Aneong Haseyo

My eyes was never been opened so big as I recall on that faithful day, I joined a Sparkling Korea competition and won a trip for 2 to Seoul, transportation and accommodation,pocket money included. This is also a chance for me to thank them. So I extended the trip from 4 days 3 night to 7 days and 6 night.

The first day I'm arrived I stayed in a budget hotel (Rainbow) even thou it's not a hotel with stars on it, it got all the amenities I needed, water dispenser, heater, air conditioner, TV with all the channel from all over the world, broadband, hot water and access to the subway system.
This is the first food I ate there, a beef (hopefully or pork) like a kebab style, marinated by Korean sauce, it's yummy.

The next day I went to Sokcho, a mountain area. I took a 5 hour bus, the transportation is lovely and pleasurable, but I didn't know passenger can buy 2 way at once. So when I get back to Seoul after a night staying there I have to queue a good 2 hours at the local bus station.

This is the food I ate at Sokcho, the ajumma is so nice she gave me free soup and fruit. It looks really good isn't it? Well it is.

This is the view from our hotel, it's Mt Seorak (Seorak-san), the weather is really cool and comfortable, I'm glad I stay in Ondol style room.

So my journey is continued back to Seoul with a bus. The bus always stop after 2,5 hour so passenger can go toilets and buy local snacks like daebokki or some fish cake.




Those are food I ate near the Bus Station.
But before I stepped my food on that bus I met some interesting people, a lady that backpacking from Europe, and a Korean lady that just visited her family, she so nice, she gave me a drink and hope I have a pleasant trip in Korea.

So I'm back to Seoul and enjoy the 4D/3N I got from Korea Sparkling program (you know what, Korea does sparkling in my eyes). The accommodation that I won is at President Hotel, right in the city central, next to Lotte Hotel. Here's a view from my room:


Staying in a hotel with a very good location have a lot of plus points for me, food, shopping and ENGLISH is everywhere.

The next day I went to a very famous theme park in Seoul, Everland. It was so big, like Disneyland again to me but minus Mickey and the gang. After taking the subway and then continue with bus I finally arrived there.
This is a view taken from the big wheel.


The park is so big and got a lot of attraction, zoo, gardens and rides. I couldn't finish it all in a day, someday I'll get back there again.


Going home from Everland to Seoul is a big problem for me, I completely forgot to ask the staff there, they are equipt with proper english not like the rest of the people. After taking a bus to no-where-land I decided to take a taxi back to my hotel.

The next day I went to places near by, this is the City Hall,


and Gyeongbokk Palace:


I also not forget to taste Korean proud grape, it is so fragrant, sweet at the first bite and the slightly sour juice will just burst on the next bite, so chewy and yummy.


This is ... yup the famous building before it got burnt...


You can buy a lot of traditional Hanbook or Korean proud product in Dongdaemun (well Namdaemun offer quite the same). I also found a lot of Korean street snack there, and too bad my tummy only eat a few of them and didn't have the time to try them all.

Korean like their food very fresh and enjoy raw seafood, so a lot of restaurant have an aquarium like this:


It's time for me to go home now, so sad, I kept saying to myself someday I'll come back here and enjoy more from Korea, Busan maybe...:)

I'll see you soon...