Jeju island-II

Jeju is famous for its "three plenties" -- wind, rocks and women. The second of these is due to its formation from an outpouring of lava. Ninety percent of its surface is basalt.  Dry-stone walls protect fields from storms. Then around 1750, to scare off invaders, masons started carving rocks into forbidding black "grandfather stones" (dolharubang). There are Forty-five originals that still exist -- but there are many replicas too. The stones remain a symbol of a distinct ancient culture furnished with many gods and legends In years gone by, when Jeju's men disappeared for weeks in fishing boats, someone had to stick around to haul those rocks and put dinner on the table.

As rice won't grow on this wild, windy island, women learned to dive for octopus, abalone, clams, squid and seaweed. Nowadays, the powerful sea-women (haenyo) who dive 10-20 meters without any breathing apparatus, are renowned throughout the country. The haenyo's average age is 65, with some diving into their 80s in darned wetsuits. You can see them at work in various locations across the island, including Jungmun Beach, Seogwipo.

There are plenty of things to see in Jeju .Jeju folk village is on of these .With a total of 117 houses and facilities, Jeju Folk Village Museum has restored the scenes of the village to that of the 1890’s. Among them are Mountain Village, Hill-Country Village, Fishing Village and Shamanism Village.On land of more than 40 acres it has been reconstructed following long-term research and analysis of experts. Some of the extensive range of folk items on display are 1,627 woodenware, 1,046 bamboo ware, 1,699 earthenware, 1,544 porcelain ware, 765 wax candles, 921 ironware and 579 other items.The Jeju Folk Village Museum is the island’s main tourist attraction where customs of the old days can be explored.

Jeju Haenyeo Museum showcases the haenyeo diver womans lives .Exhibition Hall 1 is entitled “Haenyeo Diver’s Life” and has a restoration of a traditional haenyeo’s home, and her meals. Also on display, to show a more realistic view into their daily lives, are the various utensils used by female divers.

Exhibition Hall 2 displays a pair of haenyeo divers’ goggles and the fishing spheres they often use underwater. Her traditional working outfit is also on display along with various historical records and haenyeo-related materials.

Exhibition Hall 3 has an underwater theme called “The Sea” and displays the fishing industry’s culture. Traditional fishnets and fishing equipment are on display including small ship models and salt farm model.

The Jeju Haenyeo Museum also has an observatory from where visitors can see an excellent view of the Hadori area, which has a garden with various sculptures and a resting area. The first floor lobby has a souvenir shop where visitors can purchase a variety of souvenirs related to haenyeo female divers.

Olle is another place to see the scenic beauty .Olle in the local dialect means a winding path to your front door, and Olle coastal trails now wind around much of the island. From a lush, ambling south coast route overlooking craggy islands, clamber down to the sea over strange rock formations and see the caves that islanders were forced to dig by Japanese occupiers to hide weapons. The massively popular historical drama "Jewel in the Palace" was filmed here.

Jeju being the island obviously has a number of beaches. Jungmun is probably Jeju’s most famous beach. A long strip of soft sand is bordered by palm-studded dunes on one side and clear blue water on the other. There is good snorkeling along the rocks. There are many other beaches but i could only see jungmum because of shortage of time.

Jeju island (South Korea) -:honeymooners paradise

Jeju island

I got an opportunity to visit Jeju island when I was deputed to attend a conference there. From Seoul’s Incheon airport I had to go to Gimpo-the domestic airport, which is about one and a half hours away by bus from Incheon. From Gimpo I took the flight for Jeju. Jeju Island formerly Cheju Island, is an island off the southern coast of South Korea. It is also known as the "Island of the Gods,” and is a popular vacation spot for Koreans and foreigners. It remains the top honeymoon destination for Korean newlyweds, and is also regarded as one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world. Jeju is also being marketed as "the Hawaii of Korea." The island offers visitors a wide range of activities such as hiking on Halla-san (South Korea's highest peak) or Olle-gil(routes), catching sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, riding horses or just lying around on the sandy beaches.

I reached Hotel Ramada Plaza , where my stay arrangements were made. The hotel is situated next to South China Sea and I was lucky to get a sea facing room. The area around the hotel is full of life. One can spend hours just watching the sea .The view of sunrise and sun set is truly spectacular.

I arrived in the Sunday noon and I had almost half day to explore the surroundings. After a short nap, I decided to walk around to see what all was there in the vicinity.

The surroundings around the hotel and the payment bordering seashore was neat clean and presentable with thematic decorations .There are a number of  restaurants selling seafood lined adjacent to sea, which  are a must visit. These restaurants sell raw fish and have big aquariums .One can even choose the fish to be served. There are certain varieties of fish, which is served raw. Jeju is famous for its seafood delicacies, which one must try.

Jeonbokjuk is a local delicacy one must try. Traditionally, Jeonbokjuk was a delicacy served to royal families. These days, sliced abalone is lightly fried with sesame oil and combined with rice soaked in water to create delicious Jeonbokjuk. This porridge is known for its high nutritional value and is wildly popular among visitors to Jeju Island.

Seonggeguk or the sea urchin soup is another speciality of jeju .It is called “Gusal” in the local language.
The soup is prepared by boiling seaweeds with the yellow flesh of the urchin. It is known for its distinct taste and is high in protein and iron, and is rich in vitamins.

Jeju Island offers distinct hot pot dishes using a wide variety of seafood. Haemul-ttukbaegi is my favourite one .It is a delicious seafood soup made using shrimp, clams, and other kinds of shellfish.

One also finds barbecued pork from Jeju's black pigs commonly available.

There are a couple of famous shopping places in the vicinity of the Hotel Ramada Plaza. Jungang Underground Shopping Centre is among the most popular ones which is frequently visited by the locals who come from every nook and corner of the island. The underground markets has numerous apparel and cosmetic shops .One can find various herbal products like herbal face mask , shampoos and tea with ginseng etc . There are shops selling jewellery made of shells.

Like any other tourist destinations, Jeju also has numerous souvenirs shops spread across the city. There are McDonalds outlets and super stores around. For those who are pure vegetarians, food will be a little problem .They have to survive on fruits . McDonald’s burger or some rice dishes.And one can make food appear interesting using chop sticks. Atleast it was interesting to me as it seemed more l could learn to use it after some failed efforts. But it was fun.

Mesmerising Kashmir 4: Srinagar

Srinagar

Srinagar is among the most preferred tourist destinations in India with its devastatingly striking natural beauty. The valley with its sheer natural charm and grandeur, romantic setting and enthralling greenery always attract locals as well as tourists who flock to see them from the nook and corner of the world. Srinagar is essentially famous for its blossoming royal gardens, gorgeous lakes and scenic & pictorial surrounding but this magical valley also fascinates travellers with its captivating waterways, well-regarded temples and mosques, long-established houseboat and the like. Smugness of Kashmir Valley, Srinagar is also renowned for its crystal clear lakes, Kashmiri handicrafts, cascading waterfalls, dazzling natural beauty and so on. The famous Mughal gardens, which are the “must see” are Shalimar bagh, Nishat bagh and the Chasme shahi .Besides one can visit the famous tulip gardens. We visited Srinagar in May, which was not the time when tulips blossom, so we had to skip this famous garden.

Shalimar Bagh

Built by Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jehan, Shalimar bagh is a beautiful garden with sweeping vistas over gardens and lakes, and shallow terraces. The name Shalimar ("abode of love") can be traced back to the name of the structure built by Pravarsena II in the 6th century AD, when the garden was a Hindu sacred site. The Emperor Jahangir was so fascinated with the garden that he called it "one of the sights of Kashmir." In 1630, under the orders of Shah Jahan, the local Kashmiri governor, Zafar Khan, extended the garden under the name of Faiz Baksh ("the bountiful"). Under late Pathan and Sikh governors, Shalimar was treated as a pleasure resort, and during the reign of Ranjit Singh, European visitors were housed in its marble pavilion before the Maharaja Hari Singh installed electric lights. The site of Shalimar seems to have been ideally suited to a garden; it contained a natural canal, and a small nearby spring-fed stream was diverted to the garden site to provide continuous running water.

 

Nishat Bagh

Situated on the banks of the Dal Lake, with the Zabarwan Mountains as its backdrop, this 'garden of bliss' commands a magnificent view of the lake and the snow capped Pir Panjal mountain range which stands far away to the west of the valley. Nishat was designed in 1633 AD by Asaf Khan, brother of Nur Jehan. ‘Nishat Bagh’ means "Garden of Joy," "Garden of Gladness" and "Garden of Delight." It is the second largest garden in Kashmir , next to Shalimar bagh.

Chashma Shahi

At Chashmashai, is a tastefully laid garden in terraces, which commands a magnificent view of the Dal Lake below and surrounding mountain ranges. The cool water of the spring is highly refreshing and digestive. The original garden was laid out by Shah Jehan in 1632 AD.

Tulip Garden

Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden previously named as Model Floriculture Centre, Sirajbagh, Cheshmashahi, Srinagar, is the largest Tulip garden of Asia spread over an area of about 12 hectares. It is situated on the foothills of Zabarwan Hills with an overview of picturesque world famous Dal Lake.
This garden was conceived, conceptualized and created by Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then Chief Minister, of Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2006-07 with the aim to boost floriculture and advance tourism in Kashmir Valley. 20 lakh Tulips adorn and add color to 12 hectares of this tulip garden.

Dal Lake

Dal lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in India, is the second largest lake of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Encircled by mountains on three sides, the banks of this lake are adorned by several blooming gardens and orchards. Some of the main features of this lake include five basins and numerable channels, which are well linked with each other.

With a size of 6 km by 3 km this lake is known for its Shikaras and Houseboats for which it is visited by number of tourists. The Shikaras available at the lake provide travellers with ferry rides to and from the banks to the houseboats.

The lake is divided into four parts by causeways, namely Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin, the lake is also the second largest industry of fishing. It is believed that Dal Lake originated from the Pleistocene Oligotrophic Lake, which at some point of time covered the Kashmir valley.

 

Pari Mahal (Faries abode)

Pari mahal is the seven terraced garde. Once the royal observatory, Pari Mahal has a charmingly laid out garden and is a five-minute drive from Chashmashahi. A Buddhist monastery at one time, it was converted into a school of astrology by Dara Shikoh, Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan's eldest son. Situated on the spur of a mountain overlooking the Dal, the ancient monument, with a well-laid spacious garden in front, is connected to Chashmashahi by road. It is illuminated at night. The architecture depicts an example of Islamic architecture and patronage of art during the reign of the then Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Why is it called “fairies abode” is still continues to be a curiosity for me as even the local guide failed to explain this to me.

 

 

Hazratbal Mosque

Hazratbal Mosque is located in a village of the same name on the banks of the Dal. Its pristine white marble elegance is reflected in the waters of the lake.

Hazratbal's special significance is derived from the fact that it houses a hair of the prophet Muhammad. This is displayed to the public on religious occasions, usually accompanied by fairs. Apart from these occasions, Friday prayers are offered at Hazratbal and attended by throngs of people. Hazratbal is remarkable for being the only domed mosque in Srinagar; the others having distinct pagoda like roofs. The shrine – mosque complex is situated on the western shore of the Dal Lake opposite Nishat Bagh and commands a grand view of the lake and the mountain beyond.

Shankaracharya Temple

The Shankaracharya Temple also known as the Jyesteshwara temple or Pas-Pahar by buddhists, is another worth visiting place in Srinagar. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is located on the summit of the same name at a height of 1,000 feet  and is overlooking the city of Srinagar. The temple dates back to 200 BC, although the present structure probably dates back to the 9th century AD. The temple was visited by Adi Shankara and has ever since been associated with him, after whom the hill/temple got the name shankaraharya. It is also regarded as being sacred by Buddhists, who call the mandir "Pas-Pahar. The temple was originally a buddhist temple nearly 2500 years ago and the shiv ling was placed inside the temple by Adi Shankaracharya on his visit to Kashmir and the temple became a Hindu temple.

Khanyar Roza bal –The alleged tomb of Jesus in Kashmir

I visited the place out of curiosity after watching a BBC documentary which claimed this is the place which has the tomb of Jesus. I visited this place not because i believe in what has been said in the documentary but just to see the place shown in the documentary. The documentary claims that after resurrection Jesus went to Kashmir where he stayed for a long time. The shrine of asaf azah –a peer now has a prominent placard that dispels the theory that it is the tomb of Jesus in Kashmir. One can have a peep at this place, which is located in khanyar-old and congested Srinagar, although no one is allowed to enter the shrine after all the controversy generated by the BBC documentary.