Day 1 ~ "snow"

warning: long post ahead..

Time was an hour earlier in Korea compared to M’sia. As soon as everyone got ready & settled luggage stuff from the airport. It was 8 am in the morning.

The first thing I knew when we reached there was I felt sleepy & the tour was only just about to start..*sigh, there’s nothing more than rest I desired at that time..

Well anyway, whilst all thought it to be warm & hot inside the airport, the cold winter weather (with temperature approximately -12 degree celcius) welcomed us thereafter

From the “very hot la” in the airport to “speechless…..” (getting frozen) outside, yet it felt refreshing away from the heat in our ‘beloved’ tropical country…..INITIALLY…

I’d say the cool weather is rather acceptable except when there’s the cold wind/breeze giving the real chill that ‘kills’..otherwise, it’s a great escape from the heat we experience in M’sia..but for sure, one definitely couldn’t stand it if you stayed outdoors for too long…

The tour guide is Mr. Lee, a ½ Chinese ½ Korean, so he was rather fluent speaking mandarin & of course he knows Korean as well. There was also another assistant (Joon? Not sure how it spells but that’s how we call him though) who accompanied with him the whole trip (actually a professional photographer) & he is purely Korean, not forgetting another Korean driver (don’t know what his name is..hehe)

*ignore every other person in the pic..
i'm just showing you who's mr. tour guide (the one holding a flag obviously)..

My 1st view of snow was there in Korea. The scenery along the roadside was pretty much covered with nice white snow..

After not-sure-how-many-minutes drive from the airport..
Our first stop:
Breakfast at this place here --> Udon noodles

why eat udon in korea? (thinking udon is a japanese thing)
well, i don't know..haha

Next up, we went to visit an observatory tower at which the tour guide explained where the border that signifies the territory between North Korea & South Korea respectively lies.

Apparently, it’s quite sympathetic that we heard there may be family members who’re separated from each other just by that ‘line’ marked on the map.

North Koreans are not allowed to cross over to South Korea & vice versa due to a ‘resting period’ in war against each other. So, they are now as though remaining as 2 distinct countries, with difference in culture since they’re under various influences from other strong countries in previous times during world war. Despite South Korea being an advanced country, North Korea on the other hand does not have such a positive outlook, economy wise, from what we learnt of from the tour guide...

The Bridge of Freedom actually links North & South Korea, yet it was impossible for Koreans from both regions to meet each other even when there’s such a short distance which parts between them. The attempt to unite North & South Korea was unsuccessful till now and there is The Bell of Peace located within the nearby area..

see the Bell of Peace?


at the Bridge of Freedom with observatory tower at the back
(from left: ???, ???, me, ???)

Hmm, we were lucky enough as it did snow lightly on that very 1st day itself when we came out of the observatory tower. It was really a fortunate event since the next few days onwards, the weather was still cold but it got relatively warmer especially when our plan of route went from an outskirt, more countryside area before moving on to the city of Seoul.

Coming up was lunch time, what had been served?
None other than their Ginseng Chicken soup/stew of course…

Personally, I don’t quite like the smell of Ginseng but the taste of it was not so strong such that it became overpowering. Thus, it was fine anyways coz it only had a light Ginseng flavour to it.

ginseng chicken...good thing there's no nose bleeding after eating that 'heaty' meal..

After lunch, we were driven to a port where we took a short ‘ferry’? ride to a place called Naminara (or in short – Nami) Island.

Can u guess what made it a popular tourist attraction?

It is actually taken as a filming site for the once hit Korean series, which I think all of u would know – Winter Sonata

it reads "winter sonata"

The scenery there was picturesque, just like shown in the movies, especially when we reach there during sunset hours & in this winter season..

there was a kimchi house as well..
**FST students, you can try recall what you've learnt in class & imagine how these kimchi could normally be kept underground


no kimchi inside the house actually..

the lake behind had frozen to form an icy surface..


yea, i didn't make that fella..it was right there when i saw it..
if i made 1, it wouldn't look that miserable i guess..


lonely..*sigh

Took enough pictures & we said bye bye to the island & then towards a restaurant to have our dinner.
Today’s special is …….

**Teppanyaki chicken [铁板鸡] with some cabbage, sweet potato, 年糕

It was later mixed with rice & seaweed

All these things were served together with lettuce, seaweed soup, along with the non-neglectable KIMCHI & some soft drinks for beverage

piping hot steam coming out..

yum..it was delicious & most importantly, kept us warm enough for the winter night

Night activity was not over yet, as we went downstairs from the restaurant located on the 2nd floor & we were given some free time to walk around the streets of Myung Dong area (繁华区) where the ChunCheon Market was located..

McD!! somewhere along the street..they have 'bulgogi burger' there..hmm, a korean twist..

Erm..how to explain this? well the best way to describe I suppose is saying it’s like a ‘pasar malam’ in Korea..

The day finally ended & we set the night off back in a hotel to get some well-deserved rest..after touring in ½ zombie status from sleepless hours in the plane…ZzZzz

evil plan - achieved :

The hotel room had a double bed & 1 single bed..sharing room with my bro, i chased my him off & reserved the big comfy double bed for myself..he complained to mum but she just said “never mind la, it’s just for 1 night, if it’s the same tomorrow, you can switch alternatively..” (but it was only the 1st night) ..hehe.. 反对无效 & so I get to take the big bed afterall.. leaving him sleeping in the poor little single bed..wahahaha =P