South Korea Day 1

Annyeong Haseyo!!!

Today is Sunday - February 12, 2012 now in Myeong-dong Seoul, South Korea!

We had our breakfast at the basement of the guesthouse, you can get the Ramen at the reception. The basement has two computers with internet, a telephone that you can use to call abroad (free for 5 minutes), there's coffee, bread and jams, there's a fridge, a stove, a microwave, oven, iron and water dispenser, and even weighing scale for your luggage.

The luggage area is also located at the basement, you can leave your luggage before you check in or after you check out the guesthouse.

Done with the breakfast, the adventure starts now!

T-Money

In our itinerary, we should buy the T-Money card at the airport but we forgot ^^ On our way to our first destination we saw a "Family Mart", we buy our T-money for 2,500won and charge/load of 10,000won.




Myeong-dong Cathedral

What a cold Sunday morning! Let's start the day with a prayer at "Myeong-dong Cathedral", just near in Namsan Guesthouse.

Directions: 

Myeong-dong Subway Station, Exit 8 or 5

Walk along Toegyero-gil St. for about 300m and turn right at the intersection

Walk along Myeongdong gil st. for 100m to the Catholic Center

Walk up along the center.

We ask a Korean on the street for the directions, she's so kind that even draw the way to the cathedral. 

They have English mass for 7:00 - 10:00am, we missed the English mass, no choice but to attend the Korean Mass. ^^

If you're into Korean Dramas, you know this place in the drama "He's Beautiful" or "Minamishineyo"  a scene was shot here near the cathedral.

Minam near Myeong-dong Cathedral

Namdaemun Market

This was not supposed to be the next stop, but due to cold weather we have to go here to buy some winter battle gears! ^^

I bought a beanie (10,000won), scarf (15,000won), earmuffs (5,000won) and gloves (2,000won), complete winter battle gears! Ready to fight the cold weather!

Bukchon Hanok Village

This next destination is for my oppa "Lee MinHo", Korean Drama "Personal Taste" or Kaeinui Chwihyang. "Sanggojae" located in Bukchon Hanok Village was one of the main filming location of this drama. We got lost finding this particular hanok, we came across to this American man who was also assisting some tourists, this man understand and can speak Korean very well, he ask the tourist assistant located in Bukchon (who knows English too), which we did not see the  first time we roam to that area. Finally after a twist and turn, we reach the "Sanggojae" or Park Gae In house in the drama. I was so happy to see it, I can imagine that Lee MinHo has been here in front of this hanok ^^ How I wish we can go inside ^^ but this is a private hanok and cannot be visited. So all we can do is take pictures outside this hanok, it is fun anyways ^^ (for the love of Lee MinHo - always a fan girl ^^)

Lee MinHo at Sanggojae

Direction:

Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 2

Go straight for about 300m to arrive at Bukchon Hanok Village

I love the Hanok Village, beautiful structures of traditional house! There are lots of tourist here, there are special spot/angle to take good photos here in Bukchon Hanok Village. It was so funny that we were taking pictures in front of someone's residential house ^^

Changdeokgung Palace

This next destination is one of the Four Palaces, it is near Bukchon Hanok Village. We paid 3,000won for the entrance ticket. A lot of "group tours" were here, you can see outside their Tour Bus. Changdeokgung Palace is a huge palace! I'm so amazed of it's architectures and designs, this Palace was so enchanting! I am currently watching the new Korean Drama "The Moon That Embraces The Sun", for me seeing a real palace is a great experience, imagine the King walk to that Palace!  The "Secret Garden" was also located in this Palace, but you need to be on a tour group in order to enter the garden.

did the KING sit here?

snow? 

After touring the palace, we go back to the guesthouse and take some rest, next destination is N Seoul Tower which is near to our guesthouse^^

N Seoul Tower

We can see the Tower already in our place (Namsan Guesthouse 3), if you are a Korean Drama addict (like me) you already seen this Tower several times in the Kdramas like "Boys Over Flower", "My Name is Kim Sam Soon", "Princess Hours", "Can't Lose" and more.

We ride the Namsan Cable Car that cost 8,000won for a round trip ticket. 

Reaching the N Seoul Tower with a very cold weather!. After taking some pics of the tower we buy tickets for the Observatory Deck and Teddy Bear Museum that cost 14,000won. 

Teddy Bear Museum

I want to visit this museum because of the Korean Drama "Princess Hours" but the museum that was shot in the drama was located in Jeju Island, but still I love this museum with lots of teddy bears, so cute!!! ^^

Observatory Deck

To view the beauty of Seoul visit the "Observatory Deck" of N Seoul Tower specially at night.

Beautiful Seoul

Love Message Block

Love Locks

After viewing the beauty of Seoul, we go down to see the Love locks, there are really lots of locks in there, as in lots!!!! 

N Seoul Tower is a must visit in Seoul, ride the Namsan cable car or a bus to get to this place. It was an amazing experiencing seeing this "TOWER", I've only seen this before on Korean Dramas, I remember the scene from "Boys Over Flower" when "Jun Pyo" waited for "Jan Di" here at N Seoul Tower and he was freezing!!! Now I was here, awwww so lovely place! I Love KOREA!!! ^^

Myeong-dong Shopping Area

Very near to our guesthouse is Myeong-dong shopping area, we will always be here (I guess), it's just few minutes away and there are really lots and lots of things that can be bought here from cosmetics, clothing's, foods, accessories, etc.

dukbokki (spicy)

That's it for Day 1, enjoying my stay here! ^_^

South Korea 2012

One of my dream country to visit "SOUTH KOREA", after almost 7 months of waiting.... finally to the Land of Morning Calm! and I can't almost calm myself ^^ Aigoo!!! Omo!!!

I love Korea!!!! ^^ It's pretty obvious, I love their dramas and HALLYU!!! Of course that includes my DORKY boys "SUPER JUNIOR". Finally!!!! I can visit their hometown (dreaming to be my hometown too)!! This is really HAEppiness!!!! ^_^

I think my 2012 would be the best best BEST year ever, now starting to travel on my dream country!!! Amazing!!! DAEBAK!!!! ^^

Now preparing my travel, this is my hobby and I really love doing it.

TICKET
Thanks to Cebu Pacific promo, we got a round trip ticket with 15 kilos baggage to INCHEON with a price of 3,400php. We booked last August 2011 for February 2012 travel.

VISA
In order to travel South Korea you must have a VISA from the Korean Embassy. This is so easy to get and it's free! The VISA is valid for three (3) months for a single entry visa. I only submit the necessary requirements: Visa Application Form, Certificate of Employment, Bank Certificate, Passport, Photocopy of Passport (1st page only), 1 piece passport size picture and ITR or Form 2316. You must fill up all the blanks on the Visa Application form. Do not submit unnecessary documents like hotel reservation or round trip e-ticket, they don't need it.

Embassy of The Republic of Korea address:
122 Upper McKinley Road,
McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City 1634, Philippines

You may download the Visa Application >>>> Visa Application Form

It only takes less than 10 minutes to submit the requirements and the processing would take a week for a first timer visa applicant.

Their office is just near to my workplace, so we just take a cab going the embassy, if one would like to go here via commuter. First, you have to get off MRT - Ayala Station, then at Shell station area, ride the PUJ via Market Market, just tell the driver to get you off to the embassy. But still the easiest way is to take a cab ^^

After one week, we go back to the embassy and we got our passport with approved VISA!!! Yay~ Korea here we come.

Now we are so so sooooo excited, we applied last December 2011 our travel date is on February 2012! So happy we got our single entry visa! 59 days validity!

Visa Sticker

ACCOMMODATION

Thanks to Pinoy Exchange and Female Network forumers, I decided to have a reservation in Namsan Guesthouse 3. Based on my research, the guesthouse was highly recommended, near to the subway, near to Myeongdong shopping area, near to N Seoul Tower and Namdaemun Market. My main concern when looking a place to stay is the location because it would save your time and save some money as well, for me this guesthouse was great place to stay! I sent them an email two months before out travel, it's a reservation e-mail. They replied and will re-confirm a month before your arrival date, they don't get any reservation fee, just basically an email reservation and confirmation (even before the date of your travel). I reserved a twin room at Namsam 3 at 55,000won per night with free breakfast ^^

ITINERARY

We will be only staying for a total of 4 days in Korea, arriving at night of February 11th and leaving at night of February 15th. I've been revising our itinerary for some months, finally I was able to finish it earlier before our travel.

Feb 11

Arriving Incheon Airport

Check-in At Namsan Guesthouse 3

Feb 12

Myeong-dong Cathedral

Buckhon Hanok Village

Four Palaces (if feasible)

Insadong

N Seoul Tower

Teddy Bear Museum

Itaewon

Myeong-dong or Namdaemun

Sauna Bath

Feb 13

Full House

Lotte World

COEX Mall

Namdaemun

Bampo River

Myeong-dong (SPAO)

Feb 14

Nami Island

Cheong Wa Dae (if feasible)

Korean Tourism Organization

Handel & Gretel

SUKIRA/ KBS

Hongdae

Coffee Prince Shop

Hello Kitty Cafe

Feb 15

Kona Beans

KeyEast Entertainment

StarHaus Entertainment

Dongdaemun (DOOTA)

Our itinerary is more on Korean Dramas location and of course fan girling location, yeah right I'm a Fan Girl!!! I must see my dorky boys there!!! I must I must I must!!! Aja aja aja ~kekekeke~

MONEY MATTERS

I always exchange money at Czarina Forex, so again exchanging my peso but this time to Korean Won! You still need to call Czarina to reserve for the money. The buying rate at that time is 0.0383.

It would be less hassle if you change your money to WON, but you can always use you international ATM to withdraw or use a Credit card in other country, your choice anyways ^^

500,000 won

CZARINA Forex contact numbers: 811-1875, 811-1895, 811-1859

They have a lot of branches to pick up your exchange money >>> Czarina Branches

LUGGAGE

We only have 15 kilos baggage for check-in and it was winter in Korea on the date of our travel! Yikes ~ excess baggage?! Luckily we don't exceed the 15 kilos, my luggage consist of jackets, long sleeves, socks, leggings, undergarments, toiletries and some foods (cup noodles). 

Now we are ready to go!

February 11 - NAIA 3

So excited!!!

Here we go again with the Immigration Officer, oh yeah they have a lot of questions! It's their job to interrogate passenger, again just be confident to answer them.

Our ETD is 3:55pm, we were delayed for 10 minutes! Oh no CebuPac this is another delayed flight for me. 

Arriving Incheon Airport around 9pm, Korea is 1 hour ahead to Philippines. Now to the Land of the Morning Calm!

IO Korea: Stamp, finger print scan and eye scan, DONE! So fast right, how I wish it was same with our IO.

INCHEON Airport

It is already past 10pm when we finish getting our baggage, we came across to this man and we asked for the Airport Bus, to my surprise he said that it was already closed, I asked him how about the subway/train to Seoul (downtown), and he replied that it was also closed and he advised me to take a cab to Seoul that it would only take 40 minutes and it's much cheaper. When we asked them the price he said it was 80,000won!!!! But then I saw the information desk ahead, so we just said to this man that we will just go that way first. To the information front girl, I ask her where is the Airport Bus located and if it still open? She said it was still open and it is located outside the airport, I also asked the subway or AREX, and she says that it is open until 11:30pm. Oh my we just encounter a man who wants to fool us to take an expensive cab going downtown, we were only two so it would be expensive for us to take a cab. That ajushi almost fooled us, but anyways it should not ruined our first night in Korea.

AREX

Incheon airport is kinda far from Seoul, it would take an hour is you ride a train or airport bus. We take the AREX (Airport Express) to downtown Seoul, we pay 3,800won for a single ticket for AREX commuter. You can also buy a T-Money worth 2,500won and charge or load an amount you prefer. T-money is like Octopus Card of Hong Kong or Ez Link Card of Singapore. 

After Seoul Station we ride the subway going to Myeong-dong Station, it cost 1,500won for a single journey ticket, the 500won can be refunded.

Namsan Guesthouse 3

Arriving almost midnight, we easily find Namsan Guesthouse just following their map directions, at Myeong-dong station you should go to exit 3, you will see 7-11 and walk towards Pacific Hotel by then you will see Namsan Guesthouse 2 signage, beside is Namsan 3. ^^ 

It was so cold outside!!! Walking almost midnight with a negative temperature! Beware for those who will take the AREX or subway, there is no elevator or escalator, so if you have a heavy luggage (like mine), it would be so hard to take it up or down the station, maybe you can just take the Airport Bus.

Reaching Namsan 3, the receptionist at that night was so nice and handsome ~kekekeke~ , he assist us very well. He will teach you how to open the main gate and the door, you can also get the unlimited ramen for breakfast, you can get your towel there at the reception (just bring the used one), and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask them, anything! ^^ 

Our room is 411, it was small but nice and clean! There is flat-screen TV, a heater, a hair dryer, shampoo, soap, towel, tissues. This was okay, as long as we can sleep well ^^

Now time to rest, we need more energy for tomorrow's adventure in South Korea!!! Aja-aja-aja!