pension that was so beautiful. The beach was rocky and dark but we got to chase little crabs around and there were these little fish-like animals that were minnow sized but had front legs and they scuttled around and down into holes. Very strange but very cool :)KBFF and ABFF

Next to the restaurant was a gorgeous field of wildflowers, the bluest hydrangeas I've ever seen, and hot pink crepe myrtles....dragonflies and butterflies flocked to the flowers and it looked like they were dancing! So pretty. There was a little gazebo, wooden lawn chairs to relax on and the whole place was just idyllic. Happiness :)









After lunch, we had plans to go ATV riding but the place was closed (which we didn't figure out until driving past the same rice paddies and forested area about 4 times, ror). So, we just went to the beach. It was all rocky and the tide was low, completely exposing the 2 islands off the coast, Grandmother and Grandfather Islands. We walked for a bit, watching scores of people with shovels and buckets digging for clams and crabs, which were conveniently for sale at a couple kiosks on the beach. Dig up a clam, and this lady will open it and serve it to you with some pepper sauce! They also had sea cucumbers, some weird red, horny thing, and other ocean animals to eat in buckets. Very Asian, I think!

I decided that Grandfather Island was climb-able and convinced G and Brian to come with me...of course, I was wearing flip flops (what else would I be wearing?!) and so it's a miracle I didn't fall and kill myself!Grandfather IslandMy attempts at being a mountain goat...The path up the island...the sign says "Slippery!".On top of Grandfather Island!!

I think I actually freaked G and Brian out by wandering off and climbing random rocks and boulders...G kept saying "Please don't die! You don't have insurance yet!" Needless to say, the only time my foot slipped was while walking (not climbing) on flat ground. Bruised my heel pretty good, but I didn't die. Yay!

After getting that out of my system, we walked down the beach for a ways and decided to take a boat ride! G and Brian were all for doing the banana boat ride, but I wasn't too keen on getting soaked in coldish water with no change of clothes or towel. Not for me. I convinced them that we needed to take a regular boat ride...they thought it would be boring, but G screamed so loudly she made the boat driver laugh. I think he went faster and turned sharper because her screaming was hilarious. And yes, I'm still making fun of her for that ;)

We were starting to get hungry so we headed to the fish market, and it was so cool! Every stall had row upon row of water filled bins brimming with different kinds of clams, slimy things, prawns, crabs, fish, eel, etc...it was so interested and we ended up getting a kilo of HUGE prawns about 4 inches long. Then ,we headed home for the best part....the BBQ!!!We had brought pork, onion, potatoes, and samjang and Brian brought some of his mom's homemade kimchi. We had the pension set up a grill for us in the BBQ area and we ate and ate and ate for about 2 hours.....so delicious....I don't know of a better way to finish off a great day of travel in Korea!happy Ansley :)

I can't wait for our next trip! What is next, you might ask? Well, a secret trip with an old friend visiting from America...but stories of that will come later. As far as Gina and me go, I think Incheon is next on the list...whee! I love Korea!