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071224 – Christmas Eve’s celebration in Seoul
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 30 May 2009
There’s no early dismiss on Christmas Eve for working in Korea as compared to US. So I tried to leave at 6pm sharp and prepared to have a good Christmas Eve celebration and countdown with my wife. In Seoul, Christmas celebration is mainly for young couples. On the streets, you will see many couples buying Christmas cake from the bakeries shop e.g. Baskin Robbin, Starbucks and etc, either to share with their parent or loves one. The Christmas cake has become a good business where any shops that have anything to do with bakeries will sell their own Christmas cakes design.
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071223 – Sokcho, Abai Village, Daepo Port Seafood Market, Sokcho Beach
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 30 May 2009
According to some websites, we can have magnificent views of the sunrise from Cheongchoho Lake. So I asked the hotel attendant, what is the best time to view the sunrise. He confidently said 4am and can be viewed from the hotel, or even better if we walked toward the lake. My wife and I were so excited and we decided to wake up at 4am. We woke up on time, prepare our camera and thick winter cloth as the temperature outside is between 0-5 Celsius degree.
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071222 - Sokcho, Seoraksan, Gwongeumseong, Sinheung Temple, Daepo Port
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 23 May 2009
The city of Sokcho in Gangwon province provides the gateway to Korea’s most popular national park, Seoraksan or Mount Seorak which has been one of the most tourist destinations in Korea. Since I’m not working on that weekend, therefore I decided to have an overnight stay at Sokcho. My wife and I took the Line 3 subway from Jongno 3-ga to Bus Terminal in Gangnam hoping to catch the 6.30-6.45 am non-stop bus to Sokcho. Before leaving the hotel, I applied some sunblock on my face and in the subway; unfortunately an elderly insane man mumbled loudly commenting on my face fairness.
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071219 – Myeongdong Catholic Church, Namsangol Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 17 May 2009
After my wife arrived in Seoul 2 days back, I decided to be her unprofessional tour guide. We started with a lunch at Insadong restaurant, tried the bibimbap which is a popular Korean dish. Bibim-bap means mixed-rice. Bibimbap is served with a hot stone bowl of rice with seasoned vegetables and red chili pepper paste. To add more varieties, a raw egg and meats are added into it. With all these ingredients in a bowl, we stirred together thoroughly before eating. Nowadays, there are many variations of bibimbap in Korea.
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071215 – Bukchon Hanok Village, Daehangno, Jogyesa Temple
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 17 May 2009
I’m so determined that I should see more of Seoul, I took a walk from Insadong to Bukchon Hanok Village. Hanok is traditional Korean house. Bukchon Hanok Village was once a village of aristocrats long ago, and its luxury tile-roofed houses called Giwas have been preserved since the Joseon Dynasty. Located in the middle of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Jongmyo, Bukchon Hanok Village boasts 600 years of history in the region.
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071209 – Coex Mall, Bongeunsa, Apgujeong Rodeo Street
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 16 May 2009
This time, I headed to Gangnam district located at the Southeast of Seoul, which is famous for its entertainment, shopping and major business. It’s more like a upper-class area for locals and expatriates. COEX Mall is considered the best entertainment complex in Seoul. I took a Line 2 subway to Samseong Subway Station and it’s connected to the COEX Mall directly, just like in Singapore and Malaysia (only KLCC that I can think of, what a pathetic).
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071202 - Olympic Park, Lotte World
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 16 May 2009
Since it’s Sunday and I had a heavy drinking session with my Korean colleagues, I tend not to have a tight schedule of my itinerary, so I explored the East side of Seoul. I took a Line 5 subway to Olympic Park station (1100won) from Jongno 3-ga subway station. As I walking toward to one of the Olympic Park entrance, I saw many high-rise apartments, which I believe to cater the accommodation for the Olympic athletes and delegates.
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071125 - Myeongdong
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 10 May 2009
Myeongdong is one of the main shopping areas selling mid to high priced items and featuring some international brand outlets. This area was packed with mainly young people especially weekend, coming here for its latest fashion, coffee bar, foods, cosmetic products and nightlife. You will also see stalls selling fake designer goods at the roadside. I always come here at least once a week, either for the food or shopping, and also people watching (in Malay means cuci mata). Besides that, there are few department stores, banks and cinemas. AIG Korea Insurance also located here, phew.
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071125 - Namsangol Hanok Village
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 10 May 2009
Hanok means Korean traditional house. This village has managed to restore few traditional Korean houses from the past of common citizen to kings during Joseon Dynasty. The admission fee is free.When I entered the front gate, I saw a calming pond on my left and next to it is a building and stage where performances are held.
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071125 - Itaewon
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 10 May 2009
When you see the arch, you already arrived at Itaewon.
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071125 - Yongsan, Korea Memorial War
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 10 May 2009
This time, I covered the South of Seoul, across the Han River. I took an early Subway to Yongsan which is famous for its enormous wholesale electronics market, selling everything from computers, computer parts, DVDs, CDs, cellphones, GPS (more advance than Garmin, its like GPS + TV) and many other types of electronic goods. You named it, they have it. The whole city is like an electronic district with more than 3000 stores. Few large electronic malls are located in this area. I reached here around 9am++ and most of the stalls are preparing to start their business.
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071124 - Jongno, City Hall, Cheonggyecheon, Royal Guard parade
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 9 May 2009
I got to work today together with my Korean colleague and reached office around 9am. However he was late for 2-3 hours due to unforeseen circumstances. Since there was nobody in the office, I took out my camera and snapped my working cubicle and surrounding.
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071118 - Hangang Ferry Cruise
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 9 May 2009
From Yeouiaru Subway Station, I walked to the nearby park in Yeouido called Hangang Park. Gang means River and should be called Han River or just Hangang. This park was built along the Hangang River through the 12 districts in Seoul, one of them is Yeouido. As I was walking along the trail path to find the Ferry Cruise ticket booth; I could hear the sound of the river waves, view the river area and scenery in the pleasant river breeze.
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071118 - Noryangjin Fish Market
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 9 May 2009
When I got off at the Noryangjin Subway Station, I’m sort of totally lost on where to go, there’s no English signboard and nobody seems able to speak simple English. I was wandering around for almost 20 minutes looking for the fish market though I could smell the flavour of the fish. So I decided to walk along the overhead bridge across the railway tracks, I tried to ask an old lady selling some household items accompanied by her grand-daughter. I was lucky that the young girl able to speak simple English and guide me to the fish market.
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071118 - Jongmyo Royal Shrine
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 9 May 2009
Since I woke up early, I made a sudden change of my travel itinerary and visited a nearby attraction, Jongmyo Royal Shrine. It’s a 20 minutes stroll from Insadong. Upon arriving at the destination, I saw a group of elderly folks waiting for the ticket booth to open at 9am. The admission fee is 1000won.
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071117 - Gyeongbokgung Palace, National Folk Museum
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 8 May 2009
Gyeongbokgung Palace is Seoul’s most prominent and grandest of all palaces. It was constructed in 1395 under the reign of King Taejo and it served as the main palace of the Joseon Dynanty. However, it was destroyed by fire during the Japanese invasion in 1592 and reconstructed back in 1868. During the Japanese colonial period, most of the palace structure was dismantled with only a few important structures left now.
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071117 - Seodaemun Prison History Hall
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 8 May 2009
I walked for almost 45 minutes (including 10 minutes of innocent walk for losing my way) though being strongly advised by a ticket counter lady at the Deoksugung Palace to take a subway which cost only 1000won and took less than 5 minutes. Grrr…served me right for being a stingy poker!!!Before reaching the Seodaemun Prison History Hall, I passed by the Independence Park. I’m trying to console myself, if I were to take the subway; I might miss this park, hihi.
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071117 - Jongno Tower, Bosingak Belfry & Deoksugung Palace
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 7 May 2009
Due to my work nature, I have to work on most weekends (either Saturday or Sunday). During the weekdays, I planned my travel itinerary carefully so that I can cover most of the tourist attractions in Seoul. This time, I will be covering West/Northwest of Seoul by foot since the weather is cool.I left the hotel at 8am after my heavy breakfast. I passed by this 33-storey office building called Jongno Tower. My Korean colleague, KS Choi said at the top floor, a restaurant served good buffet with nice panoramic view of Seoul.
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071111 - Arriving Seoul, Changdeokgung Palace, Anti-FTA Demonstration
Blog: Andy's Rotten Ideas - 2 May 2009
I was assigned to Seoul for a 2-months project assignment and wanted to blog about it. Let’s not talk about my work; else it will be a boring story to read. Since there’s only one flight per day, I have to take the midnight flight 1.15am by MAS airline and reached Seoul at 8.50am local time (Seoul is GMT+9, ahead of Malaysia time by 1hour) on Saturday. Checked in with Fraser Suite at Insadong (famous for art and antiques) and I was impressed with the hospitality and room service. It’s a walking distance to my office.
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Blame it on the Tetons
Blog: Send The Bugger Back - 22 April 2009
Bonus post people. I don’t know what it is about the States, but this is the 2nd time I’ve had a ridiculously bad hangover which hasn’t hit until the afternoon. It’s murder. I just trundled down to the shop to pick up some supplies for the train (including some bourbon, never know when you might need some [...]
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Locked in Everlasting Love
Blog: Unearthing Asia - 14 February 2009
Locks and love aren’t exactly synonymous. Love after all, was supposed to set you free. But at the N Seoul Tower in Namsan Park, South Korea, you’ll find thousands and thousands of locks symbolizing the love between couples. Unearthing Asia takes a peek behind this unusual tradition that has seen tourists both locals and internationals [...]
