Korea - Winter Sonata in Nami Island

Day 3

Since release of Winter Sonata, this island has gained popularity and tourists (whether local or foreign) have flocked this beautiful island. Nami Island has even declared independence from South Korea and has its own government and law.

As we strolled down the famous tree-lined road, one could not resist the beautiful, cooling and romantic nature has to offer. A 7 minutes ferry ride to the island and you will be mesmerised by its beauty. This island is a man-made island, formed because of the construction of Cheongpyeong Dam. Many scenes in "Winter Sonata" were shot in this island.



So, when you walk around the island (it took us more than an hour to walk over the island), you will see some posters of the famous drama here and there.



After the visit to Nami Island, we proceed to Yeoju Premium Outlet where you would find branded outlets like Gucci, Nike, Burberry etc there. Hubby bought a Reebok shoes worth 69000Won (more than RM200)in Reebok outlet. We did not stay long, about 30 minutes then we went to our next destination.

Myeong-dong street. It reminded me of our Malaysia's Petaling Street. What to expect in Myeong-dong street? Clothing, traditional clothing, lok-lok, food, utensil, souvenirs. We hunt for food and one thing that we love to hunt? Strawberries! Korean strawberries are sure sweet and you could even taste ginseng flavour in some strawberries. Korean are famous for planting their strawberries together with ginseng in same soil, so you could taste some essense of ginseng in their strawberry. Yummy! Cost 5000 to 7000won (RM15-RM21) depends on size and whether it is enriched with ginseng or not. Hubby just couldnt resist buying them. He finished up a whole pack of juicy strawberries alone in the bus! Lol!

Korea - Be a Korean for a minute!

Day 2 continue....

After an hour at Daejanggeum Theme Park, we took another 1 hour bus ride to the city to have our lunch. BBQ style. Probably we were hungry or cold, we finish and re-fill our food on the table. After filling up our empty stomach, we gone to Korean Culture Centre to have a taste of been a Korean for a while!!



Firstly we were introduced on making on kimchi, a famous Korean dish made from vegetables, such as cabbage, carrots and radish. The vegetables would be seasoned with spices such as salt, pepper, red chilli, etc and keep for few days to weeks in cold temperature. Kimchi colours varied from white, yellow to red depends on the ingredients.

A kimchi master showed us the making on one of over 200 kimchi in the centre. After the introduction, we were taught on seasoning kimchi ourselves. My first trial in making kimchi. Not bad for first timer. We were allowed to bring back the kimchi that we made and also treated to kimchi made by the master.



After kimchi making, we proceed to the next room where we can freely try on its traditional costume for photo-taking. The ladies wear the Korean costume called Hanboks. For married ladies, we have to tie our hair and wear a head gear. Don't we look nice in those costume? Lol!

Korea - Daejanggeum Theme Park

Day 2

We arrived in Korea on Monday, 15 February evening around 5.20pm (Korean time). We went for our cabbage soup pot before residing at our hotel in Seoul for a night.

The next day (16 February) we departed from our hotel at 8.00am and heading to a restaurant for a breakfast buffet. Korean breakfast buffet is very simple. I were too hungry and cold to take any photos of the food. Lol! One thing about Korean, they eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner! So that is why I said I am gaining weight from eating rice 3 times a day.

After we filling up our stomachs, we headed to our very first destination in Korea. Daejanggeum Theme Park. It was about 1 hour plus trip. Anyone remember “The Jewel In the Palace” drama?? Yes. That was the exact site where they filmed the famous drama. Although the real actress were not there, but at least I managed to pose with her in a card-board size there. Lol!



After visiting the site for about an hour, we went to the field next to it to play some snow balls. Of course I took the opportunity to feel snow on my hands and take photos of us lying on the bed of snow! Phew! Cold!

A taste of Korea

I am fleshier and fairer (I think). Fleshier is because every day I eating rice for breakfast, rice for lunch and rice for dinner!! 3 meals a day. Fairer because of dry and windy weather in Korea! It feels good to be back to Kuching! *wink*

I started to miss Kuching food on 2nd day. Everyday kimchi and kimchi, I would want to stay away from cabbage and radish for the time being! Lol!

My vacation started on 14th February evening, where we took a flight to Singapore in the evening. Reached my transit hotel in Singapore around 12 midnight and the next day, we checked in Changi International Airport for our departure at 9.20am. We reached Incheon International Airport around 4.15pm (Korea time is 5.15pm - 1 hour ahead).

I have yet to sort out all the photographs. Over 2000 photographs from 5 cameras, so I will need to take some times to sort through. For time being, let me tempt you with food.....

My first Korea meal is dumpling. Korea food is indeed very healthy. Korean do not eat much meat, mostly vegetables and lots of kimchi. Pork and chicken are common meats as beef is very expensive in Korea. Not much fruits can be found especially during winters.



Either we are hungry or the dumplings,and soup were delicious, we finished up the whole pot. Not to mention the assortment of kimchi as side dishes. After the dinner, we headed straight to hotel for early rest.



Other food that I enjoyed in Korea is the above. If you noticed, that white long starch is "nian gao". Korean celebrated new year as Chinese around the world. Btw, Korean is Mongolian descendants; the culture is not much different from Chinese. Chinese is still used around Korea, which shopping malls using Korean and Chinese languages for announcement etc.



Back to "nian gau", the Korean nian gau comes in few colours, such as pink, white and green. To eat this nian gau dishes, you simply stir it together with rice, seaweed, marinated chicken, carrot slices and cabbage slices. Above picture shows the nian gau dish before you stir the ingredients.



Korean enjoyed their food either in hot pot (soup) or BBQ. This is to keep them warm during winter. One thing about Korean food. You can ask for re-fill but do not waste food. They charge wastage accordingly. So we keep re-filling the kimchi, rice, water, add soup, add meat and prawn paste. I do not quite like BBQ as after eating, my whole body and hair are smelly!



Above is the famous Korean stone rice. I do not have much comments about stone rice. For me, it is just like claypot rice. Lol!



However I enjoyed this ginseng chicken that I tasted last Saturday afternoon. They used spring chicken as you can see the size of the chicken. How you eat this dish? First, you add some rice wine into the soup to taste. You can add soy sauce, pepper and salt if you like. You add in mee sua into the soup. Then you eat the chicken. After finished up the meat, you cut open the chicken, and eat the glutinous rice in the chicken. A very great dish, but I did not finished up the rice as too full.



Assortment of kimchi. Korean has over 200 ways of making kimchi from mild to spicy kimchi. We mostly tasted mild kimchi as most of us do not enjoy taking spicy food.

Again, BBQ. Self-serviced BBQ. We grilled, we cut and we served ourselves right on our table. Lol!



Next post - pictures on Korea scenery!

Happy holidays!

I have been on holiday mood since yesterday. Not working as company is closing for CNY yesterday and today. What I did? Spring cleaning my bedroom and clearing my wardrobe and kids' too. Repack my luggage bag for my vacation. As for the house, not much done since my SIL has done so last week and throughout this week since she is not working. A lot of things have been thrown out from the house. It does make the house look spacious and organised! Lol! Later around 1pm, I am going to pick my little gal from pre-school and Baby Jay from babysitter's house.

Tomorrow is the beginning of the Year of Mighty Tiger. For the first time in my life, I will be away during the Chinese New Year. Along with hubby’s parents and siblings, we would be flying to a far away land tomorrow evening to enjoy a different culture, ambiance and food. What a way to kick off a new year!

I would have tomorrow to visit my family and celebrate CNY with Baby Jay and Princess. By evening, we would send Baby Jay to baby sitter's house. Mummy promised Baby Jay that there would be lots of presents for Baby Jay when we are back from the vacation.

Parents-in-law would be flying and arriving here in the afternoon. Reunion dinner will be ready by my BIL. Probably I will have early dinner with my hubby's family then go over to my parents' house for another reunion dinner with them. Lol!

I will blog more when we are back from our family vacation. So, watch out for my next posts in this blog and my family blog............... Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers and friends. May the Year of Tiger brings luck, happiness, health & prosperity to you and your family.

Pearly white

I just remember that my SIL bought a pack of white pearl powder and pearl whitening cream from Shanghai during her trip end of last month. I have yet to try them out. Suppose to make your skin clearer, smoother and glowing. Anyone try using white pearl powder for beauty regime before??



I tried the whitening cream on my hand, and sure enough, my hand looks radiant. I guess it has some pearl residue in the cream, that is why my hand radiant. One thing I like about the cream is that it is very moisturising.

Maybe I trying the powder out this Saturday, see if I have time to try it. Either I do a face mask or used as cleanser, and put some whitening cream on my face thereafter. I hope hubby would not have a shock of his life seeing me lying in the bed for 20 minutes having white mask on my face. *laugh* However, first thing first. I need to find a container to keep my pearl powder.

Almost ready for my vacation

After collected my bonus and commission last Friday I started my shopping list. Hahah! At least I did not finish all my monies.

Passed RM1K to my SIL so she can help me change to Korean Won. Yes! We are going to Korea for our CNY vacation. RM1K exchange for Korean Won 340,000. Wow!



Some money I save, some used to settle my credit card and some to pamper myself with shopping. I bought myself a nice walking shoes from Viss and winter hat from Universal Travellers last Saturday. I am all ready for the vacation. I even started packing the winter clothings in my big luggage bag over the weekend. Lol!

One item that we need to get before the vacation is a digital camera. Hubby is waiting for his commission which is out tomorrow. Then we will go together to get our camera. Either Canon or Sony Cybershot.....see what is the offer then.

For few weeks I have cut down on carbo especially at night. Last week I tried my jeans and to my surprises, I can fit into some of them! Yahoo! Now I no need to worry that I do not have any pants to wear to Korea. Lol! I have also started taking Quaker oats in the morning (under influence from my colleague). She lost 1 kg after 1 week of taking oats and I do hope that I will be able to lose some more. I just started taking oats yesterday so if I am to continue till Saturday, I do hope I can lose 1 or 2 kgs there, plus no rice for me during dinner. Hmm, hope I am that determine and able to make it for few more days.....And then eating like "no body's business" during CNY. There go my effort. *wink*

Beautiful nails (Part II)

If I tell you that I have never been to manicure and pedicure, would you believe me?? Please believe me, I really never been to one. Lol! I heard from friends that you get some good treatment for your nails, but I never like the idea of someone doing my nails, especially toe nails. Probably I do not have nice toe nails. Anyway, I have never been to one and I have known a man that goes to pedicure almost every month. Hmm, when I asked hubby whether he likes to try pedicure, he gave me a funny look, saying "what do you think?" Hmmmmmm...

Anyway, to continue my beauty adventure, I did my nails this afternoon. Nice or not?? Bought new colours couple of days ago, so I could not wait to try on them one by one. Firstly, champagne colour with tiny white flowers design.



My girl was pestering me to do hers, but I told her that mummy will do it for her next weekend. And guess what designs she wants for her nails? Love shaped. Okay, need to shop for some small heart designs for her.... *wink*

Bring back the smile

Yes, after more than 2 months, I finally got my first commission from the company. I have been asking my manager on the commission from rental, and after much coaxing he finally gave it to us today. Plus bonus too....It brings a big smile to me. I need it for my CNY holiday.

Another good news is I received a call from the other company this morning. Remember I told you that I am thinking of open up a shop and be an entrepreneur? Yes! I have passed the interview and they want me to go to KL for 2 weeks training on 22 Feb. However I have to ask them to put off to later date as I would only be back from my CNY vacation on 21st and need to make other arrangements first before committing to them. Everything happens at same time!! Gosh!

And another good friend, Wenn gave me this "Sweet Friends" award. Thank you so much. You make my day. 3 great things happen today. Lol. 10 things that make me happy??



Hubby, my princess, my prince, food, friends, music, blogging, facebook, travelling and money. I would like to pass this award to all who need a smile. Please list down 10 things that make you happy too. *smile* Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

What is the logic?

It must have been the weather. Damn hot!!! Yesterday I have to sneak out and went home to take a quick nap. Luckily after my nap, I felt better. It has been hot for the past week. Some of my colleagues on sick leave, due to flu or sore throat. I also feel dizzy and weak. Must be the ventilation in the office!!

If possible I try not to go out under the warm sun but been in sales, it is hard. My manager keeps asking us to find customers, so either way, we have no choice but to go out! Sigh!

CNY is 10 days from today. I am so looking forward to the long holiday. But a bit annoyed with my director's announcement on our CNY leave.

How do you feel when you are asked by manager to take leave when the company is closed for CNY? We were asked to take leave (for my case, unpaid leave as I am still under probation) for 2 days (on 12 and 13 February). Well, the company is closed for 2 days and why should we be wasting our leave and get it approved?

Big bowl of Sarawak Laksa

I have found the great laksa in the city!! Probably many Kuching people know this place and known this great laksa stall, but when I tried it out over the weekend, I immediately fall in love with it!!

This great laksa stall is in Tabuan Food Court, Tabuan Jaya. RM8.00 for special and RM4.50 for normal bowl. Don't be surprise when you see the size of the bowl if you are ordering its special!! What to expect for a RM8.00 Sarawak Laksa? In the big bowl, you will have yellow noodles or vermicelli with big and fresh prawns, clams, chicken drumstick and bean sprouts. The problem would be you have to peel the prawn shells yourself, while for normal bowls, you save times since they peeled the shells for you, but you would be expecting smaller prawns and smaller portion for normal price.




Laksa lovers, please try it out yourself!! It is the food court nearer to Wisma Wan, Tabuan Jaya. While you waiting for your laksa, you can take a glimpse or shop around for CNY goodies and decorations at the surrounding shops.