More "On adventures in politically contested territory..."

And we're back!  With more memories of visiting the island of Dokdo!

Thursday we woke early for our ship to Dokdo, originally we were supposed to leave at 4:30am, thank god that was changed to 7am.  We boarded a small ship with a massive amount of elderly Koreans to sail two hours to see this sight.

The ride to Dokdo was considerably rougher than yesterday's ferry.  I was happily doped up and dozing from a fresh supply of seasick meds, but there were quite a few passengers who suffered terribly and made good use of the complimentary vomit bags.
I was rather groggy when I awoke to the sound of dry heaving from the seats across the aisle from me.  I noted that the playlist on my ipod had finished, hence the unwelcome noise.  However, I peered out the blue tinted window to see a shadow in the distance.  I tapped awake the friends sitting around me and informed in the most eloquent way, "hey... we're here."

Nope!  That's not the Loch Ness Monster, it's just Dokdo!

My excitement mounted as I watched the island appear in and out of view as the boat veered port to starboard.  Soon the ship made it's approach to the island, with my side being favored.  I happily snapped some photos as we approached from my seat.  Consequentially, half of the ship wanted to snap photos from my vantage as well.  So I spent the next thirty minutes politely enduring various elders leaning over me with their camera phones trying to snap pics while climbing over each other to get to the deck.

I'M ON A BOAT!

It's Dokdo!

For those of you wishing, waiting, wanting for some climactic realization of why this island appears to be such a big deal.  BE DISAPPOINTED!  Dokdo, is actually not particularly impressive in it of itself.  It is more or less two giant rocks in the middle of the East Sea.  There are no shores and the cliff faces are ridiculously unforgiving.  Throughout the trip there was talk of Dokdo becoming a South Korean naval base.  However, this bold blogger may go so far as to say that sounds largely impractical.  Where would you put anything?  Unless you wanted to carve a base into the rocks themselves in the fashion of some James Bond style villain making a seaside hideout.... actually that sounds kinda awesome.... but I digress
The docks to Dokdo are difficult to get to and in the end we were unable to disembark.  The seas were too rough to dock on the island so the ship pulled back from the shoreline (or cliffline as it were) and we were allowed on deck to circle the island for pictures.

Me and fellow Hongcheonite Luke, squinting with the best of them.... oh and that's Dokdo in the background

Thinking of putting a vacation home here? Me neither

 
The ship made a single pass of Dokdo, then the passengers were shuffled back inside to make the voyage back to Ulleungdo.  I was sad to leave behind the sunlight and sea air.  I had been hoping to enjoy the sailing of my journey in the open air and light.  Alas, it was too dangerous to allow passengers outside while the ship was making its journey.  The ride back was even worse than before and I enjoyed walking about as the ship slammed over wakes and waves.  Again, I was happy as can be, however many of my fellow passengers did not share my sentiments.  I soon returned to my seat and dozed a bit during the ride back to Ulleungdo.

I couldn't help but reflect on the ride back about the island of Dokdo.  For such a small, and seemingly insignificant place, it plays an enormous role in the Korean imagination.  I looked around at a ship full of Koreans who had braved the rough sea, just to see this place, and realized that I should have more empathy in regards to the Dokdo issue.  I suppose Dokdo (much like the East Sea/Sea of Japan issue) has to do with Koreans asserting their identity.  Korea is a relatively small nation, housed between the more well known and respected nations of China and Japan.  Throughout history they've struggled to assert themselves as independent politically, socially, and culturally.
The Dokdo issue and the animosity is raises has strong emotional ties to the suffering of the Korean people under Japanese colonization around the time of the Second World War.  That suffering is most certainly not forgotte.  When issues like Dokdo appear it revives old wounds and fresh rivalries.  These feelings are widespread and I have more than once been stopped by locals who feel compelled to tell me "Dokdo is Korean!"  I can only imagine the indignation should I attempt to assert otherwise.

Even still, I do not feel like I need to take a side on the Dokdo issue.  Personally it doesn't matter to me who claims to "own" a couple rocks in the East Sea.
(To be perfectly frank its a little silly to have anyone get too bent out of shape over territory because we're all sharing the same planet whether we like it or not.  Eventually mankind is going to have to realize we're all in this together and that we need to at least begrudgingly cooperate with one another in order to continue with civilization. However, this is no place to pontificate about my notions of global citizenship and other such fantasies)
I don't identify with Korean national pride any more than I do American, or British, or Canadian.  I've always found it difficult to be too emotionally attached to such identities.  However, as much as I may criticize, jest, and jab at the Dokdo issue, I find this trip has given me a new basis to empathize with the Korean opinion.  That empathy I hope will foster a deeper respect for the Korean people and how they see themselves, which is what I had hoped to discover on this trip (and get four days off work).

Meanwhile... back at the narrative:
On Ulleungdo we were informed that we were short on time.  So rather than eating lunch in a restaurant we were to have kimbab by the other dock where we would ride to Samcheok.
(Kimbab: is the Korean take on Sushi rolls.  I've only had it a few times and found it very disappointing.  This is of course because I thought it would be like sushi, it's not.  Sushi is meaty and savory and wonderful.  Kimbab.... is ok.  Kimbab is often made with processed cheese and ham (or spam) in it.  However, I have had Kimbab made with sushi... that's also just ok....)

an example of kimbap

As much as I dislike kimbap, it is a great thing to have on the run while in Korea.  We ate and hopped on another boat for Samcheok.  Again, we dozed as the ship bobbed along back to mainland Korea.  After arriving we stopped at the Samcheok lion Museum, which features a number of Samcheok's famous lion statues.

Samcheok Lion Museum

About the Lions: According to legend, the Silla general who conquered Ulleungdo in the 6th century AD did so by fooling the residents of Ulleungdo with wooden lions.  The pamphlets I read about the subject say that Silla realized that Ulleungdo was inhabited by  fierce fighters, but that "...they were rather stupid."  So rather than attacking Ulleungdo, he filled his ship with lions and threatened to turn them loose on the inhabitants.  Ulleungdo surrendered rather than face the wooden lions.  These lions (again according to local legend) jumped of the ship and became the lion rock on Ulleungdo.  This rock I did not get a picture of (the van was moving too fast), in all honesty I couldn't see how it was supposed to be a lion but I'm not about to argue with legendary transmutating lion statues that become rocks.  I suppose if you can go from wood to stone then you can choose to not look anything like a lion.... again with the digressing!
The lion museum if full of local artisan works in wood, stone, and glass.  Many of them are lions, others are simply items commemorating local life.  Consequentially the museum has a fantastic view of the shore....

Watch out!  Wooden lions still bite!

That's what you get for not listening to me Kevin... Poor Kevin.....

Korean Sunsets.... Enough said

The East Sea as seen from the Museum

I found an incredibly comfortable rock and couldn't resist stopping for a good think!

 Thursday in Samcheok was our last evening.  We again spent it enjoying the company of our new found friends.  We stayed up late and rose early to breakfast and to reflect on our experiences.  Everyone managed to share a bit of something about the trip, to say thanks to the trip leaders from the ISABU association and have their goodbyes with each other.  Like so many teacher events I've been to on Korea, goodbyes were accompanied with a flurry of information being exchanged.  A facebook name here, a phone number there, emails, etc.  Each offered and given in the hope of another meeting with a new face, who in spite of the short notice has already made for a good friend.
Dokdo 2012 is certainly one of many unexpected journeys I am sure to take while I am in Korea.  A once in a lifetime time chance to see a rare piece of earth.  The place may mean little to me, but the journey... now that is a joy I would not spare for any sight.