RyRy's in Korea: Jeju-do: Part 7: Waterfall Mania: Jeongbang & Cheonjeon

After leaving Cheonjiyeon, mom put on her hat and we grabbed a cab to Jeongbang Falls. These falls are famous because they are said to be the only ones in Asia that fall directly into the ocean. You walk down a bunch of really steep stairs, then go directly out onto huge beach rocks. As most of you know, while I have cat-like reflexes, I don't have a good sense of balance or depth perception, so walking on semi-slippery large rocks was a bit of a challenge for me. But I did well and didn't fall once. I actually even hopped over some of the ones closer to the waterfall. The waterfall was really pretty. It falls 23 meters from the top into an ocean cove.

View of the waterfall to the right and ocean to the left from the platform halfway down the stairs

Mom, her new hat, an unknown island and the sea on the platform

Mom standing under the falls. It was windy enough that you felt a little spray standing where she is

Crashing on the rocks below

While we were taking pictures, a Korean man walked over to mom and gestured to his camera. We thought he meant he would take our picture, so we posed and said thank you. But apparently what he wanted was for his friend to take a picture of him and mom. It was pretty funny and everyone was kind of laughing. After taking pictures of the falls, we went closer to the ocean and took pictures of the rocks and the islands further out. It was somewhat hazy, although it was a beautiful day, so the island pictures didn't turn out that well. We were also missing Jeff because both of us thought he would have enjoyed climbing all around the rocks and probably setting up some jury-rigged rappelling line to climb up behind the waterfall. Because he does stuff like that - just ask the tree in our backyard that still has a rope in it from 1997.

Mom and the random Korean man - matching hats!

Me, some rocks and the island to the right

The island to the left, which I think is Munseom island

Me, some more rocks and the ocean.

After climbing back up the stairs we both needed some water. So we bought a bottle and walked to the bus stop that was down the street a little ways. We passed some orange sellers and some back yard gardens. Apparently there is a small waterfall 300 meters to the east of Jeongbang called Sojeongbang falls, but we didn't see a sign or anything, so we didn't go to those. I actually thing we tried to go, but you had to walk though a hotel's driveway and the hotel was closed and had construction signs up, so we went back to the bus stop. There is also a place called the Seobok exhibition hall and a Chinese garden, which our entrance fee is supposed to cover, but we didn't see signs for that either and mom's guidebook doesn't even mention it. I'm ok with not having seen it.

We got back on the bus and decided to get off at one of the hotels closer to the main street than the Hyatt so that we wouldn't have to walk up the hill for really no reason. We got dropped off at the Lotte hotel and walked to a little shopping area where we had seen a Chinese restaurant. We were hungry and mom wanted something she was sure she could eat. We got some dumplings which were little, but they gave us a fair amount, plus the thin cellophane (clear rice) noddles and veggies. We didn't take any pictures because we were too busy eating. The people were really nice and brought us "tea" which was just hot water to me, and then refills of cold water. They all sat down and had lunch together and whenever we moved, one would jump up to help us.

After lunch we walked to find the third "elusive" waterfall (Cheonjeyeon Falls) that we had tried to find on Friday. We walked past where the hotel people told us to turn and actually went past a random windmill and walked around the botanical garden. But we found the entrance on the opposite side, which ended up being better because we didn't have to walk the far way home. The Cheonjeyeon Falls (not to be confused with the Cheonjiyeon Falls - but really? how can you not tell the difference?) is actually a series of 3 waterfalls. What we saw in the park at the base of the gorge on Friday was the 3rd waterfall. Before we actually made it into the park area, we came across random exercise equipment. I had been telling mom about this, but we hadn't seen any yet in Jeju. She made me demonstrate the different machines and then almost tore her rotator cuff (again) trying to do one the arm machines.

After "exercising" we went into the park. We were at the top-most area, so we walked down a bunch of stairs (again) to the first set of falls. They were rather disappointing and you could barely see water, much less it falling. We had actually walked over this set of falls on our way to the park. There are small streams of water running down behind the rock formations. Supposedly it looks really cool after a big rain, but it was kinda lame when we saw it, although the rocks were neat. Legend has it that if you swim in the water of this pond on the 15th day of 7th lunar month, you will be cured of any disease, but swimming is no longer allowed.

First falls. Can you see a waterfall? We walked over the bridge at the very top to get to the park.

You can see a little bit of the water in this picture. The rock is basalt rock and the formations are kinda neat.

After the first falls, you walk halfway back up to a middle platform that then leads to the second set of falls. The walk there was very pleasant and you walk past an irrigation canal dug into the rock to help provide water for rice paddies. There was also my second favorite picture (after Jeff and the wooden weiner) alongside the top of the second waterfall.

Irrigation channel

Small bridge over a gap

The top of the second waterfall

Mom under a large tree on a bridge next to the waterfall

Don't swim here! (2nd favorite picture - I mean was a sign really needed?)

The second waterfall is much larger than the first one and has a platform where you can stand to see it. After snapping some pictures, we climbed back up the stupid stairs again to the central area and walked around for a bit. We took pictures of a monument to something/someone that was in Japanese writing. Then we found one of the statues for the 7 nymphs. Cheonjeyeon means "pond of the Emperor of Heaven" and the legend is that the seven nymphs who assisted the Emperor of Heaven came down at night to bathe and play in these ponds and waterfalls. There are multiple references to this legend all around the park.

Mom (sans hat) in front of the second waterfall

Second waterfall and pond

Picnic table and seats. Those seats were hard as a rock - hey-o!

Stage with the 7 nymphs on it. There is a festival held here in even years.

After seeing the picnic area and stage, we crossed the Seonim-gyo bridge over the gorge. This was not fun for me, but I wanted to see the other side of the gorge and, as I am lazy, my lack of desire to walk the long way back around the park beat out my almost crippling fear of heights. I stayed directly in the center of the bridge, and walked somewhat rapidly across. I tried to look over a few times, but everytime I did, I got vertigo and went back to looking down at the cement. If this had been one of those metal bridges, I wouldn't have made it. I did hold up my camera and take pictures over the side though. Mom took longer than I did and took some videos and pictures as well.

Me on solid ground taking a picture of mom starting up the bridge. Then I ran past her.

View toward the ocean on the bridge

We walked on that bridge on Friday

One of the nymphs - these were some of the bridge posts and they were quiet varied.

Semi-close-up of the bridge.

View of the bridge from the side. You can't really tell how high up it is from here.

On the other side of the bridge is a fountain called the Founatin of Five Blessings. It's similar to the Three Blessings Statue in Cheonjiyeon, except it has 5 options instead of 3. But, on the Three Blessings one, if you land your coin in the middle, you get all 3 blessings - health, success and love, while you only get to pick 1 blessing at this one. On this fountain, the duck represents love; the carp is sons; the boar is wealth; the tortoise is longevity and the dragon is honor. You're supposed to stand in front of the blessing you choose and land your coin in the big money bag in the middle, although it's flat on the top. Mom went for love because she already has a son and is old (her words). I went for money baby. Neither of us was successful.
Oh well.

Five Blessings Fountain

Close up of the dragon

The west side memorial to the 7 nymphs

There is also a cool pavilion called the Cheonje-ru pavilion, although I have no idea what it's for exactly. I also don't know how you distinguish a temple from a pavilion as they look the same to me, unless a temple has to have a Buddha statue inside of it or something. The ceilings and painting inside were beautiful and there was a good view of the waterfall, the gorge and the entrance to the neighboring botanical gardens. While we were on the top floor, I walked over to take a picture and a Korean man started asking me questions about where I was from and what I was doing in Korea. It turns out that his daughter goes to school at GNU, which is the larger university in Jinju. He talked for awhile and mom videoed part of it for some reason.