a wee bit of Quinie's

The Land of the Hornbill

2012-01-30T14:49:00.014+08:00

It was our first visit to East Malaysia; Kuching, the Land of the Hornbill. Flew east with AirAsia and pre-booked the 360 Urban Resort Hotel. The hotel is actually at Hock Lee center itself, along Jalan Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim; approximately 15 minutes drive from Kuching International Airport, and about 5 minutes drive to Kuching Riverfront. The hotel is relatively new and has free shuttle to Riverfront. We were greeted by the hotel-airport shuttle driver at the arrival gate. Very good shuttle service for RM5.99 per person per trip.

The deluxe room RM162/night comes with two queen size bed that can accommodate 4 adults in a room. Pretty decent I would say.

It was already way past lunch time after our check-in. We quickly grab lunch at a restaurant inside Hock Lee center itself. Food was so-so, nothing special, but price was surprisingly lower than Ipoh!

Weather was really nice that afternoon; a little sunshine with a little raindrop ;) We took the hotel shuttle to Riverside. Having our first free and easy self-tour to Kuching, nothing was precisely planned. And this is what you will see when you are on a super free and easy trip...

5 minutes drive from hotel to Riverside. Shuttle dropped us off at Riverside majestic, opposite Riverside Suites.

It was the 3rd day of Chinese New Year and town was really quiet and empty! Most of the shops were closed. In spite, we took a stroll along the riverside, snapping pictures like any other tourists!

There are many shops along Riverside road selling handicrafts, batik, souvenirs, Sarawak famous layered cakes, and pepper.

Sad to mention, we had to take away KFC for dinner that night as most of the restaurant in town were still closed for Chinese New Year, plus, it was raining heavily too :(

Day 2: Pre-booked trip to Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at RM35 per person. Shuttle picked us up from hotel directly to Semenggoh. It was about 45 minutes south drive from the hotel. We were there by 9.30am, waited for the feeding time that was scheduled to be at 10am. There was nothing much to see, nothing much to hike, because the shuttle van dropped us right in front of the feeding gate. Well, fair enough, it was drizzling that morning. We waited until 10am when the wildlife center officers came out with food, fruits to be precised, to feed the Orang Utans. Everyone was very excited, of course, the warning said we should keep away from them for at least 20m! Whoa, they must be really dangerous! Crowd grew and officers on two-way-radios were all around us. Warned us not to stand too close, in fact, there was a point when they told us to back off immediately as a huge Orang Utan was on his way towards the crowd. The Orang Utans, not many, only about four, came out during the feeding.

Instead of heading back to the hotel, the driver was kind enough to bring us to the kek lapis shop; Sarawak famous Dayang Salhah Kek Lapis. There were various cake samples to try out, ranging from the colourful layered cake, to chocolate, oreo, and also my favorite of all, the cadbury cheese kek lapis! The cakes were rather pricey, fetching at RM10. They claimed to have no preservatives added, needs to be refrigerated and can be kept for consumption for up to 3-5 days. **Ting ting, that reminded me about the kek lapis sold along Riverside road, under the hot, humid weather! oh yeah, keep your imagination run wild!
We had another stop at 5th mile road to visit a pottery shop; the Yong Huat Heng Pottery. Nothing special to mention, except that mom got overexcited with the pots!

Day 3: Pre-booked trip to Sarawak Cultural Village at RM80 per person; inclusive of entrance fee of RM60. The Cultural Village is the main venue for the Rainforest World Music Festival. A place that gathers all from different cultures and ethnics for the sake of music! Music, the universal language to humankind. Oh well, we were not there for the Rainforest music after all. We were there to understand more on the different cultures and ethnics of Sarawakians. 45 minutes drive from hotel; north of Kuching, is indeed an eye-opening experience. If I were to compare this to Shenzhen's Splendid of China, I am really sorry to say that Sarawak Cultural Village has a huge room for improvement. To begin with, probably guided tour or some display notes on every ethnic homes, explaining the ornaments, their home, culture and etc.

In every ethnics' houses, there were various unique ornaments... sculptures from coconut husks...

There were 2 shows each day, dancers perform dances of different ethnics, as well as the blowpipe performance.

Before our departure back to Riverside, we walked over to the Damai beach that was right in front of the Sarawak Cultural Village main entrance.

Taiping Lake Garden

2012-01-25T09:22:00.002+08:00

Time won't wait ~carpe diem~

2009-11-12T02:43:00.007+08:00

I remember when I was in Primary 1, my classmate told me that her parents were divorced. I did not know what it meant. Told myself, "Nah, this will not happen to me. Don't bother." When I was 13, this popped up into my mind again. I was so wrong. I could then feel the pain, the sorrow she went through at the age of 7. This made me realized that I was not the only one enduring those difficult days. I have a younger brother that needed my support more than anyone else. I stood up, put aside the so-called sorrows, and told myself, life goes on no matter what.

I have always been telling myself, "No point looking back. Instead, look forward to a brighter tomorrow." Been putting hopes, very high hopes on my future back then. Hoping that things would eventually turn out like fairy-tales. But life ain't any fairy-tales. Dreams dashed. Ever since, I gave up on dreams, gave up on hopes, gave up on a brighter tomorrow.

Friends have been saying that I am very stubborn. I should learn to let go. I should learn to live a life of my life. In fact, someone did mention that I am plain useless. I do not have goals in my life. I am aimless. I do not plan for the future. But deep down, how many actually understand the real me? I have tried to dream and to hope. But it was all dashed. Life is unpredictable, and time won't wait. I just want to spend time doing things that I like, doing things with no regrets, doing things the way I want it to be. I want to spend every quality time with my family, my loved ones, and my friends. Because I know that time won't wait for anyone.

~ Live life to the fullest ~
~~ Carpe Diem ~~

To whom do we live for?

2009-11-12T02:26:00.011+08:00

Why were we born when I've not asked to be born?
What were we born for?
What's life and why do we need to live life?

There have never been any answer to all those questions...
But this question answers all... To whom do we live for?

It's for love that I'm born
I'm born to love
I'm born to live life
To live my life for you
I am still holding on to my promise...

Luggage & i

2008-10-31T15:48:00.005+08:00

2008:
Bangkok & Pattaya, Thailand

2008 summer:
Seoul, South Korea (Biz trip)

2008 spring:
Guangzhou, Panyu, Macau, Shenzhen, Qingyuan, Zhuhai

2006 spring/ summer:
Hong Kong, Shenzhen

2003 winter:
Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi

2000 winter:
Seoul, Korea

1996 winter:
Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu

Bangkok & Pattaya - Day 5 (Last Day)

2008-10-22T10:26:00.005+08:00

5D 4N Bangkok & Pattaya, Thailand trip
(18th Oct - 22 Oct '08)

Day 5: Oct 22nd 2008 (Wednesday)

It's our free & easy final morning in Bangkok.
As soon as we've taken our breakfast, we took a cab to Baiyoke market.
It was really an eye-opener for us. This place is strictly meant for wholesales.
Clothes sold there are exceptionally cheap!
But if you'd want to purchase ONLY one piece of that particular dress, they'll double charge you!
Also, there's NO fitting room available ;)

We then walked further down the road to the Platinum Fashion Mall.
One of the well-known wholesales complexes in Bangkok.
Everyone that comes into Platinum Mall brings along a wholesales trolley case. Imagine the amount of clothes they gonna stock up to!

Platinum Wholesales Fashion Mall

The coach came pick us up from the hotel to the Suvarnabhumi Airport at noon.
Our flight home was scheduled at 3.15pm.

My comment towards the airport:-
- the building itself is not internationally classy
- the ceiling is not painted, plastered with only cement, it felt as if I was in a basement car park!
- washrooms shortage
- unuser friendly airport signage

All in all, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;)

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

Air Asia flight home

~ end of my Bangkok & Pattaya trip ~

Bangkok & Pattaya - Day 4

2008-10-21T14:41:00.014+08:00

5D 4N Bangkok & Pattaya, Thailand trip
(18th Oct - 22 Oct '08)

Day 4: Oct 21st 2008 (Tuesday)

Tuesday morning in Pattaya Town; last morning in Pattaya. We'll be heading back to Bangkok:-

Our tour itinerary stated that we'd visit Safari Park today.
However, the local tour guide suggested that we should opt for the Dream World Theme Park instead of the Safari Park.
Anyhow, both the Safari Park and Dream World Park are located in Bangkok.

Reason given:-
- Dream World is a happening place (theme park) in Pattaya
- We've been seeing animals for the past 2 days, in both Sriracha Tiger Zoo and Nong Nooch Village. There's a higher chance that we'll get bored once we're in the Safari Park

Due to the acceptable reasons given, we decided to give it a try at the Dream World Theme Park.

Dream World Entrance...

Dream World Map

Cute washroom signage in Dream World Park

In the Dream World...
... All I have to do is DREAM DREAM DREAM...

Roller Coaster!!! Sky Coaster!!!
Adrenaline rush??
Nah... I'll give it 6 out of 10 ;)

Fooling around in front of the Haunted Mansion

the Haunted Mansion

me with Frankenstein

photo with Dracula

Didi & i were queuing... erm... rephrase.. because there wasn't a queue for the 360 degree spin ride, "Hurricane". In fact, spectators were more than riders!

I've tried the Spin Ride 8 years ago in South Korea's Lotte World.
This time, Didi wanted me to 'spin' with him.
So off we go.........

up up up we go....

360 degree turn!

yes! we're up there!

I'm definitely gonna give this a 8 out of 10! Whoa!

a Visit to Giant's House!

Giant's giant rocking chair!

More photos taken in the park....

Ta daa... Dreamworks Director... ermm I mean Dream World Director ;)

me bowing the Cello

me playing the Harp

me the Arm wrestler Champion!

me stealing Cheese!

me in Jail??? (touch wood!)

us, pretending to be serious

more washroom signage

park signage

family photo!

the cousin sisters...

Dream World is just like any other theme parks. There are shopping outlets for those that would like to escape from the sun and to enjoy air conditioner while shopping, that would definitely be the Moms!
There's this shop that sells bags ranging from small coin bags to large lady bags with extremely cheap and reasonable price.
I'll definitely recommend Naraya when any of my friends are to visit Thailand!
Shop till you drop!

Naraya Shop...

Naraya purse that I've bought at 80Baht!

The purse comes with a mirror

I've bought a larger bad similar to this, but beige color, at 430Baht

On our way back to Bangkok hotel, we stopped by at a Thai local Snack shop.
And I bought these....
Coconut and Durian Candies.
I love the coconut candy, but not Durian!

Coconut (Baige) & Durian (Yellow) Candy

We returned to the hotel after dinner at a local restaurant.
Since it's a free & easy night, the tour guide suggested a few shopping places to us.
Namely, MBK (MahBoonKrong Shopping complex) and the SuanLum Night Bazaar.
Since MBK closes at 9.30pm on weekdays, we decided to go to SuamLum Night Bazaar. In fact, this bazaar closes at 1am!
It has more than 3000 stalls selling everything from antique to local crafts and fashionable clothes at unbelievably cheap prices!
I bought a pair of beach pants by bargaining up to 90% discount!
I should say that this is the best place, in fact better than Shenzhen, to practice your bargaining skills!

Suan Lum Night Bazaar

~ end of Day 4 ~

Bangkok & Pattaya - Day 3

2008-10-20T22:43:00.013+08:00

5D 4N Bangkok & Pattaya, Thailand trip
(18th Oct - 22 Oct '08)

Day 3: Oct 20th 2008 (Monday)

Pattaya is a city that never sleeps; providing endless activities for tourists from all over the world.
From dusk to dawn, it'll be a city for nightlife lovers.
From dawn to dusk, tourists will throng to Pattaya beaches for beach activities including deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, jet skis, water-skiing or parasailing.

"In Pattaya beach, thrill-seekers usually take part in a host of water sports while children are busy making sandcastles at the feet of tiny waves. At the same time, locals socialize sitting beneath umbrellas while munching snacks. On the beach, you can enjoy yourselves with paragliders, or indulge in jet skiing or wind surfing.

In case you feel like shopping, you don't need to go anywhere. Hordes of vendors would be marching all over Pattaya Beach all day long. They would exhort you to purchase all their goods. You could purchase stuffs like beach wear which includes beach dress, hats, bags and bikinis at a super reasonable price! Also, food ranging from cold drinks, ice creams, deep fried crabs and freshly roasted nuts are also sold there.

If you just want to relax in the leisure, you can hire a deck chair and umbrella. You could also rent a rubber ring and drift off"

CORAL ISLAND (KO LAN)

"Koh Larn, or Coral Island, is a small island situated 7.5 km west of Pattaya. Ko Lan is accessible by speedboat and ferry. The ferry departs hourly, and is a 45-minute ride costing just 20 baht each way. Speedboats are more expensive, but can reach the island in less than 15 minutes. Ko Lan has several beaches, which are known for their cleanliness, relaxing atmosphere, soft white sand, and crystal-clear water"

The sun is out and we're on our way to the Coral Island!
Whoa!! Sun, Beach, Bikini Girls!!!
Towels, Swimsuits, Flip-flops, Shorts, Sunglasses, Caps and Hats, most of all, layers and layers of Sunscreens!!!
Yea... and we're all geared up and ready to go!

The coach took us to the Pattaya Beach.
We opted to board the speedboat instead of the ferry as it only took us about 20 minutes to reach Coral Island, compared to a 1 hour ferry ride. And of course an extra fee of 200Baht was charged for the speedboat ride.

Katherine & i on speedboat...

As we ride for about 10 minutes, the speedboat stopped us at the Para sailing Platform.
And yeah! We did the Para Sailing!
Well, initially I was kinda excited and nervous. And since I was there and then the 'eldest' among the cousins, they waited for me to try it first ;)
Oh well, at the count of 3, I was up in the sky.
Frankly, there wasn't any adrenaline rush I should say.
I was actually quite disappointed.
When I was up in the sky, as the speedboat turn me round the platform, it only felt like sight-seeing.

** If you love adrenaline rush, DON'T go for parasailing**

Me parasailing in Pattaya...

After parasailing, we continued the speedboat ride to Coral Island. Another 10minutes later, we've finally reached Koh Larn (Coral Island)!

Didi & i on Jetski!

Us on Banana Boat...

Mom, Didi & i at Coral Island, Pattaya

On our way back to Pattaya...

We had a quick rest upon returning to the hotel before lunch.

Lunch was served at the Hotel back in Pattaya

Tom Yum Goong

We headed to Nong Nooch Tropical Village in the afternoon.

NONG NOOCH TROPICAL VILLAGE

"Another phase of Pattaya is this inland resort of Nong Nooch Village where various cultural shows are played. You will be entertained with traditional music, dances, and Thai martial arts. The village has beautiful tropical garden and lake for you to stroll around.

Nong Nooch Tropical garden has emerged as a fascinating tourist destination renowned for its wide-ranging orchid species, plam-, cycad, cactus-, bromeliad and bonsai gardens and countless flowers and plants from all corners of the world. Authentic Thai houses, mini zoo and cultural performances with classical dancers, traditional ceremonies, Thai boxing etc. and a spectacular Elephant show are the highlights of your holiday.

The highlight of our programme and everybody's favorite is the elephant show. You'll see these gentle giants, the symbols of Siam, perform various tricks such as riding bikes, playing football and they'll even invite you to a tug of war"

Nong Nooch Tropical Village Ticket

Cultural Show...

Muay Thai...

The most anticipated Elephant Show! The best Elephant show that I've seen!

Elephant performing Archery!

Elephant Cycling!

Elephant Drawing!

Paintings by Elephants!

Elephant playing Soccer!

Elephant playing Basketball!

Elephants in Hoola Hoops!

Elephant Bowling in Action!

Elephant providing Massage Services!

AT NIGHT...

After a whole day activity, we were all exhausted.
Dinner was served at a local restaurant and the tour guide brought us to a shopping mall for a 2 hours shopping session.
Well, actually shopping was not in our Pattaya itinerary.
In fact, shopping was arranged for us in order for us to take a brief walk for better digestion after dinner. Why??
Because we'd have a Thai Massage 2 hours after dinner ;)

We were charged 500Baht for a DECENT 2-hours Thai Traditional Massage.
The experienced masseuse massaged as well as stretched my entire body from head to toe!
It was not at all an enjoyable experience. I got blue blacks on my arms and thighs :(
But afterall, it was a great massage experience, at least a DECENT one ;)

It was already 11pm when the massage sessions were ended.
We then went for an arranged (means paid 400Baht) Supper!

The 3 must-try-supper in Pattaya, Thailand!

- Braised Shark's Fin Soup

- Crab Meat Glass Noodle

- Bird's Nest in Coconut

~ end of Day 3 ~

Bangkok & Pattaya - Day 2

2008-10-19T16:01:00.028+08:00

5D 4N Bangkok & Pattaya, Thailand trip
(18th Oct - 22 Oct '08)

Day 2: Oct 19th 2008 (Sunday)

It was a wet rainy Sunday morning. Our 1st place to visit in Bangkok throughout the 5 days visit was the Chaophraya River Cruise. We did not get to enjoy the entire river cruise view as it was raining very heavily. Nevertheless, we were lucky enough not to slip and fall into the river as it was terribly slippery when we walked up to the boat.

PS: On rainy days like this, make sure you bring along umbrella (raincoat would be a better idea though), flip-flops, and shorts

CHAO PHRAYA RIVER

"A cruise along the legendary Chao Phraya River and some canals on the Thon Buri side is the most pleasant way to explore the city once dubbed "Venice of the East" The majestic charm of the Chao Phraya adds perspective to your exploration of the city's premier attractions

Rivers and canals referred to maenam and khlong in Thai have always been vital forms of communication. When the capital of Thailand was moved to Bangkok in 1782 (the beginning of the Rattanakosin period), the capital was laced with canals, so Bangkok was sometimes called the "VENICE OF THE EAST" by European visitors.

In the past, Bangkokians usually settled by the Chao Phraya River and gradually spread into the core of the country. As you will see traces of the Early Rattanakosin period such as architecture and traditional ways of life have been left by the river more than in the inland areas. Besides, waterways at that time were the most important means of transportation and trading as well"

Cruising along Chaophraya River:-

Fish feeding at Chaophraya River:

The boat then stopped us for a 30 minutes visit to the Wat Arun Temple (Temple of Dawn). Fortunately, the rain has finally stopped. And I was so glad that I was on my flip-flops because it was wet and water had risen up to knee level

WAT ARUN

" The Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun is named after the Hindi god of dawn, Aruna. Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, this temple can be reached either by Arun Amarin Road or by boat from Tha Tien Pier, near Wat Pho.

King Taksin chose this 17th century Wat for his royal temple and palace as it was the first place in Thonburi to catch the morning light. The Emerald Buddha was housed here after it was recaptured from Laos, before beeing moved to Wat Phra Kaeoin 1785.

Even without the sacred statue Wat Arun continued to be much revered and the kings Rama II and Rama III reconstructed and enlarged it to its present height of 104 meters.

Today, Wat Arun has a long elongated, Khmer-style, prang, the tower, and four minor towers symbolizing Mount Meru, the terrestrial representation of the thirty-three heavens"

Wat Arun is open daily from 08:30 - 17:30.
To reach Wat Arun from Bangkok side, catch a cross-river ferry from Tha Tien at Thai Wang Road.

Crossings are frequent and cost only 1 Baht (And I bought mine at 20 baht!)

(water rose up to knee level)

On our way back to the pier...

As soon as we've reached the pier, we went on to the next shopping destination, that is the Bangkok Leather Duty Free Shop. And to my great surprise, I did not spend a single Baht at the Leather shop (initially I thought I would). Well, I guess I'm not really into real Thai Leathers ;)

We then visited the famous Four Face Buddha; located in the middle of the busy city...

FOUR FACE BUDDHA, PRHA PROMH

Face of peace and health

Face of fortunes

Face of good relationships

Face of protection against evil

Joss Sticks

The Four Faced Buddha

Didi & i

And we found this! McDonald's in Thailand!

We had lunch at the Royal Dragon, Mang Gorn Luang Restaurant, recorded at the Guinness Book of Records in the year 1991 as the largest (seating capacity of 5000, area of 8.35acres, with roller-skating-waiters) restaurant:

The coach proceed to Pattaya right after lunch.
On our journey to Pattaya town, we visited the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in the afternoon.

PATTAYA

Pattaya is a city in Thailand that is located off the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Bangkok. Pattaya is famous for its tourism. Many well-known tourist places in Pattaya includes the Sriracha Tiger Zoo, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, KoLan or better known as Coral Beach, and of course not to be missed, Pattaya night life which includes Thai Massage, and Cabaret Show!

SRIRACHA TIGER ZOO

"Sriracha Tiger Zoo is opened for tourists on April 23, 1997. It is situated at no. 341 Moo 3, Nongkham Sub-district, Sriracha District, Chonburi Province, with the area of more than 100 acres. The zoo consists of more than 200 Bengal tigers and 100,000 crocodiles. In addition to various kinds of animals, it also provides many activities for tourists to enjoy. Visitors can experience natural touch and enjoy the company of tamed animals closely"

Sriracha Tiger Zoo Ticket

Didi & i at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo Entrance

Sriracha Tiger Zoo Schedule

A boar with piglets and a tiger cub

A tigress with a piglet

Mom & i

Crocodile Show

Amazing Tiger Show

Pig Racing!

Calculation Pig: NET! - no wonder her math in school was so good ;)

Dinner was served in a local restaurant in Pattaya.

PATTAYA CABARET SHOW
ALCAZAR THEATRE

"The city of Pattaya will only light up when the sun sets, and it'll only come to rest when the sun rises! Pattaya is renowned of its night life with hundreds of beer bars, go go bars, nightclubs, massage parlours, Boyztown (Alcazar and Tiffin's Cabaret Theatre being the largest and most elaborate theatre for male-to-female transgender performance, and also sex shows (PingPong show, Tiger Show and Spiderman Show)"

Not to miss out the Night Life in Pattaya, we paid an extra fee to watch the Pattaya famous, Cabaret show at the Alcazar Theatre.
The ticket for the 90 minutes show was sold at 600Baht.
I'd personally say that I don't quite fancy "ladyboys" or locally known as Kathoey (male-to-female transgender) and I will definitely not spend 600Baht again for another cabaret show like this.
Given a choice, I'd still go for a proper Musical Theatre or an Orchestra Performance!
Ladyboy? A big NO-NO!
***SHRUGS!!!***

Alcazar Cabaret Show Ticket (600Baht)

The coach took us back to the hotel after the Cabaret show.
Instead of heading back to the hotel, we went out for a night walk at the Pattaya street, hunting for food!

Thai Laksa

Steamed Glutinous Rice & Ripe Mango!
- aromatic steamed glutinous rice bathed with smooth coconut milk and ripe mango (50Baht per pack)

Fruit stalls by the roadside:

~ end of Day 2 ~

Bangkok & Pattaya - Day 1

2008-10-18T14:08:00.010+08:00

5D 4N Bangkok & Pattaya, Thailand trip
(18th Oct - 22 Oct '08)

Day 1: Oct 18th 2008 (Saturday)

Bangkok Survanabhumi Airport

Cousin sisters in the coach...

IBIS Siam Hotel, Bangkok 97 Rajaprarop Road Makkasan

Didi and I...

Hotel Map...

Bangkok Petrol Station:-

Bangkok Town:-

Dinner was served at a local restaurant; non-spicy Thai meal.

Dinner finished pretty early and we requested the driver to stop us at any night bazaar nearest to our hotel so that it'll be easier for us to take a cab back to the hotel after that.

Here we are... BaiYoke Night Bazaar:-

~ end of Day 1 ~

Beacon UHF2 Appreciation Dinner

2008-10-15T20:39:00.009+08:00

BEACON UHF2 APPRECIATION DINNER
RASA SAYANG SHANGRI-LA, PENANG
Oct 15th, 2008

Beacon UHF2 Ship Acceptance on Sept 25th 2008
The team, EE, SW, ME, Documentation, PQRE, PMO, SLT all gathered for a SA dinner at the Rasa Sayang Shangri-la Hotel, Penang

Seoul, South Korea - Day 7 (Last Day)

2008-08-26T22:53:00.006+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
26th August '08

My check out bill:- KRW1,513,385 (~MYR3950)
Room rate: KRW 750,000 (~MYR456)

Grand Intercontinental Hotel, Seoul

Boarding Hall of the Incheon International Airport, South Korea

Chocolate that I've bought at the airport:-
Chocolate Langue De Chat "Royal Korea Chocolate"

Seoul, South Korea - Day 6

2008-08-25T21:45:00.006+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
25th August '08

Private Dining Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with Bacon!

Monday morning!
My last day in ODM's office in Seoul.

Taxi that I took from the Hotel to office:

My entire morning was being occupied by preparation for the Design Review.
Finished up undone matters.

Sam and SR Lee brought me for lunch at a nearby Chinese Restaurant.
I was desperately craving for Chinese food!
The dishes served were very well Chinese food. But, the taste was quite disappointing. I would say that they tasted so Korean that I have to call it a Korean Chinese Lunch.

I have actually thought of stopping by the E-MART after work that evening.
But upon Sam's advice, it'd be better for me to do my junk food shopping after lunch as it's rather difficult to get a taxi back to hotel in the late evening.
And since, after lunch was just 12:00 (in Malaysia), and the Design Review was scheduled at 15.30 (Korean time), I've got plenty of spare time to do my junk food shopping ;)

USA has Wal-Mart, France has Carrefour, and Korea has The E-MART is the largest retailer in South Korea. It is similar to our very own Jusco/Tesco. It is located beside ODM's office; beside/at the basement of the Korea Motorola office ;)

E-MART entrance:

E-MART Bulding

Korea Motorola Building:

Junks that I've bought:-

"Crown" biscuits - Love this!

Pepero Crisp Stick Biscuit with Choc

"Lotte" - Odette cookies

After bidding farewell to everyone at the office, I took a taxi back to hotel.
Most of the taxis in Seoul has a GPS system.

Dinner:- Udon Tempura

I didn't wander anywhere but slept early that night because I was SICK!
*Sob sob sob*
Took Panadol, went to bed, and hoped that I'd be alright!
Had to wake up horribly early the next morning for my 08:50 flight!

Seoul, South Korea - Day 5

2008-08-24T21:41:00.009+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
24th August '08

Sunny-side egg and chicken sausages for breakfast.

Besides taxi to the ODM office, my only means of transportation was the Seoul Subway.
From the nearest Subway station (Samseong station), I transit at the Seoul National University of Education station at Line 3 to Jongno 3(sam)-ga station. From there, I took another transit to line 1 to reach Jonggak station.

I reached Jonggak station at about 10:00 and there were not as many people in town as I've expected; I would possibly guess that it was a Sunday morning. Normally, coming out from a subway station to a tourist spot, and when there's no specific signage directing to the place, I'd follow my instinct or crowds perhaps! But as soon as I came out from Jonggak station, I could hardly find anyone on the street, besides officers cleaning the street and workers unloading goods to shops.

Turn left or turn right?

Insadong. Where's the signage for Insadong?

There came a passerby. Quickly I stopped her to ask for the direction to Insadong.
She told me to turn left to the back lane, walk straight and turn right, and Insadong is on the right.
I actually regretted following her direction. It was a back lane!!! Mom would kill me if she finds out that I was alone in the back lane!
There was a girl walking in front of me. I didn't know what to do but to follow her very closely. I bet she'd have thought I was a stalker!

Reason why I'd chose to follow her so closely was:_
(1) I didn't want to let others know that I was alone
(2) Jonggak area is famous for Insadong. So I guess she must be heading there ;)

Nah, I was wrong.
She turned into a hotel not long after.
Opps.. where should I go now? At this moment, I saw a crowd at the street in front. Walking towards the crowd, I came to realize that I was already at Insadong!
Hehehehe

Map of Insadong

Insadong Street

"Insa-dong is defined by a narrow street running between the Jongkak and Jongo-sam-ga subway stations. While most of the activities are to be found along the 800 meter main street intersected with small alleys, there are numerous alleyways that branch off the main thoroughfare and lead to tea houses, restaurants and art galleries. The area is home to over 300 shops, exhibition halls, galleries, tea rooms, restaurants, antique fine art shops, craft shops, pottery shops and souvenir haunts.

These stores range from Korean stationery stores, frame shops, handicraft shops, pottery and porcelain shops, bookstores and painting studios, and art supply stores, to restaurants and cafes that serve traditional food and teas.

In these stores, you can find items ranging from the truly collectible through to reproduction souvenirs. More mundane souvenirs that can be found include key chains, Korean masks, fridge magnets, postcards, jewelry of all sorts, wedding ducks, Ceramics, The street is closed to traffic, so people walk to and fro without much care. There are also cultural demonstrations on Sundays, and you may occasionally see buskers out among the street vendors."

I bought some souvenirs like Korean stainless steel chopsticks, Korean traditional spinning top, Korean souvenir pens, fridge magnets for my colleagues and housemates.

Korean stainless steel chopsticks

Fridge magnet

I was at Insadong from 10:00 to 12.30, but I guess luck wasn't on my side. I couldn't find any cultural performances along the street :(

Insadong is also known as the Artist's District in Seoul.
This is a great place to go and view both modern and traditional Korean Art.

Went into this small alley called SSamziegil.
Didn't I know until Mr Bang told me that SSamziegil is one of the most famous art alley in Insadong.
Frankly, I like this place so so much. In fact, this is my favourite place in Insadong!

Ssamziegil

Wall with directory information of Ssamziegil. Cool!

Basically, Ssamziegil is like an outdoor mall. It has five floors and they are all connected through an outdoor ramp-like walkway. Almost all of the stores are privately owned art boutiques, where people sell handmade jewellery, pottery, and various artistic stuff. It is definitely a really cool place to visit in Insadong!

Another cool part of Ssamziegil is their wall graffiti! Everyone is allowed to sketch on their walls at the staircase.

As planned, I was to meet Mr Bang (Marketing Manager of the ODM company), at Jonggak Station at 13:30
He then took me around Cheonggyecheon or Cheonggye Stream.

"Cheonggyecheon was originally one of the main source of water in Seoul. It was then polluted by waste disposal, and new traffic highways. However, when Lee Myung-Bak became Seoul's mayor, he initiated a project to restore the stream. This major project involved the removal of roads, and pumping in almost 120,000 tons of water to revitalise the nearly dried stream. After its completion in 2005, people from all walks of life flocked to Cheonggyecheon. With water fountains, stepping stones, and restored historical bridges, the stream itself is a sightsee!"

The beautiful Cheonggyecheon...

Then we went for lunch at a local famous steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse.

Right after lunch, we headed to Jongno-gu, Jongno 2-ga, Jump Theater in Cinecore Theater B1 to watch JUMP performance!

"The musical JUMP is a non–verbal performance that is based on the traditional movements of taekwondo, a Korean form of martial arts. The performance has been receiving great reviews and earned the top box office award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005.
Its popularity was also reflected in its tickets sales: In February, tickets for JUMP were sold out almost everyday at the Peacock Theater (1,000 seats). The musical will show advance martial art movements from taekwondo, acrobatic movements, and taekkyeon (Korean traditional martial art) along with non-verbal music in a harmonious way.
Previous martial arts shows have focused mostly on the craft, with the technique itself being the show. JUMP is Non-Verbal performance that is the first show of its kind to blend martial arts performance with a compelling and hilarious narrative. Fantasy and fighting come together as acrobatics and martial arts combine in a dazzling and jaw dropping performance usually seen just on movie screens"

Story:

This musical tells about an eccentric family who brags about their amazing martial art skills. The story begins with a man who’s in love with the daughter of this family and visits their home in which the lady’s grandfather, father, mother and uncle, all live together and are all masters of martial arts. Since her grandfather loves to practice martial arts with all the family members every day, the man has no choice but to join them.

However, contrary to his weak appearance, he discovers that he is actually good at martial arts and the daughter begins to fall in love with him. One day, two thieves break into their house, but there is nothing for them to steal. All they could do is just run away before they get caught.

Ticket is sold at KRW50,000 (~MYR130)
Website: www.hijump.co.kr

JUMP brochures...

No doubt that JUMP is the best performance I've ever watched, live!
It felt like as if you’re watching a real live TV sitcom drama. The non-verbal musical is also open to audiences of all ages from various countries.

Me at the JUMP Theatre

Psst!
My next trip to Korea plan - A MUST watch performance - NANTA Performance

"Nanta is a non-verbal performance of reckless rhythm that dramatize customary Korean percussion in a strikingly comedic stage show; integrating unique Korean traditional tempos with a western performance style. NANTA storms on stage into a huge kitchen where four capricious cooks are preparing a wedding banquet."

I was too tired to mingle around town. Mr Bang agreed that I've actually visited most of the famous places in Seoul. And I was definitely too exhausted to go to Namdaemun (not open on Sundays), street dance at Hyehwa, Itaewon, and Lotte World (not recommend to go alone - I've actually been there 8 years ago ;))
Hence, I went back hotel right after the show. I went on the Jongno sam(3)-ga subway (Line 3) and took a transit at the Seoul National University of Education to Line 2 to get back to Samseong Station.

Dinner: Abalone porridge

Dessert: Ice Cream

Seoul, South Korea - Day 4

2008-08-23T01:23:00.037+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
23rd August '08

August 23rd, '08 - Lovely Saturday morning in Seoul. The sky was wonderfully clear, sun shines after an entire day of heavy rain, there was such a feeling of freshness, of clean, cool breeze.
Had my breakfast, scrambled eggs with chicken ham (KRW14,520) [~MYR37]

Took along my jacket, umbrella, and most of all the Seoul Map, I headed to the Samseong Subway Station to begin my self-planned one day tour in Seoul!

Since I'll be traveling around Seoul on train, I did the Korean way to top up my T-money card! Instead of getting help from the ticket counter, I went over to the top up machines. The instructions stated were simple enough for anyone to understand; even it was in Korean ;)

1st - Place your T-money card on the machine slot. Machine will read and display the card's balance
2nd - Press the amount that you'd like to top up (Eg: KRW1000, KRW5000, KWR10,000)
3rd - Slot in the money (no coins allowed)
4th - Wait as the machine will display your card's total amount after top-up
5th - Remove your T-money card from the machine!

Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 2 (green line)

Samseong station

NAMSANGOL HANOK (Traditional Korean House) VILLAGE

I boarded the train at Samseong station (Line 2) and transit at Seoul National University of Education station (Line 3). Continued my journey all the way to Chungmuro station (Line 3). The information that JC sent mentioned that I should make an exit at Chungmuro station to go to Namsangol Hanok (traditional Korean house) Village, or in short, The Korea House. As soon as I came out from Chungmuro station, I followed Exit 3, went up a stairway and there is a petrol station right in front. Turn right (135 degree to be precise) and the Korea House is just about 20 metres away.

Brochures I've got from Korea House...

Pictures snapped:-

From Chungmuro Station (Line 3), I took the subway and exit at the 4th station, the Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3). At each and every subway stations, there are many numbered exits, clearly labelled in both English and Korean. All you need to do is to know where you want to go, and follow the exit as stated. Without any difficulties, I followed the signage of exit 5, approximately 5 minutes walk to reach Gyeongbokgong Palace.

Gyeongbokgung Subway Station

GYEONGBOKGUNG PALACE

Mr Bang, the ODM's Marketing manager, told me that Gyeongbokgung Palace is a must-visit-place in South Korea. He suggested that I should be there at 11:00 because they have a free English tour at that particular time. Taking his advice, I arrived at Gyeongbokgung Palace at 10:30, just in time for the English Tour ;)

Gyeongbokgung or Gyeongbok Palace is also known as "The Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven". It was completed in the 4th year of King Taejo (1395). It was Joseon Dynasty's 1st royal palace where the King resided and administered state affairs. Gyeongbokgung is the main and largest palace in Seoul compared to other palaces like Changdeokgung Palace, and Changyeonggung Palace.

FYI:- Gyeongbokgung website (www.royalpalace.go.kr)

Gyeongbokgung opens to public from 9:00 until 18:00 during March to October (Spring, Summer & Autumn); and 9:00 until 17:00 during November to February (Winter).
However, the palace opens till 19:00 on weekends and Korea national holidays in May to August.
One important reminder to all:- The palace is CLOSED on Tuesdays!

Bought myself an admission ticket to the palace at KRW3,000 (~MYR8).

Brochures of Gyeongbokgung:-

Map of Gyeongbokgung

As soon as I reach Gyeongbokgung, there was an ongoing ceremony. The 15 minutes ceremony was the Ceremony of Opening & Closing Palace Gate and gate Guard Change. This Ceremony is organized by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation for the year 2008.

Descriptive brochures on the Opening & Closing Palace Gate and Gate Guard Change ceremony:-

Photos snapped during the ceremony:-

Pictures taken during my tour in Gyeongbokgung Palace:-

Gwanghwamun Gate, Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Gyeongbokgung Palace has four main gates, one at each of the cardinal directions. The main gate, Gwanghwamun to the south, has three entrances. Each of the other gates has one entrance -

Geunjeongmun Gate, Gyeongbokgung Palace

Geunjeongjean, Gyeongbokgung Palace
- After passing through Heungryemun Gate and Yeongjegyo Bridge and entering Geunjeongmun Gate is Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall. In front of Geunjeongjeon is a courtyard where state affairs were held. When seen from the south-east corner of the couryard, Geunjeongjeon offers a breathtaking view with Mt. Bugaksan in the background -

Sajeongjeon (King's Office), Gyeongbokgung Palace
- This is the reception hall where the king received officials to discuss state affairs. To the east and west of Sajeongjeon Hall were Manchunjeon Hall and Cheonchujeon Hall, two auxiliary buildings that had floor heating systems so that they could be used in winter. The three buildings together look like a king with two subjects -

Manchunjeon (King's Office during winter), Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeonghoeru (king's party place), Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Gyeonghoeru is Korea National Treasure No. 224. It is an open two-story pavilion, stands by a large square pond to the west of the throne hall. The elevated pavilion was used for royal banquets and appears to be floating on the pond. The upper floor affords a sweeping view of the palace to the east and Mt. Inwangsan to the west -

Gyeonghoeru, Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeonghoeru, Gyeongbokgung Palace

THE NATIONAL FOLK MUSEUM of KOREA

The National Folk Museum of Korea is situated right beside of Gyeongbokgung Palace. I actually been to this place 8 years ago when I had a family trip to South Korea.

One more thing to add on, the Museum closes on Tuesdays.

View of the Museum that I've snapped from Gyeongbokgung

Brochures and map from the Folk Museum:-

Initially after Gyeongbokgung, I've planned to visit Changdeokgung Palace. But I was too tired and well, the main thing was too bored to venture palaces ALONE. It was already noon and the sun was glaring hot! So I told myself, since I've already visited Gyeongbokgung, the largest palace in Seoul, so, Changdeokgung Palace.... forget it!

Information compiled by JC:-

Changdeokgung (Changdeok Palace) is a palace set within a large park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty and because of its location east of Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeokgung is also referred to as the East Palace. The literal meaning of Changdeokgung(昌德宮) is "Palace of Prospering Virtue".
Changdeokgung was the favored palace of many kings of the Joseon Dynasty and retained many Korean elements dating from the Three Kingdoms of Korea period that were not incorporated in the more formalistic Gyeongbokgung. One such element is the fact that the buildings of Changdeokgung blend with the topography of the site instead of imposing upon nature.

Hot, tired, sweaty, hungry! All I need was food and a glass of cold drinks!
Went in to this cafe called Gogungddurak. Had a slice of cheese cake and a glass of ice latte! (KRW11,000)

After I've enjoyed my slice of cheese cake, I continued my self-planned day tour to Dongdaemun AGAIN! Well, I was not longing for the shopping complexes like Doota, Migliore or APM. Mom wanted knitting yarns!
Oh well, before my trip to Seoul, Andra told me that there's a lot of knitting yarn shops at Dongdaemun Shopping Complex, Basement. And this complex is only open during office hours. That was why I planned my day tour to Dongdaemun again in the afternoon.

From Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), I jumped on the subway heading to Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station. From there, I transit to Line 1 to Dongdaemun Station (Line 1)

DONGDAEMUN

Map of Dongdaemun

"Dongdaemun is famous for its market. Dongdaemun Market is in reality made up by several traditional markets and a few modern shopping malls. In Dongdaemun Market customers can find wholesale shops and stalls as well as retailers, and you will be spoilt for choice, as the market has about 20 malls, 30,000 stores and 50,000 wholesalers. Goods sold at Dongdaemun Market include clothes, fabrics, yarns, Dongdaemun Gate from a distance fashion accessories and shoes and this market is famous for its cheap prices and for night shopping, many of its shops being open from 10am to 5am the following morning."

When I was at the basement of the Dongdaemun Shopping Complex upon exiting Dongdaemun station, I was dumbfounded! For a few seconds, I stood there didn't know what to do. The Mall was huge! Which shop should I go to? Should I follow the right path or the left path? Will I be able to get out of this complex later? Will I get lost? Can they communicate in English? Oh my Oh my!

At this moment of time how I'd wish Mom was there!

Wasn't sure of what I was doing, I approached each and every stores asking the same question, "Do you know how to speak English?"
Hoping that they would reply me in English, but after 10 minutes walking around the mall I felt so hopeless. Some would reply me in Korean language, some would say "no no", some just gave me the blank face!

Then I came to this store and the Aunty replied, "Yes yes, I understand, but no talk"
Well, at least she can understand at least 50% of what I said. This was what happen that day...

Me: Do you have 100% cotton yarns?
Aunty: ???
Me: Cotton
Aunty: ???

(OMG, she said she could understand! I tried looking around for the word cotton. And I found a yarn written cotton. Took it up and showed it to the Aunty)

Me: This one. This one (pointing at the word cotton)
Aunty: Ohhh... yes yes. Cotton. Yes
Me: 100% cotton
Aunty: Cotton yes.

(At this point of time, I saw a calculator on the table! Took it and pressed 100%)

Aunty: Yes yes... (and she took out a sample book). Which one? Thin, medium, lar-jer?
Me: Thin, medium, and what??
Aunty: Lar-jer
Me: Ohhhhhhh... LARGE! Aunty, I want thin. 100% cotton thin. What colour?
Aunty: Color? Here here... (she then showed me an entire row of coloured cotton yarns)
Me: How much?

That was the time when I felt that calculator is the best thing on earth when you're at foreign countries, unable to communicate in their local languages, and of course during shopping!

Aunty took out the calculator and pressed
(a) 6 >>> 6 balls of yarns
(b) 50 >>> each 50 grams
(c) 15,000 >>> KRW 15,000 (~MYR39)
Ah ha, I actually understood! 6 balls of yarns, each 50 grams, for KRW 15,000.

Me: Aunty, Cheaper?
Aunty: ???
Me: Cheaper.. Lower price
Aunty: ???

CALCULATOR!!! I pressed KRW10,000
She smiled and said No. Hahaha... She said that I can have those yarns at KRW15,000 plus free needles.
So I bought 3 type of colours, 6 balls each colour, a total of KRW 45,000.

Then I went to other stores and bought another 10 balls of yarns for mom at KRW20,000.

After that, I went up to the Mall's 1st floor. All stores in that floor were selling buttons and other sewing accessories. I could not resist from buying those unique buttons for Mom ;)

Then I went across the street to the famous Dongdaemun Market. Didn't stay long there as I was too tired and the weather was teribbly hot. I bought a pair of cycling gloves for JC ;)

From Dongdaemun Station, I hopped on the subway to proceed to Myeongdong Station (line 4) to go to Myeongdong.

MYEONGDONG

"Myeong-dong is Korea's trendiest shopping area, with over 300,000 square meters of shops selling clothes, shoes, handbags, accessories, and cosmetics. Many department stores also have a major presence here. Day or night, young people always crowd into the numerous restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and night clubs in the area."

Photos taken when I was there:-

The famous 32cm long ice-cream. Wanted to try that but I didn't :(
If it was winter, I'll definitely get one myself! But it's Summer! and it's 32cm long!
I don't think I could really enjoy my 32cm ice cream alone when it could melt faster during Summer.

Personally I'd think that Myeongdong is a MUST visit shopping place in Korea! Myeongdong is the trendiest shopping area in Seoul with the most young people.
I prefer Myeongdong to Hong Kong's Ladies street, Shenzhen's Dongmen Street, and Zhuhai's Basement Mall as the things sold here are trendier, they have both roadside shops and departmental stores, most of all, some shops will have perfomances like street dance to attract customers!

Another unforgetable experience I had when I was in Myeongdong was Korea Street Protest!
The protest there was much 'peaceful' compared to those we witness in Malaysia. The crowd would sit in rows, sing-a-long, and shout-out slogans with policemen guarding the entire Myeongdong area.

At about 18:00 I was too tired to continue my day tour. So, I decided to go back and rest. Took the subway from Myeongdong station (Line 4) and transit at Sadang station (Line 3) to Samseong Station (Line 3).

Fish & Chips for dinner

Initially, I wanted to go to Namdaemun and Hyehwa after getting sufficient rest. But looking at my tired feet, I gave up ;) Went to bed early that night.

FYI:-

"Namdaemun Market is the largest wholesale market in Korea, boasting its 600-year-old historical roots and tradition. The market has over a thousand stores and retailers, and you can find all items such as clothing, shoes, kitchenware, food, ginseng, and household supplies."

"Hyehwa is a place where youngsters and University students will perform street dance, and other artistic performance by the roadside every evening."

Seoul, South Korea - Day 3

2008-08-22T22:15:00.002+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
22nd August '08

My 2nd day in Seoul! Stayed in bed slightly later since there's no rush to be at the office ;)
Took my own sweet time to get ready for work.
Had Turkey Breast Sandwiches (KRW24,200) for breakfast.

Mr Kim, Sam, Ms Kim & I went for lunch at a famous and expensive Korean BBQ Local Beef Restaurant located in Seo-cho.

The Korean Beef BBQ, or locally known as "Galbi" was prepared at our table on charcoal grills that are built into the center of the table. When the beef were being cooked on the charcoal grills, the waitress then cut the beef into thin slices across the bones. Garlic and onions were added onto the grills as the meat was cooked.

Each of us was served with a bowl of onions in soy sauce, and a small plate of salt.

Ms Kim taught me the Korean way to eat Korean BBQ:-

(1) Koreans love the beef to be medium-rare cooked (but personally I prefer it to be medium-well cooked =))
(2) You may dip the meat into the onion soy sauce; take the meat together with lots of onions
(3) You may also have the meat with some salt (I love this!)
(4) Korean BBQ is typically served with lettuce or other leafy vegetables. You may wrap the meat with side dishes known as "Banchan" (Eg: green onion salad called Pajori, lettuce, cucumbers) which is then dipped in "ssamjang", a sauce made of fermented bean curd and red pepper paste.

After the meaty-beefy-meal, Sam suggested that I should try some Korean Cold Noodles, "Naengmyeon".

There are 2 types of Naengmyeon:-
(1) Mul Naengmyeon
(2) Bibim Naengmyeon

Mul Naengmyeon

Since I cannot take spicy food, Sam ordered Mul Naengmyeon for me. It is a thin, hand-made noodles served in a large stainless bowl with a tangy iced broth, a boiled egg and cold beef. Vinegar is added to taste. Because the noodles tend to be long, chewy, and sticky, the waitress cut the noodles with scissors before serving.

Bibim naengmyeon

Sam ordered bibim naengmyeon and I tried a bit of that ;)
It is served as more of a salad in a spicy dressing made primarily from red chili paste.

Too much beef, kimchi and banchan for lunch. For dinner, I was crazily craving for Malaysian food!
And I ordered the most expensive Wanton Noodle that I've ever eaten!
Wanton Noodle & Mushroom Soup = KRW 39,930

Doesn't it look superbly appetizing?
Photos can be deceiving!
That was the most expensive yet lousiest Wanton Noodles I've ever had in my life!

And the Noodles came with Banchan (Korean side dishes)

Immediately after that horrifying dinner, JC called. He had just sent me the information he collected for the past 2 days; information regarding famous places to visit in Seoul. He gathered all those information and arranged them according to the Seoul City Tour Route. He even explained each and every places in details with Google Earth!
Thank you so much Darling! Muacks!

That night, I decided to try out the Seoul Metropolitan Subway! Look at the subway map!
Whoa! There are a total of 11 subway lines in Seoul!
All the lines are numbered and colored.

The Seoul Subway is very user friendly for tourists like me. All directional signs are written in both Korean and English, and the voice announcement in the trains indicating the upcoming station, possible line transfer and exiting side are all said in Korean, followed by English.

Ticket prices start at KRW1,000 for a trip up to 10km, with KRW100 added for each 5km after that. Transportation card such as T-money can also be used. There is a KRW100 discount for using a transportation card.

In order to experience the Korean way of taking subway, I bought a T-money card at KRW2500, and topped up KRW7,000

Anxiously hoping onto the train at Samseong station with the T-money card, I exit at the Dongdaemun Stadium station to go to Dongdaemun.
It was raining that night. So I went to shopping complexes in Dongdaemun, like, Doota, and APM.

I didn't stay long at Dongdaemun. It was raining and cold. I went back to the hotel and planned for the day trip for the next day. Looking though the information JC sent, the city tour covers most of the famous places in Seoul, EXCEPT Lotte World (been there 8 years ago), Korea Folk Village, Nami Island, DMZ, Jeju, and etc.

After a long night's thought, I've decided to tour Seoul city by myself with Subways! This was much easier, convenient (at least I don't have to waste my time to wait for city bus), cheaper, and most of all, I didn't have to follow the tour route! I could plan my own route for the day!

Sleep early... day trip tomorrow.........Zzzzzzzz

Seoul, South Korea - Day 2

2008-08-21T23:34:00.001+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
21st August '08

1st day to ODM office.
I woke up really early and had too much time to waste; snapping photos:-

View from the hotel room:-

Me, having too much time

I took a taxi from the hotel to the ODM's office located at YangJae, Seo-cho (KRW 15,700) - less than half an hour journey.
I was too early when I arrived at the office, local time 08:30. The engineers were not at work yet and they told me to come at 10:00 the next day.... LOL

Sam, the Marketing Manager and Mr Song, the EE Engineer Hardware Team brought me for lunch at a nearby restaurant. It was a simple Korean lunch called "Bandu".
I would describe "Bandu" as a vegetarian Dumpling steamboat. As expected, all Korean meals are served with Kim Chi and other preserved vegetables.

Sam ordered "Saengseon Jeon". Jeon is a pancake-like dish. Jeon is normally made with various ingredients such as sliced meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables and mixed with flour or coated with egg batter and then pan-fried with oil. And "Saengseon jeon" is small portions of fish coated with eggs and pan-fried.

The ODM's office is situated at the outskirts of Seoul City. Taxis are lesser during peak hours at Seo-cho area. I waited until 17:30 but no taxis would want to come to YangJae, Seo-cho. Hence, Mr Kim, the Engineering Manager, or I would prefer to call him the fatherly-style-engineering manager, offered to fetch me back.

In the evening, I took a walk at the hotel's basement; or better known as the COEX Mall. COEX Mall is located at the basement of both the Grand Intercontinental Hotel & the COEX Intercontinental Hotel.

Direction:-
Turn left as you walk out from the Hotel. Walk about 2 minutes towards the Samseong Subway. Turn left to COEX basement Mall as you get down a flight of stairs. Whereas the path on the right leads to the Samseong Subway Station.

The mall was crowded with a majority of young adults.

I didn't know which restaurant to go to for dinner. Since I don't fancy places that are stuffy cum packed, I just went in a restaurant with the least customers ;)
I ordered a plate of Korean BBQ Shrimp Fried Rice (KRW5,300). It tasted so Korean. Well, the shrimps were in spicy BBQ sauce, the fried rice was not that different compared to those in Malaysia, the only thing that makes it Korean is that, it came with Kim Chi, that's why it was sooo Korean =p

Throughout my stay in Seoul, I do notice that most of the locals there do not order drinks (Eg: Chinese tea, papo, barlee, ling teh) when they dine out. Restaurant owners serve free water. I personally think that this is a good practice; diners save on drinks and it it definitely healthier to have water compared to the drinks we normally have in Msia =p

After dinner, I went for a walk at the Hyundai Departmental Store, a.k.a our Jusco/Tesco.
There was this booth promoting I-do-not-know-the-brand milk. Had a cup of that and woohoo, I just love it! Bought a bottle of the 750ml milk at KRW3000

Psst Psst! I found out that I cannot resist from buying milk whenever I travel abroad. It's like a must-thing to do when I travel. Well, I admit that I actually cannot resist the Moo Moo ;)

Ta-da... the I-do-not-know-the-brand Moo Moo milk from Hyundai Departmental Store

Moo Moo milk for supper ain't enough. To satisfy my sweet tooth, when I got back to the hotel, I ordered a Traditional Italian Tiramisu (KRW 15,730)

Nyek nyek nyek nyek nyek....

Seoul, South Korea - Day 1

2008-08-20T23:00:00.002+08:00

Business Trip to Seoul, South Korea
20th August '08

My flight to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) (transit) was at 07:30. I could not recall when was the last time I woke up this early.

I was flying with Cathay Pacific from Penang Airport to HKIA stop via KLIA (ermm... stop via KLIA actually means the aircraft would land at KLIA, then they clean the air craft while we 'happily' stayed on board)

FYI:- stopover-passengers at KLIA are not allowed to disembark from the aircraft

The plane landed at HKIA (local time 13:30). My next transit flight to Seoul was at 14:20. And this is what we'll do ( or I did) when we're too bored, traveling alone, during transits, nobody to talk to, nothing much to do, besides snapping photos here and there at the boarding gate.

Hong Kong International Airport:-

Cathay Pacific Airline:-

The plane landed at Incheon International Airport, South Korea at local time 20:00
FYI:- South Korea time (Msia time + 1 hour)

I headed straight to the Airport Limousine Bus Ticket Counter and bought a ticket to the Grand Intercontinental Hotel Seoul at the price of KRW 14,000 (USD14; RM52)

There were so many buses heading to Hotels. I took my ticket and showed it to the bus driver and he told me to get on the bus. Smiling happily to myself, I was so proud that I've bought the right ticket, and am on my way to the hotel!

The journey from Incheon to Seoul city took about an hour. From far, I could see Grand Intercontinental Hotel! Yay yay I'm here! But the bus did not stop!!! How come?! Boss told me that this bus stops in front of the hotel! Instead, the bus driver turned into the City Terminal; the building beside Grand Intercontinental. I took my luggage, went down the bus, walk towards the receptionist.

"Can I know which way should I take to go to Grand Intercontinental Hotel?"

The receptionist gave me a smile and replied, "Yes? Yes? Yes?"

OMG! He cannot understand English!!!

Yeah I can speak Korean, but just these:
- Annyeong haseyo (hello)
- Kam sa hamida (thank you)
- Yeo bo seyo (hello when answering phone)

I repeated my questions a gazillion time, and I gave up!
Then I saw a telephone on the desk with a tag written "Call Grand Intercontinental Hotel"

Thank God! Someone understood my question. They sent a hotel bellboy to assist me back from the City Terminal to the hotel, which was about 3 minutes walking distance. The bellboy told me that the bus I took will not stop in front of the hotel, but this is the more frequent bus from the airport and it takes a shorter route.

Back to the Hotel room:-

I was too tired to go out for dinner. So, I ordered for Private Dining! I had Smoked Salmon & Fettuccine Carbonara for dinner (KRW49,190)

Smoked Salmon

FYI:-
South Korea uses CDMA coverage. Thus, our very own GSM cellphones cannot be used in South Korea.

Huhuhuhuhu.... My Cellphone was "dead" in Seoul! I was only reachable via internet (during office hour at ODM's office) or hotel phone (at night)

The hotel's internet rate was KRW30,000 / day for wireless broadband.

What does 13th August mean?

2008-08-10T23:44:00.006+08:00

Your Birthdate: August 13

You're dominant and powerful. You always need to be in charge.

While others respect your competence, you can be a bit of a dictator.

Hard working and serious, you never let yourself down.

You are exact and accurate - and you expect others to be the same way.

Your strength: You always get the job done

Your weakness: You're a perfectionist to a fault

Your power color: Gray
Your power symbol: Checkmark
Your power month: April

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

What Quinie Lau Mei Kuan means?

2008-08-10T23:28:00.007+08:00

What Quinie Means

People see you as a complete enigma, and only you truly understand who you are.

You spend most of your time introspecting and seeking truth.

You're a very interesting person... but not many people know you enough to realize it.

You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way.

And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life.

You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

What Lau Mei Kuan Means

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.

You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.

Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.

You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.

You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way.

And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life.

You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it.

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated.

You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want.

You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way!

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life.

You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip.

People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Loneliness Quotes

2008-07-18T00:24:00.005+08:00

"No one ever discovers the depths of his own loneliness"
- Georges Bernanos

"Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering"
- Woody Allen

"Fame always brings loneliness.
Success is as ice cold and as lonely as the North Pole"
- Vicki Baum

"I believe a lot of disease comes from anxiety, loneliness"
- Tom Cochrane

"Acting is the greatest answer to my loneliness that I have found"
- Claire Danes

"Music was invented to confirm human loneliness"
- Lawrence Durrell

"We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness"
- Albert Schweitzer

"Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone"
- Paul Tillich

"We're born alone, we love alone, we die alone.
Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone"
- Orson Welles

Fuel $ Hike

2008-06-26T23:06:00.004+08:00

Something to share...

When Disappointments Heap

2008-06-21T12:49:00.005+08:00

When disappointments grow day by day inside my small little disappointment pit, I doubt if there's anymore hidden pits in me that could still suppress them all.

The pit that I have might be as shallow as I thought; or it might be as deep as I've never thought it could ever be.

No doubt that when the day comes; the day when there's no more rooms for disappointments, the day when there's no more tears to be shed; it'd definitely be the day, the day when I'd choose to let go, to give in, to free myself from disappointments.

"Heap of Disappointments Will Eventually Lead to the End"

As I was browsing through Joyce's blog (joyceleehouienn.blogspot), found this song that best describe my mood... at least for today...

~~ Endless Love (TVB drama: C'est la Vie Mon Cheri)~~

張靚穎 - 新不了情
Jane Zhang - New Endless Love

心若倦了淚也乾了
If your heart is weary, and your hears are all dried up
這份深情難舍難了
This feeling is hard to relinquish or forget
曾經擁有天荒地老
I once used to have all the time in the world
已不見你暮暮與朝朝
But I haven’t seen you for many nights and many days

這一份情永遠難了
This love is forever difficult to resolve
願來生還能再度擁抱
I hope in our afterlife, we can embrace again
愛一個人如何斯守到老
Loving someone, how to remain faithful till you’re old?
怎樣面對一切我不知道
How to face everything, I do not know

回憶過去痛苦的相思忘不了
Reviewing the past, the painful memories are unforgettable
為何你還來撥動我心跳
Why do you come again to make my heart race?
愛你怎麼能了
How is it possible to stop loving you?
今夜的你應該明瞭
Tonight you should understand
緣難了情難了
It is difficult to escape fate, just as it is difficult to dissolve love

這一份情永遠難了
This love is forever difficult to resolve
願來生還能再度擁抱
I hope in our afterlife, we can embrace again
愛一個人如何斯守到老
Loving someone, how to remain faithful till you’re old?
怎樣面對一切我不知道
How to face everything, I do not know

回憶過去痛苦的相思忘不了
Reviewing the past, the painful memories are unforgettable
為何你還來撥動我心跳
Why do you come again to make my heart race?
愛你怎麼能了
How is it possible to stop loving you?
今夜的你應該明瞭
Tonight you should understand
緣難了情難了
It is difficult to escape fate, just as it is difficult to dissolve love

回憶過去痛苦的相思忘不了
Reviewing the past, the painful memories are unforgettable
為何你還來撥動我心跳
Why do you come again to make my heart race?
愛你怎麼能了
How is it possible to stop loving you?
今夜的你應該明瞭
Tonight you should understand
緣難了情難了
It is difficult to escape fate, just as it is difficult to dissolve love
緣難了情難了
It is difficult to escape fate, just as it is difficult to dissolve love
緣難了情難了
It is difficult to escape fate, just as it is difficult to dissolve love

Luther Vandross: Dance with my Father

2008-06-01T03:42:00.008+08:00

Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then

Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved

If I could get another chance
Another walk, another dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
How I’d love, love, love to dance with my father again

Ooh, ooh

When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way I would run from her to him
He’d make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah, yeah
Then finally make me do just what my mama said

Later that night when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he
Would be gone from me

If I could steal one final glance
One final step, one final dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
‘Cause I’d love, love, love to dance with my father
again

Sometimes I’d listen outside her door
And I’d hear her, mama cryin’ for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me

I know I’m prayin’ for much too much
But could You send back the only man she loved
I know You don’t do it usually
But Lord, she’s dyin’ to dance with my father again
Every night I fall asleep
And this is all I ever dream

( this song has been one of my favourites back in 2001 - even till now, and forever )

Guangdong Trip - Day 6 (Last Day)

2008-05-31T23:55:00.002+08:00

MACAU, LCCT

We headed to GongBei (Macau-Zhuhai border) as soon as we have finished our breakfast.

Checked-in Macau International Airport and waited to board the plane at noon.

~ group photo taken (without the 2 couples) at Macau International Airport ~

~ Macau Post Office ~

~ Mr. Brown Cappuccino Coffee at Macau International Airport for HKD20 ~

Guangdong Trip - Day 5

2008-05-31T22:47:00.000+08:00

ZHUHAI

INTRO TO THE MONGOLIAN YURT

We visited a Mongolian Yurt in Zhuhai; the Government has built several Mongolian yurts here for Mongolia tourism publicity.

They thoroughly briefed us on Mongolia; situated at the northeast of Asia, between Russia and China, has a size of about 4 times of the United Kingdom! The weather there is extremely continental; winter of -40degC and summer of 50degC; having winter spreads from October till the month of April!

They explained more on the Mongolian culture to us as we admired the displayed photos taken in Mongolia. The Mongolians practices nomadism mainly due to their extreme climate.

"Mongolians hospitality is a very important part of Mongolian society and culture. Travellers are welcomed in the round nomadic home call Gers to share barbecued poultry, cheese, yogurt, and Airag which is fermented mares milk and cherished also by Mongolian city dwellers. Strangers are made to feel welcome almost anytime and in a place where temperature routinely drop to 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in the winter months. Courtesy and considerate behaviour towards others are very important parts of the Mongolian society and culture."

AND, I didn't know that Throat Singing is actually originated from Mongolia!

"Khoomi Singing which also known as Throat Singing, allows the singer to produce harmonic tones that can mirror the sounds of waterfalls, the steppe winds blowing, and the chants of Buddhist monks. Khoomi singers use their diaphragms like a bellows on a bagpipe to emit a steady bass note while simultaneously producing a higher nasal tone and essentially carrying two tunes at the same time."

We were also served mares milk! I've always loved fresh cows milk, goats milk, but never have I thought of mares milk! It didn't look like the usual milk we have, but instead it looked like chocolate milk! It smells perfectly milky; or should I just say that it smells as fresh as the fresh cows milk =p BUT... it taste WEIRD! It's SALTY!

I had 2 cups of that and I actually loved it! New experience I should say! Probably I should start planning on a trip to Mongolia so that I could experience milking a mare!

Lunch in ZHUHAI

Visit to ZHUHAI MEDICINE HALL

Mom bought this cream "Bao Fu Ling" cream at RMB250; that consists of antibacterial substance, could heal inflammation as well as skin infections. Almost everyone in our group bought this cream (not our 1st time buying it) as it has indeed so far proven to ALL OF US that it really works!

Since Mom and I were not interested in their Chinese Singsehs' medical consultation, we ended up snapping photos of these dessert recipes displayed on the wall!

PS: Only meant for those that can read Chinese ;) (that eventually doesn't include ME!)

dinner in ZHUHAI

Shopping at GONG BEI UNDERGROUND SHOPPING MALL
(拱北地下广场)

Gongbei-Macau border

"Gongbei (拱北) is a main tourist area with cheap hotels, cheap clothing, electronics, souvenirs at the southern edge a cavernous underground shopping center and the Macau border.

There is this huge underground shopping complex (拱北地下广场 - Gong-Běi-Dì-Xià-Guang-Chang) right at the Macau border in Gongbei. The entire open concrete area has two floors of shops under it. There are several hundred shops, many with goods targeted to tourists - clothing and shoes, jade and other jewellery, crafts including a lot of Tibetan stuff, consumer electronics, and so on. There are also many CDs and DVDs, mainly unlicensed copies. Also available in abundance here are imitation watches with incredible resemblance to the real stuff. Even among these fakes, differences in grade can be seen for the same model in different shops."

Mom was superbly excited that night at the GongBei underground shopping mall. Why?! Because she found a knitting yarn shop! She only managed to buy a few colours of cotton yarns as the bus driver was already waiting for us to fetch us back to the hotel. And she can actually knit about 7 blouses with the yarns that she had bought!

Yet she complained not enough!

Guangdong Trip - Day 4

2008-05-14T16:51:00.022+08:00

QINGYUAN, SHENZHEN

SPOTTED DEER TRADITIONAL MEDICINE HALL

"In the early 1980's, an estimated 250,000 spotted and red deer were farmed to make medicinal products in China; with a yield of approximately 100 tons of dried deer velvet annually. Half of this was exported, and the remainder was prepared at pharmaceutical companies into products that were dispensed throughout rural and urban hospitals.

The chital deer (Axis Axis), also known as the spotted deer or axis deer has reddish fawn, marked with white spots. Its antlers, which it sheds annually, are usually three-pronged and curve in a lyre shape and may extend to 75 cm.

In QingYuan, spotted deer are farmed to produce velvet antler teas, extracts, capsules and tablets for health related products, especially to support healthy joint structure and function. The many conditions for which velvet antler has been used include anemia, arthritis, insomnia, amnesia, topical wounds, and pain. In traditional medicine of the orient, red deer antler has been used to treat male impotence and female infertility. Velvet antler has also been used as an immune modulator particularly in cases of anemia, and to improve blood circulation, muscle strength, and mental alertness."

SHENZHEN

LIANHUA MOUNTAIN PARK

Locals spend their long weekend with families at the LianHua Mountain park; a great place for kites flying.

Buildings in Shenzhen:-

China petrol station:-

dinner at SPLENDID CHINA

DONGMEN STREET ~ shopping~~

"Dongmen Shopping Plaza is Shenzhen's oldest shopping area. It's a sprawling pedestrian plaza with both large shopping centers for name-brand watches, shoes, bags, cosmetics, and clothes, and plenty of smaller outdoor shops. The plaza is like a low-rent version of the fashionable youth culture in Tokyo's Ginza."

Right after dinner, we went Dongmen street for shopping till midnight! This is indeed a heaven for shopping lovers. However, most of the items sold here are of merely fake and imitation goods; maximizing your spending power, shop till you drop!

PS: no other photos taken at Dongmen Street as I was busy... really busy... =p

Souvenirs that I've got from Dongmen Street!

We stayed in the Green Tea Inn DongMen Shenzhen Hotel. The hotel is just a stone's throw away from Dongmen Street; approximately 300m only!