May 1998
a respite from the narrow, crowded streets of downtown and a break from the relentless concrete of the city. While Yongdo is primarily residential, the far end of the island is a green, relatively undeveloped tourist area known as Taejongdae, which is encircled by a 4.3 kilometre loop-trail for walking or driving. Along the trail are restaurants, temples, scenic ocean views and even a huge outdoor swimming pool. Also in the neighbourhood are an amusement park, a golf practice range and the usual assortment of stands and stalls selling everything from seashell people to corn dogs. On the opposite side of Yongdo is the popular Mok Jang Won, an eatery famous for kalbi, and which also offers Brazillian churrascos. Just beyond Mok Jang Won, nestled into a corner between mountain and sea, sits an outdoor fish market complete with picnic tables, cooking fires and soju, where local people enjoy all manner of mysterious, raw seafood along with the occasional cooked item. To get to Yongdo Island, catch a bus across from the old City Hall in Nampodong/Kwanbokdong area near ESS (on Nampodong map). For Taejongdae, take bus #8,13,30,88 or 101 to the end of the line, from where you can walk into Taejongdae. For Mok Jang Won catch the # 7, 71 or 508, and get off at the small park/viewpoint on the ocean side of the road (there is a sign in Korean carved into a stone monument which reads Mok Jang Won) ;Mok Jang Won is across the street up a steep driveway. For the fish market take the #7 bus about two stops past Mok Jang Won. You are there when the road begins to curve to the left, away from the ocean. |