Author: phebebay

Photo Story – Trip to famous Lake Baikal via Listvyanka

It’s snowing at Listvyanka, a viewing point of Lake Baikal

This is a continuation from: Eating in Irkutsk

If you asked me what I remembered about a visit to Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake. I would say it was beautiful but very cold. In fact, it was snowing when we arrived. It was quite a challenge to get to Listvyanka, as the bus stop was a 15min walk from our hostel at subzero temperatures. Nonetheless, as most seasoned travellers would agree, the most beautiful places are often hard to reach.

* * *

To get to Listvyanka

To get to Lake Baikal, the nearest point is Listvyanka, some 70km away from Irkutsk. To get to Listvyanka from Irkutsk, it will be good to learn some basic Russian words so you can ask for directions. Otherwise, just wing it – head down to the Bus Information Station (I included a picture of it below) and try to purchase some tickets.

Alternatively, you can take an hourly marshrutky (private van) which waits outside the bus station. Try asking the locals for help. A kind marshrutky driver told us quite wordlessly which van to take. Marshrutky sounds like the English pronunciation, Google translate for the exact way of saying it.

The waiting time can be up to an hour. We waited for 30 minutes. The trip costs RUB200/ USD6/ SGD8 one way and takes about 45 minutes because the driver goes fast. Listvyanka is the last stop, so you don’t have to worry about where to get off.

This is what I believe to be the bus information centre which you can get your tickets from. Do correct me if I am wrong!

* * *

Paella type of rice at the Fish Market

Kebab Seller – Listvyanka Fish Market

The fish market

When we arrive, it was snowing and very cold. Lake Baikal was there, at it’s calmest. It’s probably the first lake I have come across where I couldn’t see the opposite end of the shoreline.

It’s freezing cold and I have frost bite all over my hands. We hurry on inside, into a fish market. You can’t get much warmth there unless you stand next to the kebab seller. But then again the whiffs and smells of succulent omul makes you forget the frost bite that’s attacking your hands and feet.

Like in the post “Eating at Irkutsk“, we bought an Omul to try. It’s cheap – RUB50 for a fish, compared to the restaurant price of RUB400 (even though it comes with potatoes). It’s so good that we brought more back to the hostel. People at the fish market also sell some grilled meat, as well as paella rice.

The cold got so bad that we had to take rest at a coffee house before venturing out again to take more pictures of Lake Baikal.

Fish seller selling all types of omul

Salted Omul in toothpicks

Omul at it’s best. I prefer this to the resturants.

They sell fish eggs too!

* * *

Ducks and pigeons who are not afraid of the cold

Lake Baikal

To be honest, the Dal Lake in Kashmir seems to be more interesting – with houseboats floating about, and people sitting in shikaras (little boats) going about their way of life.

I guess we just came in the wrong season. In Summer, I suppose you can even go skinny dipping in Lake Baikal, just make sure you don’t get bitten by an omul that’s swimming by!

Clear waters to go skinny dipping in. Be careful of a passing omul.

We also endured the pain of a frost bite to touch the clear Baikal waters. I licked my fingers to get a taste – it’s quite clear and sweet. My hands were screaming out in pain after that, but I survived.

Touching the icy waters of Lake Baikal

Beach benches to sit and marvel at the scenery in the summer

My advise is that if you want to enjoy Lake Baikal, go in summer. There are benches by the shore, and you can spend hours outdoor marvelling the misty mountains across the lake. It’s a sight to behold.

Viewing the misty mountains surrounding Lake Baikal

Watch this space for my next post, on the continuation of the 4 day Trans Siberian train ride.

November 19, 2013
Eating in Irkutsk

Pan fried Omul with baked potatoes

This is a continuation from: Irkutsk, around and about: A Photo Story

After two days on the Trans Siberian train, with meals comprising mostly of instant noodles and canned sardines, eating was a very important part of our stop at Irkutsk.

The first thing after leaving our luggage in the hostel room was to search for a place which served hot, authentic Russian food.

We first headed to Snezhinka, a restaurant located on Karla Marska Street which was recommended by Lonely Planet. It cost about RUB400/ USD12.5/ SGD26 for a main course. The food tasted quite okay. The pork went well with the sauce and so did the omul and potatoes. My only gripe was that the portions were very small.

Snezhinka, located on Karla Marska Street. The words looks different as it’s in Russian. (Took me some time to figure that out)

Pork with potato wedges and tomato sauce

An upclose view – looks much more appetising

* * *

Kafe 16

As recommended by Lonely Planet, located on Sukhe Batora Street.

Our stomachs were not filled by the tiny portions earlier on, so we went on a search for a Kafe (cafe) to dine at – a restaurant would have burnt a hole in our pockets without doing it’s job (making us feel full). We located Kafe 16 quite easily. We ordered salmon in cheese sauce, cheese soup and our coffees. The waitress was probably the nicest we had met during out Russia trip – she was a university student and spoke some English. Took the time to explain to us what each dish meant, unlike most other service staff we met who were quite aloof.

Hot latte in Irkutsk – very foamy and comes with straw.

Equally foamy cappuccino – taste less milky than the latte though

In most cafes in Irkutsk, there’s a TV playing popular Russian songs. So much so that I found several of them quite familiar on the train.

Cheese soup with croutons. Russia food often comes with a sprinkle of dill on it.

Quite an interestingly decorated piece. Salmon in cheese sauce (tasted quite like the soup, with dill, lettuce and parsley as garnish

Burgers from a random fast food outlet for breakfast. Tasted like McChicken, but more expensive!

* * *

Lake Baikal

We also bought Omul back when we went to Listvyanka to see Lake Baikal. It’s freshly caught from the clear, fresh waters of the majestic Lake Baikal. It costs a very affordable RUB50/ USD1.56/ SGD2 and taste very yummy. Best to eat it hot when you are there, or if your accommodation comes with a microwave oven, heat it up and it will taste great. We were over the omul like cats.

Baked omul in a special sauce, taste delightful on a cold winter’s day.

The fish market in Listvyanka sells a variety of Omul cooked in different ways. Not all are ready to be eaten on the spot though. Ask!

Meatball and potatoes we had at Listvyanka – A Russian staple – We saw many of them eating that on the train. Taste great when you’re freezing!

* * *

A normal meal at Pop Cafe, Irkutsk

Pizza at Pop Cafe, near our hostel

Lasagne – Pop Cafe, Irkutsk. Russian food seems to be quite Westernised.

* * *

Subway in Russia ; )

Subway in Irkutsk

Alas, a familiar brand name. Quite a warm and empty place. It taste quite like the one you can get in Singapore though slightly more expensive. They have borscht which taste like a tomato based soup – for the authentic borsht, try it in restaurants.

A Subway footlong – Irkutsk

Brimming with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes

Subway’s Borsht – taste like plain old tomato soup

Eating in Irkutsk – all I can say that it was slightly expensive, but the omul certainly left a good taste in my mouth. Cafes also make a good resting place, especially when temperatures outside at a -7 deg. Have fun.

Watch this space for my next post on the trip to see Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake.

November 17, 2013
Irkutsk, around and about: A Photo Story

This is a continuation from: Trans Siberian Tales: Why Chinese do not like Mongolians?

Irkutsk is a small town to stopover along the Trans Siberian train journey. We were glad to get a hot shower and a good night’s sleep on a stationary bed after two days on the train. (Little did we know how four days on the train could be).

Like Moscow, Irkutsk is made up of buildings with special architecture of a smaller scale. During our time there, we visited a Russian Orthodox church, which was our first contact with churches in Russia, and it was very, very different. There’s also a river bank that you must head to, the Angara River which flows into the grand Lake Baikal.

Irkutsk is much colder than in Moscow. Temperatures go down to -7 degrees when we were there in early October and it snowed. But the winds are not as strong as it can be in Moscow, so you will be fine with a thick coat, gloves and hat. That being said, it can be quite a dampener when it comes to sight-seeing. We wanted to see more views of Lake Baikal from different locations, but after getting frostbitten under such temperatures, one trip to Listvanya was enough.

It’s definitely a place to get some rest for the onward league of the Trans Siberian (it’s 4 days non-stop if you’re going to Moscow) and like a catapult, you will find yourself by the fringes of Lake Baikal in a blink of an eye. (I’m exaggerating, but you WILL definitely go to Lake Baikal when you are in Irkutsk).

Tip: If you, like me wondered for the longest time how to pronounce Ir-ku-tsk, click here: http://translate.google.com/#en/ru/irkutsk

I figured it’s some thing like this Ee – a – cool – sk: Ee (The ee of eerie) – a – cool- sk (the sk of tsk). For Mandarin speakers, the Chinese name would be 伊尔库茨克.

Grand Buildings that line the streets – looks like a shopping place to me

It’s heart warming to come across a familiar brand – Mango

It’s snowing! It was -2 degrees outside, and it’s only October. An autumn in Russia.

Interesting street art – Soviet Style

It snowed the night before – it’s freezing cold the next day.

Gardens covered with snow

Some Soviet rockets on display across the street. So random!

There are still tanks!

That’s Subway, and Sony for you!

That’s a statue that looks very tired. I felt like that when I had to walk in the coooldd…

This is quite a classic photo. A painting of snow, covered by snow.

It snowed, and all the other paintings got covered in snow too

Finally seeing blue skies in Irkutsk on our last day. It had been gloomy the past two days.

Someone tried to sit on that bench and his pants got wet by the snow. 😉 hahah! Anw we kept seeing imprints of this Moses guy everywhere in Russia

* * *

Raising of the Cross Church – Sedova Street

We took shelter in a coffee house due to the -11deg temperatures. My ears felt like they were falling off and my hands were in pain. Russian churches are quite different from European churches, and much less compared to the Singapore ones.

Raising of the Cross Church

Love these white long windows with sunlight streaming in

Donations upon entry.

Candles alight in worship

Jesus on the cross

The garden of the church

Beggars outside the church. These were the only beggars we came across in Irkutsk.

* * *

A Convenience store in Russia – Most stores are like that. They have a small hole and you have got to tell the shop keeper what you want. Unlike 7’11.

The awe-inspiring statue of Lenin

Best cover I have seen of a building in construction. Singaporean companies should use that instead of those unsightly green mosquito nets.

Not sure who this is, but it’s quite cool!

* * *

Angara River Bank, a straight walk from the Lenin Statue

Most beautiful place in Irkutsk

Statue of a Tsar

The banks of the Angara River – feel like I can stay here all day

Buildings glittering in the sun

Bridge over untroubled waters

Lockets of keys on the bridge

The waters are so clear! Reminds me of Taiwan

Colourful playground surrounded by autumn trees

In Seoul, I was hunting for golden trees. In Russia, it’s everywhere : )

Cool clouds

Watch this space for my next post on Eating in Irkutsk.

This post is brought to you by Sleeklens, Gearwear and The Gear Hunt.

November 14, 2013
Trans Siberian Day 2: Majestic Mongolia

Blue sky and brown sand

This is a continuation from – Trans Siberian Tales: Border crossing from China to Mongolia

The Mongolian league of the trip is my favourite. I only wished it could be longer.

Mongolia is a country which has nothing. Nothing valuable in our capitalist driven world of stock markets, cigarettes, diamonds and factories. But because of this “nothing”, it seems to have been blessed with everything that our modern society cannot afford to leave alone – nature’s beauty at its best.

Mongolian plains against the deep blue sky.

The scenery is a dream come true. Wide flat plains covered with snow, making it a lively contrast to the bright blue sky. In the next 10 minutes as the train speeds on by, the scenery changes drastically. It has become a tinge of brown in the afternoon sun, beautiful nonetheless.

The snow covered flat plains of Mongolia – a dramatic change in scenery.

Windmills – never expected to find them here in Mongolia

Dogs patrolling the plains.

House covered in snow – Mongolia

The Trans Siberian, as it goes around the curve

The train goes much slower in Mongolia. (For Singaporean Red Line MRT users, think the speed as going from Yishun to Woodlands). Maybe it is because of the bends. It’s one of those movie moments when you imagine waving to someone from the train windows at the other end (not possible here because it’s cold outside and the windows are shut tight).

A Yurt among the hills.

There’s a sight that I will never forget. A stretch of highway that passes in parallel to the train tracks and a car passes by. There are no other vehicles or buildings. It speeds up and goes faster than the train – it’s a beautiful sight to behold.

I was reading a book called “还珠格格“ . It’s based on my childhood favourite TV serial, and I only just started on the book. For avid fans of that show growing up, I was reminded of how Zi Wei and Xiao Yan Zi rode horses over the Mongolian plains and sang songs.

A memorable sight.

Finally understood the meaning behind rolling plains

Someday, I hope to stay in a traditional Mongolian Yurt and enjoy the stars in the wilderness above me.

Let’s hope the industralists from China don’t take over too much of that beauty.

Tip: If you’re PRC Chinese travelling to Mongolia, do take care. Watch this space for the next article, Why do PRC Chinese not like Mongolians?

November 10, 2013
Trans Siberian Tales: Border crossing from China to Mongolia

Trans Siberian Tales: Border crossing from China to Mongolia –
Liquor with snakes – not sure if they are alive?

This is a continuation from: Trans Siberian Day 1: Beijing to Er Lian 北京出发!

I dedicated a post to each of the border crossings of the Trans Siberian trip, primarily because it’s worth talking about in greater detail.

On Day 1 of the Trans Siberian trip, we reached the border town of Er Lian at around 8.40pm. It was cold, with temperatures close to zero degree celsius at night. Chinese border officials boarded the train and requested to see our passports. They returned them to us three hours later, before the train moved off.

You can choose to get off and walk around the town of Er Lian, or wait in the train. In between, you cannot get on or off as the train will be moved to another location for refueling and the tweaking of tracks.

We got off to wander around Er Lian and the train’s grocery shop, which is much recommended in my opinion!

Train attendant on the Trans Siberian as it pulls to a stop

It’s cold and deserted at Er Lian Railway Station

From the platform, we headed in the direction of the waiting room and exited the station. There was no need to show any identification as our passport was with the custom officials.

The town of Er Lian, as seen from the pictures, resembled a ghost town in the evening. There’s nothing but a few grocery shops and small hotels near the train station.

Er Lian – it’s all quiet at night. Feels a bit like a ghost town.

Me thinks if you are in desperate need of a bath before re-boarding the train, it’s very possible to use your remaining yuan, for about USD20 to book a room at one of the hotels for a quick shower. That being said I cannot ascertain the hygiene levels of the rooms.

The 宾馆 (hotel) located near the Er Lian train station

Inner Mongolian shops at Er Lian

Bags of alcohol at the Mongolian shop

Modern well stocked grocery store at the Er Lian train station

Grains and fruits of every kind

Sometimes, some things are just not worth trying. This Mongolian liquor (USD4, RMB25) had a really bad smell and tasted like super glue.

There’s an even bigger grocery store in the train station. In the words of a local Chinese businessman who broadcasted to the whole supermarket, it’s wise to stock up on food, drink and supplies there and then. He said that while it costs slightly more than Beijing, it will cost three times as much in Mongolia. We are glad we took his advice, as food did cost much more even in Russia, where we alighted later at Irkutsk.

Something noteworthy was that we ran out of RMB while paying up for our groceries, and the cashier waived it off, like it was nothing. He didn’t even count the amount of RMB we gave him, much less the amount we owed. Well, the supermarket was brimming Chinese and Mongolians buying groceries, so I think he was making quite a profit.

Mongolian family carrying many, many things from China

The toilets in the train station of Er Lian are the squat types, unlike the Western toilets you’ll get on the train. They are not the cleanest, but usable. The waiting room on the 2nd floor is spacious and comfortable.

Close to 11pm, we got down to the 1st floor to wait for our train. By then, many groups of Chinese and what seem to be Mongolians had gathered, carrying boxes of items.

No one was sharing our 4 berth cabin from Beijing to Er Lian and two local PRC guys joined us. They said they were heading to Mongolia’s capital, Ulan Bator to do some business.

The train moves off punctually at 12am and arrives at the Mongolian border – Dzamin Uud some twenty minutes later.

The customs officials were very well dressed, and pretty in a Mongolian sort of way. (Think fair muscular girls with bright red lipstick and exotic eyes.) We were asked to leave the berth so they could check the cabin. A strange sight – a lady with make up and bright red lipstick in army fatigues and boots pulled down the steps of the berth to climb up and look around. It’s probably my first time seeing army personnel so well made up!

We were carrying Singapore passports and did not have any problems with the immigration in Mongolia. But our Chinese counterparts were asked to show their passports and visas to the officials a number of times. We are not sure of the reason why. After a long wait for about two hours, we heard the train officials mentioning that some PRC passport holders had been asked to leave the train. Therefore, this goes without saying – it’s important to get the necessary visas and approvals for a fuss free entry into Mongolia.

The train finally leaves at about 1.45am in the morning, and we finally can get some sleep.

Look out for an update of Day 2 of the Trans Siberian trip – some pretty cool Mongolian scenery coming up.

November 9, 2013
Trans Siberian Day 1: Beijing to Er Lian 北京出发!

The Trans Siberian Railway, starting from Beijing.

If you had asked me when I first stepped out of the Trans Siberian train at 4am on a cold Thursday morning, if I ever wanted to do that trip again, I would have given you a resounding NO.

If you asked me how was it, I would go in a roundabout way to tell you, yes there were some nice scenery along the way, but planes are invented for a reason and who gives a shit about the romance of old world travel.

Then, one week later, after having recovered from the flu I sustained while on the train and warmed my stomach with hot meals twice daily accompanied with daily baths, I would tell you that I have to reconsider my take on the Trans Siberian.

Then as I looked through the photos, a smile breaks out on my face, and I’m thinking – hey! This was a heck of a trip!

Of course there are moments where I just felt like jumping off the train, leaving my companion with the luggage and try to catch the next plane home – but I’m glad I made it to Moscow and back.

I have organised the photos according to the different days on the train. There were two leagues. The first league from Beijing to Irkutsk (2.5 days) and the second, Irkutsk to Moscow (4 days).

The first day is of course, when smiles were abound and energy levels was at its highest;) Happy viewing.

This is the K3 train.

At Beijing Train Station (北京火车站）- boarded the train at 7.45am. It was due to leave at 8.05am.

Second class berth – booked this through Real Russia

Passing by a rocky outcrop as we head to the Chinese border in Er Lian. I am reminded of Huangshan

Making way pass the first class berth to the restaurant car.. Check out the polished sheen of the wooden doors!

A peek into the first class cabin. There’s basically two berths in each cabin, and a sofa like thing on the right (not shown in the pic).

Complimentary meals are given at during the first day, at the Chinese league of the trip. Beware celery haters!

They served two dishes (celery and chicken with cucumber for lunch. I found the rice fluffy and very edible. The chicken was a little salty but it was okay. Overall, it was better than our other alternative, instant noodles. You can takeway the food to your own berth, but we decided to stretch our legs and make our way to the restaurant car.

Weary chef of the restaurant car

Click here for the next post on the Border crossing from China to Mongolia.

November 8, 2013
The 7 day Trans Siberian journey: To go or not?

The Trans Siberian along snow covered plains

The Trans Siberian journey offers a lot of promise – dazzling scenery of flat Mongolian plains, to the icy snow-covered mountains of Siberia.

But the truth is, watching the scenery just takes about 10% of your time on the train. Apart from the other 10% of the time spent on checking the availability of toilets and making instant noodles, the Trans Siberian is a good way of getting to know the world around you, and an even better way to learn more yourself.

Someone once told me, that a stint in the army is the best way to know a person’s true character. He said that jungle training through tough situations of heat, leeches and punishment would remove the sheen and polish of a person, revealing his true self.

I’m not saying The Trans Siberian journey is like an army stint. The intensity is of course much lesser. After all, it’s a train ride for leisure purposes. But throughout the long train ride, there will be moments of frustration, fatigue and immense boredom. You may get moody, feel listless, or even question your own decision to travel by train.

That being said, it’s a good way of retrospectively looking at how you react in these situations. It also helps you to get to know your travelling companion even better.

Personally, I have a long way to go. In achieving that equanimity of mind and spirit that great travellers have in tough times. This comes as a surprise honestly, because I have been to India for six months, and had always pride myself as a tough one. But close to the end of the second league of the trip, I was falling sick, and was dreaming constantly of a stationary toilet and a hearty, hot meal. In essence, I was looking at my watch.

Maybe I have changed. Or maybe, there’s still a lot more travelling that needs to be done.

I wouldn’t recommend the Trans Siberian for tourists and destination seekers. But if you’ve some ample time on your hands, coupled with a thirst to find out more about yourself, it’s the right trip for you.

P.S The Trans Siberian journey is a long one, covering three countries across seven different timezones. There’s a lot of content to cover, tips to share and stories to tell, which can’t be done in two to three posts. Please be patient and watch this space for updates 🙂

Welcome on board.

Last day – When are we reaching?

November 5, 2013
A Day at Seoul Grand Park – Meeting Seoul’s seniors and little ones
An autumn in Korea – Seoul Grand Park

Not everyone who goes to Seoul would make a trip to Seoul’s Grand Park. It’s about 45 minutes away from the city centre, and honestly speaking, I would be better off climbing a mountain if my knee permitted it. Seoul’s Grand Park was the next best alternative – there was a direct metro station, although the Seoul Zoo was a 1.5km stroll in. There are complimentary trams provided so don’t you worry, but I’d recommend walking because the scenery along the way is pretty great. There are even pieces of artwork to marvel at.

I am glad I walked. The weather was cool, and it was nice admiring the mountains.

Luge ride over the water. 有山有水。

If you’re on the look out for hunky K-popstars and glamour girls, forget about coming here. The Seoul Grand Park is where you meet the very old, and the very young. Well, it seems to be a very hip place among Seoul’s seniors, people in their sixties who have retired. Then it got me thinking. Much has been said of the brilliance of Seoul’s youth, but what about its seniors?

All I can say is that they are pretty cool too. Many of them came all deck out in hiking gear – a windbreaker, track pants and hiking sticks. Many wore caps and carried backpacks. I even saw two ladies with identical hairstyles, windbreakers and hiking sticks.

Ladies with couple outfits – Seoul Grand Park

Senior’s Day Out – Seoul Grand Park

Art appreciation at Seoul’s Grand Park

Having a chat against the backdrop of hills and animals

I cannot imagine groups of senior citizens in Singapore heading to our very own zoo on a random Monday morning, or going on hiking trips together. I think they would prefer having a kopi (coffee) at the coffee shop.

* * *

I also met a group of kindergarten school kids with their teachers. One particular incident left me with mixed feelings – not sure if I should laugh, or cry.

I had come across a lone elephant gazing into what seem to be a forested “wilderness”, looking away from the spectator’s stand. He was deep in thought, enjoying his solitude. Then a group of kindergarten kids, about four years in age crowded around the stand. Without a warning, they started shouting in unison, “kokkili! 코끼리” and some other Korean words which seem to be something along the line of “Elephant, elephant! Turn around.”

The elephant was unmoved. For that moment, I think I can feel it’s pain. I hope its big ears did not amplify the sound, but anyone, elephant or human who is looking to enjoy a quiet moment alone is bound to be annoyed by screaming kids? Alas, I’m not a child lover so I may be biased.

Poor elephant enjoying a moment alone

Next minute, group of little ones started calling out to him.

I would say in all honesty, a trip to Seoul Zoo, which is in Seoul Grand Park is not a must have. For kids, the Singapore Zoo is far more exciting, and has a lot of activities and animal shows.

For animal lovers like yours truly, the signboards are in Korean words except some basic information of the species which is in English. So essentially it is difficult to learn more about the animals. The park is also pretty huge, probably twice the size of the Singapore Zoo. Exhibits are located pretty far away from each other, which is not easy for those who are unable to walk long distances. Regular tram services were not present when I was there on a Monday morning.

Some animal pictures, to prove I was at the zoo 😉

Lovely animals but signboards with no explanations

That being said, it’s a different sort of place to relax in Seoul. I spotted some trees all decked out in the autumn colours of gold and brown, and more importantly, I came in touch with Seoul’s other side – the aunties and uncles who form part of South Korean culture in their very own sense – who have played supporting roles in K-dramas and of course, having a part in what South Korea is today.

Unlike the poor elephant, I managed to gain some solitude as I sailed pass sleeping lions, unopened cafes and a little boy and girl holding hands that Monday morning. It’s not a must have, but it’s nice.

Seoul Grand Park
- Address: Gwangmyeong-gil 42, Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
- Website (Available in English): http://grandpark.seoul.go.kr/Eng/html/main/main.jsp
- Opening hours:
- Summer (Mar to Oct): 9am to 7pm
- Winter (Nov to Feb): 9am to 6pm
- Entrance fee: 3,000 won for adults, 1,000 won for children
- How to get there?
- Take the metro to the “Seoul Grand Park” Line 4 and walk in.
A cart full of Sunshine
October 31, 2013
Two absolutely must try alcoholic beverages when you’re in Seoul

Soju with Kimchi and Pakimchi – awesome! This soju by Jiru is also the most sold alcohol brand in the world : )

I wasn’t a big fan of Korean alcoholic drinks back in Singapore. Soju tasted like a slightly sweet type of vodka, which didn’t go down very well with me. But little did I know how well it went with the normal kimchi with cabbage leaves, Pakimchi (kimchi with scallions) and meat.

Just a basic rule I learnt from my Korean friend when drinking, never pour alcohol into your own glass – get a friend to do it for you. Wiki also says, don’t refill your glass until it’s absolutely empty.

The more popular Chamisul (hangul: 참이슬) soju, by HITEJiro. Soju is drank in small glasses slightly larger than shot glasses. Otherwise mixed with beer for more “power”

Soju

(Alcohol percentage of between 15% to 30%). For Chamisul soju (the one above) it is about 20%.

Price? 375 ml for 3,000 won (SGD3.50)

Where to get it? Korean barbeque eateries and 7 eleven convenience stores

—

Made from rice, wheat and barley, it’s a little on the sweeter side. You may not get use to it initially, but it makes eating spicy and salty kimchi a breeze. It’s soothing on the tongue and will make your stomach feel so comfortable. It taste even better with the meat dishes you are having – lovely.

Goes very well with meat too – we had pork this time round.

Late night super of Soju and BBQ: )

* * *

Makgeolli

Lovely bowl of Makgeolli

Makgeolli bottle cost about 1,500 from convenience stores

(Alcohol percentage of between 6% to 8%).

Price? We got quite a big bottle (500ml) for about 1,500 won at the convenience store ($1.75)

Where to get it? Korean noodle eateries and 7’11 convenience stores

—

Compared to its stronger cousin Soju, Makgeolli is soothing to the palate. It’s sweet and milky with a mild alcoholic taste, and it makes me feel I could have bottles and bottles of it without getting the drunk feeling you get with too much wine/ hard liquor. If you find beer too gassy for you, Makgeolli will be a good alternative.

My friend’s parents loved Makgeolli so much that they brought over five bottles when they moved over to live in Japan.

Makgeolli goes well with soup noodles. Like the Kalguksu (칼국수), which I believed we had (see the photo below).

Makgeolli (막걸리) goes well with Kalguksu (칼국수) noodles, and almost anything

Do enjoy these two mildly alcoholic drinks when you’re in Seoul! They are not strong enough to get you drunk, and it’s a nice way to relax and enjoy Korean food and culture at it’s best.

October 29, 2013
Namiseom Island, Greater Seoul – a must see for Winter Sonata fans and nature lovers

Namiseom Island, or better known as Nami Island is a must have for K-drama fans, especially those of the popular series Winter Sonata. That being said, if you’re like me, who has never seen a single episode of Winter Sonata, you’ll be able to appreciate the nature, like the willow trees, little gardens and your friend going gaga at Baey Yong Jun’s poster.

The trip, a whooping two hours from Seoul, can be long to some, especially Singaporeans used to scooting from one end of the island to another within 45 minutes. But I assure you this trip is not a wasted one.

We went to Namiseom Island on a Saturday, and it was filled with people. Couples pushing their strollers across the dry autumn leaves, with little kids playing catching in the sun. In this expansive island, there is room for lovers too. Just stray off the beaten path, and you’ll find a space to have some alone time for yourself and your other half. To be honest, we came a little too early to catch the yellow trees of autumn. The trees were still green and the sun was shining brightly, just like summer. I suggest going in early – mid November to catch that special autumn in Korea.

How to get in?

The route to Namiseom Island is not the most straight forward one. After a long metro ride, you would need to take a taxi to the ferry terminal and then a ferry in.

Going in, we took the metro to Gapyeong station – the ride from Hapjeong took us about 1.5 hours. We then shared a taxi with a young Korean couple – the ride cost 5,000 in total. Ferry tickets are sold for 8,000 won per pax and it comes at regular intervals. It is pretty stable and there’s enough room for baby strollers and standing photographers alike.

Waiting for the metro to arrive – on the way to Nami Island

Finally, we have arrived at Gapyeong Station, after a 1.5 hr ride from Seoul Central

Ferry arriving at Nami Island

What is there to be done?

Namiseom Island to me, is basically quite a scenic island, with all the furnishings of a good tourist attraction. Along the way, we pass by craft exhibitions with stall vendors selling little bookmarks, pottery pieces and key chains. My Friend H, bought a flower pot in the shape of a cat.

There was also a makeshift stage that featured a band, though due to some technical difficulties the band did not complete a song after twenty minutes, so we left. We also came across a performer who seems rather nimble in his limps as he did all sorts of tricks to entertain children.

At the end of Nami Island, there is a poster of Baey Yong Jun in which everyone fights to take a photo with (except maybe for yours truly, having not watch the show). There’s also a little pavilion where you can take photos with the various scenes from the drama hanging as part of the background.

Nice lake surrounded by glass – Nami Island

Entertainer who is really flexible!

Welcome to the Naminara Republic – not sure why Singapore is “terima kasih” though..

“Spring water” from a traditional water system

To early for autumn, but still nice

Interesting sculpture – wonder what it means?

Sun shining on the adjacent hill, on the banks of Nami Island

Family time

That’s me, Miss Bay with Mr Baey

What to eat?

Food there is slightly more expensive. A sausage costs about 2,000 won, while a red bean bun, 1,000 won.

We had nice buckwheat noodles at this place called Country Restaurant for 12,000 won. There was no meat but the mix with all types of vegetables was good enough to keep us full. I was eyeing the seafood pancake for 10,000 won, but austerity kicked in and told myself.. Nooo..

Country Restaurant, our lunch stopover for Nami Island

Gigantic buckwheat noodles with veges – 12,000 won

Tasty cold noodles in the autumn – yum!

How to get back?

It takes about 30 minutes to complete the walk from the ferry terminal to the end without stopping. For us, it took about 3 hours as we stopped to look in at souvenir shops, take photos and have lunch. I would recommend that you leave before it gets dark (before 6pm) as the dinner choices in Seoul are of a greater variety and cost lesser than on Namiseom Island.

Going back to the metro station, Gapyeong from the ferry terminal was a little more challenging as the taxi stand was full of people. We had to take a bus, and after some gesturing and help from fellow passengers, we got a hang of its destination – Gapyeong. If you’re in doubt of where the taxi stand is, continue walking straight pass the carpark and turn left. You’ll see a long line of people at the bus stop, which is located near the taxi stand. When in doubt, ask or simply follow the crowd.

A key point to note – the 1.5 hour metro ride from Gapyeong back to the central of Seoul usually doesn’t have empty seats, so be prepared to stand for long. If you really have to rest your legs, you can follow the old couple we saw – bring your own cushions to sit on the train floor 😉

Have fun!

October 27, 2013