Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Jeju Island Part III: Udo Island (plus the spiciest meal ever)

On our third day in Jeju we jetted over to nearby Udo Island.   This two square mile island has no traffic lights, just an abundance of volcanic rock and white sand beaches.
We hopped on a scooter and zipped around the natural sights.
 





 



 

 

 After our day on Udo, dinner back in an artsy area of Seogwipo City was baby octopus and shrimp.  
On fire.  

We'd spotted the crowded restaurant our first night on vacation and knew we wanted to try it out.
"It's spicy," the waitress warned.  
"We're ok," Ryan and I answered, exchanging that knowing look.  
At many Korean restaurants we're alerted to the "spice" of the food, which is often about as overpowering as looking at a bottle of Tobasco sauce.  
This time however, they weren't kidding.  

What simmered on the table in front of us was the spiciest meal we've ever eaten.  Once we realized the locals around us were drinking milk (and that the restaurant actually sold milk to counteract the spice) we realized we were in for a spicy treat.   
Bring on the maekgeolli, we said. 
The creamy drink toned down the heat a bit, but gulping it down made for a staggered three block walk back to the hotel...   
Could it have also been the beer and special Jeju soju?

Smiling through the pain, delicious as it was. 

And yes I'm wearing a bib.  
It was necessary.

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