A Pinoy in Korea

Immigrating To Bacolod's Manokan Country

2012-01-25T19:45:00.000+09:00

Every time I fly home, I make sure I get to enjoy chicken inasal (or chicken barbecue), be it in Makati City or in Bacolod City.

The last time I enjoyed it was in Chicken House, that popular chicken inasal restaurant along the very busy Lacson Street in Bacolod City. That place is always full especially during lunch time!

(Aida's. But I didn't know if she was there.)

(Manokan Country)

But on this trip, my family tried another chicken inasal venue, the place where you can find all the restaurants serving the very popular barbecue. The area is dedicated mainly for the deliciously marinated, rightly flavored, grilled bird, and appropriately called Manokan Country!

(Masquerade. It's more fun in Bacolod.)

(These masks must have been worn during the

Masskara Festival competition.

They are so elaborate and creatively designed.)

'Manok' means chicken, and the restaurants are gathered in a block and wittingly labelled a 'country'. Of course, it has no head of state. Only a national barbecued bird.

But even if it's on the other side of a national boundary, it's still as yummy and enjoyable. Be it the chicken legs, or its innards like the barbecued liver or tailbone, I always enjoy it especially if eaten with garlic rice and a soy sauce-calamansi dip.

And the restaurant we visited was Aida's, whose interior was decorated with these elaborately designed, colorful masks, a tribute to Bacolod City's Masskara Festival which is held every October.

(This has to be my favorite chicken dish.)

Well, in case you're in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental, you can always 'immigrate' to Manokan Country, where you won't need a passport. Only a huge appetite and an empty tummy.

(Photos of Miss Masskara candidates displayed inside the restaurant. I don't know which one won the title.)

('Sarap ng Manok sa Bacolod' means 'Chicken is

delicious in Bacolod.')

And on my trip home next time, I will definitely visit this 'country' again, and enjoy its national barbecue. Burp!

Flying Over the Pacific On Cebu Pacific!

2012-01-24T23:09:00.000+09:00

Well, not exactly over the Pacific Ocean. Only the Philippine Sea. :-)

Last year, when it was time to shop for plane tickets for Manila, I was shocked when Judy, my Korean travel agent, quoted me a freakin' W800,000 for a Philippine Airlines ticket! That was W300,000 more expensive than her previous year's price! I have always flown Philippines Airlines (and a few flights on Korean Air and Asiana flight to and from Manila, and both are the priciest!), but that W800,000 (or about US$700) wouldn't work for me.

So, I tried the next option: Cebu Pacific Air! (Sorry, Mr. Bautista, with all the labor strikes and cancelled flights of your Philippine Airlines, I just couldn't take the risk).

I went online and got me Cebu Pacific seats to and from Manila, and it only cost W320,000! And that already included choice seats (I chose the exit row for the leg room!) and a 30-kilo baggage allowance (for all my pasalubongs!). No in-flight meals were included though; that's why it was cheap.

(My actual luggage weight for Incheon-Manila.
Sagad to almost 30 kilos!)

(My luggage weight for Manila-Incheon. I could have
squeezed in 400 grams of chicharon bulaklak!)

Though the plane wasn't that big (it didn't have a business class section), I was comfortable with my exit row seat and satisfied with my own meals: Jamaican beef patties on my flight to Seoul, and Conti's chicken empanada on my flight to Bacolod! Better than any airline meal! (Burp!) I just bought drinks which they sold on the plane. That way, I could have it cold...with ice!

(Chicken empanada!)

(Jamaican beef patties with home-made tarts from

Cora and iced drinks! Not to mention a very informative and entertaining book by Ambeth Ocampo.

The other passengers could only look and salivate while I laid out the yummiest in-flight meal ever!)

And the verdict on flying Cebu Pacific? I'd definitely fly them again! There wasn't really any big difference between flying PAL and CebuPac. I still arrived in Manila safely (but a little sleepier though). Cebu Pacific's night flight out of Seoul was an hour later, and of course, PAL's stewardesses wore heavier make-up.

I have a big problem with NAIA's Terminal 3 though.

To the NAIA General Manager:

Can somebody repair those broken moving walkways (others call it a travelator or a horizontal escalator)? And can you, for the love of OFWs, provide more trolleys?

Our flight arrived at almost 1AM. And we (mostly Filipinos, Koreans and other international passengers), were already so weary and sleepy, and what welcomed us was a Mabuhay! and a broken moving walkway! A freakin' moving walkway that didn't move! And a Pinay mother with a sleeping baby and a few old people had to walk a long way out!

And why is there not enough trolleys? And even if you find one, it's rickety. Those rusty trolleys could kill you with tetanus, you know.

* * * * *

Perhaps, Cebu Pacific can relay my message to the sensitive people who actually run NAIA. After all, being the tenant, #CebuPacificAir can always complain to its landlord.

Now, as I plan my trip back home in the summer, I'll keep on watching out for those promo fares with a 30-kilo baggage allowance. And exit row seats, of course.

And I look forward to my own in-flight meal, too. I miss those Jamaican beef patties already!

(Passengers boarding for Incheon)

(Where does the NAIA terminal fee of P750 go?)

(It's always a good idea to 'web check-in' a day before.
No hassle-no waiting at the check-in counter.)

And do you have any other interesting prizes on your in-flight games other than those plastic tumblers?

(Arrived safely at Incheon International Airport
and waiting for my Airport Bus No. 6060.)

My Frozen Brazo De Mercedes In The Freezing Winter

2012-01-23T12:56:00.002+09:00

I am lucky to have tita's (aunties) who know how to make first-rate brazo de mercedes, that very popular dessert in the Philippines which is of Spanish origin, and made of first-rate yumminess, and a few egg whites and bars of Anchor Butter. They don't use condensed milk on their filling, by the way. Condensed milk produces very commercial-tasting, cheap brazos, like the ones found at local cake shops.

And I'm even luckier to have brought to Seoul two brazos from my two tita's! I was able to squeeze them in plastic containers and voila! They're now sitting frozen in, well, the freezer!

And even in the middle of the freezing winter here in Seoul, I continue to enjoy the frozen brazos made from home while spending a lazy day (or night) at home during the Seollal holidays watching the Australian Open and writing a few blogs.

Now, let me finish my slice of brazo de mercedes first. The year of the dragon can wait.

The Exodus On Seollal!

2012-01-22T13:45:00.001+09:00

Everyone was going somewhere this long weekend. It's Seollal, the lunar new year!

And most Seoulites have already left the city for the provinces to visit their families. While others are leaving the country for a short break overseas.

(Steve Jobs and a hamburger joint)

It would have been nice to also hit the road again, but flying out of the country was out of the question. I just got back from my Christmas vacation in the Philippines, and plane tickets are very pricey. It's a peak season!

And hitting the road would also been good if only you don't know that 30 million other people are moving around the country during this long weekend. I certain don't want to be caught in a day-long traffic jam!

(I always like the lines of the Seoul Station, from the beams, to the roof and down to the train tracks. It's a beautiful train station.)

And as I wandered around the less crowded city, I made a quick stop at the Seoul Station, the major hub of Korail's KTX trains which carry thousands and thousands of homeward passengers days before Seollal.

And while I happened to watch a few of those thousands who were eagerly awaiting their trains or on their way to the platform to board them, I shared, in a way, their excitement of being homeward bound.

Happy Seollal, everyone!

(A family happily posing before boarding their train)

And Why Do I Always Love Passing Through The Incheon International Airport?

2012-01-22T00:45:00.002+09:00

Fleeingthe winter in South Korea wasn’t my main reason to run to the IncheonInternational Airport and catch a plane. I just want to spend my Christmas in the Philippines! Period.

InDecember 2010, on my way to the airport, I still had to take a cab fromHannam-dong to the airport bus stop in Itaewon (the one next to the Itaewon Hotel). From my apartment in Hannam-dong, the nearest airport busstop was then at the Soonchunyang Hospital bus stop, and I certainly didn’t want to drag mysuitcase full of pasalubongs for about 400 meters, while the cold temperature wasturning my hands numb, my throat dry and my legs some frozen delight!

Butluckily, this time, for some very Christmas-sy reason, a new airport bus routewas added! And this new Bus Number 6060 passesthrough Hannam-dong with its bus stop right next to the Hannam-dong’sFranciscan Church! Merry Christmas,indeed!

Ididn’t need to take a cab. Just a six-minute walk from my apartment (and stillwith the heavy luggage full of pasalubongs!) all the way to the bus stop! And since I already accomplished the ‘webcheck-in’ the day before, I could just take my lazy time to the airport. .

(Parking my heavy suitcase of pasalubongs at the airport bus stop in Hannam-dong. The bus driver wondered why it was so heavy!)

(Bus No. 6060 arriving at the airport)

(A check-in locator inside the bus! How thoughtful!
That's just what the passengers need! It shows the
letter of your airline check-in counter.)

Andthis new bus didn’t disappoint! Sincethere was only two stops from Hannam-dong, it took only 50 minutes from Hannam-dongto the airport. The other Bus Number 6030 took 70!

(This is what welcomed me when I got to the Cebu
Pacific counter. It was still closed! Too early!)

(And a few minutes before it opened, queuing time!)

Andsince I already had checked in online, the queue at the Cebu Pacific counter wouldn’t matter. There was no queque when I gotthere anyway. I had more than an hour to kill. And so, I just lazily wandered around the IncheonInternational Airport to remind me why it has been voted one of the most beautifuland loved airports in the world.

(My ticket had a 30-kilo allowance. But the actual weight of all my clothes and pasalubong was.....29.9 kilos! I had to ask the lady at the counter if I really was seeing it right. )

And after checking in, I only had three things to do: feed myself (it was dinner time and the Cebu Pacific flight didnt' serve in-flight meals; I should write another blog about the flight), check out the controversial Louis Vuitton store, and claim my Nanay's pasalubong at the Lotte Duty-Free pick up! (She'd disown me if I forget her Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue perfume and Estee Lauder very red lipstick. Ha-ha-ha!).

My boarding time was at 9PM and it was just almost 7PM. Wander around, get through Immigration, dinner, Louis Vuitton, Lotte Duty-free pick-up. Whichever comes first.

(Parking my trolley and bag in front of the
controversial Louis Vuitton store)

(What's in a bag, Monsieur Louis?)

(The duty-free pick up area near the Cebu
Pacific boarding gate)

(I always wondered on how much work it took to build those
high ceilings and steel beams above everyone.)

(The view from the restaurant area. The shadows
of the steel beams, the white color, and the
lighting make the ceilings look interesting.)

(Just what everyone needs: a chance to over-eat.)

(Escalators down to the train for the other terminal)

(I have a feeling those are not passenger luggage but
...duty-free packages!)

(Christmas decors. Very Korean. Very glittery.)

(Colorful lighted statues. The airport is also a park!)

(My overpriced dinner. This is W13,500, including tax. At the E-Mart food court, this would cost only W6,000. But hey, this is not E-Mart. Ha-ha-ha!)

At the security check before the Immigration, the security staff would ask each passenger where he or she is flying to. The guy asked me, "Where are you going?"

I told him, "I'm going home". He smiled.

(Taking the train to my Cebu Pacific gate.
I took a bus and a train in order to board a plane.)

(Finally! The Cebu Pacific plane waiting for the tired,
sleepy and excited Pinoy passenger on his way home!)

And as I settled on my seat waiting for boarding announcement, I browsed through this Airstar Magazine published by the airport with Kim Hyun-Joong on the cover. I was shocked! The photographs were good and nice. But my gaaad, the English translation of the Korean texts was horrible! It was as if the editor just copied and pasted the Korean text on Google Translate and just used whatever was translated!

(Poor Kim Hyun-Joong. If only he read what the editor
wrote of him...in English.)

To the guys at the Airstar Magazine:

Just let me know if you need help on the English translations. You do realize that the Incheon International Airport is one of the best in the world, and your magazine is read by international travelers. Let's load the next issue with better English, shall we?

* * * * *

Oh well, other than that glossy magazine with un-glossy English, my passage through the Incheon International Airport is always an experience. Either flying out or in, the airport always makes it easy for me (even with my heavy luggage!) with all its conveniences from the airport bus, to the check-in, and up to the steps of the plane.

And whether I was flying to Manila or some other cities, I realized passing through this airport was already part of my journey.

Bon voyage!

A PInoy in Bacolod: The Cakes of Calea and The Batchoy of 21

2012-01-02T18:47:00.000+09:00

Whenever I'm home in Negros Occidental (in the Philippines), I always meet up with university classmates Rayri, Jane and Margot in Bacolod City for our traditional Christmas lunchee.

But since Rayri opted to enjoy the beaches of Florida instead of the beaches of Negros this year, only the three who were in the island met up for the lunchee.

We usually gathered at Calea, the cake house in Bacolod, where we used to enjoy the pasta and the desserts which were not only to-die-for; they're to-cross-the-oceans-for!

But this year, I didn't know that Calea moved to a new and bigger place, just across the L'Fisher Hotel. And I didn't know that they momentarily stopped serving pasta. So, the three of us ended up at 21, the nearest restaurant to have lunch.

I have been only once at 21, and that was a couple of years ago. I couldn't recall the dishes I had at that time. So, on this lunchee, I ordered batchoy, that Ilonggo recipe of noodles, some innards and an egg in a broth. (Batchoy originated from La Paz in Iloilo City.)

(Ang batchoy....bow!)
And in between our catching-ups and sharing stories of our lives for the past 12 months, I slurped on the batchoy and minced on its noodles. I thought the stories were more interesting than my dish. The batchoy wasn't that spectacular. The interiors of restaurant looked more delicious.

(Mango salad)
The disappointment was a little bit salvaged though. Jane ordered the mango salad: cabbages drenched in mango puree and mixed with fresh mango slices. It was good.

And although we wanted to taste 21's chocolate cake, I think the waiter whom I asked to bring us that smaller version of the moist-looking, rich chocolate cake didn't want us to enjoy it. My order was simply ignored. We waited for 15 minutes, but no chocolate cake arrived on our table. So we just decided to leave 21 and have our dessert to the place which surely serves the best cakes in Bacolod City: Calea! (I told another waiter who gave us our bill about my chocolate cake order that never came. He instead asked me who our dedicated waiter was. How the hell should I know? I don't even know all the names of the members of Miss A and 2PM! Why should I know the name of the waiter who didn't introduce himself, but instead served me a boring batchoy? Ha-ha-ha!)

So, off we rushed to Calea, ordered our favorite cakes and coffee and continued on our reunion. (I love desserts. During our parties in Seoul, I would be more interested on the desserts than on the dishes everyone was bringing! Ha-ha-ha!)

(Calea has now outdoor tables where it's breezy.)

And our Christmas reunion continued, this time with my favorite Calea chocolate cake and Mocha Frost. The ladies ordered pecan caramel with vanilla ice cream.

(The simple reasons I go home for. Of course,
I mean friends. Ha-ha-ha!)
The three of us hoped that next Christmas, Rayri comes home from her Florida hideaway and joins us in our lunchee. And I hope that time, Calea would be serving again their pasta and I would be crossing the Guimaras Strait to Iloilo City for the real La Paz batchoy.

Krismas In Pinas! (Christmas In The Philippines!)

2011-12-31T19:08:00.001+09:00

Since Christmas is the biggest holiday in the Philippines, Christmas parties are enjoyed almost everyday in December.

And since a few Pinoy friends who once lived in Seoul were all flying home to the Philippines to spend their vacations there, what better way to hold a reunion than a Christmas party!

And since we're all home, we thought of having a Filipiniana theme for our Christmas party: puto-bumbong and bibingka (popular Filipino rice cakes), lechon cebu (roasted pig popular in the province of Cebu), Christmas carollers and Filipino dances like tinikling (waltz on bamboos) and pandango sa ilaw (waltz with lighted candles)!

(Friends trying dancing the pandango sa ilaw.
They're holding the lighted candles.)

(Puto-bumbong and bibingka makers from Villegas Puto-Bumbong of Aristocrat Restaurant in Malate hired to make the rice cake goodies at the party.)

(Puto-bumbong and bibingka! Straight from
the palayok oven! I wish I could bring some to Seoul!)

(Puto Manapla which I handcarried from
the Bacolod-Silay Airport)

(Loren slicing up the lechon cebu!)

(This roasted pig was ordered by Loren and was flown in from Cebu, and had to be picked up at Philippine Airlines' cargo terminal an hour before dinner time! Thanks to Butch, Loren's driver, for bringing home this lechon safely and intact in time for the party! It was really yummy!)

("Handog ng Pagmamahal" carollers serenading local
and foreign guests at the party.)

(These kids were so good. Singing, dancing
and playing a few musical instruments.)

The kids from 'Handog ng Pagmamahal' (An Offering of Love) group sang Christmas carols and pop songs, impressing local and foreign friends at the party with their performance. I have always realized Filipinos, even this young, are already so talented that they must have needed only a month to polish their repertoire in time for the Christmas season. They sing at Christmas parties and gatherings where entertained guests, in return, give cash for the group to use in their medical and charitable missions for the less fortunate. (If only some K-pop bands are as talented.)

(Impressed audience.)

Aside from our lechon cebu and rice cakes, friends brought over some tocino, salmon, chicken and other dishes.

Tinikling is a fun but tricky Philippine dance. If your timing is off, your ankle gets caught between the bamboo poles. Ouch!

Maraming salamat (Many thanks!) to Loren and Richard who opened their home in Makati City (in Metro Manila) to welcome friends from other continents! Loren was so excited that she pulled all the stops in decorating their home to look like it was a 'pasko sa barrio' (Christmas in the villlage).

And those who could also wore their Filipiniana attire and brought some yummy dishes and desserts with them. Maraming salamat to them, too!

And it wasn't just all fun, food and friends. There were lots of catching-ups, memories and picture-taking, too!

As early as now, we are already planning our Christmas party-slash-reunion in December 2012. Other friends who were not in the Philippines that night are already thinking of spending their next Christmas in Manila.

Everyone is looking forward to the next reunion!

(Our paths have all crossed before in Seoul, and tonight, we all gathered again after all these years of not having been able to see each other physically, other than in Facebook!).

Maligayang pasko sa lahat! Merry Christmas to all!

"Oh Holy Night...

2011-12-31T18:56:00.002+09:00

....the stars are brightly shining..."

No, the night wasn't holy. It was freezing! But yes, the twinkling lights of the giant Christmas tree and the decorations at Lotte Hotel and department store were all brightly shining!

(The Seoul Plaza from across the street).

(The giant Christmas tree.)

It would have been an enjoyable walk for me from the Seoul Plaza all the way to the Lotte Department store had it not been that freezing!

(The lights at Lotte Hotel.)

But with the temperature in the negatives, my right hand and my camera battery could not hold up to the very cold 'oh holy night' to take photos of the 'stars that were brightly shining'.

I only had a few more nights to spend in Seoul before I fly to the warmer temperatures of Manila. So, I had to rush to the Lotte Duty Free for the last-minute shopping for some pasalubong (presents) to bring back home.

(The wigwam-shaped Christmas tree at
the Lotte Department store.)

(Inside the wigwam.)

And I just clicked, clicked and clicked some more, knowing that the next time I sing 'Oh Holy Night' would be in the Philippines, and I would be able to see under the tropical night sky the real stars that are indeed brightly shining.

(Tourists enjoying the Star Avenue alley.)

(The Christmas lights clinging on

the department store's wall.)

Indeed, it was a freezing night with all the twinkling lights shining.

Our 2011 Pinoy Christmas Party in Seoul!

2011-12-31T15:57:00.000+09:00

And as I finally found my Christmas costume, it was time to... parteh!

And so, before everyone left Seoul, my friends and their families gathered in Seocho-gu in Seoul, at Lynn and Marshall's home all decked in our Christmas clown attires to celebrate Christmas in our own Seoul-slash-Pinoy way.

(Joy's yummy turon straight from the pan!)

And with dishes and desserts like the very Pinoy turon (banana fritters wrapped in lumpia wrapper) and pancit bihon (glass noodles cooked with pork and veggies), to garlic shrimp, baked ham and other dishes, whose names I forget, but whose taste I can remember, the party was complete!

(Pancit!)

(Garlic shrimp and pancit lumpia!)

(Lynn's Christmas ham!)

(The clowns clowning while the circus
ringmaster slices the ham.)

(The party was a lot more fun with everyone dressing up in Christmassy-slash-circussy costumes!)

(Gift prizes for the games!)

(Goodies for our 'exchange gifts'!)

(The kids having fun exchanging gifts!)

(Exchanging Christmas gifts!)

The party was more fun since everyone arrived in their Christmassy get-up. With games, Pinoy and international cuisine, and gifts being exchanged, it was a celebration of the our friendships we made and strengthened during the passing year, and ending the year with thanksgiving and a prayer of hope that 2012 would bring in more blessings and fun for everyone in Seoul and in Korea, be they Pinoys, Koreans or any other nationality.

(The Orchards in their impressive snowman
and Christmas princesses attires!)

May all your Christmas celebrations be as fun!

From all of us, Merry Christmas!

(The class photo of the 2011 Christmas party in Seoul!)

Ingat Sa Paputok! (Be Careful With The Firecrackers!)

2011-12-31T13:32:00.000+09:00

Firecrackers are huge in the Philippines on new year's eve! Almost every street of any town, city and village will be noisy with the explosions of all types of firecrackers from the small ones to the huge ones which, when exploded, resemble the explosion of a real bomb. That's why most of the big ones have already been banned.

(Rows of firecracker vendors at the Jaro Plaza in Iloilo City.)

So, it's very common to find at any market in the Philippines, vendors selling these firecrackers, pyrotechnics and other noise-making toys like decorated 'turotot' (homemade horns) for everyone to light up and use to greet the new year.

(Turotot!)

But some of the revelers may end up losing a finger (or a hand!) during the celebration as some are careless, drunk or just plain stupid in lighting up these mini-bombs.

(Firecrackers and pyrotechnics being sold at the market.)

And me? I just stick to watching the fireworks from my window at home and listen to the firecrackers exploding from all over.

Ingat sa paputok! Be careful with those firecrackers!

Thankful, Grateful for 2011

2011-12-31T13:19:00.004+09:00

It's the last day of 2011. And we all may be busy preparing our media noche (midnight dinner) to welcome the new year.

And as we sit down to enjoy the last meal of the year, let's not forget to whisper a silent prayer of thanks for all the blessings, challenges, and everything in between, that we received for the past 365 days.

And when the new year starts tomorrow, let's look forward to the next 366 days.

Happy new year, everyone!

What Time Does Myeong-Dong Sleep?

2011-12-28T19:34:00.000+09:00

After having dinner at a pojang-macha, Seung-Ho and I had to walk off our heavy tummies and continue our search of K-pop 2012 calendars to Myeong-dong.

My friends in Manila wanted me to get them some calendars of their favorite K-pop stars, but not all of them were available in Namdaemun Market. We had to extend our search in Myeong-dong.

(The decorated fountain at Shinsegae Department Store)

So, even with the chilly temperatures (it was getting late!), we visited a few more K-pop souvenir shops in Myeong-dong.

(The Shinsegae light display from the other side of the street)

And although we were unsuccessful in finding the desk calendar, we had fun walking through the shopping alleys of Myeong-dong, which seemed more alive at night than during the day, with all the tourists and street vendors being bathed and mesmerized with all the lights from the shops.

I haven't stayed really late in Myeong-dong to shop, dine or drink.

But does anyone know what time Myeong-dong actually sleeps?

Here are the photos of Myeong-dong at night:

(These Korean chestnuts are my favorite! Though quite expensive, only a small pouch for W2,000, they're crunchy and a little bit sweet.)

(Not sure what Bae Young-Joon is selling here.)

(A mascot greeting shoppers.)

What's Your Christmas Prayer?

2011-12-25T17:48:00.000+09:00

Even though we're all rushing to the mall for our last-minute Christmas shopping and heading to Christmas parties with families and friends, let's not forget that we all have brothers and sisters, not just in our neighborhood, but around the world, who may not have the same blessings we enjoy these holidays.

And as a Pinoy, I pray for my fellow Pinoys in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities, and the neighboring areas that help and normality would come to their lives soon, and that those who lost their lives may find peace wherever they may be.

And as a Pinoy living in Korea, that lasting peace may find its way into the Korean peninsula, and that may those hostile provocations stop. Many young lives have already been lost over the years.

I know that I still have a lot to pray for. And I may not have the time to write them all.

But let's just keep on praying. We know they will be answered in one way or another.

What's your Christmas prayer?

Fine Dining At A Pojang-Macha!

2011-12-23T18:52:00.000+09:00

Dinner time caught me and my Korean friend Seung-Ho in the middle of Namdaemun Market where I was getting some calendars of K-pop idols for friends in Manila.

But since it was late, and we didn't have time to scamper to Myeong-dong, we decided to have dinner in Namdaemun. It was getting very cold and walking that far was going to be a torture, especially for the hungry.

And what better restaurant to have dinner during winter than a pojang-macha!

According to Seung-Ho, pojang means tent or 'a cover', and ma-cha, if translated figuratively, means 'a moving cart'.

It is indeed a covered, moving cart, which only appears late in the afternoon on the sidewalks, or in the case of the pojang-macha that we visited, in the middle of the Namdaemun alley!

So, we headed to one right in the alley where I got the K-pop poster bound for Manila. The owner, a middle-aged Korean woman, who was busy calling out to passers-by inviting them to her pojang-macha, saw us and called out louder when she realized that these two passers-by looked hungry and badly needed nutrition.

And when we got into her tent, we were welcomed with a table full of some of my favorite Korean dishes! Pajeon, soondae, and barbecue! I ordered them all!

(Pajeon! Sliced and cooked!)

(The Korean barbecue, off from its skewer, seasoned, fried and sprinkled with sesame seeds!)

She immediately had them cooked, while serving us with mussels in a hot broth to immediately warm our tummies.

(A yummy dinner!)

And when she was finally done, she laid on our table the dishes we ordered (with our Coke, of course!); I then realized that I didn't have to go to some fancy Korean restaurants to enjoy these dishes. I can always visit a pojang-macha, in the middle of an alley, or on the sidwalk, and be able to enjoy my favorite Korean dishes, while not being overcharged by those glittery restaurants with fancy-looking interiors like the ones in Gangnam or somewhere else.

After all, this ajumma who runs and pushes her own pojang-macha can always match the cooking skills of those chefs in pricey restaurants, recipe for recipe!

And she engages her customers, too! She talks to her customers, including me, even with my limited hangeul! That's how we learned that she opens before dinner and closes shop at 5AM the next day! That's a 12-hour cycle of preparing her ingredients, cooking and serving! She said that she just lives nearby, at the area near Nam-san.

(Her business number. Look it up when
you're in Namdaemun Market.)

Fine dining doesn't have to mean you have to gobble up your dinner in a concrete restaurant on the 33rd floor. You can just stay on the ground, on the sidewalk and still enjoy the delicious Korean dishes served by your friendly ajumma or ajussi at the nearest pojang-macha with your friends.

(Burp! Not our table though.)

Be it inside a tent or not, fine dining is any place where I always get to enjoy my favorite Korean dishes, served hot, cheap and yummy!

P.S.
The Hyun Bin calendar I bought at Namdaemun Market for a friend. He watched us enjoy our pojang-macha dinner before he flew to Manila to meet a fan.

Got The 2012 Starbucks Diary!

2011-12-17T12:15:00.002+09:00

I didn't exactly plan to get this diary this year, until my niece, Priscila, asked me to. I just thought I wouldn't have the time (and the extra Korean won!) to visit Starbucks 17 times before I fly to Manila.

But it turned out, I didn't have the time all right. Time to relax, that is. I had a lot of work to finish before my vacation!

And every time I needed to work overtime to rush some work, I extended my work night at Starbucks in Itaewon, where I racked up some diary stickers over time.

And thanks to the friendly Starbucks crew who gave me extra stickers! I'm actually a 'suki' (regular customer) at Starbucks in Itaewon; I guess they wanted all their regular customers to get the 2012 diary.

And voila! Before I knew it, a week before I had to fly to Manila, I completed the 17 stickers!

(The 2012 Starbucks diary visited my neighborhood coffee shop, Cafe Mom, where the cafe mocha is definitely cheaper).

I was able to complete all my work before my vacation, I drank a lot of green tea latte and cafe mocha, and most important, my niece got her 2012 Starbucks diary.

Do you already have yours?

Please Vote At IbuzzKorea For: "The Occidental Tourist"

2011-12-11T22:04:00.001+09:00

I was studying last Saturday night at home, not wanting to go out on a freezing night. Instead, I concentrated on completing things before my Christmas vacation next weekend.

And as I took a break from studying, I surfed the net and checked out the IbuzzKorea website, which was having an ongoing 'event': Voting on the blog with the best content in 2011!

And I was surprised that my blog, The Occidental Tourist, which I wrote in July is one of the finalists!

So, if you have the time, please vote for 'The Occidental Tourist'. They're giving away a Macbook Air if you voted for the blog which would eventually win!

Let's cross our fingers. Thanks in advance for voting!

Here's the link: http://ibuzzkorea.com/eng/event/vote

Good luck to us!

Finding A Christmas Party Costume in Namdaemun!

2011-12-03T13:40:00.001+09:00

It's the time of the year again when the biggest holidays in the Philippines are celebrated -- Christmas!

But just because I am a three-hour-and-forty-minute plane ride away from Manila doesn't mean I am not going to have a Christmas party in Seoul!

My Pinoy friends and I have already decided not only on the place, date and time of our Christmas party. We also decided on the theme! It's 'Send in the Clowns'! Yes, Santa costumes are so cliche in the 21st century. He might as well retire together with all of his reindeer.

So I hurried off to the Namdaemun market during lunch in search of a the clowny stuff for my get-up. And I ended up in the alley where they sell Christmas decorations and stuff like the ones I used to frequent at Divisoria! (I miss the siksikan shopping at Divisoria in Manila.) :-(

I wasn't really going for the clown attire from head to foot. I'm leaving that to the Ringling Bros. I just wanted a red hair, clown nose and a Christmas shirt. I wasn't going to an actual circus. I was going to a party!

And I found it! I saw this small shop with the ajumma shopkeeper helping me find a Christmas apron and a funny eyewear. (Joy already told me she found me a clown nose already. Thanks, Joy!). Shopping done!

I had done my business and off I now rushed to the Lotte Food court in Myeong-dong! And as I made my way through stalls and shops and eateries, I snapped these photos with my camera on my right hand, and my shopping bag on my left.

(This shop is definitely for fans of Korean stars)

I arrived at the Namdaemun Station at 12 noon, searched and got my costume, then walked all the way to Myeong-dong, and I finally got my pasta take-out lunch at the Lotte Food Court at 12:33PM. I was impressed with myself! I walked really fast today! Or maybe I was just excited.

The Namdaemun market has a lot to sell: from bags, to food, to Korean idol stars' posters and of course, my clowny attire for a Christmas party. This is my Divisoria in Seoul.

(Strawberries and that red fruit. Forgot its name.
Those are not apples)

('Keran-pang' or egg bread. One whole boiled egg is inside this sweet treat! My favorite!)

(PETA people would squirm seeing these furry wares)

(The gold Christmas decors hanging on Shinsegae from the other side of the street)

Walking His Way: Carlos Celdran Shows Off Manila

2011-11-20T23:29:00.000+09:00

My idea of Intramuros was all from my grade school textbooks and teachers: it was built by the Spaniards a long, long time ago; it has really, really old buildings' and is popular to tourists. And that's it.

And though I lived in Manila for years, I can only remember a few times I was there. A few times....like one-two-three, mostly to attend weddings at the San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral.

But early this year, as I had a free afternoon before I flew back to Seoul, I joined Carlos Celdran's Walk This Way tour of Intramuros.

Carlos brought me (and a few other tourists) back in time as we toured the place on foot and on calesas, recounting on how it all began and how it became to be. His storytelling was well-researched, funny and witty.

I have been living in Seoul for years now, and that afternoon spent in the walled city of Intramuros was one of the most interesting I have spent at home in a long time.

Though Carlos' tour reminded me of Intramuros' history, the afternoon reminded me on how much I missed Manila.

Now, I heard Carlos has a tour about Imelda Marcos at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I hope I would be able to catch it when I fly back home for Christmas.

Or better yet, I hope I could join one of those 'barter tours' of his where, instead of paying the fee in cash, you can pay Carlos with anything you have or can afford. (I hope he likes kimchi.)

Manila is not all traffic, hot weather and typhoons. It has an interesting side, too.

So, if you got an afternoon to spare when in Manila, why not join Carlos Celdran's tours? He will show you Manila as you walk his way...

Once Upon A Lunch Time....

2011-11-19T16:47:00.001+09:00

Once upon a lunch time, I headed to the food court of Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong craving for something different to have.

And while my empty tummy was grumbling as I made my way through the stalls, my eyes got a little bit distracted.

Just...a little bit.

Stall after stall displayed different kinds of cakes, colored macarons and decorated cupcakes!

They were very enticing and looked very sweet! I figured, I must have one or two to go along with my takeout!

Although I wanted one of each of those treats, I just decided on green tea-flavored and banana-cupcakes.

(Gelati!)

I figured I can always return on another day, on another lunch time.

(Green tea cupcakes in the middle!)

Well, that's just one lunch time. I wonder what other dessert I would stumble upon on some other day. But in the meantime, I'll just enjoy my pasta takeout now, and my cupcakes later.

(My pasta takeout)

Brad Pitt and Moneyball At The COEX In Seoul!

2011-11-16T17:39:00.001+09:00

I had to rush to the COEX Mall after office! The movie premiere ticket to Brad Pitt's new movie, Moneyball, says the screening time is 7PM!

Luckily, Seoul's transport system is so efficient that one would hardly be late for an appointment (especially for a movie premiere!) as long as you study your route beforehand.

And since the COEX Mall in Gangnam-gu area has its own Samseong Station, it was convenient for me to just rush out of the train and run up to the Megabox Cinemas where a red carpet was laid out for the Brad Pitt.

I was worried since the movie was two hours long and I didn't have dinner yet, I'd go hungry in the middle of his film. So, my friend Alfa and I (I shared the extra ticket with her) bought sandwiches from Quiznos before we waded through hundreds of fans already waiting for him outside the cinema.

There was a stage set up for him in the middle of the Megabox area, where he would be able to pose for press photos and greet fans. But since we already had our tickets, we skipped that area, got to our seats and waited inside Cinema 3.

And although he was late (perhaps the traffic along his route from the other side of the river was bad on a Tuesday night), everyone seated patiently. After all, how often would you be able to see a Hollywood A-lister this side of the planet?

And around 7:20PM, we heard screaming from the outside, a sign that Brad Pitt was perhaps already on the red carpet making his way to the stage. We figured he would spend a few minutes there to greet and invite his fans to watch movie. And then....

....SCREAMS were then heard inside our Cinema 3!

The other half of the Brangelina supercouple was in the house!

He didn't take any questions though. He only took a bunch of flowers from a fan, which was pre-arranged. (The flowers must have cost her since it's autumn and most flowers are out of bloom).

He didn't stay long. He just greeted everyone 'an-nyeong haseyo' and told everyone to enjoy the film. He also said that Angelina had nice words of her visit here last year; so, he decided to make the trip, too. Although it would have been nice if Angie tagged along as well.

And that was Mr. Brad Pitt, the young actor we all noticed at Thelma & Louise, and who we all thought would make it big someday. And he indeed made it big. With hits like Troy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Ocean's Eleven, Interview With The Vampire, and of course, my favorite, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, he is a Hollywood superstar.

There was a reason why he had to fly to Seoul to promote the movie. Moneyball is about baseball, the sports which is huge in South Korea. It was so easy for his fans here to relate to the movie since almost everyone here is a baseball fan. Moneyball is based on a true story.

And Jonah Hill's performance as Brad's smart, chubby assistant, almost stole the show. And when Brad's daughter in the film, Kerris Dorsey, sang the acoustic song, 'The Show', it was a charming, lovable scene between a father and daughter. Moneyball is a charming film about baseball.

Go watch it.

A million thanks to Mr. Kim and Mr. M again for the premiere tickets! Now, I have seen both Angie and Brad in person!

Got My Movie Premiere Tickets to See Brad Pitt's Moneyball!

2011-11-14T18:40:00.001+09:00

As if seeing Angelina Jolie last year at her press conference and at her movie premiere of SALT wasn't enough for this big fan, here comes the other half of the Brangelina supercouple.

Yes, the Brad Pitt is in town!

And thanks again to Mr. Kim and Mr. M, I got me movie premiere tickets to Brad's Moneyball today!

I am sure it is a great film and I look forward to watching it along with his hundreds of fans in Seoul tonight! Of course, I would also be super-happy if Angie has actually tagged along with Brad for this trip. She was there with him at the Tokyo premiere last week. Shouldn't she be at the Seoul premiere, too?

Oh well, I guess I will have to find out tonight.

See y'all at the premiere!

The Korean Drama Queens Hit Seoul!

2011-11-10T11:18:00.003+09:00

They came, they saw and they...shopped!

Calling themselves sisters after having been brought together by the a common love for one man (and they don't fight over him. Sisters share, I guess), Cielo, Jenny, Itchay and Marlu (and Jenny's two daughters, Nina and Sophie), flew in from Manila to hunt that man down. These ladies aren't related at all. They are just four of the thousands of Filipino fans of Korean telenovelas and films.

Well, the Korean wave-slash-hallyu has reached South Korea's neighboring countries (but hopefully unreachable by the North Korean missile tests. Ha-ha-ha! Sorry for the bad joke, Mr. Kim!), and it was just natural for these fans to flock to the place where it all began......Faceshop. Ha-ha-ha!

Nah. I was kidding. Well, that Faceshop guy started it all.

Remember, Bae Yong-Joon? The guy on the old Faceshop poster, who sports make-up thicker than any of the working gals on Ayala Avenue (in Makati City, Philippines), and who regularly flashes that big smile to show off that perfect set of stain-free, bleached-white teeth, which doesn't fail to always charm any lady 'of a certain age' from Tokyo, Japan, to Paranaque City, Philippines.

Well, since Bae Yong-Joon has already been to the Philippines (sort of) to visit his fans, it was time his fans returned the favor. So, these sisters flew into Seoul in the middle of the colorful and cool autumn to sightsee, shop, visit Nami Island and of course, to hunt him down.

(Happy to be in hanbok!)

These sisters are up-to-date when it comes to Korean dramas and movies. They know the lead actors by face, by name, and of course, his or her latest scandal. They are like the walking IMDB (Internet Movie Database) specializing on Korean films and dramas. Of course, they also have their own Korean film library that could match the Korean Film Archive's collection. Ha-ha-ha!

Before they flew in, I knew only one of these sisters. But I was happy to have met all of them when they got here. I was just glad to have been able to provide a little help in their preparation for the trip, providing them tips and some information they needed (just like the other tourists who stumble upon my blog while researching for their trip to South Korea, and who email me for some tourist info).

As I am not a Korean telenovela fan, I can only imagine these ladies' excitement when they visited the places made famous by the Korean dramas. I'm sure they were also on the lookout for the Bae Yong-Joon in between shopping for bags and souvenirs.

(The Korean drama queens hit Seoul!)

And as they wanted to share their excitement, the sisters brought me pasalubong from the Philippines, just like other thoughtful and generous friends have done before. They were excited with their trip; I was excited with their presents!

(The very popular Mary Grace cheese rolls and ensaimadas...with matching queso de bola pa from Cielo!)

(Gourmet tuyo, daing and dulong!
Love the dulong with crackers! From Jenny and Itchay!)

(These cute, not-too-sweet piayitos from Nina and Sophie)

(Everyone's favorite Eng Bee Tin hopias from Marlu!
Sister Genevieve, the Filipino Carmelite nun in Seoul reminded me last Friday to bring her some when I fly home this Christmas.)

(Piayas and mango tarts from Virgie's of Bacolod!

From Itchay!)

(They didn't just come, sightsee and shop. They also brought pasalubong! Kamsa-hamnida to the Korean drama queens!)

Well, the Korean drama queens have already left Seoul, bringing with them exciting stories, souvenirs and of course, heavier luggage. Though they weren't able to find their king, they promise to be back someday to continue the journey of being a Korean telenovela fan.

(The Korean drama queens discovering Seoul on foot.)

Their hunt for the Bae Yong-Joon continues...

The Yellow Leaf Road

2011-11-10T00:23:00.000+09:00

Everything has been turning yellow around me. The Gingko trees along the Hannam-dong lane in my neighborhood. The buses running up and down Nam-san. And of course, my teeth! Ha-ha-ha! Stains from drinking all those iced cafe mochas. That's why!

I haven't really gone out these days to take autumn photos, maybe because of my 'been-there,done-that' sort of mentality. Because I have actually been there and done those autumn photos already.

So, I decided to think of a spot nearby, where I can just go out wearing my pajamas, make some click-click-click, and then go back to bed. Ha-ha-ha!

Maybe Nam-san's winding road? That path from the Yongsan Library up to the Hyatt Hotel. I must have passed that way in a bus or in a car a thousand times, but never on foot. Maybe it's time I did!

That road is also lined with Gingko trees and some shrubbery which I could not even name. (I really hated that subject in high school where the teacher wanted everyone to memorize the shapes of the leaves and names of the trees, when the only trees in our backyard were malunggay and papaya. Ha-ha-ha! Do I really have to identify each leaf when I eat my veggies?).

So I dragged myself out of bed, got into my shorts (which could also double as pajamas. Ha-ha-ha!) and ran to the bus stop with my camera.

Since it's autumn, most people were dressed like....it's really autumn, complete with jackets, sweaters and even scarves! Imagine the look on the other passengers' faces when I got into the bus; I was wearing my Bacolod Masskara t-shirt, green shorts and a cap. Very summer-y for bus full of people all bundled up for...autumn! I wonder who among us was dressed for the wrong season. Ha-ha-ha!

The ride was short. I got off at the Yongsan Library and walked back towards the Hyatt. It was a little breezy with some yellow Gingko leaves already falling and carpetting the sidewalk with Cory yellow.

Cars, buses, bikes and vans were all breezing past me, speeding away and sometimes getting into my frame. And while the sun was slowly settling down, it wasn't cold at all. Au contraire, il fai sait chaud. It was warm!

I just traced the whole winding road, stopping to take photos of the neighborhood rooftops, a church, the homes on that side of the Philippine embassy near the Hyatt, someone's laundry and of course, the colors of the mountain during an autumn afternoon.

I have traversed Nam-san on foot and on a bus a few times before. But it was my first time tracing the sidewalk on Nam-san's southwestern face, which is undoubtedly the most photogenic side of Nam-san.

I was glad I got out of bed. Or I would have missed all these yellow Gingko leaves on Nam-san's yellow leaf road.

(A red tree)

(A crowded neighborhood.)

(I don't know the name of these flowers.
Neither does my high school teacher.)

(This steeple is very familiar everyone regularly
passing through Nam-san.)

(Green and brick-red rooftops.)

(Somebody's laundry.)

(I want to visit this church someday.)

(The Hyatt at the background;
the Philippine Embassy at the fore.)

Itaewon Is On Fire!

2011-11-09T00:03:00.001+09:00

Well, not really. Only a building.

The last time I saw a fire close to home was when I was still living at Tito Vic's house in Paranaque (in Metro Manila) and the neighbor's house, about three houses away, caught fire!

It was a weekday, and late in the afternoon. Luckily, I got home early from work and found Vina, our domestic assistant, panicking! She didn't know what to do!

I am not the panicky type. I am not the type who, when knowing that the neighbor's house is on fire and it's just minutes before the fire invades our backyard, would run and scream like I am the one on fire!

So, I lead Vina upstairs to Tito Vic's room and asked her to lay out on the floor a small blanket and throw in, one by one, a few shirts of his shirts, a few pair of his trousers, sandos, socks and a few more accessories, which for a moment, looked like we weren't saving Tito Vic a few of his wardrobe from a possible fire, but instead, it looked like we were sending off Tito Vic to a month-long vacation to Bacolod City. Ha-ha-ha! I remember we even added a pair of shoes.

After that, I told her to close the blanket and drag it downstairs. We thought of bringing things out in case the fire eventually crossed to Tita Sylvia's house, our next-door neighbor.

Fortunately for us, the fire was contained. But we ended up sitting on a sofa on the main MIA Road with a few bags, a few fire trucks and lots of onlookers watching the fire being put out. Of course, I had a souvenir photo taken of us (me, Vina and her daughter, Cheche, and Tita Melda, who also lived next door) sitting on the sofa. The houseboy took the photo, and Tito Vic already left for his vacation. Ha-ha-ha!

But this weekend, when Itaewon was having a blast of a festival along its main road, a fire broke out! A freakin' fire on the day that a disaster wasn't supposed to happen!

And like the fire near Tito Vic's house, it was put out by brave firemen, who probably save more lives and property than we give them credit for.

The Itaewon fire didn't stop the festival. Well, maybe for an hour or two. And maybe the sale at that CK shop, too. Maybe for a day or two.

Here are some photos I took:

(The brown smoke!)

(The crowd and smoke billowing over the main street)

(Hosing down the fire)

(Curious onlookers)

(Fire out!)

(Notice the other fireman by the window?)

(The hero fireman!)

(Leftover ice cream cones)

(They know the drill.)

And the festival continues. Thanks to the Itaewon fire department!

A Halloween Dinner At Rica's

2011-11-06T21:01:00.000+09:00

Just because Halloween fell on a work day didn't mean our fabulous friend, Rica, couldn't whip up a Halloween dinner on a week night!

So, when darkness fell on Seongbuk-dong in Seoul, Rica and David welcomed their friends to their home (and dining room!), not costumed for halloween, but for the office!

Only Marissa and Michelle's little pretty girls were dressed up for the occasion!

But dressed up for halloween or not, the gang was happy to be together on Hallow's Eve, toasting drinks to the host and hostess, chatting and, of course, sharing ghost stories.

Rica told me that her specialty is cooking main dishes, and she can whip up a dinner with whatever is available. Well, Rica dear, I don't know how to cook. Ha-ha-ha! So, whatever you whipped up for us was a feast to me!

And with what Rica fed us tonight, I have to double my bike run in the gym: bow-tie pasta with meatballs, baked zucchini and tomato, roast beef, baked chicken legs, pumpkin, salade verte, and ziti! Did I miss any dish?

It was my first time to visit Rica's home at the exclusive Seongbuk-dong area. So, I had to hitch a ride with Aimee and Werner going there. (Thanks, guys!). I would have lost my way to Rica's doorstep.

And many thanks to Rica and David for letting us spend Hallow's Eve with you (and in your dining room! Ha-ha-ha!).

(Rica and the gang!)

Dressing Up Weird On Hallow's Eve

2011-11-02T21:12:00.000+09:00

Halloween is not halloween if there are no costumes and merry-making!

So we did just that!

Lynn and Marshall graciously offered their home again to host our own halloween party on this side of Seoul, where ghouls and goblins never appeared. And instead, Dracula and his bride did! Ha-ha-ha! By the way, they took the cab going to the party. I can just imagine the look on people's face if Dracula and his bride took the subway. Ha-ha-ha!

(Dracula and his bride)

(Ruth as Dracula's bride)

Everyone was game! Daryll and his family came in full force, even with our cute little mascot, Charlie, in his Buzz Lightyear get-up!

(Lady Gaga and The Reaper)

Me? Well, as I was able to borrow a military uniform from a good friend, I came as a soldier! With no guns, no bullets and of course, no war! Ha-ha-ha!

And what's a party without food? As usual, in every Pinoy party, there are lots of dishes and even more desserts!

(Archie and Joy brought chicharon and yummy pastillas
from Manila! Tenk yu!)

(Lynn's halloween cassava cake!)

(Maffe's nutty caramel brownies!)

(Hot, deep-fried turon!)
We didn't just plan to chat and eat; we also planned to have games and a contest as to who was wearing the best costume!

We didn't have to go to Itaewon, where you have to spend lots of moolah for your drinks just to attend a halloween party (and where most people don't actually dress up for halloween).

(Daryll in his Sister Act! They took a cab to the party, and the cab driver looked scared at his passengers)

(Kainan na!)
Lynn and the ladies simply decorated her home, I came up with the games, friends cooked dishes and desserts, and everyone just showed up in his and her halloween attire!

(My dessert plate: turon, two brownies and that creamy pie)

And just because halloween is not yet that popular in Korea doesn't mean we can't have a halloween party.

(A birthday cake for Charlie and Leila!)

And just because trick or treat-ing is not observed by the locals doesn't mean we can't treat ourselves to fun, food and dressing up weird on Hallow's Eve!

(You don't have to go to Egypt to make a mummy)

So, how was your halloween party?

Halloween In Itaewon: A Festival And A Little Fire

2011-10-30T23:41:00.004+09:00

I was supposed to be taking some bed rest this weekend per doctor's order. But I realized the medicines he gave me just made me drowsy, lazy and lethargic.

So, I decided to skip the medicine, get out of bed and head down to Itaewon where an international food festival of sorts is going on, right on Hallow's Eve!

I didn't know that the main Itaewon road, from Hamilton Hotel up to the Noksapyeong Station end, would be closed to traffic. All vehicles, including the public buses, detoured to avoid this road. I wonder why the public wasn't informed ahead of time. This information wasn't even posted at the Itaewon Global Center's website. Hmm. I wonder why.

(my Hannam-dong neighborhood)

And the Blue Bus 110, which I took from Hannam-dong to Itaewon, turned left upon reaching Hamilton Hotel. I just got off after.

(Itaewon's main intersection)

(Hamilton Hotel, Itaewon's main landmark)

Well, the whole street was full of people, with tents of restaurants mostly lining up on one side, and a few activity tents on the other.

And at the Noksapyeong Station end, a stage was set up for some performers.

I wasn't really interested in eating. I just wanted to see what fun people were having this weekend.

And shockingly, of all the days in the year to have a fire in Itaewon, it picked the day of the festival! Yes! A fire broke out while I was in the area! (And I swear I have nothing to do with it. Ha-ha-ha!).

(This girl said she's in a halloween costume. Obvious ba?)

(This lady is rushing to her halloween party!
I told her to enjoy!)

(A couple with their dressed up puppies)

And as I expected, I bumped into some guys in their weird halloween costumes. But it was even weirder that a fire actually broke out in Hallow's Eve. (I am thinking of showing the photos of the fire in another blog).

(Sunog! Somebody call 119!)

I hope the fire didn't dampen the spirits of the people at the festival, although some food tents next to the building that caught fire had to be abandoned.

I plan to make my way through Itaewon one of these nights, and by that time, I don't expect any more detour, people in halloween costumes and of course, fire.

And I only expect a lot of fun, though.

(Typewriters from the last century)

(A lady in a hanbok)

(This is what I like in Seoul. Toilets everywhere!
For those having to go.)

(L'Arch de Itaewon!)

Amazing! The Fireworks Over Yeouido!

2011-10-29T13:30:00.001+09:00

On my first autumn in Seoul, way back in 2004, I had to walk from Daebang Station towards the 63 City Building in Yeouido. At that time, they closed the Yeouinaru Station, the closest station to the fireworks venue. So, everyone had to walk from somewhere! And it's only now that I went back to the area to watch the fireworks again.

But this time, it was easier...and closer. The Saetgang Station of the newer Line 9 made my trip from my home in Hannam-dong to Yeouido faster and more convenient. I simply took the bus to Sinnonhyeon Station in the Gangnam area, and it's a one crowded 20-minute ride! That Sunday afternoon, all roads lead to....Yeouido!

I met up with friends at the 63 City Building, which is Korea's 3rd tallest building. It was the tallest when it was built in 1985. But now, it still is an imposing structure in the area. It is a Yeouido landmark.

Since the fireworks were to start at 7:30 PM, we had to rush our buddae-jiggae dinner at a nearby restaurant and hurry off to find our spot near the building. We figured we didn't need to be that close to the river bank. Our spot was good enough to see, hear and enjoy the fireworks!

Before they lit the Yeouido sky, the people of Hanhwa, who sponsored the whole yearly event, had a short program introducing their company with messages for the crowd.

And the fireworks festival began!

They lit up the whole night sky with amazing, colorful fireworks, starting with the Japanese team's fireworks concoction, then the Portuguese team, and finally the Korean team with an interval of a few minutes between them.

These teams from Japan, Portugal and Korea put up these barrage of about 20-minute long fireworks which left the crowds 'waaahh-ing' all night long.

The opening salvo from the Japanese team impressed me with their creative designs which reminded me of the sakura-kimono-ish culture. Plus the height, the size, the designs and the colors were really entertaining. But I wonder who compiled those songs to accompany the Japanese fireworks? The theme from The Godfather? Seriously?

And perhaps, because it followed the impressive Japanese fireworks, the Portuguese team sort of dimmed (no pun intended) in comparison.

And of course, they organizers saved the best for last.

And what a finale! Not only did the Korean team brought out their big guns, they also put in some ingenuity by using laser lights beaming through the smoke-filled air above the Han River, and making those lights dance to the music.

They also had sprinklers of mists from the barge on the river and projected some moving images on those mists. And their accompanying music was more appropriate.

And while the fireworks were lighting up the sky, the crowd was pleasantly surprised with three luminous kites flying above them. And from my vantage point, I thought at first that these kites were fireworks floating down on us. Those bird-shaped kites must have electricity passing through their threads enabling the crowd to identify their shape up in the dark sky.

And the Korean team didn't stop there. They even installed pyrotechnics on one side of the Wonhyo Bridge and lighted them up as part of the finale!

It was a feast for the eyes indeed.

Well, next year, my friends promised to get us some tickets so we can have a seat near the stage, and not stand the whole time. But then, even if we stood there for about an hour and a half, we didn't even feel tired. I guess the fireworks were so entertaining we forgot that we stood the whole time! Until almost 9PM!

The news said that there were about a million people at the site to watch the whole thing, and I guess we were the lucky few who got us seats inside the Beans and Berries coffee shop at the 63 City Building after the fireworks festival.

We needed to rest our legs and of course, get ourselves something to drink.

And as I parted with my friends who were heading to the opposite direction, I made my way back to Saetgang Station, where the police were regulating the hundreds (or thousands?) getting into the station.

Well, thanks to Hanhwa for organizing and holding the event. The whole show was indeed a feast for my eyes!

And as I aimed at the sky with my point-and-shoot camera on my right hand (as steady as I could get), these are some of the creative designs I was able to capture that night. Looking at them now, these fireworks looked like some colored art work.

Definitely going back there next year...at a better viewing spot!

(The big bang finale!)

I Need A Halloween Costume! Quick!

2011-10-29T00:04:00.000+09:00

Halloween is here and I badly need an easy halloween costume!

I didn't want to bother buying an expensive, frilly costume for a once-a-year party. I just wanted something easy-to-find, easy-to-wear, and something I can return the next day! Ha-ha-ha!

So, I sent a text to my Korean friend, Jae, who just left the military service more than a year ago, and asked to borrow his military uniform! (Or was I inspired by Rain's joining the military service?) I actually researched whether it was unlawful to wear somebody else's military uniform. Ha-ha-ha!

I found out that it's okay as long as there are no patches, insignias, medals or nameplates, and as long I don't pretend to be the military.

So my friend lent me the cap, the long-sleeved shirt and the pants. It all fit me! I was worried since I think I was getting fat from all these parties already. He even brought me the jacket, but I told him I didn't need the jacket. After all, I wasn't going to war, I was going to a party. Ha-ha-ha!

So, thanks to Jae for the uniform. I didn't have to worry about what to wear tonight alongside vampires, witches or perhaps, Michael Jackson.

Singing In The Rain...Concert

2011-10-26T13:46:00.000+09:00

Days before he signed up for the military service in Korea, Rain commandeered half of the Yeongdong Boulevard near the COEX Mall in Seoul's Gangnam area to give a free concert!

Why? Because he's Rain, Korea's most popular...abs!! Ha-ha-ha!

The stage was set up right on the street, and thousands of his fans filled up the areas on the side, in front of and way, way back where I was able to squeeze in 15 minutes before he arrived at the venue.

I was actually on the way to meet up with a good friend at Jamsil-naru Station, which was a few subway stops from Samseong Station at COEX. But Rain gave me a good reason to detour and take photos of his dance moves and fans.

His concert was scheduled to start at 7PM and my 40-plus minutes on the bus from my home in Hannam-dong gave me an opportunity to sightsee along the streets of Gangnam-gu. I think the last time I was in this area was when I bade good-bye to Tita Cecile and Tito Efren before they left Korea for good a year ago (and they left me with all their un-consumed de latas, cereals and even a panini-maker! Thanks, Tita!).

But tonight, when I got to the COEX area, I saw hundreds already queuing up to enter the main concert area, which was cordoned off.

But since I wasn't really interested in staying long, I decided to huddle up with the crowd behind a huge TV screen, which was set up just behind that cordoned area.

And a few minutes after I decided on a good spot, Rain arrived at the venue in a black SUV, which was trailing a white limousine. I wondered what's the use of that white limo when he wasn't even in it. Talking about his carbon footprint. He could have just taken the bus if he lived nearby.

He was wearing a black leather jacket, and the female dancers waiting for him put a pair of thick bracelets on his wrists, after he replaced the jacket with a sleeveless vest with pointed wings. And along his path to the stage, he shook hands with a couple of teenage fans, who must have been especially assigned to greet him and giggle after.

Well, most of the fans and the crowd were there to see him wear these sleeveless shirts and flashy jackets for the last time. A couple of days after that Sunday night, he would be wearing military jackets and combat boots.

Although I only could understand the yeah-yeah's and oh-yeah's in his lyrics, I could see that this guy is giving his all. His showmanship was compleat (even with matching sweating!).

And his singing, as well as his back-up dancers, was trying to keep up with his dancing!

I've seen him on TV pull up his shirt to show off his abs. And in this concert, he went further. He brought the camera into his dressing room where he changed in front of the camera - shirt and pants! Of course, he shoved away the camera when he was about to, you know, pull down his decorated pants. I could hear the girls giggling at the stunt.

(Rain's blings)

(In his changing tent)

(Zipping up? Or down? Ha-ha-ha!)

After about 45 minutes of listening and watching Rain, I decided to take off and make my way to the Samseong Station.

And at the other side of the boulevard, there were hundreds more just standing at the sidewalk watching the concert, which I thought was a good vantage point, too.

(The crowd watching from the other side)

There were no hustling, no overcrowding, and best of all, no security guards!

(The view from the other side of the street)

As I took the steps down to the subway station, the blasting sounds from his concert got fainter. I wondered those may be the last live sounds from Rain's concert that I would ever hear. That next time somebody hears him sing would be during his breaks in between combat training or while he's cleaning his combat boots.

So, good luck to Rain on his military service. I hope the next time he throws a free concert, I would be able to see him closer than a hundred feet, and not from across the street. Ha-ha-ha!

See you in about two years, Rain!

(Gangnam-gu's cleaning crew waiting for the concert
to finish. Not sure how many of them is a Rain fan.)

Running With The HiSeoul Marathoners....

2011-10-24T20:37:00.004+09:00

...and ending up at my own finish line. Ha-ha-ha!

When I read that the HiSeoul Marathon was being held this weekend, I thought perhaps it would be nice taking photos of the marathoners as they run under the cool autumn morning, navigating their foggy route to their target distances. There were the 10k, half-marathon (21k) and full marathon races.

I didn't dream of running one, lest I wanted to torture my flat feet and bad back.

So, I tried to find out what time they would start and planned of ambushing the runners at a road somewhere. But the starting line was at Seoul Plaza, which was too far and too early for me to get up for on a Sunday morning!

So, I traced the route and found out that they....were running through my Hannam-dong neighborhood!

And when I woke up this Sunday morning, I assumed that most of the runners were already near my neighborhood. So I walked down to Hanggang Park through the underground passage near the Hannam Station and I was right! The marathoners were already running past Hannam-dong!

I just stood there near the bank of the Han River and took photos of the eager runners chasing their goals of finishing at their best times.

(I notice some runners have balloons tied to their shirts)

(Pigeons watching the marathoners)

I didn't stay long to watch the remaining runners. I got envy. Why were they the only ones losing weight and getting fit?

So I did my own mini-marathon by walking towards Itaewon that morning and thought of making my own finish line. That would be a good, long walk. And perhaps lose a few calories along the way, I thought.

(My own finish line!)

And ta-dah.....I ended up at McDonald's in Itaewon, the finish line of my own mini-HiSeoul marathon. Ha-ha-ha!

And for finishing, I rewarded myself with..."Two egg mcmuffins, please. Take out".

(My reward!)

And on my way back to Hannam-dong, I took the bus. Ha-ha-ha!

I Just Voted For The Puerto Princesa Underground River!

2011-10-23T23:25:00.002+09:00

It's about 18 days before the new seven wonders of the world are named. And I just voted for the Puerto Princesa (PP) Underground River located in Palawan, Philippines.

I have been there years ago, and I was amazed with the uniqueness of the place: our boat floated on a river inside a cave which was home to bats, snakes and some other species which live in that moist, dark environment! And inside, the cave has amazing formations, more like a huge dome with very high decorated ceilings.

The place is quite a drive away from the province's capital, Puerto Princesa, but it was worth the trip.

To know more about this unique wonder of nature, do watch the video on its site:

http://www.puerto-undergroundriver.com/

And do vote for the PP Underground River as one of the new seven wonders of nature:

http://www.new7wonders.com/

(Photos courtesy of the New7wonders.com)