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

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!

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

the Korean table

One of my highlights visiting Korea was getting to experience how Koreans actually live. I was delighted to stay in one of my friends' apartment in downtown Seoul. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were insanely tasty. I have the tendency to think that the wives here have a pretty good reputation in cooking, especially with different side-dishes(banchan) that the rice is served with. when it comes to food, it should never be missed!

Jajjang Myun..

Ada yang perna makan jajjang myun kagak?
itu loh mie yang item wrnanya, byasa di filem2 korea...
minggu ini eke bikin jajjangmyun tapi yang instan...

tapi dulu perna ci bikin yang beneran...
dapet resep dari Maangchi blognya makan makanan korea...
hehe.. eke ngerasa kayak di film2 kalo lagi makan ini...