LIVE Incheon Asian Games 2014

One of the perks being a WowKorea supporters is that we are able to attend big events such as the opening ceremony of Incheon Asian Games 2014.

                                           A filled stadium 

Before we went to the stadium we were brought into a rooftop of a small flat. Nor that I know this small rooftop is where broadcast stations get their amazing overall view of the venue.

I have always been interested in broadcasting but had never gotten the opportunity to experience one. On that day, I did. I now know people why people tend to avoid working in broadcasting because the amount of work people put into it are endless.

 

behind the scene

 

Here you see in the photo, the rooftop was pretty much empty except a platform high enough to elevate the host. There were only two cameras, one for panning and one for the announcer. There were no tables or fancy equipments they usually have on studios. The crew would keep standby for the whole night until the celebrations finish. What a dedication!

the view we get from the rooftop

 WowKorea supporters were interviewed live by one of the broadcasting station

main entrance of the stadium

 excited peeps

 our ticket. cost more that I think it should

wonderful light work

 

Of course alert for our national team. There were only a few as some athletes didn't arrived yet.

The next day we went to see one of the match, Sepaktakraw. So to happen that our national team is playing and we met some other Indonesian students who came to support the team. The court looks pretty legit for a sport that is yet to be known by many people. Sepaktakraw in short is like volleyball using feet instead of hands. It requires much more energy and flexibility especially as players tend to fall to the ground much more often. Sepak = kick  and  Takraw= ball is a popular sport especially in South East Asian region. After watching the game, I do hope that this sport would receive more publicity because it's fun to watch and harder that it looks.

 Two Thumbs up for all athletes out there

 

All cheer for the team

After the game, the people from SepakTakraw federation Indonesia saw us and kindly offered us to meet the athletes. I am liking these back stage perks.

However I was slightly dissapointed at the organisers' as the waiting room looked more like a refurbished trailer. :(

 

infront of athletes waiting room

 

           inside the 'waiting room' athletes congratulating each other

 running to get autographs of the players

 athletes = stars

The opening ceremony, the impromptu interview, the sepaktakraw, it was all an amazing experience that I  have never encountered before. I have never been well informed with sports but after seeing the hard work the athletes have done, be it a win or a lose they deserve our deepest respect. I mean it must be hard carrying the entire nation's name in your back. I do hope that in the future the government would invest on sports education back home rather than maths and physics. Do you agree? Especially with the next Asian Games in 2018 will be hold in Jakarta :D

Taste, Feel, and See Korea Trough 2D1N in Jeonju

If you ever visit Korea, there is one particular place I would recommend other than Seoul, JEONJU. Why so you wonder, well don't get me wrong Seoul may have one of the best restaurants but nothing beats the cooking in Jeonju. Despite having visited this city for four times, I am still charmed by the city of Jeonju, the city, the food, the people, and the scenery.

Why Jeonju?

1. Feel: Public Transport Friendly
I would recommend the free shuttle bus, available only for foreigners with NO CHARGE. The catch here is that you would have to register online and they would pick people out like a lottery. If you're feeling lucky you can also go on the day and you might board the bus if people didn't show up. Based on my experience, there are more empty seats to travel from Jeonju to Seoul.

OR board the Seoul - Jeonju bus route from Express Bus Terminal. I recommend 'o-deung' bus, the difference in price is not much and you have much better seats. I have to say Korea has the best inter-city bus service with services running every 15 minutes and departs ON TIME and THE SEATS! They are extremely wide and comfortable with a foot rest that makes your travel effortless and I am not at all exaggerating.

2. Taste : Food Heaven
My Jeonju trip would not be complete without the visit to Jeonju Hanok Village which is a food sanctuary.
1. Jeonju Bibimbab
2. Ddeok Galbi
3. Popsicles
4. Gamja Tang
5. Hand-made Chocopie (must visit for chocopie fan)
6. Churros and ice cream
7. Kongnamul Gukbab

                                (clockwise) ddeokgalbi, traditional tea, gamja tang, pat bing su

3. See : Traditional Korea
A walk through Hanok Village and surely you found yourself inside traditional Korea. I would recommend trying out their local traditional tea cafes. I tried out a particular one mentioned here: http://2gwang2.blog.me/100188912385

         This cafe is fairly quiet compared to others, nice to lounge a fair bit before continuing the walk

Let me share to you all my recommended itinerary below:

DAY one:

8:30 -   get off at express bus terminal, walk to Central Bus Terminal to Jeonju. (18.700 won one way)
11:00 -  arrive at Jeonju bus terminal, take taxi to Hanok Village
11:30 -  lunch
12:30 - visit Jeonju Cathedral and walk around
2:00 -   check in at Guesthouse
2:30 -   eat around, visit P&B Bakery
5:00 -   visit night market in Nambu Market, lounge in a cafe
7:00 -   Dinner
8:30 -   Night Stroll in Hanok Village Street
10:00 - Rest

Church nearby Jeonju Hanok Village

Nambu Market 2nd floor

I love their pretty decorations on the wall

Raspberry tea and Citron tea

 eat and see Jeonju in a different light

day TWO:

10:00 - take taxi to Deokjin Park
11:00 - have lunch near Jeonbuk University
12:00 - take taxi to bus terminal
1:00 - depart from Jeonju to Seoul
3:30 - Arrive Seoul

                                                              Lotus Season in Deokjin Park

It was still pretty when I visited during early spring

The tan is back, Summer is Back

Summer in Korea is like no other summer. I know I might be overreacting to the current weather but my skin agrees with me.

In the effort to cool off the summer heat me and some friends decided to go to the closest beach, Eulwangri Beach in Incheon. Before this, the only beach I've been in Korea are those down south such as Haeundae in Busan city and others in Jeju Island. So when my friend suggested Incheon, it wasn't beaches that I had in mind but planes flying off Incheon Airport and I was not wrong.

We decided to meet in Incheon airport itself. I took an airport express bus for 10.000 won which takes me straight to the airport. It took me around an hour and a half to reach in which I happily spent by sleeping fully air-conditioned for the entire journey. I was happy, first step in cooling off the summer heat.

The airport bus will normally drop you in third floor which is the departure hall. The bus #202 to the beach happens to stop in the same floor. If you find gate number 7 you should see the sign where to wait for the bus. I was ready for a long ride bus but it turns out the beach was only around 20 minutes ride away. It was actually a quite interesting ride as the bus spent most of the time circling around the big airport before turning to a small alley and suddenly you are in a small village and people setting up tents next to the beaches.

           look for #202 that goes to Eulwangri Beach because the bus goes to two directions

We got there earlier than we expected, but since everyone(by everyone I meant mostly me) were really hungry we decided to stop for food first. Our stop was a restaurant that serves grilled clams and we were seated in second floor where we can get a view of the beach. The owner of the shop was really kind to let us leave our bags after so we can play around without worrying about our bags. She even lent us some slippers as some of my friends had shoes on.

                                      this shop serves grilled clams and the owner was really nice

                            our view from the second floor, there are a lot of cars in the weekend

                                           grilled clams approved by wow Korea supporters

And finally, beach time! I put on two type of sunblock. The one with SPF 110 and spray ones. But even after that my skin went extremely tan the next day despite the effort of the sunscreen. In the future I think I would be a good person to review sunscreen and see which ones actually works. But for the moment, I'm embracing my tan for summer which is a proof that summer is in town again!

                                                          summer break summer beach

A good tip for those of you who are planning to visit the beach is make sure you bring your toiletries like shampoo, soap, and face wash since the public shower place do not offer any for free. Bring cash too because you would have to pay to use the shower (we paid 2.000 won per person). The tide is highest in the morning and it gets low from 12 noon so if you are planning to swim make sure you get there before 3 or 4.

I would visit this beach again when there are less people (we went on the weekend) and probably bring a tent or a mat and grill some meat too. I saw a lot of people bring their own food to cook in the beach, what an awesome way to spend summer: barbequing at the beach. For those that are still wondering what to do in their summer break, why not visit a beach near you and swim to get the heat off.

Till then,

de Journie

communication

good communication = relationships.

It's hard enough to keep in contact with friends in the same zip code

let alone those you left thousand miles away....

I shall thank the creator of those social networking sites such as the Mr.F and awesome Mr.Skype so that we not only can hear but it lets me talk to my dogs. yes... I'm no dog whisperer but I do talk to them.

When a friend or family goes on skype it felt like they gave me just the perfect boost for the entire week. It shows how some still care to even say hi and asks how you're doing... like the buttered honeyed toast I've been missing.. badly..( I literally just meant toast in here)

but then when language barrier gets in the way... it's hard to get my way around it..
let alone language barrier.. sometimes just to be comfortable to talk about everyday 'stuff' it's hard to express my point across. Or maybe it's just me making excuses...

shoot! I hate being a grown up
you talk about these non-sense on your blog just because your moody...

till then,
the grown-up-ed version of de Journie

autumn...

Autumn... leaves are turning red, winds are blowing stronger,
but there are some good days as well. (u know the one where if-u-stand-under-the-sun-its-hot-but-under-the-shadows-its-freakin-cold kind of weather)
so as a friend said to me to enjoy to the very last of my korean language period, when the sun kindly show itself, means no more staying home. My pocket on the other hand says otherwise though...

A saying in korean says autumn belongs to the male population. As 'adventurous' as I claimed my self to be, I asked. The korean teacher said that autumn is the time for guys to reminiscence about their past and be as mysterious as they can be. another opinion says otherwise... it's a time to look 'cool' with their sweaters and long coats. Have to admit, I am not complaining. as long as it's no short boxes, I'm down with it. :)

Autumn also meant that 6 months has passed by since I first landed on the land of 'kimchi-all-the-way'. So far, it has been...'warmer and interesting' than I expected..
time flies faster than I thought it would be... it will soon be snow balls, end of year resolutions, and hopefully not...goodbyes...

I guess I will need to wait 'till next month when the 'question marks' revealed its fate.

autumn also meant mid-term exams. to those who are taking the exam and a special shout out to the boy, don't stress yourself out, and don't forget to eat!!

till then...
(or anything new)

de Journie

guidebooks

I wish there are guidebooks for life.. Where it tells you all the truths in life.. Where it lets you know that there is no such things as a straight road... life is a roller coaster with seat belts to always keep you safe

Lately I felt like my seat belt is becoming loose... as a friend said I have been beating around the bush with my decisions... Unsure of what to do and what i actually want regards to both relationship and school.

I dreamt of big things that i could achieve 'things' rather than 'a thing'... but never figure out what do i really want...
This is not the first time Ive heard of this but just never bother to take notice. As time goes by I've realised that I have confused my own self even more to the point that i need to think clearly for what I stand for.. What i want to do with my life and be my own navigator of life as God intended us to be. To follow the basic rules of life while still keeping a sense of My own identity.

without doubt this is said easier than done. But one has to try..

The big question is that... HOW??

btw... writting this in the midst of my korean class...

buttered honeyed toast

getting tired of this place...

wish i could run away to a place where buttered honeyed toast is all i need...

- feeling blue -

thinking if I have made the right choice... running away from my patisserie dream for a while...just for a while or so I thought...

wish I could turn back time where all I need is chicken curry after school, friends eating out, sharing life stories, talking about someone else's other half and promise ours will be different or so I thought...

goggling recipes to see what to bake this weekend instead of spending time with the other half or so i thought...

dear buttered honeyed toast... all i need is melt in your mouth buttered and a hint of honey in my toast. Is that too much to ask?

not in my best mood and chose to blah.. about it in my blog.. sorry :)

38C bus ride...

so another friday has come... I didn't realise it was Friday until it is friday....

wait....

does it make sense?mm... no... really...

sorry... I just got back from one of the most excruciating bus ride on record.
It has to be 'a moment to remember' as the bus we took to go back to Seoul filled with more than 30 students was 38C inside. 38 freakin' degrees that's like the temperature of a human body, not to count the 102% humidity.. and no windows...
the air conditioner worked out fine when we got in first, but then around 30 minutes later.. it turned it self to a mobile jimjilbang(sauna). With the combination of some K-pop music video playing on the TV put up by the lovely driver ajhussi... yea it was hot, noisy, people complaining from back to front.... let's just say it wasn't the prettiest ride.
Funny thing is that when we finally got off from this 'sauna' everyone smiled in joy as the weather outside was cooler (it was currently 35C outside)

anyway... we were making these


mine - what's more to say on top of your rice bowl
most female students were making these love hearts..... mine?? the one in the middle - mini milk jug

a friend of mine made an awesome turtle ninja

whilst these little one was watching all of us made a fool of ourselves...

August - Pajeon

this month's calendar has a photo Pajeon (Korean pancakes) on it
since my seat is next to the teacher's table, I'm forced to look at em.... hungry...
advice - don't buy calendars that has a food theme to it... not helping ur calories!

030811

<3 de Journie

August 1st 2011

my obsession with green-tea latte






Another month has just gone by without me even realizing how things are moving faster than what my korean level should be by now.

My progress in(or on??) Korean
Being in level 3 in korean is not as easy as I thought it would be. New grammars,expressions,new vocabulary,and most importantly the ability to concentrate on teacher's explanations prove evidently that it is the time to pull up the gear and pump up your korean skills!! So looking forward to over sized portions of Koreans being served and little less of... Well.. entertaiment awww...

Progress in finding a new place
non-existent... For real..
Sadly finding a new place to stay outside school dormitory is... insanely complicated. Houses in here are not exactly a piece of cake as you would find some of them being very inhospitable like u can live in a rooftop or a basement. Having lots of windows where ur freeze in winter and boil in summer or having no windows at all. Take your pick... Ah well... No good ever come from complaining they say.. So just have to look for other options. Somewhere out there there'll b a house where a kitchen is missing its owner and preferably an oven to go with it as well.. and a bread machine and an ice cream maker as well or in a million years a Kitchen Aid mixer!!.. hey no hurt in dreaming as they say!!

My progress on orchestra
awesome!! its moving really well. The deal is three times a week with three hour rehearsal each excluding parts rehearsal. So.. Yea very time consuming but quite worth it since we're preparing awesome three pieces! some include all four movements of the Beethoven symphony no.7 yay!!

Another busy week and month ahead! hope you out there non existent readers are having a good start to this month.

Till then de journie....

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossom Festival in Youido. all you can see were couples holding hands.. or young families..
me: why didn't u go to the festival?
friend: i have no one to go with... it's couple only...

mmm.. Seoul need to embrace the SINGLES!!!

i went with mum though~ lol

Pat-Bing-Su

introducing one of korean desserts called 'patbingsu' which is basically shaved ice with red bean, fruits, ice cream, rice cakes, and sometimes cereal...
generally served in summer to cut the heat. dessert yes.. but I can have 'em for lunch! yumm...
w. green tea ice-cream

w. vanilla ice cream

express food

chicken salad - there's a dressing and popcorn chicken packed separately inside


sold in a mini market, i think for 3000 won, and of course microwaveable.












guess what i bought... didn't know that its bega.. made in australia