Exploring Dong-gu



One random Saturday in October, a few of us decided to explore the southern district of Ulsan: Dong-gu. I had come here once for part of a day with my 6th graders on their class field trip the previous week, but had more of a chance to explore without having to be a role model on this one.



We started at Ilsan beach. I arrived about an hour earlier than everyone else because I live much closer and so I spent the first bit of time reading in the shade of a life guard stand. Once everyone else arrived, we were able to get some dinner at a British pub that had read, delicious Western food and beer. We found out later that it's because Dong-gu is full of waygook (foreigners). Almost all of the foreigners that work for Hyundai live in this part of the city and so there is a big market for things that foreigners lover here.



The sun was already starting to set by the time we finished dinner so we had to move quickly on our hike around the peninsula. In the picture below, you can see a portion of the giant Hyundai factories. Dong-gu is home to Hyundai's shipyards and car factories (both are the largest in the world).




Now that I wasn't here with my students, I had the opportunity to climb on the rocks like I was dying to do the first time I was here. (Last time I had to maintain status as a mature and responsible teacher and role model.)



The ocean was full of Hyundai cargo ships just like last time, but this time the setting sun made the sky a gorgeous back drop.


Again, my students aren't here, so what's stopping me from climbing out there a little ways, even if I am only wearing flip flops!


I made it a little ways out and then figured, "I'm this far now, I might as well go all the way to the end!"


Ta da! I'm standing on top of the world! Not really, but it actually was slightly terrifying. It's higher up that it looks from here and I kept feeling like I was going to fall over because the gusts of wind were so strong. We hiked back up to quickly and had to walk back to the bus in the dark because the sun had just about finished setting, but not before taking one more picture of the pretty, blue water and sky with the lights of the city of Ulsan on the horizon.


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