2010-05-04~08 - Korea Trip - Day 3 & 4 & 5

Day 3: 06 May 2010 -Long Distance & Long Walking...
At day 3, we went to a few places...

First stop: Myeongdong Porridge Restaurant
We went into this porridge restaurant, seems to be quite
popular cos there are many customers at around 9am in the morning...
As usual, the portions are kinda big...
Each of us ordered the same set, Chicken porridge set,
with additional side order of dumplings...
(kimchi flavoured dumplings and 韭菜 flavoured dumplings)
Each set are accompanied by lots of 小菜, and I loved the
beansprouts especially... *v*

After breakfast, it's time for some long distance travelling...

Second stop: Yeoju Premium Outlet
Our tickets to and fro Seoul Express Bus Terminal &
Yeoju Bus Terminal...
We finally reached Yeoju Premium Outlet!!!
After a tiring 1 hour plus bus ride...
Oh, and I saw alot of cars has this blue styrofoam sticking
on the side of the car doors... so interesting~

We spent like more than half day at Yeoju Premium Outlet,
but I was the only one who bought stuffs there~ ~_~

Third stop: Myeongdong again!!!
It was back to Myeongdong, as we returned back to hotel
for a light rest before we went down for dinner...
We entered a restaurant which was offering stews...
and we ordered the fried squid and the 药材炖鸡
(dunno if I got it correct anot)...
This was supposed to be for 1-2 pax, but the 3 of us
ate too very full... cos as usual, the portion was too big!!!
Koreans are definitely big eaters!!!

After dinner, we proceeded for our next destination...

Fourth stop: N Seoul Tower
We walked from Myeongdong to the cable car station...
and we took the wrong directions, ended up we walked
a very steep slope up the hills and also walked passed
the Chinese embassy of China...

Bought the cable car tickets...
Look at the night view... ok, my camera died on me!!!
Sad... so these night photo shots are from Jim...
But the nights are so goddamn romantic!!!
Above: took this very funny photo...
Just nice the board there is 2 guys and 1 gal...

Below: the padlock locking on the railings... so many...
People leaving messages and wishes on the padlock...
And me at the Teddy Bear Museum 到此一游...
We didn't went up the observatory tower or tour the
Teddy Bear Museum cos both would costs over a million won...

Day 4: 07 May 2010 -A day of rest & relax
We walked at somewhere opposite from our hotel...
Our breakfast was McDonald's... :S

First stop: Cheonggyecheon stream
After our breakfast, we casually walked around...
and came upon a funfair nearby...
Then, we continued walking and came to the
Cheonggyecheon Stream...
The streams...

Kids were on outing to visit the stream...
The hidden art exhibition at the stream...

Second stop: Lotte Supermarket
A few subway station stops away from our hotel...
The tidbits we bought... 夸张吗???
几乎挤爆我的行李!!!

Third stop: Myeongdong... what??? Myeongdong again???
Getting ready to go Myeongdong for final shopping again!!!
Our dinner were settled at KFC... frankly speaking,
I wouldn't want to settle my meals at fast-food outlets...
waste of my money also... where got people go overseas
holiday eating fast-food all the time??? -_-"""
Myeongdong... look at the stretch of cosmetic houses lining
the streets...
Alex & his new sunglasses...

Day 5: 08 May 2010 -Home Sweet Home
Finally home sweet home!!!
Took a 6.30am bus to Incheon Airport...
After doing all the check-in and custom clearance,
we went for our breakfast at their food-court...
Ordered the mushroom omurice... as usual,
the plate is so big...
Back to Singapore at 1730H...

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My Shopping Haul
Bought some clothes for myself, niecee Shermaine and a T-shirt
for Dad...

The clothes over at Korea are kinda expensive...
and most of the time, they do not show price tags...
So its up to them to tell you the price... the cheapest I got
were the two dresses below, both priced at 10,000 won each...
The white blouse costs 25,000 won... kinda ex right???

Ok, best part of Korea were the cosmetic houses
located at Myeongdong... they are everywhere...
and prices are competitive... I went into
almost all the cosmetic houses while shopping alone
and did price comparison before I really bought their stuffs...
Etude house is a must to get skincare or cosmetics cos
its 50% off as compared to what you get in Singapore...
They have another shop called "Olive Young" which
is like our Sasa... selling alot of different brands of skincare
and cosmetics stuffs... moreover, all the cosmetic
houses are generous with the samples!!! Ok, not alot,
but is whatever you buy, it is accompanied with a few
pieces of samples... On day 4, Etude house were
having 30% off when you hit a certain amount...
I felt so 心痛 lor... cos I sweep quite an amount of Etude
products on day 2 instead... >_<

Seems like during the weekends, all cosmetic houses will be on sales...

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Verdict

I simply loved Korea now...

On their culture, they do loved to spit...
But they had clean toilets... so not to worry too much...
unless you went to places where they have yet to
upgrade their toilets... -_-"""

On their hotel, Ibis Myeongdong hotel is good...
spacious and has free broadband... if got free wifi,
that will be best... and their toilet bowl has this
auto temperature adjustment... so you'll feel warm
when sitting on the toilet bowl...

On their shopping, Dongdaemun Wholesale Shopping Centre don't
open from 8pm onwards... I got bluffed by the podders!!!
Instead, it closed at 6pm!!! But then, shopping was a breeze to me...
Cos I shopped alone most of the time!!!
It's also safe to shop alone as there are policemen on patrol around the
roads and streets... and the people here, almost every shop has
one sales who can speak either English or Chinese...

On their transportation, subway trains are way much faster...
but buses gets you to your destination without walking too much...
Their subway stations are such that you need to climb many flights
of stairs, and do many walking before you reach the platform...
Oh, do be careful while taking subway during the peak hours...
I almost got trapped by the subway doors cos they didn't
had the door closing sound unlike in Singapore...

On food, regretted having not eat their street vendors' food...
Ok, the only street food I had was the grilled cuttlefish...
delicious~~~ I must have street food the next time I go!!!
Their fast-foods are tasteless, no chilli sauce or ketchup given...
Don't bother having your meals at fast-food outlet... just another
waste of your money...
Go to their restaurants... eat authentic Korean food please!!!
Their portion of food are so big sized that I think
can feed 4 people with just a 2 pax portion... but their
restaurant food are more expensive though...
I want my bimbimbap and 炸酱面!!! >_<

On sight-seeing, directions given on their KTO are easy to follow...
so you'll reach there without much difficulty...
Regretted not going to 63 building... but I did managed to go
N Seoul Tower and took the cable car...
Not interested in Lotte World... so didn't go there...

Overall, it's really a good country to visit to...
Loves it...
hopes to do a backpacking alone the next time... *v*

Previous: 2010-05-04~08 - Seoul Trip - Day 1 & 2