Seoul Trip Itinerary: Hanbok Experience, Gyeongbokgong, Gwanghwamun, Yellow Cafe, Gwangjang Market, DDP.

Annyeonghaseyo! So finally we have reached Seoul!  So how did we manage to teleport ourselves from Busan? We took SRT to travel the distance hence we could reach Suseo directly instead of Yongsan so it was nearer to Gangnam, where we were staying.

Pig Brown with us!

Quick breakfast before catching the train!

SRT and KTX are both located at the same place.  All we need to do is to reach the Busan Station.  Through Metro, take Line 1 to Busan Station and walk towards the direction indicating KTX station.  They are both different buildings and you need to leave the Metro Busan Station and walk towards KTX Busan station.  There is an information counter and if you are having heavy luggage with you, the personnel will lead you to the elevator. No worries! =)

You will need to see this building to board KTX or SRT trains. Not my picture as it was too cold to take any picture hehe..

You can see Korail train just beside SRT train tracks. =)

We bought our very super yummy brunch from Paris Baguette and I am so impressed by their packaging! So thoughtful and so easy to handle! And to be honest it is crazily yummy! Chicken sandwich.  Yes, we are allowed to eat in the train. =)

It was a really comfortable ride and not too expensive but the major drawback was the railway company does not offer English version of the website so it can be awfully hard for foreigners.  I did it with the help of my Korean chingu! 🙂

Let’s move on to: Hanbok day!  Yay! So we finally got to try on Hanbok rented from Gowonsol Hanbok.  The hanbok shop is located very near to Gyeongbukgong and it was easy to search for it.  The shop owners are friendly and they provided accurate directions to their shop.  They have huge selections of hanboks and they all look so new and clean!  If you are interested, do drop them a Facebook message, they are friendly and nice. Owh, but reservation is necessary! Don’t forget that!

2hours rental price – KRW 10000
4hours rental price – KRW 15000

With the paid fee, you are entitled to wear Hanbok, headpiece, a cloth ribbon, handbag and in winter, we were being offered with free vest but I did not take it as it made me look bulky hehe..

With Hanbok on, we went to 삼백집 (Sambaekjib) to have 콩나물국밥 (bean sprout soup). Sambaekjib is located just in front of exit 4 of Metro Gyeongbokgung station. They serve really light and hearty bean sprout soup and it was so warm!  It gave us all the HEAT that we needed inside.

Crazy people in the restaurant. JiYeon was wearing the vest! So sweet!

Chingu and I.

They love raw eggs so they scooped it out before it gets too cooked.  But I don’t like raw egg haha.. There is a white jar of salted beef it tastes so yummy but so salty! I love salty food keke..

Just a few steps away it was Gyeongbokgong!

Excuse me! The King wants to cross the road! *hahahahahahahaha laugh die me*

Fai became the KING and he was getting ready to hunt for animals. *the store owner said the King wore this outfit to hunt animals in the forest.*

Two cuties.

I wasn’t ready for pictures as I hadn’t remove my coat but the tourists kept requesting for photos with us. We became celebrity!

I really love this picture so much!

Modern and traditional fashion.

Like, enemies coming! ahaha..

This is so hilarious!

The shop owner (sajangnim) tied the red cloth ribbon for me. So sweet!

After playing for FOUR HOURS, we returned our Hanbok and we went to visit Sejong the Great.  I missed out seeing him during my previous visit so I was so happy to see him.  There is a “Story of King Sejong” located at the underground level.  Do drop by if you wish to know him better.  Entrance fee was free.

The great king who invented Hangul system.

I was deeply impressed at how liberal or democratic the South Korea’s government is.  Citizens are allowed to protest and voice their political thoughts.  Protests were carried out at Gwanghwamun, in front of the statue of Admiral Yi Sun Shin.

We can’t do this here. 😀

Memorial booth was set up in the remembrance of the Ferry victims.  It was so heartbreaking to see them.. 😦

Soon, we left and headed to the Yellow Cafe featuring BANANA MILK by Binggrae located in Hyundai City Outlets.  Take the metro to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park station, walk towards exit 14.  Continue to walk straight for around 3 minutes, turn left and walk for 1 minute, Hyundai City Outlets will be on your right.  Take the escalator and go down to B2F and you will see Yellow Cafe.

Huge banana milk!

I ordered black tea banana milk latte. Yums!

We had a good chat there and it was really awesome to spend some time with JiYeon.  Then we headed to Gwangjang Market to have our dinner, the Korean way.  It was freezing cold outside so we boarded a cab (KRW3000) to Gwangjang Market.

Through Metro, take Subway Line 1 to Jongno 5-ga Station and exit from Exit 7.  The most famous food is bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and tteokboki.

Entrance of Gwangjang Market.

Ahjumma stacking bindaetteok.

Ahjumma selling Mayak Kimbap. Mayak means addictive poison but of course it has no poison! Hehehe.

Mayak kimbap, tteokboki and bindaetteok.  The tteokboki was made of rice, not flour! So soft and chewy like I never had such wonderful tteokboki before. The long benches were heated with heater! Woooooo~ hot buttocks!

Then we headed to Dongdaemun Design Plaza to enjoy the LED roses. Whoaaaaa~~~The direction is: Metro Line 2,4, 5 Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station exit 1, 2.

Whoaaaaaa~~~ #noedit #nofilter

So coldddddd~

Admiring at the beauty of the roses.

So we went home and waved goodbye to JiYeon. Awwwwwww so miss her!!

We had a good rest and we planned a shopping spree the next day. Hehe.

Night night!

Annyeong!

Til I blog again.

Love,

Yanni.

Of Hometown: Ipoh

It had been so long since I last explored my hometown, Ipoh.  I do go home, but not visiting places, as time being at home is scarce and precious.

During the latest visit, I decided to hang out with my “bestest” friend on Earth.  After lots of mishaps (small ones) we ended up changing the location to Ipoh Old Town.

Well known as a tourist attraction, I parked my car somewhere far and became a tourist myself.  The scenery was so beautiful and I am so proud to be an Ipoh person (Ipoh Mali, Malaysian Slang).

The clock tower from afar.

Jazzan!

Very pretty and realistic mural.

Oopss! Where is my face?

Vintage theme.

Vintage theme.

Vintage theme.

Blooming wild flowers and my bestie.

My most precious friend.

Black and white: us.

And recently, Ipoh has been awarded as the top 10 cities in Asia to visit by Lonely Planet!

Dear readers, do come to Ipoh when you are free! 🙂

All photos were taken by iPhone Camera.

Because sharing is caring :)

Genuine friends are gems.  I am so glad that we met.

Ji Yeon, my korean best chingu.

Thank you for being you, and thank you for loving me for the me that I truly am.

We are teachers of each other and we are like sisters!

I am going to miss you so much dear chingu.

Saranghe! ❤

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Bestie Twin

There’s a friend of mine whom I treasure her so much.  We used to be twins in school.  Those days, we could choose who we wanted to be seated together.

Without caring much of our existing partners’ feeling, we swap and we became table mate for the remaining days of our schooling years. Ah, it was those carefree and selfish days.

Now that we recall, our friends might have felt so hurt by us.  But the mischievous gene in us says that we had no regrets.  As I truly love this friend so much so much.

Nothing much has changed between us, when so many things in us has. I am married, we both are achieving milestones in life and career, we are all grown up.  But when we meet, it always feels like taking a ride on the time machine, and we are young again.

We hold hands like couples, we like to synchronise outfit and we must have some items in common! Twins, basically.  Just that I am tall, she is petite.

sweeeeeeeeeet!

mocha. it came first.

then while sipping through the yummy mocha, the fantastic waffle arrived.

notti faces.

reenact the past photo.

my face like a sour plum.

Rooftop twins. Kekeke.. #sneakers

Past photos. 🙂

So, the twins date ended fast. But more sessions coming up!  We are going for pretty dates! Including hairdo, facial and etc.

Bibijack, love you lots! Thank you for always boosting my self confidence and motivation. Thank you for everything. ❤

Of Bestie.

“I hope my roommate is a friendly and kind person.  That is all I wish for.”

I wrote that on the form when I applied for a Hostel room before the 1st semester started.  And I met her on the first day we moved into the room.

We were both of the same batch, studying the same course.  From that fateful day onwards I knew God sent an Angel to me.

It was still the 1st semester I experienced severe homesick, and same goes to her.  We both cried a TOILET ROLL, if not more.  I got my FIRST and ONLY break up during exam period.  And she gave me tissue paper, water and hugs.  She removed items that would make me remember that person so that I wouldn’t feel sad.  I felt grateful, and loved.

4 years.  We spent 4 years together.  And I love her!  We did lots of crazy things together.  We both tested the wolf-prevention-alarm (俗称：防狼器） IN the hostel room.  We ordered Nando’s delivery.  We met some weird housemates. Etc etc etc.  Every sunny day she would tell me: ahhhhh, today is a good day to wash clothes leh!

And now, she married.

Smile! 🙂

I am so happy for her.  As I know our Heavenly Father blesses her with this man whom she calls as husband.  I cried so much. awwww awww…  Gonna miss her so much so much so much!

Thank you for always always being a genuine and loving friend of mine.  You made my entire university time a colourful and blessed one!  I may not be able to make it without you dear Evie, my Juliet!

Thank you for playing choki-choki spreading all over the face with me.  Thank you for eating dinners from tiffin carriers with me.  Thank you for organising all the family outings.  Thank you for everything.

Congratulations my dear and I will confirm go disturb you at Singapore!

Some pictures when we were having fun at the wedding dinner. Kekeke.. ^^

p/s: we wore green because it’s Evie’s FAVOURITE COLOUR!

With Ah Yin! 🙂

I wrote these on the card! Before writing the letter.

Wah, so sunny ah! Can wash clothes loooo…

Three of us selfie selfie. So pretty lorrrrr….

Selfie with Mr Lam. I am Mrs Lam. hehe..

Dear ah moi Evie, love you to the moon and back! *hugs*