Something 'Pops' Up!

This is probably the last time I am doing up my toes, myself.

Something pops up in between that makes it pretty hard to reach down.

Now, how did that happened?  Lols...

Have a Blessed Christmas

Doing the things I love doing...

People asked me, what do I do?  I will reply, I do the things I love doing.  Basically, these are part of my job.

Of course there are some mundane stuff (whose work doesn't?), but mostly, they are pretty fun.  I organized little events for our department.  The great thing about this is, I am usually given free hand to do whatever I wished as long as I keep it within the budget and fulfilled the annual headcount required.

One of the main highlights of my job is to organize CSR activities (Corporate Sustainability Responsibility).  This year, we did two:

1) Volunteering at Fungates Soup Kitchen in Jinjang over a span of 3 months and
2) Tree planting at FRIM

We had so much fun.  I've always love doing charitable things.  Now that it is part of my job, with funds provided, it makes it even more fun. :)

Other than CSR, I also organizes things like off-sites event and various little parties.  And latest being 'Christmas' of course since it is around the corner.  We had our party last Friday.  Organized more or less 60 colleagues for 'Secret Santa'. :)  Everyone was so excited seeing presents piling up as the day draw closer!  It was always very fulfilling for me when I see them enjoying themselves.  More satisfying than monetary return.  Hehehe...

Last Friday, we also celebrated those whose birthday falls in the month of December. :)  It was not a big affair.  Just cake cutting, makan-makan, grabbing for our own gift under the tree and guessing out our Secret Santa!  It was a hillarious sight seeing everyone unwrapping their presents.  I learned something new that day.  There were actually such a thing - a condom with build-in vibrator!  Hehehehehe....

As the year coming to an end, with a new year unfolding around the corner, I am so excited for next year.  The plans that I've planned waiting to be executed.  Continue doing the things I love doing.  What else can I want more?

Day 8 - Last day in Seoul (Myeongdong & Noryanjing Fish Market)

Day 8, also our last day in Korea is good.  We found Myeongdong which is just a stone throw away from our hotel.  There were so many things to see there.  It makes you feel like buying everything!  Luckily it was our last day, I have no urge to buy anything.  Sort of immune to the whole Korean shopping scene.  Lols...  

I tell you, in Myeongdong, you will still gather a bagful of beauty products without buying.  Shops would simply hand out packs and packs of sample.  Speaking of which, I still have them in my fridge.

After our coffee, having so much more hours to kill before our midnight flight, we decided to go exploring for Noryanjing Fish Market :)  Once out of Noryanjing station, the husband asked, "so now where?".  I replied.."hmm.. follow the smell"!  Hahahaha.... And, we found it.

There were so many varieties of seafood.  Shellfish mostly.  So huge and clean...!

The many stalls in the market.

Fishmongers taking a break.

Obaasan taking a nap.  Do you notice their fishes are so neatly arranged?

Really, it is not easy to hold on to an octopus.  One hell of a slimy creature.  You have to roll its' tentacles round and round your finger.  Still, it will only be there for awhile before sliding off.

We bought some seafood and picked a stall to cook them for us.  There are plenty of shops/stalls/restaurant around the market.  Not sure if the seafood is cheap or expensive, but it was certainly worth the experience.  Dining in a small family run korean eateries, fresh seafood, plum wine, chit chatting with a old Korean who speaks fluent English... nice!

A fat cat eating cat's kibbles instead of fresh seafood all over the market.  I thought it's weird.  There should have plenty of fishes right?

A clam (si hum) that is as huge as my fist!  Eww......

From Noryanjing, stomach filled, a little tipsy, we decided to walk thru Namdaemun to get back to Myeongdong.  Basically, you can walk to anywhere.  They are all interconnected.  Pretty near to each other.  Namdaemun sell mostly household stuff.  Cheaper stuff.

Those ladies in red hat are actually tourist helpers.  They speaks chinese and English.  You can find them all over the place.  Nice... :)

The 'hi-tech' post vending machine which we used to post some postcards back for friends, family and myself (yeah, i tend to do that).  It weights your parcel/letter, tell you postage cost, print the stamps in stickers for you to stick on your parcel/letter before accepting it.  And.... it speaks English!  We were SO IMPRESSED!  Why didn't we have it here?!  Better to invest on a machine than on human that have to have 3 tea breaks and 5 prayers break right?

We thought this garfield look so miserable.  THe saddest garfield we ever seen!

ANother nice little shop in Myeongdong.

We left Myeongdong at about 8pm, grabbed out luggage from the hotel before heading for the airport.  Overall, it was a good trip.  We both had a great time.  After Korea, the husband sort of gotten a hang of the way I travel and he enjoyed every bit of it.  He was so hyped up for our next trip which is due in January 2013 and also which, has to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

We were suppose to head back to Korea in January but this time round, it would be Seorak.  For skiing, hiking and hot spring!  We even gotten all our winter attire ready.  Lols.... Yes, we are that hyped up!  Nevermind, there will always be another time. 

These are my loots.  For 8 days, only these.  I think I am consider quite abnormal.  Most women I knew bought the whole korea back.  Lols...  Those huge gold boxes are not mine.  A friend asked to buy for her.  Even face masks, I bought because everyone was grabbing them as if they are like SUPER cheap.  Lols... Really, if you are keen, just buy expensive ones.  More worthwhile.  The cheap ones are all over here in Malaysia anyway.  

Overall, we spent less than RM6k for our entire trip - all air tickets, accommodation, transportation, food, entrance tickets, shopping... basically everything.  And we have all the time in the world, even afternoon nap, see things you will never see in a guided tour.  The beauty of free & easy.  :)  But then again, trip like these are more suitable for us and not if there are kids or elderly.  

And that, finally, wraps up our Korea travelogue!  (after 7 months) ha!

Day 7 - Changdeukgung, Ewha Women University & Dongdaemun

Day 7 was like the most lethargic day throughout our time in Korea.  Not sure if it is the tight Levi's or I really don't know.  We were simply too lazy to walk and we were not even tired.  

Having nothing in particular on our 'to do list'... we decided to head out to Changdeukgung; another palace.

The thing on oriental palaces is, you see one, you see them all.  Unless of course you are very into historical.  

Spotted a western couple having their bridal photography done in traditional korean costume.  They must have met in Korea...

From Changdeukgung we headed over to Ewha Women University.  Apparently it is one of the 'to visit' place due to it's architecture.  Some famous architect re did the university.  You can google it out yourself.  Ewha Women University.  I was told that you visit it's vicinity by hopping onto their shuttle bus.

I was more interested in my mocha in a quaint little place overlooking the university.  :p  I was tired.  Lols...

We roamed the streets outside the university.  There were plenty of little shops selling mostly 'ladies' stuff.

Shoes, clothings, make-ups and etc.  Most website/blog would say the prices are cheap here.  For clothing, maybe yes.  But for beauty products, Myeongdong is the place to go.

After a good nap back in the hotel, that evening, we head out to Dongdaemun.  We walk thru a monsoon drain which has been converted to a place for people to hang out.  There were stage performance, fishes in the river, places to seat & etc.  I forgotten it's name though.  You won't missed it.

We had dakhanmari (not sure if i remembers it correctly) for dinner.  It is situated near Dongdaemun, back in an alley.  One side of the alley would be selling bbq fish and the other side of the alley would be dakhanmari.  It took us a while to locate the alley.  Not sure which shop to go, we picked the one with the longest queue. 

We were given a queue number.  When it's our turn, they would call out our number, in Korean that is...Hahaha... We try our best to understand it.  We thought it sounded a little like Hakka.  We managed anyway.

Not knowing exactly what to expect, it made the dinner more interesting. All we knew was, some chicken dish.  A dented pot filled with some vege and a whole raw chicken were placed on our table on a stove together with some chilli, vinegar and kimchi.  The husband just observed what the Korean did and mimic.  I tell you, the chilli is like crazy spicy ok....!  hahahaha...

Overall, it was good.  Deliciously yummy.  Would've been better if not for the flu.  We just dumped the kimchi into the soup and wait for it to boil.  The waiter will come by and cut up the chicken with a scissors.  The husband did enjoyed the meal tremendously!

From there, we walked over to Dongdaemun; a supposely shopping haven, which I bought nothing except for some beauty stuff before calling it a day!

Day 6 - Gyeungbukgung & Insadong

The problem of writing a travellogue too long after a trip is, you tend to forgot what took place when.... hehehehe..... I've a valid reason for dragging this for so long.  I'll explain later.  I really wish to finish this once and for all. :p  

Day 6 - Gyeungbukgung & Insadong

The subway brought us directly in front of the palace. :)  We spent a long time there.

Nothing much actually.  Just like any other palaces. Nevertheless, should go.

We spent most of time sitting around chilling out.  

Seeing artist at work, people watching, talk cock sing song a little.  

Actually, I was still feeling rather drained from the flu or whatever I had at that time.  Too lazy to walk so much. :p  The painting is so nice right?

Coincidentally, it was also the very day of BERSIH 2 in Malaysia.  Borrowed this yellow fist for this photo.  My way of supporting BERSIH all the way from Seoul!

Pretty maiden in colourful hanbok.

 The main arch of Gyeungbukgung.

 A photo of us. :)

 A pair of korean twins.

Interior of the palace.  Very similar to the Forbidden Palace.

Same same right?  Colour scheme also the same.  If not mistaken, they are all Chinese a long time ago, from the 3 kingdom era. 

 Standing on 600 years of history.

 The National Folk Museum of Korea at the back of the palace.  Free of charge entrance. 

A pretty pagoda in the middle of the pond.  Very chinese.

By time we got out of Gyeungbukgung and arrived in Insadong, it was almost dinner time.

Insadong, plenty of shops, little stalls & tourists.  Lots to see and shop.  But I would prefer shopping in Myeongdong more. :)

I can't remember what this is.

These on the other hand are snack made out of corns.  

Our dinner - some flowery stuff.  Lols.  We picked a rather nice restaurant, ordered some beers (must have), and this.  Hmm.. it was... *blek*.  Lols.... some rice, cuttle fish, lots of vege & flower petals!  Weird... 

Insadong is pretty nice place to walk around and explore.  They have streets and streets of shops.  But shopping are generally pretty expensive in Korea except for beauty products of course.  That basically concluded our day 6 in Seoul!