Kimchi Ref

Kimchi is as staple as rice here and is perpetually present in all meals. I haven't eaten at a restaurant that didn't serve kimchi, rather they usually serve several kinds of kimchi. Koreans eat it with almost anything from ramyeon, to rice, and even meat dishes (I even know a person who crave kimchi while drinking wine or any alcohol!! LOL). Kimchi is the most-loved side dish here (they even have a 'kimchi museum' in COEX! hehehe) and a lot of people can't survive a meal without one.

Vegetables here are scarce in the cold season so people stack up on their Kimchi. They usually make Kimchi with a huge volume of cabbage, and keep it for a long time to ferment. Hence the need for the 'Kimchi ref'....

This is actually my home-stay owner's kimchi fridge. About 20 kilos of Kimchi is in there. Whew!!! Enough to feed my lifetime kimchi need.

Living on the rise~~~

Korea is a relatively small country with a total land area of 38,462.49 square miles, 70% of which is mountainous terrain. With only 30% of the land available, people resort to living in high-rise apartments like this...

Like most people here, I also live in an apartment. I find it very convenient to live in a place like this because it's not so hot in summer and not so cold in winter unlike a regular house. It's also very secure with CCTV cameras installed almost everywhere. Doors are equipped with locks that request pin-codes to make sure only the tenants can enter the building premises. It also have it's own parking area so it wouldn't be a hassle to find a safe parking space for cars. Apartments are accessible to almost anything since there are so many convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants, hagwons, clinics, bars, and noraebangs that thrive near the area. I actually prefer to live in a high-rise apartment now than to live in a regular house because I find it more comfortable and convenient in so many ways~~~

Squid Sashimi

"Have you eaten a live squid?", this is what my friends asked me when we went to a trip to Taean 2 years ago. Of course I answered "no" and told them we don't eat live squid in my country. And why not?! Squid looks gross and is best eaten when cooked, I think.

From then on, they didn't stop bugging me to try it just for the kicks. So I tried, being the adventurous person that I am, and I nearly puked. I gagged with a mouthful of slimy, squirming, moving slices of squid some of which got stucked in my throat. I haven't experienced eating something that movies while I chew on them so I'm totally grossed out.

But that changed when I visited Seoraksan last Fall. The place is known not just for the famous Mt. Seorak but also for the best sashimi in the country and I just could afford to lose the chance to taste them. I wasn't disappointed at all. Everything was delicious! Even the squid sashimi was beyond words...

I found this new appreciation for this dish and it really goes well with baekseju... The best way to enjoy this dish is to wrap it with lettuce with ssamjang and garlic....

Hidden meaning

I came across this site www.bostonuk.com/name_meanings.php which tells the hidden meaning of a person's name.... I entered my name and it showed this;

Emma
Healer of the universe "Teutonic"
Very intelligent, broadminded and a good listener. You are an ideas person, with a wonderful creative imagination who is always seeking practical applications to apply this to. Your intelligence means that you have great potential for business success if you can apply some discipline and caution. You enjoy sensual pleasures and with a natural restless nature and liking for adventure life is rarely dull with you around.
You can send this to a friend by filling out the form below. Note the fields in bold are required.
~~~I like the part the says "healer of the universe"...

Baboon

I saw this interesting looking baboon at a children's zoo. He looked so kind and meek, even begging me to give him the snack I was eating. It was my first time to see this kind of animal. I remember a movie I saw when I was young (was it the 'Liom King'?), and it showed this kind of baboon. Too bad I can't remember this baboon's name anymore.

Korean traditional food

Korean traditional food in my opinion is an acquired taste. One needs to gain enough experience to appreciate it. Food usually involves heavy seasoning such as doenjang, gochujang, sesame oil, etc., it really takes time to appreciate because it can be tough for first-timers.

When we go to a restaurant we order one main dish, the roasted fish in the case above (the price is calculated by the number of person). It includes rice, soup, and quite a number of banchan or side dishes in small plates. If you're really hungry, you can always ask for more side-dishes... it's free of charge.

"No dump garbage. Take back please!!!"

No dump garbage. Take back please!!!"

Traditional Tea

Korean tea refers to various infusion made up of diverse substances including fruits, leaves, roots, barks, flowers, and grains. There are so many different kinds of tea here but the popular ones are nok-cha (green tea), ok-su-su cha (corn tea), nu-rong-ji cha (scorched rice tea), and insam cha (ginseng tea). Like many others, I like drinking tea almost everyday especially after meals.

I recently visited a traditional market selling korean traditional medicine and I saw these teas.

Those are herbal teas promising effects like increased strenght, stamina, resistance to illnesses, etc. I haven't tried anything as exotic as the ones above because I can be squeamish sometimes. The taste is a little difficult to handle, has very strong aroma, and bitter after-taste so as much as possible I stay away from them.

Beating the summer heat

Summer here in Korea is almost unbearable due to extreme (let me repeat that... EXTREME) heat and humidity. It's so hot and humid that walking a few blocks could be an immense torture for some. At this time of year, 'Patpingsu' is very popular in Korea. It's a summer specialty item found anywhere from fast-food chains, street-vendors, cafe's, and restaurants.

This popular snack is made up of ice-shavings topped with 'pat' (sweet red beans) and milk. Other ingredients differ from place to place, but the one pictured above has fruits, 'tteok' or rice-cake, jelly bits, and corn flakes. It's delicious, affordable, and a great way to beat the summer heat!

Amor Vincit Omnia ~ Love Conquers All

Life is a flower of which love is honey... - Victor Hugo

Pinoy Food in Seoul?

Last month, I got a chance to visit Hyehwa-dong, the ever famous place frequented by Pinoys all over Seoul and other nearby cities. While we were there, we thought about having lunch so we headed to the small restaurant nearby that serves pinoy dishes.

We paid 5,000 won each and we were given our choice of 2 dishes, a huge amount of rice (enough to feed 2 people), and soup. I was looking forward to ordering sinigang, kaldereta, or adobo but it's unavailable so I ordered a different thing.

After a few bite, my stomach started to feel uneasy so I didn't finish my meal. I was a bit embarassed because the people there were nice... especially the one in the picture.

Starbucks on the go

I'm a huge coffee aficionado for as long as I can remember, be it brewed, instant, or ice-blended. I'm one of the very few people I know who appreciates the bitter taste of espresso, not to mention plain brewed coffee without sugar (I always thought all those syrup, cream, and sugar mask the true taste of coffee).

We have a good 'ol coffee brewer from Braun at home, and it wasn't long ago when we have a coffee roaster, grinder, and a portable espresso machine. I could make really good ice blended coffee with that espresso machine, and it's so good it's at par with those huge coffee shops when it comes to taste. I even attended coffeology seminars (art and science of coffee making), read books, and collected recipes for different kinds of gourmet coffee for that matter.

I didn't like going to Starbuck's, Gloria Jean's, Coffee Bean, or Seattle's Best before since I have a very strong will against commercialism (10% quality and 90% brand name), so I opted for those small specialty coffee shops. But it all changed after I started working at ABS-CBN for my friends are huge fan of Starbucks. We often go there during lunch break or after office hours. Whenever we have an appointment Starbucks has always been our meeting place. Even our late night 'gimiks' often end in a hot cup of latte! It's kind of addictive so now that I'm here in Korea my taste buds are kind of looking for that great cup of Starbucks coffee. But it's so expensive here I limit my consumption to once a week. Good thing there's Starbuck's coffee on-the-go which is available in every convenience store and supermarket for a quarter of the price!

...HomeStay...

I am currently staying with my homestay family in Daecheon, a region in the Chungnam province. It's about 2 1/2 hours away from Seoul by train.

Seoul National University

Seoul National University

Seoul National University is considered the most competitive university in South Korea. SNU graduates dominate South Korea's academics, government, politics and business. The concentration of SNU graduates in legal, official, and political circles is particularly high. Two-thirds of South Korean judges are SNU graduates, although the country's judicial appointment system is based solely on open competitive examinations. In government, slightly more than half of South Korea's elite career foreign service corps, recruited on the basis of a competitive higher diplomatic service exam, are from SNU. The school is also often criticized by some South Koreans for being elitist and bureaucratic. World University Rankings 2007 lists SNU at No. 51. In 2006, this university was listed at No. 63.[

Noraebang

Noraebang (singing room) is undeniably ubiquitous here in Korea. In my area alone, there are at least 10 noraebang (the ones which I counted) in a 100-meter radius. With so much competition, I often wonder how they could earn. Noraebang costs about 12,000-15,000 KRW per hour, but some charge even higher depending on the location and how big the room is. The price is actually not that bad since people usually go there in groups.

There are wide selection of Korean songs, English, and Japanese in every genre so it's still foreigner-friendly. I do enjoy going to Noraebang, I'm sure a lot of people do. It's a great way to relieve stress and fight boredom!

The Face Shop

I'm actually not a fan of 'The Face Shop' in Korea and I preferred Missha, Beauty Credit, and Skin Food more. Not until they opened a new shop about 20 meters away from where I live. I go there from time to time especially when they are on sale.

It also helps that Kwon Sang Woo is their product endorser since he's my favorite Korean actor of all time! Yeah, I know.. I'm "so mababaw", but who cares. Seeing him shirtless everyday as I pass by the Face Shop, brightens up my dull and boring day. Others need their sugar fix when they are feeling low, all I need is my Kwon Sang Woo fix to melt it all away! hehe

Fast-food grub at Lotteria's

I'm having this burger craving lately, so for dinner I headed out to my favorite burger joint in the neighborhood. I feel so guilty going there because of all the U.S. beef fiasco going on right now. People are gathering in Seoul every night to rally and express their disgust towards their president who signed an agreement with U.S. to import their 'unsafe' (claimed to have mad-cow) beef. Korean beef is so expensive that naturally, fast-food restaurants will be forced to use U.S. beef which is relatively cheaper.

As I expected, the place is almost vacant except for few brave souls, I included. But I'm selfish so, I took my chance and sunk my teeth on the burger I deprived myself of for such a long time. I ordered the Lotteria 'Giant Double-Burger' (which happens to be not-so giant after all!), fries, and diet coke. When I'm done eating, I made a pact to myself not visit any fast-food joint for the next two months... sad.. I know... ;(

"What's in my name?"

What Emma Means

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 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 usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

"What age do you act?

You Act Like You Are 22 Years Old

You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life.

You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up.

The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.


~this is a survery I took at blogideas.com

MISSPELLED

I took this random pic on my way home, one Saturday afternoon. If you'll look closely, it says "Korean Well-bing and Tea Set". Now, how does that suppose to mean? Funny as hell... :)

Remembering Macau

Macau is one of the administrative region of China (Hong Kong being the other), colonized by Portugal. A ferry from HK to Macau doesn't take more than an hour and a half. People in Macau can speak both Cantonese and Portugese I heard, but I never had a chance to hear someone speaking in Portugese.

Macau is a nice place to visit. The prices are much cheaper than in Mainland China or in Hong Kong (talk about stretching your already tight budget =). Food is great, be it traditional Cantonese dishes or Fusion. Going from one place to the other is easy, as there are tourist-friendly buses that'll take you to good places and other tourist spots. People are friendly and nice but talking in English might be a bit of a problem for the locals, but good thing there are lots of Pinoys there so you could always ask for directions.... Hotels are so-so (but be wary of cockroaches!!!), I still think the ones in HK are much better. It would be nice if I could pay Macau a visit again, though I don't know when.

Pretty Plants

I often recieve bouquet flowers on my birthday and on Valentine's day, but this time I prefer recieving a beautiful plant like this. I think the plants above are very good alternative to giving flowers cause it's not that expensive and it lasts longer. I feel that it's more sincere to give these plants as gifts for birthdays, a present when going to the hospital, for mother's day, anniversaries, or just about any occasion.

My mother likes taking care of plants so I'm thinking of giving one as present when I go back home. I'm sure she'll appreciate it... but will the custom officer at the airport let me through? I hope so.

Cutie li'l store

I found this shop somewhere in Jongro and since then, it has become my favorite shop in all of Korea. I always thought I'm a child trapped inside a woman's body cause I'm a big sucker for everything cute and pink not to mention, I'm also incredibly immature. I collected so many toys when I was growing up that it occupies a lot of space till now. I still feel a kind of attachment and I just couldn't throw them away, instead, I found myself buying even more.

This kind of shops are miniature heaven for me. I loose all my wits and tend to buy so many things impulsively. It reminds me a lot of Sanrio store back home where I always visit... My motto before was; others have 'National Bookstore', I had 'Sanrio'. I like buying bags there, umbrella, colorful pens, notebooks, scented papers, pencil case, and so on, and so forth...

Wait... I heard that there is a Hello Kitty store in COEX. I have to check it out soon!

63 Building

This is the famous 63 Building in Seoul. This skyscraper has 63 floors, thus the name 63 Building. It was the tallest building before and considered as their 'skyscraper icon' for so many years. It's not the tallest building now but it still has it's charm among tourists and local visitors.

On the top floor there is an observatory deck wherein a good view of Seoul can be seen. My ears hurt a couple of times while on the elevator, never thought elevators can be that fast!!! When I reached the top, the view was quite impressive.

One-of-a-kind Starbucks...

A Pinay friend and I, went on an all-day tour in Seoul last Sunday. It was her first time to visit Korea and she hasn't seen a lot of places in Seoul so I sort of became a tour-guide for a day.

We met at Pizza Hut in Hyehwa, had an early lunch there and headed to Yeouido after. We took a lot of pictures of buildings, Han river, the bridge, and the park itself.

Our next destination was Insa-dong where we saw a lot of cute cafe's, galleries, and souvenier shops... We passed by a one-of-a-kind Starbucks along the way... This one is exceptional, because it's written in Hangeul ( Korean characters )...

It's actually my first time to see Starbucks written in another language other than English. Coffee shops are frequented by couples here... as you can see from the pic above.

I kind of remembered my friends in Manila as we usually hangout at Starbucks in ABS-CBN during breaks... missing them a lot!!!