I Love Busan! (Part 2)

Sunday’s itinerary turned out to be more of a laze, having realized that our pre-planned itinerary for today was not feasible. Our chosen activities and places to see were nowhere to be found in Busan. That random, online itinerary that we followed made us believe that Busan and Gyeongju were just geographically kissing each other. We were so wrong. Oh anyway...

Sunday

9:00am-12:00nn------------Morning stroll at Pusan National University

12:00nn-6:00pm------------Underground & Lotte Town shopping in Nampo-dong

7:00pm-9:00pm-------------Gimhae International Airport

9:30pm-10:30pm------------Seollongtang Dinner near Busan Station

11:00pm-4:30am------------Busan to Yeongdeungpo Station via Train (KORAIL)

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I Love Busan! (Part 1)

I know, I know. I’m sorry that I actually underestimated Busan's charm. It’s just that the people I have talked to mostly gave me so-so ratings when I asked them about it, that I settled for a just-for-the-heck kind of trip in South Korea’s largest port city. I wasn’t even expecting much from its brown-sand beach. But hey, it all changed when I finally reached the place. Busan has the warmth that makes you want to embrace it, not to mention a beach prowess to impress! I want to go back!!!

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Korean Island-Hopping

We all need to get some fresh air once in a while, and there really are those times when we feel like we can source it from anywhere but the city. The urge to escape from the hussles of city life therefore arises. While I still think that the Philippines owns the best island spots in the world, I recently found out that South Korea has pretty decent islands to go on trips, too. Island tripping is just perfect, in time for my fave spring season! I mean hello, I need a break from the long overdue winter freeze!

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On Errands and Yellow Dust

I just came back from my usual weekly errands to the grocery store (that included a little shopping for clothes this time around). I was already by our apartment door removing the laces in my shoes when my housemates called out from the living room and asked if I were okay. It sounded not like how they would normally welcome me upon getting home. It was more like telling me that something catastrophic just happened outside. I then of course said I was fine and worriedly thought if I had just been numb for the nth time with what’s going on around. Then they told me it’s because of the yellow dust (황사, hwang-sa), and it would’ve been safer had I stayed home. Okay, fine. So I didn't catch today's news before going out of the house. I was mostly indoors (inside a grocery store and the mall) so I didn't really get to see the yellowish Seoul that was.

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Some Korean School Video

This should explain why I have always not trusted the seemingly quiet atmosphere in my workplace... and that I have enough reasons to go skeptic at times. Didn't know these Koreans were trained back in school. Nyahahaha.

                        

END OF POST. NO MORE

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Biking in Korea

Statistics Korea recently reported that bicycle prices in the country has risen 21% YoY, as the public’s interest in exercise grows and the economic recession that still plagues automobile sales is keeping the prices of cars at lower rates. There has also been an apparent increase in demand for bikes made out of the people’s desire in achieving a healthier and eco-friendlier way of living.

I find this an interesting piece of information and see it as a faint sign of how economic and environmental challenges are moving us more to consider a shift in our lifestyles. For one, I have never seen the world banner this much on reducing carbon emissions, and bicycles present a simpler and fuel-less way of providing transportation. Not only that, bicycles help us keep up with our physical fitness by giving us the right exercise for our legs. In Korea, where I have temporarily been spared of seeing dark car exhausts, breathing fresh air while biking may also prove to be healthier...

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On Taking Risks

I raved about Korea's fast internet service in my last post because I really wanted to see the movie that beat Avatar in the run for Oscar’s Best Picture and the director who beat James Cameron. I went ahead and took a copy using Torrent. I know, I am normally not in the loop, so I got to watch the movie only now. Haha.

Anyway, as to the winners of the 2010 Oscar’s, it’s the “Hurt Locker” for best movie and ex-wife of James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow for best director. Wow, that’s straight-in-your-face International Women’s Day that the world is celebrating on this date. Bigelow is said to be the first woman ever to win the “Best Director” title in the Oscar’s. Neat!

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On Korea's Conveniences

Every time anyone asks me how I find South Korea, I would always say that living here is the conveniently rushed kind. And almost next to that, so as to emphasize more on the convenience (and avoid the pitfalls of the “rushed”), I would tell them how the country's efficient subway system has helped me a great deal with my existence here. Anyone should see me how I tell it to people, because almost always after I say that, they would ask me back if there actually exists a railway system in my own country. I sound that amazed (or rather foolishly primeval eh? Bwahaha). I think I have written a post about Korea's subway system before.

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What's An Average Seoulite Like?

I caught on this interesting article from the Korea Times. I've always loved reading stats and numbers, anyway. But I'm only up to the reading part, of course. I need not another stress on making computations, hehe.

You see, I've never really had the time to ponder about how life has generally been for me in Seoul-- have never really bothered with my surroundings given that I have to always rush things and inject everything in my numb and pre-occupied mind. It's getting pretty close to two years, I must say, of this so-called working life that I have strived to live by in South Korea's capital city. I should really get to know my current bread and butter by this time. The article could very well be a starter.

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In Search of Korea's Justin Bieber

This kid is just oh-so charming. It's the can-make-girls-cry kind of charm. I've been going through this guy's songs over and over that I am getting scared my appetite has not yet worn down. I've been stoked to a number of songs before, so at the rate at which I have so far gone with Justin Bieber's "Baby", I should have freakin' stopped.

It then made me wonder if Korea has created the Justin Bieber kind of package in its music industry? He should do just fine in letting me join the whole Korean pop fiasco. Haha.

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