Dearest Rachel –
After several stops in a row where I’ve been running late (or at least running out of time), I’m getting an early start on the day. I set my alarm for this morning, which you’d think you’d never have to do when you’re on vacation, but there you go. Sometimes you have to hew to a schedule in order to see everything you want to – or see anything at all (you don’t want to miss your excursion after all).
It might be argued that I’m up inordinately early; I’m giving myself two and a half hours to get myself pulled together sufficiently. Bear in mind, this includes giving myself time for a leisurely shower and shave; substitute a dip in the solarium pool, and I think you’d be perfectly understandable about the amount of time I’m trying to give myself. To be fair, I’m washed off and dried in enough time to throw on some light clothes (which I won’t be wearing today, as it’s chilly out yet again; at least it’s not raining) and slippers, and head upstairs to check my weight, as long as we are in port, and not moving.
Honestly, even though I haven’t been losing weight on this trip, the fact that I’ve been able to maintain a relatively narrow range, despite being fed like livestock being fattened for slaughter, is something I’m quite satisfied with. One of my tablemates has bemoaned the fact that he is losing the battle of the bulge while on his own nine-month cruise; on the other hand, he’s a taller and slimmer fellow than myself, so I don’t think his complaints hold all the same kind of merit. He’s nowhere near the borderline of obesity like myself, so a few extra pounds here, and there probably won’t matter to him that much. If I felt like teasing him about it – and after nearly two months dining together, we’ve given each other tacit permission to do so – I could easily say that if he wants to lose a considerable amount of weight, he could simply shave off his mustache. But he would probably simply tell me “you’re welcome” in Japanese (and for those of you reading over her shoulder who don’t get that joke, “do itashimashite” reportedly sounds a great deal like “don’t touch my mustache”).
One other reason for the early start is that today, I do have a shore excursion, and I don’t want to be late for it. And unlike Busan, where we had more time than we knew what to do with, (especially given the weather, which reduces one’s enthusiasm considerably), we’re to be aboard ship by two-thirty. Evidently, it’s a long trip to Incheon, and we need all the time we can get in order to make it there on schedule tomorrow morning.
Somehow, Parkinson’s Law still takes effect, and I lose track of time insofar as I forget to do my usual introductory video to you. As things to forget, however, that’s not a make-or-break item, compared to eating breakfast, brushing teeth, even getting started on my research for Seoul. So I’m not too broken about it.
***
Our guide is also emphasizing the need for punctuality on this trip; the tight schedule and number of stops mean that when we’re to be at the bus at a certain time, we need to be there. Five minutes late, and we’ll have to get a cab to return to the ship. That’s strict, even if it’s necessary. On the other hand, since the tour is restricted to the city proper, distances between stops are considerably smaller; so we don’t spend as much time driving from place to place as we have on other occasions (and will in future *cough* Beijing *cough*). So it’s just a matter of budgeting the amount of time we have at each stop.
At this point, it feels like I’ve made a complete circuit of the museum in less than half the time allotted to us; I must be missing something. And sure enough, there’s a grinding mill in the courtyard, and a stairway leading to an additional exhibit of local marine life. Again, I can’t read much of the captions, so I simply film myself as I walk through it, showing as much as I can over my shoulder. I’m still back at the bus with more than fifteen minutes left before we head out; in fact, I’m the first one back, making me still think I’ve missed something. However, at this point, I don’t think I can return to the museum proper, as I never was given a ticket for entry in the first place.
At the Gyondukjeon, our guide tells us that we really need multiple days to take in all of Jeju Island; the natural beauty of the east, the historical treasures of the west, the city to the north, and the cliffs and beaches of the south. I suppose that pretty much stands for just about any other destination we’ve been to; a single day, or even an overnight, can’t really do it justice. But when you’re trying to cover the world, the best you can do is to take in as much as you can every day.
***
I was rather of the understanding that the Dragon’s Head was in Yongyon Pond itself, and was surprised at how large the ‘pond’ was. It seems I misunderstood; the pond (which we crossed over on the ‘cloud bridge’) looked more like a stream feeding itself into the ocean, which was where the ‘dragon’ was actually chained up in. Both are beautiful in their own way – and as a result, I left a few of your ashes in both places.
On the opposite side of the cloud bridge was a vendor selling hot chestnuts. Since the chestnut trees have all but died out in the Americas, the whole concept of “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is only the stuff of myth and song to my generation. So, naturally, I had to buy a bag and try some.
This (and my trip down some stairs to get a closer vantage point of the pond) proved to be a bit of a mistake, as when I came up, I didn’t see anyone on our group, and thought that I’ve been left behind. Given the announcement our guide had given us at the beginning of this trip, you might guess that I began to panic a lot sooner than I would in many other cases. I found myself running along a path through a canola field, only to see no one I could recognize as part of the group ahead of me. After a couple of minutes of this fruitless pursuit, I realized I might do better if I were to turn around and go back over the cloud bridge again – at which point I found a few other people wearing stickers with the same number I had. Had I kept running, even though I knew that I was in trouble and needed to catch up. I would’ve gotten so much further removed from where I needed to be. As I said, in the moment, there is probably a sermon in that, but it’s not for me to deliver, thankfully.
***
Our final stop is the Dongmun traditional market, which has me wandering about for a bit before finally settling on one edible souvenir, a snack item and a beverage, leaving myself enough time to eat everything before the bus arrives.
The challenge is to find somewhere to discard the trash. I walk around the square before finding a small public washroom. It’s not quite what I was looking for, but it does have a bin in there, so I take advantage of it. But then, there’s the artwork along the river that catches my eye.
And that, honey, was my morning. I’m sure I’ve had busier, but all things considered, we took in a lot, especially seeing as to how early we had to wrap things up. Given our limitations, I’m satisfied with what I got to see and do. There’s never going to be a place where you get to see the whole elephant, to borrow a phrase I used while walking around in Busan. You can only appreciate whatever part you happen to be grasping onto, and recognize that it’s not the whole thing.
And for now, continue to keep an eye on me, honey, and wish me luck. I’m pretty sure I’m going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 