2 days/ 1 night @ Jeonju city

It's been a while since I did my last update, so here's one to finish the hiatus. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Jeonju city, thanks to the efforts of my friend Chan Hong Park. The city is amazing, full of traditional and cultural vibe. Maybe we were lucky to run right in to the proceedings of a Hanbok competition, or that it is common to see a bunch of random Korean boys and girls walking around in Hanbok (traditional Korean dress) around the Hanok village. (Jeonju people reading this review...help me!)
Jeonju is quite famous for it's culinary art. The meals that I ate were quite satisfactory, given that I am a vegetarian and not a big follower of Korean food. During the trip, we had 3 big meals- one at the restaurant near the Museum, the second in the center of the city, and the third one somewhere near the bus station. During all those times, we mostly ordered Bibimbap which turns out to be the most famous dish in Jeonju. One thing worth noticing was the monstrous number of side dishes that were presented in addition to every serving at the restaurant. The general number would run somewhere around 10 to 20.
Apart from that, we also participated in a couple of cultural activities. Among them, making the Korean traditional paper called Hanji and making clay pots out of raw clay were the most remarkable. In the former, we were instructed about the ancient process of making paper, and then we were given a simple lesson on how to make our own paper. In the latter, we went to a pottery school where we were instructed by a skilled potter on how to make pots. Both these activities were quite fun and engaging, and we were also able to bring our produce back with us to Seoul.
On the whole, the trip was very comfortable. Even though it rained a bit during our walk through the Hanok village, the preparation of the tour and the sophistication and planning were certainly worthwhile. The guest house selection was also quite good (it was right in the middle of the Hanok village with close proximity to other amenities and cultural spots). If you are trying to find some place to visit in Korea soon, then I would highly recommend that you give Jeonju city a try. Just be careful of the food... if you eat too much, you will grow fat :P

Slovak Symphony @ Ichon

If it is the fancy dress up of the orchestra that you like, or their actual melodies, the sight at the Slovak Symphony had everything encompassed in it.

The performance was sponsored and hosted by Seoul Metro who regularly organizes such events, It was held at Seoul ART museum in Ichon, one of the biggest museums in Korea (A must visit for anybody living in Seoul for long).

Spanning around 2 hours with a 20 minutes break in the middle, the performance was, to be honest, a challenge to remain attentive. It is one thing to rove and jive internally to a piece of classical music, but to hear it in all lengths and capacity is a challenge for the most civilized being among us. But, it ended and I got to came back home and I was happy to have attended it, although I wished I had left the theatre a little while ago during the break. :)

Italian Food @ Insadong

If you are lost in the streets of Insadong, weary and tired, then you would thank me a ton for recommending this amazing place to eat there. Although the menu only varies from pizza to pasta and the occasional twists in Italian cuisine, I can say it with a high degree of assurance that it will be one of the best pizzas and pastas you would eat in your life there.

The place is ideal for an art meet up or a casual get together. The ambient music, the relaxed lightening and the bustle-free design makes it easier to flow smoothly the stream of conversations. It is also possible to get some drinks while you are there. Also, if you choose to dine at this fantastic Italian restaurant, feel free to stroll around and gaze at the paintings on the wall, and maybe, if the manager of the place isn't very occupied at the moment, ask her to guide you through her arts. I am sure you will not regret this.

Halloween Cruise @ Gimpo ARA Terminal

It's not every year that one gets to spend Halloween on a cruise, and so I am especially grateful to our team at Inseoul Magazine for giving me this fantastic opportunity.

So, let's begin... How can I describe the cruise...? Phenomenal yet gaudy. The firework was exceptionally brilliant with short paced bursts but the overall management was a little lacking, especially on the cleaning side. It was clear at several times that the dance floor was in need of a quick sweeping but nobody on the management side paid much attention to it. Also there were times when I felt the overall event could have been made more fun by proceeding in a scheduled fashion rather than just opening up all the facilities at all times for everyone. Certainly, discipline has its own pay, even on a cruise on a Halloween night. The last formidable challenge that I faced was finding my way back to the university. Since Gimpo is quite far away from any average person's daily itinerary and subways and buses stop early on weekends, I felt the management should have given harder thoughts to getting people back to their homes safely after the cruise.

The cruise took off at 7 pm from the Gimpo ARA terminal (It was a little hard to find the place at first, but if you are planning to go there next time, just remember this place is next to the big Hyundai Outlet and then just walk a few steps from there). It was really nice to see so many people dressed up for the occasion except me, who if my reader's humor sense permit it, was dressed up as a business man (not very scary, right? Maybe you are wrong :P ). After our entry on the cruise, we were each served with food and drinks and then we made our way to the 2 floor to put down our bags and socialize. As from my experience, it was apparent that the event was a big hit among English teachers in Korea, especially the ones from US and South Africa. Later, we hopped over to the dance floor to shake off some frenzy energy before getting back on land and finding our way back to our sad little dorms.

To know more about this and other such events, go to http://www.goodtimesrok.com/

The DMZ fun!

It had already been a lousy weekend so far. Most of my friends were busy with their tests and assignments but the weather seemed so promising of a nice day outside. Also, I have been very curious about the history of North and South Korea, and the repeated incursions of North on the South.
So, I picked up a few brochures and compared them to find the best deal on DMZ. It turns out that the 'DMZ tour' isn't that expensive at all., Priced at about 45,000 KRW which includes the shuttle bus ride, boarding tickets, travel guide etc, the DMZ tour was much better than I initially expected.

The trip began at Hongik university station where outside the exit gate no. 3, a shuttle bus was waiting for our arrival. After a little paper work and name signing, we picked up our seats and started the DMZ tour. The journey from Seoul to the northern frontiers of South Korea took us around an hour, after which we went first to watch a movie about the korean war and the north korean incursions on South Korea. Later, we had a first hand experience to one of the tunnels that North Korea dug to disregard the DMZ. It was a thirty minute walk underground but it was well facilitated. After that, we went to an observatory to look at North Korea through the binoculars. The trip ended at the Dorasan station where we observed the DMZ train... ready to take off.

I have a few things to advise to make the trip to DMZ most enjoyable. Firstly, if you are looking for some light fun with friends without much walking or travelling, then this trip is certainly not for your taste. The DMZ tour involved a lot of walking, especially while walking and exploring one of the inception tunnels. Secondly, it would be really helpful to read up on North and South Korea relationship beforehand so that you feel more confident at connecting the dots when you see them. And lastly, it is very important that you bring along a friend or two to make the whole trip more enjoyable.

To find more information about the tour, visit: www.seoulcitytour.net

Weekend @Nami Island

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own an island? Do you think you would be able to truly and correctly carry out all the related administrative tasks? Do you need an example to see how exciting yet extremely difficult it could be to own an island?

THEN, WELCOME TO THE NAMINARA REPUBLIC, an island nation situated 63 km from Seoul. You can take a shuttle bus from Namdemun and Insadong to get here, but more on that later. The island has an area of 460,000 square meter and a circumference of 5 km. It was named after the Late general Nami, a notable figure in Korean history who courageously fought in battles but died at the age of 26. Today, it is a place for rest and relaxation where human beings, animals and trees share peace, love and harmony far away from crowds and civilization.

How to get to Nami Island:

• Take the shuttle bus from either Insadong or Namdemun street. The cost for the shuttle bus varies from 8,000 to 10,000 KRW depending on the time and season. 
• Take either the zip-wire or the ferry to get to the island. The Zip-wire costs about 38,000 KRW and is subjected to be discontinued on accounts of rain and snow. The ferry is free of charge but usually very crowded. 

What to do in Nami island:

There are plenty of activities that you can do around Nami island. You could rent a bike and tour around the island, or use an electric tour bus or Motorboat for the same. There are some scenic locations and places where the soap opera "winter sonata" was shot that you could visit. Walking around the island, it is common to meet with a museum or performance here and there. There are also certain workshops and handicraft studios that you can visit. The island has a fascinating collection of cuisine menu ranging from pizza and pasta to asian dishes. It is not hard to find Halal food on the island, though it was a bit tricky to find pure vegetarian food. But the most important piece of advice is to bring a friend or two while coming to this place. It will make the experience more fun and enchanting while also dulling the negative effects of the weather and long waiting periods.

To know more, visit the page @ www.naminara.com/www.namisum.com

Grevin Wax Museum @ Euljiro 1-ga

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stand face to face with your favorite celebrities? Do you think you will pass bouts of jitters when you meet them?

DON'T WORRY!  I have found a perfect practice place for you then!

The Grevin Wax Museum in Euljiro 1-ga exhibits a fine collection of both international and korean celebrities from Tiger Woods to Tom Cruise to Psy and others. Each wax figure is modeled to real-life perfectness and sometimes look frighteningly real. Some of the exhibits themes have been borrowed straight from the movies like Godfather, Ocean's 13, etc, while others have been imagined from history books and recreated.

At my time of the visit, the museum was sparsely populated which allowed me and my friend to enjoy to the maximum. A good camera and a patient partner is a must, although it is possible in certain cases to ditch the latter. Also, it is suggested that you dress up for the visit since I am sure you don't want to be in your shirt and trousers when you meet great celebrities like Einstein and Steve Jobs.

Admission / Participation Fees

Adults 23,000 won Teenagers 18,000 won Children & Seniors (ages over 65) 15,000 won Homepage www.grevin-seoul.com (Korean, English) Local Transportation [Subway] City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1,2), Exit 6.  - Walk straight for 5 min.  Or,  Euljiro 1-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), Exit 1.  - Walk straight for 3 min.