Highlights of Korea Trip May 2015 (Part 1 of 3)

Went for a family trip to Korea in May 2015, consisting of 6 people in total - me, my mum, my aunt, my boyfriend and his parents. With 4 old folks in the group, we went for a packaged tour instead of free and easy trip (glad we did!). My mum wanted an itinerary that has more sight-seeing, rather than museum / theme-park hoppings. After some comparisons, we chose the 9D Spring Love package from Hong Thai Travel Agency. Not the cheapest but was the best fit to what we were looking for, here's the itinerary if you are interested.

I shall do a summary of the highlights of the trip. Due to the length, I shall split it into 3 posts. The shopping related stuff are on a separate post.

Part 1: Nami Island, Gyeongbokgong, Deoksugung
Part 2: N Seoul Tower, Painters Performance
Part 3: Jeju
Shopping in Korea

Nami Island

Nami Coin

Made famous by the Korean drama "Winter Sonata", it is totally a tourist destination. Nami Island is a micro nation, calling itself Naminara Republic. You go through an "immigration" when you enter the ticketing counter. I later realized that there is a Nami currency you can use only on Nami Island too, but I did not know it because I did not buy anything there.

It was unfortunate that the day we visited Nami Island coincide with Korea's family weekend. It was flooded with people, locals and tourists. Look at the crowds at the ferry terminal - *I. can't. breathe.*.


This is the ferry that brings you to Nami Island. Very limited seats, but you get a nicer view standing  by the side, and it's just about 5 minutes. See some cable lines on the top? If ferry does not appeal to you, you can fly to Nami Island by Flying fox! We did not have a choice because we were on a packaged tour, but if I were to visit Nami Island again, I'll fly over. (To think of it, I may prefer to visit Korea again on another season, not sure if it's still suitable for flying over).

Ferry to and fro Nami Island

There are a few scenic points in Nami Island.

The iconic tall and neatly arranged trees

Feeling like a Korean star

I found out that I took very little photos at Nami Island. It was not easy to take a good photo when it's so crowded everywhere.

Gyeongbokgong / Deoksugung

Visiting the Royal Palaces in Seoul, Korea is like visiting the 故宫 in Bejing, China - it is one of the historically significant places in the country. There are 5 Royal Palaces in Seoul - Gyeongbokgong, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, Unhyeongung, Changdeokgung, Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first royal palace built in 1394, during the Joseon Dynasty.

This scenic place is where the Emperor enjoys entertainment from performers. There are 48 pillars in the structure, all carved with dragon. However, the real pillars are now in the museum, and only the concrete pillars are here.

A place of entertainment

 At certain times of the day, you can catch a "Emperor arrival" show too.

The Emperor is arriving

Close up of the Emperor and his guards

On the day we visited Gyeongbokgung, it was also very crowded, mainly by Chinese tourists and the locals. Even the tour guide said he has never seen this place so crowded before. So it was not so pleasant to tour this place, especially when the some visitors are not very graceful and can be quite pushy.

On our free day, we visited Deoksugung because it was near our hotel and we passed by the place. We caught the shift change ceremony too.

Shift Handover Ceremony

We caught some Royal Music Performance there. To be frank, it was very long and boring, but that was the culture of that period. Imagine playing Kpop to the royal court people, haha.

A performer. Not sure what instrument is this, look like the Chinese Guzheng.

Read on:
Highlights of Korea Trip May 2015 (Part 2 of 3)
Highlights of Korea Trip May 2015 (Part 3 of 3)
Shopping in Korea

Shopping in Seoul, Korea

Korea is known to be a shopping heaven for the ladies. In my recent trip to Korea  in May 2015, I visited some of the major shopping districts in Seoul, and here is a list of them and my experience.

Myeongdong / Namdaemun Market

Myeongdong and Namdaemum Market are walking distance away, great to visit in one day. The shopping streets lined up with one-storey shops. More than half of the shops at Myeongdong are flooded with Korean brand beauty product shops, to name a few rampant ones:
1. The Face Shop
2. Étude House
3. Tony Moly
4. Missha
5. Nature Republic
6. Skin Food
7. innisfree
8. Banila co.
9. Holika Holika
10. The Saem
11. Olive Young

They are really rampant, to the point that you can see the same franchise selling  the exact same products just about 3 shops away - imagine seeing 3 Face Shops in 5 minutes walk, that's even more crazy than Starbucks in Singapore.

A typical scene in Myeongdong

Due to the stiff competitions, many shops even give away free samples without purchase just to entice you to walk into the shop. Most shops give masks, some give cotton pads. Some are more generous (1 piece/pax), some gives 1 piece per group, and some pull back the mask after they succeeded in cheating you into the shop. Once you are in, usually a Chinese salesgirl will follow you around like a housefly and try to make you purchase something. Actually, it's not a very pleasant experience, my impression of these brands dropped. In the end, I did not buy anything from the above mentioned brands at Myeongdong (I only bought 1 cleanser from the face shop counter at emart).

Eventually I got quite bored with all the repeated shops, and I only walk into a beauty shop if they give free samples.  After the 2 hours walk in the area, I went away with 9 pieces of free masks, that's almost 1 full packet totally for free!

There is a daiso there, but it's not one price for all products. The prices are labelled for each product, so it doesn't feel like daiso anymore. The cool thing about the daiso shopping experience was that you don't need to look for price tags.

Other Korean beauty shops that are not so rampant are
1. Too cool for school
2. Laneige
3. VDL

Actually, it's only recently that I knew that the 3 above mentioned beauty brands are Korean brands. I always thought that they are from the Western countries. I bought some stuff from Laneige and Too Cool for School for my friends and some for myself. Spent more than I expected on beauty products, but I realized it was not very cheap due to the poor exchange rate (it was 1 SGD to 791 Won for my trip).

Namdaemun market, on the other hand, is more targeted for housewives and aunties. Cheap but messy stuff on cart stores like below.

Scene from Namdaemun Market

Sinchon Shopping Street (near Ehwa Women University)

It's a shopping street outside the women university, so it is also called the Korea's Ladies street. Basically it's a mini-Myeongdong.

Insadong

Another mini-Mysongdong. There is a small shopping mall called the Ssamziegil Mall, featuring the spiral architecture design. It's the similar to the Chinatown Point in Singapore, so you can keep walking along the slopes to cover the vertical building instead of stairs or elevators. (I forgot to take a picture as we were in a rush).

One observation is that the shop names in Insadong are in Korean. Those in Myeongdong are in English. Maybe this place is more for the locals.

Dongdaemun

In contrast to the shopping streets in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun is a region with are several shopping malls, typically 3-4 storeys high. The product variety is better compared to the above mentioned where you are mainly bombed with beauty shops.

To list a few shopping malls:
1. Good morning shopping mall: a lot of young people clothing shops.
2. Hello apm mall
3. Lotte Fitin: something like Takashimaya in Singapore.

There are also fabric and textile wholesale trades in the region. I almost thought I am walking in Guangzhou streets, except the language is different..

Paju Premium Outlets

A place where many high-end branded mechandise outlet shops gather in one place. Mostly sports brands (The North Face, adidas, New Balance etc), fashion brands (GAP, Bean Pole, etc), bags (coach, Michael kors, Le Sportsac etc) and others ( Tefal, Jaju). Many off-season products can be found cheaper than retail, some up to 50% off.

Paju Premium Outlets

Maybe its a shopping heaven for those into those branded products, but the prices were still beyond my tolerance even after the deep discounts. I'm just not that into branded goods, so 2.5 hours at this place was really boring to me!

Only one shop appealed to me there - JAJU. It is the MUJI equivalent in Korea. The shop atmosphere and products felt 90% like MUJI.

JAJU - the MUJI in Korea

The sale corner was really good. I bought a dress, a cardigan and a pair of windbreakers there. The windbreaker is quite functional, with zipped pockets, inner pockets, hood that can be hidden into the collar and the whole thing can be folded into a small pouch for portability - perfect for travel! Bought a pair because me and my bf got 1 each, so we have a couple windbreaker, haha!

There's hardly any Korean beauty brand shops at Paju Premium Outlet, so don't go there if you're looking for those.

SG50 Changi Walk: Darkest Period of Singapore

Today, I went for a walk at Changi as part of a SG50 Walk: Darkest Period of Singapore. 

Route (8 km): Changi Beach – along Changi Air Base – along Selarang Camp – Johore Battery – Changi Museum - Lunch (optional)

The objective of the walk was to learn more about the Japanese Occupation period in Singapore, these were some of the questions to be explored:
1. Why Singapore was name as ‘Undefeatable Fortress’?
2. Have you heard of ‘Tiger of Malaya’?
3. What was Dal Force, Force 136, Sook Ching, Kempeitai?
4. Singapore got heroes?

Changi Beach Park

Plaque

Changi Beach was one of the massacre sites during Operation Sook Ching (肃清), where the Japanese exterminated Chinese in Singapore whom they perceived to be involved in anti-Japanese activities. You can read more about Sook Ching from many other sources. Standing at the massacre sites, we imagine

"On 20 February 1942, 66 Chinese males were lined up along the edge of the sea and shot by the military police. The beach was the first of the killing sites of the Sook Ching" [from Wiki]. 

You can find a small plaque at the massacre site, it's up to your imagination to smell the sea and recreate the scene in your head.

The victims were shot and bayonetted to ensure that there were no survivors. Only until the 60s were the remains of the victims gathered and cremated, the ashes buried under the Civilian War Memorial at Beach Road. Every year on 15 Feburary, there is a small ritual at the memorial to pay respects to the war victims.

"On this and many other beaches around Singapore many civilians and POWs were sacrificed. This once blood soiled beach is today filled with laughter and peace. We pray that those who were sacrificed found their peace too" - quote from a Chapel at Changi Museum

As we walked along Changi Air Base, we learnt that many of the military camps were converted to POW camps during World War 2, the Air Base was one of them. Inside, there were 5 murals painted by a British POW, Stanley Warren. They are still standing inside the camp, but the Air Base is not open to the public for viewing. The replicas of the painting, however, are available in the Changi Museum.

The replicas of the paintings were supervised by Stanley Warren himself, but he had also drawn a small part himself on this picture. The painting was painted on high walls, the lower part of the painting was more accessible to the old Warren to leave his "signature".

The Last Supper by Stanley Warren [Image from FEPOW Memorial Church website]

Johore Battery was where we saw the "Monster Gun" by the British. It was said that each shell of the Monster Gun could take down one battleship. The British believed that with the North shielded by Malaya and with the south protected by the invincible Monster Guns, Singapore was an undefeatable "impregnable fortress".

Monster Gun (Replica)

The war ammunition were stored underground beside the Monster Gun. As the underground area was inaccessible, the floorplan was traced above to show the public.  You can also try to lift the 800 kg shell at different lever levels. It was quite heavy even at the furthest (most leverage) point!

Floorplan of the underground passageway at Johore Battery

800 kg shell!!

The British with the Monster Gun

Sword Cross

We then proceeded to the Changi Museum. Photography was not allowed in the museum, but you can take a virtual tour here.

We can take a picture of the chapel below. It is a replica, but the cross, made by an Austrialian POW using broken swords, was original. At the chapel, you can see the cross, several paper cranes (it was believed that if you fold 1000 cranes, your wish will come true), a box of sand from Changi Beach, and several remembrance messages.

Chapel of the POW (Replica)

In the museum, we see how people lived through during the Japanese Occupation. You can imagine their struggle for survival, the humiliation and sufferings they go through during the war. It was very heart-wrenching.

It was a very educational trip. I learnt more about Singapore history, not from history textbooks but by going to the sites and recreate the scenes in my head. I used to dread history in secondary school, simply because I did not like the teacher and my grades weren't good. How naive was I. It was later in life when I understand the importance of knowing history, especially at the country we grew up in.

It also teaches us to appreciate peace time and be grateful for the comfort we have. Young people like me who were born post-war do not have the chance to undergo such hardships, and we have the excess energy to get upset over petty issues. Time to put things into perspective and start counting our blessing.

The tour was conducted by a very knowledgable tour guide Anna Ong. She is a local freelance tour guide who is very energetic with great personality. I would recommend her to a tourist who would intends to explore Singapore!

Day Trip to Sungei Buloh

Today, I went on an excursion to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Saw several crabs along the way! Check out the one on the top right hand corner, it's foaming at the mouth. After some research I learnt that crabs blow bubbles that appear to be foamy so as to aerate their gills and keep them moist.  I thought the crab hole on the tree trunk was rather cool, it looks like heart-shape.

Crabs

I think these are different species of crabs shown below. There's a pair of crabs looking at each other; and a crab trying to tackle a cockerel clam; and one of them in a well-fitting king seat.

I noticed that the crabs and mudskippers are good friends, always seen together, sometimes in intimate poses like below.

Mudskipper

We also saw several species of spiders along the way. They are everywhere! Caught some of them feasting on several occasions.

Spiders - The one on the top right is feasting on a moth.

A nice clear picture of a spider

Spotted a few monitor lizards too. The largest one we saw was the one below. I really love picture because she seems to be smiling for the camera! I like her "question mark" pose too.

A motherly monitor lizard in a "question mark" pose.

Check out the blue dragonfly! The pond was filled with floating algae.

A blue dragonfly!

A surprise! I was about to fill water at the water cooler when this fellow stopped to visit. I later learnt that it is a "mud dauber", a kind of wasp. Luckily I was camera ready when he stopped for about 2 seconds for me to take a picture.

Mud dauber on a water cooler

Not a bad trip! I enjoyed myself overall. However, we didn't see many birds except for the common storks because it is not the migratory season. Shall be back during the migratory season!

Day Trip to Sisters Island

My first outing with fellow docents - a trip to Sisters Islands! It's my first time visiting this little island of Singapore.. There're so many places in Singapore I'm still so unfamiliar with.

We gathered at 8.30 am at Marina South Pier, and reached Pulau Subar Laut, or Big Sisters Island at about 9.40 am. We chartered a boat, so the more people going together, the cheaper it is.

Me at Pulau Subar Laut!

A scenic view

A panoromic view, with the Small Sisters Island opposite.

There's a little legend behind the name of the Sisters Island, read here if you are interested. The low tide was at 10.30 am, the best time to go down to the water and look out for interesting marine life!

Some of the docents were very experienced people, so they were able to point out stuff and explain things to newbies like me.

I learnt that starfish have their mouth and anus on the same hole, and apparently mate through the same hole too. What a multi-purpose hole they have.

Mating Starfishes!

The shellfish below was trapped by a netting. Actually there were two shellfishes trapped on the same netting. Poor them, but now they are free :) .I learnt that this thing can shoot darts!

Trapped shellfish

This sea slug was very well camouflaged on a seaweed, thanks to a keen-eyed docent to spot it! Check out his reddish eye and polka-dotted body! You have to hold it like this to see all the details, but you have to make sure it is always in water.

Sea Slug

A sea cucumber, expensive festive food that I probably haven't tasted. Maybe I tasted accidentally before, but it's something I would rather not eat. 

Sea cucumber

Check out the feather duster worms on a brain coral!

Feather duster worms

Look at this cool purple hermit crab! His shell is cracking already, time to look for a new one.

A hermit crab who has outgrown his shell

We flipped this thing over to look at the inside, but it appeared to be a bit stressed out by this and was stretching out trying to flip back. So we quickly took a photo and flipped it back. Is this a whelk?

A whelk (?)

This has to be the best catch of the day. I'm so proud of it because this is one of the few marine life that I actually spotted myself! It wasn't very easy to spot things especially when you don't know what to look out for, and it take a bit of patience. This little guy was hiding suspiciously between the crevices, and I waited for probably 15-20 minutes for the water to become high enough such that it has to climb out! The wait paid off because I saw 3 of them in total during the wait! Such a cool colorful crab. It was so difficult to take a good picture because the water kept sweeping past and this guy wasn't being very cooperative.

Hairy legged crab! (I don't know the name)

I've always heard that Singapore has a rich diversity of marine wildlife, but this is the first time I'm checking them out in the wild myself! It was such a rewarding trip, definitely a place to revisit in the near future!

P.S. Though you see hands in the photo, I don't really touch the marine life - for my own and their safety. The creatures were handled by experienced people who knew where to touch and where not to.

Koref Trip 2015

This year, my company had an interesting division interaction day. We went for a 2D1N farm stay trip at Kahang Organic Rice Eco Farm (Koref) on 12-13 March 2015.

This is a belated post, so my memory may not be as fresh anymore. I did not take much photos during the trip because we were playing games at the water most of the time.

Lakeview Chalet - My room is here.

It was a division interaction day trip, so most of the activities and games were planned to promote bonding among colleagues. On the first day, after lunch, we were split into different groups to play games. Each group consists of a mix of people who don't work together, so that we will get to know new colleagues whom we see in office but do not greet.

On the first day, we played these team bonding games:

1. Water Obstacles: There are balls scattered at different little islands. Go through the water obstacles to gather the balls. The group who gets the most balls in the shortest time wins.
2. Drum Rafting: Make a raft and sail around. The group with most people on the raft or come back in shortest time win.
3. Fish Netting: Everybody line up and circle a water region with a net, hoping to catch a fish.

I painted a cat face for the games

Probably the (easiest) water obstacle

That's my team doing the sailing on the drum raft we built

While waiting for dinner, we played with the swing. Half of the swing is into the water, very interesting! But it can get a bit scary if you go too high. Here's a picture of me on the swing taken by a colleague, I like it a lot.

Swing on water

At night, we walked the forest trail to look at bioluminescent fungi. It's very interesting, but it is very hard to adapt the eyes to see them. You have to ensure complete darkness (not even light sticks!), and close your eyes to adapt to the darkness. When you open your eyes, you see stars on the floor. Amazing, but not possible to take a photo. We see some fireflies around too.

After all the activities, the directors light up the campfire and gave speeches. It's fun, but I don't remember being around a campfire in my life. Gosh, haven't I been to a campfire event before this?! However, everyone were soon dismissed after the campfire was lit, there weren't much interaction during this.

Campfire

Back to room, it was a long wait for the bathroom because there were 7 people in my room, and girls don't shower very fast. I was told the girls room have heater, but it wasn't working! After shower, I went to the guys room to play some card games till we can't take it anymore before we go back to sleep. I slept very well because I was so tired!

The room to fit 7 people.

The next morning, we did a farm tour. The most interesting activity was going down to the rice field to try out rice planting. It's very fun and novel to play with, but I think it's a tough job to do it whole day. I regretted wearing my shoes after going down the rice field, because the stain is difficult to remove. Someone said the mud is like a mask and good for the skin, so my leg was supposed to feel smoother after this. Haha.

Me playing rice planting

We did flying fox too. Probably the easiest flying fox you can find around, so it's good for first-timers like me. The scariest moment was when you're waiting to jump, I almost vomited my heart out. Once the feet is out of the platform, it's fun.

Me on the flying fox

I enjoyed myself a lot during this trip! Many thanks to the company for funding and the organizers for putting in a lot of efforts to plan for the trip :)