Jinju (Sunday, May 4)

By the time we got back to Jinju on Sunday, it was after 5:00 pm. We decided to go visit Jinju Fortress, a castle built in the sixteenth century, destroyed by the Japanese in 1593, and rebuilt around 1970. It overlooks the Nam River, and is a very interesting, attractive place to visit. Unfortunately, the rain picked up and got to be more than we cared to walk in.



We stopped by a Family Mart, where we bought cheap umbrellas that we planned to abandon after the rain ended. Then, being famished, we went searching for a restaurant. We were delighted to find a charming little Italian place, where I had the yummiest calzone of my life. It was a sweet potato one, and just thinking about it makes my mouth water. While we waited for our food to come, we munched on hot, fresh bread and sipped mint yogurt beverages. I must go back there someday!

After dinner, we searched for a jinjubang (bathhouse) to spend the night in. They are much cheaper than any other accommodations, and come with the added benefit of the relaxing baths and saunas. The one we chose was, however, the creepiest jinjubang in existence. The proprietor was an eerie old man who showed us around the women's area (which, we unhappily noted, lacked a locking door). The complimentary nightgowns were reminiscent of those found in an insane asylum. The sleeping area was up a rickety, narrow, barely lit staircase. The rooms up there were dimly lit and had an aura resembling that of a haunted house. Plus, there were three doors that clearly led to other parts of the building, which we were unable to open. We set barricades in front of all three. Then we played around with our cameras, taking creepy photos, before we settled down on the floor to sleep. According to Lizzi and Nina, I was out in under ten seconds.
The following morning, we enjoyed refreshing showers, followed by a relaxing soak in one of the baths. It was a very unique experience for me, using a bathhouse for the first time. Once I got over my self-consciousness, I enjoyed it. After we left the jinjubang, we met up with a Korean friend from Gyeongju, Won-Hyong. The four of us then set off on our way to Jin-do and the "mysterious sea road." See my next post for the pictures and story of our time on Jin-do.