Chuseok is the holiday known as “Korean Thanksgiving,” though it’s a bit different from the American style of Thanksgiving that we know and love. It is basically a holiday devoted to honoring ancestors, so Koreans will go to the gravesides of family members to clean it up and pay their respects before going home for a huge feast. This holiday is common in East Asia, though happens at different times and with different names. In China, “Tomb Sweeping Day” in the spring is the designated holiday, whereas Korean “Grave Shaving” happens sometime in September every year. Regardless of when or what it’s called, Steve and I are always thankful that it exists, especially when it means we get a four day weekend! |
While some of our new friends traveled to the city, we decided to stay and explore our new island home! We were invited to go camping on the other side of the island, which turned out to be a blast!
After a 2 hour drive, we set up camp on the beach and then immediately headed off to conquer Olle Trail #1. Olle trails are walking trails that are roughly about 15 km long. They usually include a few oreums, a bit of walking in some sort of town, and some seaside strolls. There are even stations along the way to stamp your special Olle Passport if you desire, haha. Only on a tourist island :)
We had a great time hiking with new friends, encountering the “wildlife” of Jeju, and appreciating a fun part of the island!
Our trail actually led us by a family that was “grave shaving.” It was very neat to be able to observe the tradition from a distance. On our walk back along the beach, we decided to pass on the dried squid, and instead enjoyed some speared potato chips and J-cone ice cream :)
After a sunset swim and a sleep, we woke up the next morning at 5am to hike the famous Sunrise Peak!
The sunrise itself was nice, but the crowds reaction to the sunrise was definitely the highlight of the morning! Every time the sun would appear from behind the cloud, the crowd would “ooh,” “ahh” and cheer! One thing that I like about Korean culture is the way that they enjoy nature….you can hear the appreciation from kilometers away!
After inventing "Fraddle Boarding," (Stand Up Paddle Boarding + Frisbee), we found ourselves on Olle Trail #2 for the rest of the day, and then finally returned home tired and happy….only to meet up at 6am the next day to hike Halla mountain, but that’s a different post altogether :).
Happy Thanksgiving!