Winter Sonata - Feb 2011 Day 1 & 2 (Namdaemun, Insadong & Dongdaemun)

Day 1

Sebelum subuh dah bertolak... singgah kat Petronas KLIA utk solat subuh.. Sepupu aku hantar sampai KLIA... Kitorang naik Cathay Pacific... Kena transit kat Hong Kong. By the time sampai Incheon dah malam. Beli T-Money ... Kira mcm T&G la, boleh guna utk naik train dan bas.. Masa nak tanya arah ke AREX kat mamat convenince store yg jual T-Money tu... punya la payah, sebab diorang tak berapa paham English... last2 aku tanya, Japanese paham tak? ada kawan dia dia kat situ paham Japanese sikit2, apa lagi aku bantai ckp jepun la dgn kawan dia tu... dpt la direction ker AREX... kalau carik sendiri pun maybe boleh jumpa.. tp lambat sikit la... Jauh gak Stesen AREX ni dari terminal flight walaupun dlm satu building. AREX ni kira mcm ERL la.... Sampai seoul, boleh amik subway utk ke IBVILLE di Myeondong yg akan menjadi rumah sementara di Seoul ni... To aku decide utk amik teksi, sebab dah malam, lagipun nak bwk luggage lagi.... Dlm teksi, biasa la mcm ayam ngan itik la sebab driver tu pun bukan pandai ckp English sgt pun....  To aku dah prepare dah print alamat guesthouse tu dlm Hangul (tulisan Korea) dgn google maps dan no phone sekali... Sampai area Myeongdong, driver teksi tu mcm blur pulak carik  jalan x jumpa... Sebab jalan don guesthouse tu one way dan sempit... Last2 smpi gak lepas dia call no guesthouse yg aku bagi.... Lepas check in, makan plan nak keluar jalan2 area Dongdaemun.. Sebab shopping complex kat Dongdanemun bukak smpi pkl 5 pagi... Dah smpi kat Myengdong, arif pulak buat perangai tak nak jalan, guling2 atas lantai subway tu... Maybe penat kot... Last2 decide balik guesthouse balik la mlm tu....

Day 2 -

Pagi2 lepas breakfast, tmpt yg dituju adalah Namdaemun, memang plan nak cari jaket pun kat Namdaemun ni... ada jumpa strawberi... besar2 dan sgt manis.... memang sedap strawberi kat sini. Aku, ibuarif dan arif pun dpt jaket baru hasil tangkapan di Namdaemun. lepas tu kitorang balik semula ke guesthouse utk lunch dan solat, sebelah petang keluar ke  Insadong pulak... Jalan2 kat sini. Insadong menarik gak utk window shopping. Sebelah malam menghala ke Dongdaemun pulak... Ada beli souveniour sikit kat Dongdaemun...

Namdaemun

"Namdaemun Market contains shopping mall complexes that sell a variety of goods on each floor, and alleys that are lined with street stalls selling everything from food products, to health products, glasses, luxury/discount cosmetics, traditional Korean souvenirs, and much, much more.

If you take subway line 4 to Hoehyeon station (Namdaemun Market) and come out of exit #5, you will see Namdaemun Market Gate #6, which leads to one of the market alleyways. Down this street, you will find a variety of shopping complexes starting with the Bondong Shopping Center, Daedo Shopping Center, and Jungang Shopping Center, followed by a cluster of smaller shops. Customers that shop wholesale can purchase goods at extremely low prices, but retail shopping is also available. Namdaemun Market is frequently visited by foreign tourists, and therefore many of the merchants can bargain in English or Japanese." -www.visitkorea.or.kr

"Insadong and the surrounding area were the residences of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) officials, extended royal families, and theyangbanaristocratic class. 

The antique art shops that were established here during the Japanese Colonial Period carried everyday items of the privileged class as these items became antiques in the face of modernity.

Since then, Insadong has been home to dozens of art galleries and antique shops. Insadong's narrow alleys branch out into all directions from one main street. To explore the interesting places on these side alleys, it would be helpful to get a map of Insadong at one of three Tourism Information Centers that are located at the center and the two ends of the main street." -www.visitkorea.or.kr

"Dongdaemun has every fashion item imaginable: fabric, clothes, accessories, and wedding goods. The newest fashion trends, along with the newest fabrics, often make their debut in the market. It is home to the largest clothing suppliers in Korea, and aspiring designers also come to here to hone and test their skills. Cheap and diverse clothes attract not just fashion leaders but also the average consumer. It has become a place frequented by major Korean and international buyers as well."  - www.visitkorea.or.kr

Cheonggyecheon Stream

"Until it was restored in 2005, Cheonggyecheon Stream existed only as a neglected watercourse hidden by an overpass. Today, it has been transformed into a haven of natural beauty amidst the bustle of city life. 

Narae Bridge, expressing a butterfly in flight, and Gwanggyo Bridge, symbolizing the harmony of the past and future, are just two of the more than twenty beautiful bridges that cross the stream. The ‘Rhythmic Wall Stream’, lined with fine marble, sculptures, and Korea’s 8th stone building, Palseokdam, adorn the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Cheonggyecheon Stream passes close to Deoksugung Palace, Seoul Plaza, the Sejong Center, Insa-dong Street, Changdeokgung Palace, and Changgyeonggung Palace, allowing visitors to easily visit major tourist sites after a leisurely stroll along the stream." - www.visitkorea.or.kr