Cheoksalli

I ache. I actually took paracetamol last night because I ached so much and you all know how much I hate to take anything at all. So we are looking forward to checking out the Cheoksan Foot Spa and Hot Springs today. We check out the London bus in the hotel carpark on the way out, as bizarre as that sounds. It has a Beattles soundtrack on perpetual loop playing inside.

It is a ten minute drive down the road and if you don't know what you're looking for you would never find it. Situated almost directly below a motorway overpass the Cheosak Foot Spa is free to get in, simply pay a small fee to use the towel and seat pad. There are two water courses, one has a smooth surface and the water is hot; the other is cold but the surface consists of concrete-set river pebbles protruding at just enough height to make it punishing to walk over. We are instructed to wash our feet before entering then blissfully soak in the hot water course, variously walking and just sitting with feet soaking. I attempt the cold water course but it's so brutal I can only stand it for a short time. Richard manages longer.

Across the road is the Cheoksan Hot Springs public bathhouse. It is separated into male and female sections. There are three pools of different temperature, a sauna and a couple of dozen shower stations; some standing, some sitting. Stools are provided as well as bowls for dousing water over yourself. There are about a dozen women inside, many appear to be friends and take it in turns to scrub each others backs. Some have brought the entire bathroom of product with them and are attending to every aspect of bathroom ritual from leg-shaving to brushing teeth while seated on the stools. The warm pool is a very cosy 39˚C while the hot is a little too scalding for me at 43˚C. The cold has a pull-cable that opens a rosette of fire-hose nozzles of icy water from above. And it is all nude. I come out feeling very relaxed.

We head into Sokcho as we have seen a place called Sokcho Eatery Town on the map and want to check it out. Whether it is because it is Monday or what we don't know but the location we pinpoint doesn't appear to have very much going on, so we go a bit further and find a small fish market area. Richard likes the idea of having crab but after choosing one which gets put on the scales, I ask how much and we decide perhaps not. We find another place and choose a fish. After a bit of hand signals and props we agree to have it pan fried. It's simplest. The side dishes or Banchan, are a bit different here and it's the first time we've been given wasabi as well. There is lotus root, a corn salad of some kind in mayo, sweet potato, and I am pretty certain one of the others was on the breakfast buffet this morning and labelled as balloon flower. The fish was delicious! And the meal was a third of the price of the crab!Read more