hanbok inspiration.

I totally want to wear one of these beautiful Hanboks. Thanks to Sunjoo for posting these photos on her FB a while ago. I absolutely love these modern style hanboks. I love the pastel colors and all the layers of silk in the skirt. Here’s to some beautiful inspiration on a Monday!

photographer in training

Seoul is such a fascinating city that I had so much fun taking photos there. It was my first time there with my Nikon d5100 dslr. I love these photographs that Melody took of me during  our photoshoot at Bukchon village. I especially love the candid shots! I still have a lot to learn about photography. It looks like I’ll have opportunities to take more fascinating photos as I will be traveling to Indonesia and Vietnam in these next few months!

Wordless Wednesday: Red, Orange & Yellow

a final adventure in korea

As  I waited for the bus to the airport, I anxiously checked my wallet carefully. I only had 13500KRW. I was short 1,500KRW (about $1.50) the required bus fare. I just hoped that they would take credit card, like they did on the other bus I used to take. However, I was taking a different bus route today.

I got on the bus, and asked the bus driver if he took credit card. He had me try to use my transportation(T-money) card, but I didn’t have enough money on that. Then he told me to try to use my credit card, but I knew that I had a foreign card, and it wouldn’t work on the T-money machine. I didn’t know what to do. He told me that I needed to pay. I asked if I could pay at the airport. I mean there would be an ATM machine there, but he said that I had to pay before.

Not sure what else to do,  I told him I would get off the next stop. He asked me what I would do. I said that I would have to find an ATM or something. Then, he told me to stay on and that I could get off the next stop where there’s an ATM. I thought he meant that he would kick me off, and that I would have to wait for the next bus.

I waited anxiously for the next stop, he told me that I could get off and go to the ATM and he would wait for me. Luckily, I was still the only person on this  huge bus, even after 4 stops. As we approached the stop, I got off and went to the ATM. However, I tried all 3 of my credit cards, but they didn’t accept my foreign cards. This was it, I thought. I didn’t really have any other option. I would really just have to get off the bus.

I told the bus driver that I would just get off the bus and catch a taxi. I could pay with my credit card on the taxi. He asked me if i would have enough time to catch my flight if I took the bus. I said yes. He asked me if I could use the ATM machine at the airport. I told him that those machines would work with my foreign card.

Relieved, I got back on the bus. Then, he asked me if I had any dollars. I told him I had some Singapore dollars. He had me pay the amount I was missing with my Singapore dollars. Why didn’t I think of that earlier?! However, that wasn’t the only hurdle. As I looked at my watch I realized that the bus ride was taking a lot longer than I had expected. I was getting closer to the departing time. I got to the airport about an hour before. I didn’t realize that my flight time was 20 minutes earlier than I thought!

When I got to the security line, there were more people than normal. Usually, it is very quick to get through security at Incheon airport. Nervously, I waited on the line. As I made my way to the gate, they started boarding about 5 minutes after. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to do any duty free shopping, which may have a good thing on my wallet! Next time I’m in Korea, I’ll make sure to have the required bus fare and leave much earlier.

Have you had any crazy getting to the airport/almost missing your flight stories? 

Slice of life Tuesdays are hosted by the Two Writing Teachers.

Les Deux Plats @ Itaewon

A real French restaurant in Seoul? Not quite. Les Deux Plats is a new restaurant with French & Italian food on it’s menu. It’s found off the main street in Itaewon. I ended up going there for brunch which was more of an American style brunch menu. However, my friend Melody insists that they have the best steak in Seoul. So I’ll have to go back for steak the next time I’m in Seoul.

It’s a nice big building with 3 floors and plenty of tables. They gave us this appetizer red bean paste soup which tasted good and came with the brunch. We ordered the monte cristo sandwich, eggs benedict, frittata and caprese focaccia sandwich. I enjoyed my frittata and the  monte cristo was good as well! It was definitely a reasonably priced choice for brunch.

Directions can be found here:  http://onlyitaewon.com/component/content/article/63-food/restaurants/fusion/214-les-deux-plats.html

  

 

Seoul Style {Bukchon Village Part 2}

On our way to finding Bukchon village for our photography shoot, Melody and I got a bit lost. It was the first time we were going to Bukchon village and a friend of mine had given me some vague directions that morning. It was way too cold to be wandering around aimlessly through the streets of Seoul. So, I asked a random ahjussi (older Korean man) if he knew where Bukchon village was. He told us he lived there and he would show us the way.

As we walked together, we passed by a busy restaurant, he told us it was way too expensive. He pointed out some art galleries and new stores on the street, saying how this area has changed so much. He told us that the elementary school we passed by was over 100 years old! As he continued on with the tour and explanations, he led us to the two existing areas of Bukchon village.

All of a sudden on our walk, he told us that he lived in America for 4 years and started speaking in English to Melody. As he led us to the street and gave us some more directions on what path to take, we saw that we were not the only photographers in the area. We saw some other tourists and couples with their cameras on the old streets and alleyways. It was a beautiful and historic piece of Korea that was hidden in the quickly evolving and cosmopolitan city of Seoul that I finally got to discover. It would be a great place to go back in the spring or summer when frozen fingers and toes are not an issue.

Click here for pictures from Part 1.

Directions to Bukchon village (북촌한옥마을): Take line 3 to Anguk station. Get off exit 2, walk straight for about 300m.

Slice of life Tuesdays is hosted by the Two Writing Teachers.

    

Seoul Style {Bukchon Village Part 1}

Melody and I embarked on our photo shoot in Bukchon Hanok Village which is easily accessible from Anguk station. I foolishly wore boots with heels thinking that it would look better in photos, but didn’t think about all the walking I would have to do while taking and being in photos, and trekking the icy hills of Bukchon village.

We had an awesome time taking lots of photos of the old Korean style village and streets. Luckily, the weather was a little bit warmer that the past few days. However, by the end of our photo shoot, our fingers were getting frozen and a bit too dark. Thanks to Melody for being a good model and also taking some photos of me! Photo credit to Melody for the pictures of me below!

    

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our journey @ Bukchon village!

Seoul Style {Streets of Myeong Dong}

Today, my fingers suffered for the sake of photography, which I don’t regret. I think it was one of the coldest days of winter here in Seoul at -7 degrees Celsius. Remember, I’ve been living in hot 31 degrees Celsius weather these past 6 months in Singapore!

Myeong dong is known for all of it’s shopping and tourists! It’s definitely a place to visit if you are ever in Seoul. After warming ourselves up with Shabu-shabu for lunch, Melody and I hit the cold streets with our cameras in our hands.

  

Wordless Wednesday: Snowy Seoul

A Korean New Year’s Celebration

New year’s day is always a big celebration for my family here in Korea. I had a chance to meet with my relatives for some good traditional food and customs. My second cousins were dressed in their hanboks (traditional Korean outfits) in order to do the saebae (bowing to elders for money). This happened after a good Korean meal in the morning complete with dduk gook and all the side dishes! Even though we are adults now, we still bow to our elders (aunts & uncles), and they gave us some money as well!