Korea Day 4: Lunch at 뼈다귀천국 [Bone Heaven]

~ 26th January 2017 ~

Lunch was just somewhere opposite the army barrack which I was staying in. It was near but we took a drive opposite the road. 

I think I got cultural shock when I realized that we have to remove our shoes to enter into the restaurant. If over here I'm asked to remove my shoes, I don't think I will want to eat there at all. No point wearing nice shoes when you need to remove them. Might as well just wear slippers and go. So, it was quite troublesome as I have my boots on. Can't wear slippers though, my feet will get frostbite and I will go home without any toes.

Because Korea is too cold during winter, so most restaurants have wood flooring and heating element is on the flooring itself. When you remove your shoes, your feet will be planted on warm surface. Nice nice...Please make sure your socks don't smell like salted fish. 

This restaurant's specialty is spicy pork ribs served hot. It's very nice and no where can this exact same taste be found in Penang. No other Korean restaurants can claim that they can create the same taste. The only Korean restaurant worth going to back in Penang is Daorae. With this, I only need two bowls of rice and all the refillable fishcakes.

As usual, there will be refillable side dishes but sorry to say, I do not enjoy eating kimchi at all. No matter how many years you keep them, I will not want them. But my Korean friend makes the best kimchi, extremely nice according to my tastebuds.  

This is my style of travelling where I don't see any tourists at all. Live like a local but in the end also sampat like a tourist. 

Korea Day 4: First Encounter to Winter Issues...

~ 26th January 2017 ~

It was seriously very cold that before going out, it was my first time wearing so many layers and making sure most part of the skin was not exposed. I like the cold but it was quite troublesome to wear so much and just before you want to leave the house, you have that urge to go to the toilet~!! 

Breakfast was at home and I realized that this Korean friend of mine is so much like my China travel buddy. Both of them have the love for steamed sweet potatoes. I can't eat sweat potatoes like that, I have to turn it into a dish.

Then a loud sound came from the back of the house. The washing machine was jammed up as the water has turned into ice. Water was not flowing through the pipes anymore. I think they turned on the heating system after that, then boooossshhhhhhhhh the ice melted into water and the back portion was flooded with water. Water just freeze over so most people from cold countries do not enjoy winter but hey, I'm from a hot country, I want winter minus the issues that come along with it. 

If the northern part of Vietnam can snow, I believe winter will slowly crawl to our country soon. 

Korea Day 3: Long Drive to Seoul

~ 25th January 2017~

Now, I find a little extra time in hand to continue writing about my first trip to Korea. I hope I don't forget much as two years just flew by in a wink of an eye. Many winks la but I have been too busy with work, so now I decide to blow away the dust covering this blog. I think I forget how to insert photos *sigh*

It was a cold morning and Flora's car was like a mobile freezer. The heater in the car has ceased to function. She sent it for repair and rented a Hyundai car. It was a 5-hour drive to Seoul from where we were. 

I have lost count of the tunnels and mountains that we went in and out of. It was a nice drive but being a passenger, one could only listen to songs and sleep. Took a lot of videos and photos because it was really amazing looking at bald mountains covered with white snow. 

We had lunch somewhere and I wonder why the portion must be so huge. I thought I was a big eater but the amount they shoved into their mouth, I have to say I was not a big eater afterall. Just a moderate eater. There was a city map on the wall, it was such a massive one that I had no idea where I was standing or where we were heading next. 

It was just a day trip. We went to one of Atomy's centre to listen to someone sharing but for this first trip, I have no knowledge of Korean words in my head yet. So I was just someone tagging along, enjoying the car ride, fascinated with the many tunnels along the way home and really appreciate the cold winter. It was at -20 degree Celsius if I remembered correctly. That was the coldest I have ever experienced. 

My first time stepping on soft snow. And sunset arrived early around 6 p.m. Korean time. By the time it was 6:30p.m. it was as dark as 8p.m. back home. I've lost 1.5 hours of daylight and became automatically sleepy after the sun decided to leave earlier.

Oh, by the way, it was also my first time riding on a Samsung car. I like everything Samsung but Samsung never thank me for being a loyal customer at all. It was actually Samsung + Ford, I think Ford engine but everything else Samsung. Not sure, go Google and find out yourself. I'm not into cars.