All In The Family.

My mom's the latest addition to the ever growing cult of Twilight followers. Could you imagine at her age, she's into those four books tinged with the hallmarks of first love and high school mush, swooning over Edward Cullen's immortal hotness? I'm used to dealing with her post-menopausal insanity spells that happen from time to time, but I'm telling you, I never saw this one coming.

My sister's a big fan, and her addiction conveniently brushed off to my mom's pysche, and now she too is an addict. And unlike me who inconspicuously waited for about a week post the opening date of New Moon, she scrambled to the theaters on the first day itself, and after which she was thrilled to give everyone a blow-by-blow account of what transpired in the movie, paying special attention to Edward's Cullen's shirtless glory at the end part.

She called this noon asking where she could get a copy of New Moon so she can watch it again at home. Well, I don't have any idea where to get it (not till it's out on DVD in a couple of months), but I can't get over the fact that at age 57 she's 'jonesing' for a teeny-bopperish Edward Cullen fix!

BITTEN!

I watched New Moon today, and after an excruciating and haphazardly dangerous week of waiting, I could finally tell myself that it's over with. As agonizing as it sounds, I purposely waited for a week after opening cause I expected it wouldn't be packed wall to wall anymore. But guess what?! Those multitude of Twilight fans (who are barely in their puberty) came in wicked digits, and it was nothing short of a pandemonium out there! You could even consider us lucky for getting a seat.

I can't really say that I was satisfied with the movie cause you know the thing about sequels, and also I'm not really a big fan of Chris Weitz. I know he could do better (or was the budget too small?). Good thing the movie has it's strengths (no matter how small it is), and although it's not enough to veil all the flaws, it kept us glued to our seats and refrained us from storming our way out and demanding a refund.

The only thing I love about the movie is seeing Edward in all his shirtless glory, nevermind Jacob.. I can't get over the fact that he has to wear platform shoes to look taller. There's also this kiss between Edward and Bella. I got to say it's wicked! Passionate yet gentle, almost "churchy" but also intense. Acting-wise I like the old Edward better when he was more highschool-ish, relaxed and upbeat. The movie may have called for a more serious type, but he came off a little too stiff. He totally needs to work on that or the next two movies would be a flop (but then again maybe not). Ok.. Why am I so darn hard to please?

Sleepless in Suwon.

Although I love our city and all superfluities it brings, at times it really gets under my skin. I don't need a nagging boss to pump up my stress level to the hilt. Just picture this; crowded subways, rowdy uniform-clad students packing every square inch of the streets, drunk men acting like retards, and a neighbor who loves to play the piano until the wee hours of the morning (and waking up in the middle of the night hearing his rendition of Nocturne scares the crap out of me!). It doesn't help that there's always a new building being constructed/renovated and hearing earsplitting jack hammer noises all day long is part of the deal. These are the things that I have to deal with every single day, and let me tell you a daily dose of that could really make any sane person crazy in the literal sense of the word.

Whenever I'm stressed out, I would always ask Chris to go with me for a late night walk. During one of those therapeutic walks, we went to Ajou University. I spent a good three months studying in this institution. All of my classes were held in the afternoon and I was dead curious how the University grounds look at night. It didn't disappoint though. It looks even better with the moon, the stars, and all the cute little lamp posts. I sort of gave Chris a tour, and showed him the usual spots where my Norwegian friend and I usually hang out. When we got tired, we went to the picnic ground and stayed inside a gazebo to rest and soak up the scene. I grew hungry so Chris called our favorite Chicken place (it's on his speed dial ^^) and ordered a box of fried chicken and beer. We enjoyed the accidental picnic so much that we lost track of time, and before we knew it, it was already 2 am! We spent another hour taking pictures before heading home.

What's a better way to seal a romantic evening than take photos that'll forever remind you how perfect the night had been...

Wishing for more unexpected dates and romantic evenings like this one. :-)

Top 5.

I've never been enormously tactful, but I do feel my bitchin' jag on the previous post was a little too much. It's just a humiliating tendency when I'm hurt, so my apologies to those who found it repulsive.

In these times, when there isn't much to smile about, I could really use a (massive) dose of laughter. But since I'm presently surrounded with people who refutes sense of humor (must be from watching that doomsday movie, I heard it's kind of shocking and depressing), I'm just holding on to music to keep me sane till the 'storm' wears off.

I found songs from really great bands. Some of them old and some are still new, but they're all great and talented. I'd like to share my top 5 favorite song of the moment. I copied and pasted the links, so do check it.

*Placebo - "Running Up That Hill"

For the longest time, I've been looking for bands like Placebo that are not too mainstream-y. I also love how they experiement with different instruments so their songs differ from one another.

*Thom Yorke of Radioheads - "True Love Waits"
I'm not particularly a fan of Radioheads, I only know a couple of their songs. But frontman Thom Yorke in my opinion, is really awesome. I super love this song.

*Death Cab For A Cutie - "Transatlanticism"
This band captivates me. Their songs are exactly my kind of lullabye.

*Landon Pigg - "Can't Let Go"
For someone so new, I didn't know a song could be this catchy. This guy's teeth bothers me though... It makes me feel like running to my dentist.

*Bowling For Soup - "When We Die"
I don't like the band. I only listen to this song and skip the rest. I didn't know a guy with painted nails could be this annoying... watch the video to know what I'm talking about. :p

*Jimmy Eat World - "Kill"
Another ear candy from one of my favorite bands. It's so easy to listen to these guys. They make me crave for macaroons and hot chocolate whenever I listen to their songs.

Tale of the Snoop.

I have not been spared of the slings and arrows of 'friendship-gone-sour', and this is making me feel really depressed. To make the matter worse, wranglings with this certain "frienemy" opened more cans of worms which alluded to even more problems and bigger implications. This backstabbing, only-a-mother-could-love gossipmonger loves to fabricate stuff in her free time, and be a pain in everyone's ass. I hate to be affected this much, but because of her, everything that I do now feels unremittingly tedious and difficult. I'm actually toying with the idea of sending her a shirt that says "I'm the biggest bitch there is", and it comes with a bag of chopped up pig's tongue. But knowing how much of a sleaze and barely literate person that she is, she's probably gonna wear that shirt loud and proud. I don't know what she's gonna do with the pig's tongue though.

She annoys me to the hilt, and I couldn't stop thinking about all the harrowing and vile things I wish I had said to her. This is the kind of person who does not deserve an ounce of respect. I'm so done with her pretenses and backstabbing innuendos. It's my fervent wish that she would just vanish, the world would be better off without her anyway. I'm generally a nice person, but this b*tch used up my 10 year supply of patience, making me the exact opposite of my old, modern-day-Pollyana' self...

Wonders of the South.

Busan is a densely populated metropolis located in the Southern part of Korea. Even if you're not a cyberspace addict, I'm sure you've probably heard about this bustling city by now. Thanks to it's myriad of beautiful scenic spots, swanky tourist accommodations, ostentatiously-built shopping districts, and a jumping nightlife, Busan came to be known as the “Summer Capital” of the country.

Hewed to the image of an excursionist who refuses to miss out on all the fun, we decided to visit this city one weekend (propitiously timed to coincide with my birthday) and explore what everyone's been raving about. The journey to get there was anything but pleasant; spurred by long hours of driving (6 hours or so and that’s in a good day), passing through abysmal dizzying tunnels, and traffic so heavy it almost gave me an aneurysm.

One could always opt to ride a plane instead to considerably cut the traveling time, but the drive, as agonizing as it sounds, is one hell of an experience. When you finally set foot, get ready to be amused, bewildered, and dazzled to the core. Busan is a place like no other, the vibrant energy that surrounds the city is so abundant it’s contagious. This city has a lot to offer, all built to impress even the most flamboyant tourist craving for an action-packed adventure. But the thing that I love the most about it is the people. To put it simply, the cross section of people you encounter there is just so diverse, so unique and inspiring, you couldn’t help but be influenced.

Busan in a sprawling city that best represents everything that is fresh, carefree, and liberating. Amongst all the places there that I could feature, I've chosen three that visually narrate the essence of the city.

First is Taejongdae, a natural park auspiciously named after the 29th King of Silla Dynasty. High above the rocky beach and overlooking the deep iridescent horizon reflected by the sea, there lies the famous light house and observatory. On a good weather, the coast of Japan can be seen from it's viewing deck.








Next is Haedong Yonggungsa, a famous temple situated on the coast of the north-eastern portion of Busan. It's built in 1376, during Goryeo Dynasty. While most temples are built on mountains, this rare temple is built along the shore line, thus providing an awesome scenery of deep blue water and amazing rock formations jutting out into the sea. The sound of the waves and the chants of the monks evoke a very calming atmosphere.









And lastly, Haeundae Beach. During the hottest part of the summer, this beach turns into a virtual sea of bodies, packing every square foot of the fine sand. But with all the precarious mess and the earsplitting noises coming from the ungodly number of people (mostly intoxicated), I highly doubt one could drink a cup of coffee in peace. It makes a world of difference if you visit this place right after the summer vacation is over when you could better appreciate the fine sand, the clear blue sky, and the whole lively beach atmosphere.

Whenever the weather is bad, and visions of sunny beach and fine white sand occupy my thoughts, I immediately think about Busan. There's something about it that's so unforgettable. And to those who visited, it brings back an air of nostalgia, flooding you with wonderful memories that last a lifetime... I could only wish for a second visit.

Thinking Out Loud.

Have you ever had one of those mundane mornings and you find yourself on Facebook, stupidly ogling at pictures and reading statuses of your so-called 'friends'. You don't know what has gotten into your head, but your fingers started typing the name of a person you knew long ago, hoping to find some juicy details of how his life turned out to be. The thing is, this isn't your long lost friend, and not a person you knew from school or work, but an 'ex' whose memories you tried to push to the deepest, darkest pit of your temporal lobe. Your reason tells you not to click that search button, but you did anyway as silly curiosity got the best of you. And there it was, a tiny profile pic the size of your thumb glaring in front of you, and all the bitter memories came back like a tidal wave, swallowing and hurting you beyond comprehension, and you wish to hell that there is such thing as "undo" in real life...

Italian Night at Il Mare.

Present day living is dictated by dense urbanity, a landscape of high rise units and fast paced lifestyle. But the city life, no matter how good it sounds or how colorful Carrie Bradshaw cunningly puts it, could sometimes makes us feel like an embattled heroine in a crappy telenovela. Sure it would be nice if we could get whisked away to exotic places and take a breather, but we all know that rarely happens. So what do you do when the city life gets too tough? I say explore what the city has to offer, find interesting spots and plunge head long to it, millions of people didn't choose to live here for nothing. You don't have to always get away from the city to unwind, for all you know, the next adventure is literally right around the corner.

Say for example the case of Il Mare. We've been seeing this restaurant for years, but somehow, it never occurred to us to actually try it. One Saturday evening, for lack of better place to go, we decided to pay this restaurant a visit. "Il Mare" roughly translates as "the sea" in Italian, and unlike your quintessential restaurant hiding under the pretense of 'authentic Italian cuisine', Il Mare is way ahead of it's competition.

Outside, Il Mare looks no different from any other restaurant.

Inside, walls are adorned with paintings of famous Italian actors and panoramic view of the streets of Italy.

I love the casual, laid back vibe of the restaurant. The interiors hinted that young people frequent this place.

Light fixtures mounted on each table are muted and easy on the eyes. I particularly love it's design.

Dinner is their busiest time, so expect to wait a little for the food to arrive. These heavenly bread would keep you occupied while waiting.

It's always good to start off with a glass of wine, it gets the conversation flowing. Chris got a glass of "Villa M" Italian white wine, while I got myself their house wine.

I always thought good food is about balance of flavor, texture, and appearance. This Seafood Pasta in Cream Sauce, an Il Mare Special, has it all.

Their charming Pizza creation tastes divine! One bite and your hooked forever!



Because of it's classy and quaintly-decorated interiors, you'd think it's a snobbish, steeply-priced restaurant. You'll be surprised to know that everything is reasonably priced here. And with music so cleverly-chosen playing in the background, it creates a relaxing ambiance fit for a nice romantic meal.



I'm closing this entry with a phrase that best describes the experience you get at Il Mare: "It's love made edible."

Here's to Fall!

A change of season brings with it great anticipation over all that is fresh and different. Now that the summer heat is long gone, and Autumn is once again upon us, I look forward to more ethereal escapes and creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

Like no summer sojourn is complete without a trip to the beach, no Autumn travelogue would prove fit in topping off this memorable season without photos of trees glazed with vivid hues of fiery reds, crimsons, and golden yellow colors.

Here's to Autumn, and to a lot more enchanting memories to come!

Autumn Travelogue: Jeongseon.

Burdened with zest to uncover more of Kangwondo, we trekked to the county of Jeongseon, and arrived mid-afternoon when the sun was high above the mountaintops. An overwhelming sense of peace and tranquility permeates the atmosphere there.



Vivid hues and painterly splashes of color from the landscape stands as the perfect backdrop worthy of a million photographs. The scenery is truly a sight to behold, and once again I'm floored. I loved every inch of the mountainous terrain that overlooks lush vegetation.

Other than soaking in the beautiful scenery, I didn't know what we're about to do next. Chris kept me in limbo saying our next adventure is one, big secret. A quick visit to an old train car which they turned into a store for snacks gave me a hint that we might do something strenuous (if not why the need for more carbohydrates? ^^).

The store sells organic stuffs and well-being food grown in the quiet county. Everything's all good and top-notch quality, but prices are way too steep!

The place seemed like an old train station, and that hinted me that we might ride the train and tour the area. As I predicted, a train came, but with it came the rail bikes (I wasn't expecting that part).

A guy wearing a police uniform ushered us to our designated seats.



After a brief introduction from them, and making sure everyone's securely fastened to their seats, we started pedaling the tracks.

We ran thru the 7.2 kilometer riverside stretch, passing several tunnels, bridges, rice fields, and small villages.

We exhausted our leg muscles pedaling, but as the bike builds momentum, it became easier, and we were able to concentrate looking at the scenery. For most part, we didn't have to move a muscle as the bikes ran down a gentle slope on it's own at a maximum speed of 20 km/h. It's the most awesome part, and as the cold blast of wind touched my face, it cleared all the aches away! The spectacular view soothed our minds from all worries and filled us with exhilarating insouciance like no other.

Below is the video I took while we were on this rail biking adventure. Enjoy!

Autumn Travelogue: The Twin Waterfall of Mureung,

If a place, subject of so many tales and legends exacts a price, we're willing to pay for it. The price came not in form of money, but hours of laborious hike that left us sweaty and exhausted. But by all indications, this wasn't just another of the many travel jaunts we often took.

At the top, there lies the Twin Waterfall, heralded by glorious bask of sunlight, birds chirping, and breaths of exclamation from awed tourists. A waterfall standing beside an equally glorious, seemingly identical one, and water gracefully cascading beneath spectacular rock formations. We spent a good hour soaking in the scene, hearing nature's rendition of music, and breathing the rarefied air you could only get in the most isolated, pristine places.

To sum up our journey to Mureung, I included the small video I took to show the others how divinely everything looks up there.

Autumn Travelogue: Mureung Valley

We've been coming to Kangwondo for more than 3 years now, but it was only this time that we discovered the Valley in Mureung. It's hard to be articulate in describing this place. There are so many beautiful sights, wild creatures we could only find in zoos, and amazing cliffs and rock formations that by all means, deserve to be written in different installments.

Mureung is located West of Donghae, not far from the cave we visited. The lot where we parked is wide and could accommodate infinite number of cars at once. This only proves how popular this is for tourists all year round.

This is where you could obtain tickets to enter the mountain. It's design reminiscence of ancient temple structures.

This is the first bridge we saw at the foot of the mountain.

...and it gave us a good view of the valley.

As we moved along the trail, the forest became dense, thick with trees and shrubs. There are parts where the trees are so thick sunlight couldn't pass through.

The hike lasts for almost two hours, though it's not really a strenuous climb. On my right side, and partly obscured by trees and shrubs, lies the valley which provides an awesome inspiration when you feel like stopping.

Mureung exudes an air of ancient mystery. Ancient Taoist hermits, Confucian scholars, and important historical figures called this their paradise, subject of different tales and legends. Since time immemorial, it gave visitors a taste of what it feels like to be in paradise. With sights so grand and superb, you would feel like you're being transported to a different era.

Monstrous rocks bouldering the path makes the climb more tiring than it really is. These rocks could very well be a million years old, and it boggles me how they get to be in some positions.

In a time where development and technology is rapidly unfolding, it's so nice that we still have places like this to find solitude and peace.

We left the valley a decade wiser from knowing it's history and cultural importance. We brought with us a bigger appreciation for nature, and zeal to preserve it for the next generations to see.

Autumn Travelogue: Exploring Cheongok Cave

Still in Kangwondo, there is a natural underground cave that we visited they call Cheongokdong. It's hard to miss as it's located right in the middle of Donghae. They call this a limestone grotto, and is estimated to be about 400-500 million years old. You have to obtain a ticket first before you enter.

At the mouth of the cave, there is a guy that will assist and provide you with hard hats like the ones you could find in construction sites. It's necessary that you wear these hats because the sharp edges of the rocks could hurt your head immensely.

The trail is not steep, you only have to go down the stairs of approximately a hundred steps. After that, the journey would be mostly on level surfaces. The total length of the cave is about 1,400 meters, but part of it remains closed to preserve the diverse community of insects and small animals that lives there. oEut 400 to 500 million years old



Cheongok cave could also be considered as a cave museum. Here they showcase different crystals and interesting stones that were probably unearthed while they were developing the cave.

Enclosed within are beautiful rock formations like calcified limestones, curtained stalactites, mounds of stalagmites, and bizarre looking rocks.

Water seeps down through the ground, and drips through the roof of the cave forming these beautiful stalactites.

When the exposed area beneath the drip forms stalagmites, they sometimes meet to form a column. It takes hundreds, even millions of years to form these.

In some parts of the cave, the formation is still under progress, and it's absolutely necessary that we do not touch these formations as it could discolor them, and inhibit further development. CCTVs are installed basically in every angle, and a huge fine will be given to those who do not follow this rule.

It's colder by several degrees inside, and there is a constant sound of trickling water from the walls and underground springs. I also noticed a very distinct smell (perhaps from the animals that live there) percolating in the air.

It's well-lighted inside, and there is no need for flashlights. In areas where it's dim, they installed safety railings and metal ceilings.

There are parts where you have to squeeze yourself in and bend over in order to pass. In some areas, you have to twist your body and bend your back really low to almost in sitting position (depending on how tall you are). I strained my back and my hips from all the twisting and bending... ^^

Cheongokdong gives visitors a chance to educate themselves with it's different geologic properties, archaeological and cultural importance, as well as providing an interesting study of wildlife in their most mysterious habitat. Not only that, it's also a good way to explore and appreciate the natural wonders God has given us. For these reasons, Cheongok cave is definitely worth a visit.