Touring Yeouido

Sometimes no matter how conveniently near and worth-visiting a place, when there’s no good company, there’s just no reason to go at all. I mean, I’m already close to working for two years in the Yeouido area, where the famous 63 Building landmark and Han River are, but I never really mustered enough interest to pay them a visit.

Glad that I finally got the chance, squeezing it in with my weekday work schedule. It sure helped me  in accomplishing my job for the day, so I could leave early for my seven o'clock date with my fave girls on vacation-- Mom, Tita Margie, and sisters Ruby and Roxanne.

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Korean High School Girls are Love!

I'm holding a banner of welcome notes from my high school girlfriends. Teehee...

Aren’t they just the sweetest?

This will definitely come fourth in the things that I will miss most about South Korea. Okay, so I got

1st-- the Seoul Metro Rail Transit (subway system),

2nd-- the very fast internet connection,

3rd-- the “vertical” way of living (my current apartment and neighborhood), and

4th-- my CCAP-sponsored cultural classes.

I may occasionally wreck things up at work, but I am redeemed by the genuine fulfillment that I feel by doing something that I really, really enjoy.

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New Stress Busters

I have a paper due tomorrow plus a presentation to work on a day after that, and I find myself craving for these... Tantararan!!!!!!!!

                              
                                          It used to be a Snickers bar, for goodness sake.

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My Choo-Choo Train

I still have this slight hangover from last weekend's trip to Busan, since the place has been the closest that I have gotten to feeling even a bit like home. Well for one, it drew me near to a pretty decent beach. More importantly, I got to see my sister.

Now what I think contributes to a generally good trip is an equally memorable mode of transportation that brings you to and from your destination. What I thought would be a dragging, late night train ride back home actually turned out to be a lively one.

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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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