lifewithoutregrets
Eileen
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N Seoul Tower . Teddy Bear Museum .Myeong Dong
All thanks to Cathay for canceling our flight 2 days before departure, we demanded for compensation and were given a direct flight to Korea. So off we went on Asiana.
Unfortunately for us, not a smooth sailing flight with really strong turbulence, even ended up having a night mare that turbulence was too strong and we had to abandon the trip. =.=
Touched down at 6.15am and travelled on their airport rail to our hostel. Both of us were so tired then we slept throughout, but thank goodness, managed to wake up in time to rush down the train.
However thrown at our face were cold hard news: there is no escalator or lift in most part of Korea! Carrying luggage up the flight of stairs is no joke. Well, we survived nevertheless.
We were luckily. First day of arrival we saw filming. But was forbidden to take any photo.. Not a Korea drama fan so not sure who are the actors.
Settled at our hostel, freshened up and left for our first destination.
Lucky us, met a very nice street stall boss who treat us soup when we asked for direction to the bus stop. Warming to our stomach, warming to the heart.
N Seoul Tower is a place that symbolize love. It’s also a place where couples believes that hanging their love lock up and throwing the keys far away down the mountain symbolize everlasting love. But throwing of keys is forbidden now for obvious reason.
Filled with love locks. We brought ours along as well! Super well prepared. Everyone we met on the trip was shocked about how prepared we are for the trip. With a excel sheet that included every single details we can find, telling us the exact directions. some to the extend.. “turn left when see 7-11 then walk 100m then right” ok. Maybe that explains why we were never lost. Rather spend our time in more attractions than spending time getting lost. Everyone was so impressed with our excel that some even requested to have a copy.
Back to N Seoul Tower. Dear and my lock! <3
Other than Love lock, they have love tiles. Its all just marketing gimmicks but well we bought it too. Easy victims to these kind of marketing gimmicks.
Teddy Bear Museum was just beside N Seoul Tower so might as well.
Very creative to use teddy bear to illustrate the story of Korea.
The old Korea
The modernize Korea
Took a cable car down and walked to Myeong Dong Area. Their orchard road, flooded with Cosmetic shops, f21, Zara. Middle price clothing but consider expensive to budget travellers like us.
We researched that there is a famous eatery around the area that specialize in handmade noodle. called: Gyoja Restaurant. When we returned to Myeong Dong another day, the queue outside was very very long.
The food was delicious if not for the spicyness. Even for someone who loves chilli, these were just too much.
Went shopping but the clothing here were just too expensive, generally $20-50. undeniable good quality but expensive.
Too tired and we start searching for Foot reflexology place. Very interestingly different from the usual we went.
Lying on a bed. They dip our leg into a what we thought was hot water but later told us is wax. The wax was so hot that for a moment I thought I am losing my leg but they were so persistently pressing my leg in the wax. The wax was then removed after a while and massage began.
All energized, we continued walking around before dinner
We also managed to researched a well known Ginseng chicken shop around that area.
Was quite a disappointment. Sigh..
Left back to hostel and we change upon Angeline on the subway. How lucky.
But when we met again the next day, we realise both of us alighted at the wrong stop because we got too hype up chancing each other.
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Back from Korea for the 5th day. Still trying to get used to the weather here. Or Perhaps I will never get used to it, I never had. Shall do some homework and pen down the happenings. Am so proud of ourselves that we did not get lost, we did went the wrong course but was always able to navigate outside back to our destination. :)
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Glad that we still gathered out 4 years after graduation with our form teacher who tried so hard to save each and every of our GP/PW but we were beyond hope. and soo.. our dear teacher volunteered to organize the next outing.. let’s see….
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Brunch@Habitat Coffee, upper thomson with Trina whom I realise I have not met for the longest time.
I can’t appreciate egg benedict. The egg just taste…..weird.
Saw another cafe just 2 shops down with an interesting concept- old school. So tables are wooden kind and some old school toys can be bought there.
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Dinner @ Swee Choon.
A 7 person dinner became 4 person and ended with 16 person. Nicho said some friends were coming so we thought perhaps 2-3, and… 12 turned up! All across the globe from Sweden, Finland, Germany, US, Mexico, Spain…. Very friendly people.From a dimsum dinner. It became a purely xiao long bao dinner. They repeatedly ordered 3 of their favorite dishes. Even the store lost count of the number.
And talking about cross culture understanding. Met a handful of interesting stuff which makes me ponder about cross culture management. Since majority wins, we have to do the westerner greeting method - the face touch face method. At first it was a shock for me cause they just came forward and said “I don’t know how Singaporean greets but this is how we do it.” and their face came over almost immediately! I got stunned for a moment, the first immediate natural feeling is an invasion of personal area. But well, understand it is their culture, their way, so was okie with it, quite fun to experience different culture greetings.
Then they got full and started playing with food. Omg! Luckily they did it only once! But that was ENOUGH to get deadly stares from
the whole restaurant. They threw a small jiao zi across TWO tables! Because our group is too big, we occupied 2 tables. We were not able to stop them in time. Well, to the chinese playing of food is a SUPER BIG NONO! Not to say throwing them! Omg! Thank goodness we got
Out of the restaurant soon.My Mexico friend tells us 2 things about Mexicans which is so true!
1) they are never on time
2) they are rather indecisive. They can wave good bye to you and 3 hours later, they are still standing around chatting.A great cross cultural night. :))
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Been doing my homework for Korea trip when I chance upon this website:HERE
Places worth dying for..
I want to abandon my city-kid life and dive into these scenery. omg.
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Flea at City Sq Mall~ despite some hiccups, things still ran smoothly.
Sales didn’t reach my ultimate target but at least over my minimum expectation. Perhaps if there wasn’t the hiccups, things would be much better but well.. Shall be content! Coz it’s a fabulous start after all! :))
Thanks to everyone who came down to help and those who popped by! Especially Eewei with all the days and night of packing. My love for coming down despite having exam.. =D
Next flea coming up at Bedok CC. Not a big flea. Just something small and few hours! :) HUAT AH!
Having the aim to earn back my Korea trip air ticket, the 3 domestic flight and my accommodations with my part time jobs/flea. until now managed to earn my air ticket back! :)) a good start! More to come please!
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1) Studying is killing me.
2) Strategy kinda sucks.
3) I am going Korea soon! :)
4) My flea is coming! Weeee! Best things to do with sistasss. Looking forward to get rid of the goods in my room.
5) Spending bit of time with my dear everyday makes me happy! <3
6) I need to gym to run like soon.
7) 16 hours to Freedom. :)
8) Thailand trip is coming up next!
