Korea Subway System

The Seoul Metropolitan Subway is one of the biggest, most heavily used transit system in the world serving 8 million passengers daily. There are nine lines, symbolized by colors that connects Seoul to nearby cities in Incheon, Gyeonggi and provinces in northern Chuncheong. It's the cheapest, most convenient way to get around. Ticket starts at 1,000 won, and you don't need to pay again when you transfer. It's more convenient to use transportation card like T-money and U-pass when using the subway. It saves you time as you don't have to go thru the hassle of paying and getting the ticket at the ticket booth. You could also get a 100-won discount each time you use the subway if you use any of their transportation cards. Credit card also works fine, and I prefer to use this over U-pass or T-money because you don't have to load it again and again.

Here's how the subway in Korea looks like.

Uniquely Korean.

I find Korean's creative and competitive mindset inspiring, and I love how they always bring in their "A" game even to the simplest things.

When I was in Lafesta, a popular nightlife district in Ilsan, I saw this 7 foot dancing clown giving out fliers and discount coupons to promote a newly-opened nightclub. He gave everyone a show doing his funky moves and picture-friendly poses. He's really adorable, especially when he makes that peace sign and winks at you! It's such a treat seeing this in Korea. Competition is so stiff these days that they're doing the craziest, most creative things to keep their businesses bustling.

Kong Bi Ji Jigae

A rafting adventure inspired me to visit Cheorwon, a small county in the northernmost part of Korea. There is a small, quaint restaurant there, across the street from the gates of Goseokjeong. It's a dubu/tofu specialty restaurant that showcases healthy, traditional, and delicious dishes. The tofu they serve is very creamy, refreshing, and fresh (made daily in their own kitchen), and the taste is different from the ones we could get at supermarkets.

This dish is called "Kong Bi Ji Jigae", a sludge made from the byproduct of tofu. The taste is similar to that of normal tofu, but the texture is different. This one's a little chewier (not silky or pillowy soft) and has that granulated feel. It's incorporated in a very, very spicy broth with lots of different infused flavors from meat and other ingredients. It's a very interesting dish. If you happen to be dilly-dallying somewhere in Cheorwon, I recommend you try this dish.

A Different Side of Korea.

"Hongdae" is relatively a shorter term for "Hongik University" which is well known in Korea for it's Art Department. But more than the university itself that has thousands of students dying to get accepted, it is the dazzling nightlife that makes it worth a visit. They say the area near the campus is a living, breathing expression of art in motion, and I couldn't agree more. Flocked with hundreds of one-of-a-kind cafes, eclectic shops filled with products you couldn't find anywhere, restaurants sampling different world cuisines, and funky nightclubs all boasting state of the art equipments, Hongdae is the perfect hub for the thrill seeking, art enthusiast youngsters.

We went there on a Sunday afternoon, but the hordes of Koreans, mostly young and hip people wearing the most fashionable clothes there are that filled the streets made me check my calendar twice to see if it really is a Sunday afternoon.

Hongdae has an entirely different culture. It's far from the conservative, sometimes obnoxious Korean ways you're used to. I love how different and open this place is. Everything is cool (to a much, much higher degree), fun, vibrant, and quirky. You could never be too weird, too hip, or too out-of-this-world here!

Here's a plate number I saw that has 'attitude'.

Graffiti is something I'm not used to seeing in Korea. But in Hongdae, it's as normal as seeing a cigarette butt lying on the floor.

I'm not into the Korean music scene, but I heard Drunken Tiger is the best hip hop artist here in Korea.

This small sausage stall attracts so many customers. The average waiting time to taste that sausage is somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour.

Whatever it is that you're looking for, you could find it in these stores.

The 3rd floor is actually a restaurant. It's not really old and rusty, it's just their concept.

So if the things around you bore you to death, why not visit Hongdae and experience a totally different, somewhat outrageous side of Korea.

A Fountain Like No Other.

We saw this lovely singing fountain inside the Lake Park in Ilsan. This amazing piece of architecture plays music, jets the water into the air forming awesome shapes, and the flow changes according to the melody. Spotlights, colors, and smoke machine add a more dramatic effect to it.

The Singing Fountain operates only at night during a specific period of time. It's an awesome show, lots of people gather around to watch it. The best thing about it, it's for free! So if you happen to be in the area, don't miss the opportunity to watch it.

Fall is definitely in full throttle so be sure to bring a coat or jacket when you come to visit. I snuggled to Chris the whole time just to keep myself warm!

Discovering Ilsan

Last Saturday, we visited Ilsan in Gyeonggi province. Chris knows this place by heart as he served his military time here.

Ilsan is what they call a 'New City'. They developed this area to alleviate housing shortage in Seoul. Compared to the overpopulated city of Seoul, Ilsan is more organized and people are generally more affluent. Roads are clean and well kept, the air is not as polluted, and traffic is minimal.

You can find the largest man-made lake park in Korea here, and it's also the best tourist attraction in the area. Below are pictures taken at the famous Lake Park.

Lots of families visit here to enjoy different leisure activities such as in line skating and biking. Some people enjoy jogging and taking long walks in the pathways surrounded by manicured trees and plants. It's also a good place for couples who like picnics and relaxing ambiance. Walking here at sunset is one of the most romantic thing a couple could do.

The city is bustling even at night. It's filled with young, hip and trendy people enjoying the nightlife. 'Lafesta' is the most happening place to visit if you want to enjoy at night. There are so many bars, nightclubs, and restaurants that serves almost every menu imaginable.

We went to 'Lafe', one of the numerous restaurants that serves grilled dishes. We had 'Dwaeji-galbi' and 'Ggom Jang-oh'.

If you're in the mood for good music, booze, and live bands, Rosen Brau is the place to go. It's very spacious, lots of good people, and the bands are really good. The most popular bands there are the ones from the Philippines. They play all sorts of music from pop, rock, soul, RnB, and Hip-hop.

We left Ilsan around 10 pm. It was fun discovering Ilsan, it has so many things to offer from morning till night time. I'm sure a 3rd visit wouldn't be far behind!

Flowers For Me.

Thursday ended bad, I managed to stupidly injure my right foot with shards of broken glass that night, and I cried myself to sleep wallowing about my injury. Friday was no good either, I wasn't up for anything other than to mope the whole day. When Chris came back home from work, he was carrying a bouquet of pink flowers for me, and it smelled so fresh and sweet!



That night, we had dinner at Mr. Chok Galbi Restaurant. I love the succulent taste of their barbecued ribs!

I was a lot more cheerful after that, I forgot all about my injured foot and even allowed Chris to take this picture...^^ I still look like I'm in pain!

It's customary for Koreans to drink alcohol while eating meat. The ribs tasted so good that we just had to drink. Our liquor of choice that night is called "Dae po". It has a sweet smooth taste, it's milder than soju, and they serve it straight from the fridge.

Friday may have started bad, but it ended really well. I had a lot of fun, and I totally forgot about my injury, all thanks to thoughtful Chris.

To A Prettier You.

I love make up, I love buying, experimenting, and wearing them. As much as I love to wear make up, I know that it's not good for the skin, so I only use it when necessary. On normal days when I don't have any appointment, I follow this weird 5 km rule whether or not I should wear make up. 5 kms is the distance from our house to the subway station, and if I go some place less than that distance, I don't wear make up, but further than that, I have to wear.

Like every girl I know, I also have a small "kikay kit" which I always bring whenever I go some place important. It only has a couple of things, and most of them are really basic and simple. I don't really go for heavy make up that really covers the face and alters the appearance. I like to keep everything light and natural. Here are the products I use:

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Skin Food Aloe Sun BB Cream SPF 20

*Skin Food is my favorite brand when it comes to BB cream (I use it instead of foundation). For me, their Aloe Sun is the best, I really like it cause it's not that oily compared to Gingko, and not as runny as Mushroom, but be sure to apply it on a well-moisturized face. It goes on light and smooth, and it smells nice like that of Aloe Vera. It doesn't give much coverage though.

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The Face Shop Flower Radiance Powder Pact NB23 *I like that it's so light on the skin and it gives you a nice matte finish. It also has a subtle minty, freshly-cut grass smell that I really love. And the best thing about it, the SPF 50 PA +++ that gives your skin both UVA/UVB protection.

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Skin Food Sugar Bloom Shadow Box in Pink Haze Bloom

*I'm not really big on eyeshadow, and it's something I'd usually skip. But if I need a splash of color to my eyes, I use this shadow box. The colors are nice and subtle, and it's not too 'metallic' and shimmery.

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The Face Shop Color to Cheek in Pink 103

*Brush can easily pick the pigments of the blush, hence application is a breeze. The color is really subtle too, so you don't have to worry about overdoing it. It also has light reflecting pigments that gives you a radiant and luminous effect.

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Beauty Credit Lovely Lip Balm in Peach (silver case), Maybelline Fruit Jelly in Watermelon Red, The Face Shop Cushion Touch Jelly Tint in Strawberry

*I don't wear lipstick, but I love using lip gloss, lip balms, and tints. They're my favorite cosmetic products, and something I can't get enough of. The Face Shop's jell tint is really good. It smells like succulent strawberries, the color goes on for hours, and it has the gloss that I wanted. When the gloss wears out, usually after a meal, I apply lip gloss or lip balm on top of it.

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Maybelline Volum' Express Turbo Boost Mascara, Skin Food Black Bean Eyebrow Pencil

*Maybelline has always been my favorite brand for mascara. The Turbo Boost mascara gives you 5x thicker and longer lashes in just one sweep. I like it's patented 'anti-clump' brush, it makes application a breeze. It doesn't curl your lashes like that of "Hypercurl", so be sure to use a lash curler first before using it. *Skin Food's Eyebrow pencil is also good. It's mechanical so it delivers easy application and you don't have to sharpen it. It's waterproof for all day wear, and it comes with a brush (like that of mascara) to blend the color and comb your brows.

Music for the Shallow.

While waiting for the new season of "Gosspil Girl", I started watching this show called "90210", and yes it's a spin-off from the popular TV series in the 90's. Overall, it's lower than mediocre, but even with all the unimaginative plotlines, sickening melodrama, never-ending relationship issues, and actors who desperately need acting classes, I still find it entertaining (I'm pretty shallow and I'm not that hard to please). And as a bonus, they've got really great music, and that kinda makes me look forward to the next couple of episodes. Well, here are my current favorites.


*Lenka - "Trouble Is A Friend"

*Carolina Liar - "Show Me What I'm Looking For"

*Snow Patrol - "Crack The Shutters"

*Joshua Radin - "Vegetable Car"

*Greg Laswell - "How The Day Sounds"

Ooops!

Just when you thought you've seen it all...

Fall Came Early: The Big and Final Rush.

On our last day, Chris took me to a place called Cheorwon. It's a small county in Kangwon-do located right next to the border of North Korea. Military outposts and men in uniform are all over the place, and that bothered me for some reason. It was still summer when we visited, but it felt more like mid-autumn. I heard this is one of the coldest areas in South Korea, and I can't even begin to imagine how cold it gets come winter here.

There are many sightseeing places in Cheorwon, and the first we visited was Chiktang Waterfall by the river. It's about 5 meters high and 80 meters wide. They call this "The Niagara of Korea", it may not be as grand, but it has it's own charm.

This is no ordinary bridge, and not for the faint-hearted either. At the uppermost part, there is a platform where people fall in line to do bungee-jumping.

I admit how much of a wimp I've become ever since I started celebrating birthdays past the age of 21. I'm always afraid to step out of my comfort zone and do something risky. But at the same time, I also crave for this one big adventure, and do something wild and freeing. Chris knew exactly where to get that 'rush' I've been craving for. We went rafting in Hantan river with a couple other guys. It was hard and scary as hell, but it also felt incredible! *sorry for the blurry photos, we used a waterproof bag for the camera to protect the lens.

This was our group, all noisy and rowdy. Midway through the course, the guide asked us all to jump into the river. The river is about 15 meters deep, and the current is really strong, I got really scared and stayed behind.. But the guide pushed me off the boat so I ended up swimming with the others and doing this thing called "body rafting". I choked and swallowed a bit of water, shouted a couple of times, and I think I almost got a hypothermia. But in the end I had so much fun, and I can't thank him enough for pushing me into the river (I would never have the courage to jump^^).

There is an area in Hantan River they call Goseokjeong. They say this is Cheorwon's best sightseeing place. The scenery here is so beautiful, even royalties from ancient dynasties visited here often.

There weren't a lot of tourists in Cheorwon that day. Other than a couple of farmers driving that '3-wheeled-thing' they use on the field, most of the roads are as empty as this.

It's so unusual to see this much flat surface in Korea.

The last place we visited was Sambuyeon Waterfall. It stands about 20 meters high, and the rock formation here is so impressive. This is probably the best waterfall I've seen so far in all of Korea.

I would miss so many things about this place, but most importantly, I would miss the peace that surrounded us while we were there. We don't get that in the city. For sure we'll be back, the leaves may have withered by then or the water may have turned to ice. But I'm positive it's going to be equally beautiful, if not even more.

Fall Came Early: A Traveler's Happy Ground.

We live in such a wonderful world, and there's no end to the adventures we can have if we only seek them. For me, traveling is such a liberating thing to do, to be in a place so unfamiliar, to see and experience things you could only imagine, and to learn more about the world and appreciate what God has blessed us with. It doesn't matter if the journey is long, if the roads are winding and tortuous, or if you fell off the beaten paths and take unexpected routes. Traveling after all isn't about arriving at your chosen destination, it's more about the amazing journey to get there.

One of the things I look forward to when traveling is a cozy and comfortable place where we could retire at the end of the day. More than fancy hotels, I love to stay in pensions and have barbecue outdoors while drinking and enjoying the scenery. Chris found exactly the place I had in mind, located at the remotest part of Chuncheon right beside Bukhan river. The pension is surrounded by thick pine trees and seasonal wildflowers. The owner was gracious to give us the best room in the house, with riverfront view of the river, and a small hill nearby, thick with chestnut trees and dawdling squirrels.

There is a short trail that leads to the river, and at the side of the bank, there is a small tree house that looks really romantic and perfect for couples like us.

The tree house is small and it smelled like fresh paint, but it's also cute and the view inside is just mesmerizing. We had barbecue there and drank beer and wine for hours before calling it a night and retreating to our room.

Despite the cold winterish air, we kept the windows open that night while sleeping. At the first sight of light, I woke up. This was around 5:30 am, and Chris woke up soon after. We went to an early morning stroll around the pension hoping to see more of the squirrels and the river.

That morning I was shivering from the cold and the drizzle. We went inside the tree house again, and sitting there, wrapped in a beach towel, and drinking warm coffee was surely a perfect way to start yet another amazing journey.

Crisp early morning air, dewy grass and pinetrees, mountain covered in delicate fog, and squirrels loafing idly in search for breakfast... Could there be a more beautiful morning than this?