All posts filed under: Travel

Ihwa | mural village

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Ihwa Village is a controversial excursion to write a blog post about. There is currently a cold war playing out between selfie hungry visitors and those who call the area home. Obviously, as a human being, you want to side with the inhabitants. But, as someone who loves to look at street art and loves to put money into Korean crafts and stores, you can also see well meaning visitors’ sides. The issue arises again and again in Korea and makes me wonder: Can’t we tourists just stop being assh*les all the time?  So What’s the Controversy? Imagine living in a sleepy little village for most of your life. It’s underdeveloped and poor, but it’s home. One day a group of well meaning individuals decide to paint some colorful street art on the walls surrounding your neighborhood. It’s cute, sure, you might even like the whimsy at first. It’s supposed to bring tourism and money to your neck of the woods. Everything sounds great. And then, bam! Your village in overrun with loud mouth camera hogs desperate to get …

The Princess Temple | chuncheon

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If you’ve spent any amount of time in Korea, you’ve seen your fair share of Buddhist temples. Sometimes it feels like you can’t throw an empty bottle of BB cream without hitting one. (Don’t throw bottles, folks. Recycle!) But, every so often, you get to see one that is just wonderful and unique enough that you feel like an innocent young girl seeing her first Korean temple. Cheongpyeong-sa is one such temple for me. I visited in possibly the hottest of summers I’ve lived through in Seoul. The air was thick with humidity, smog and just millions of people’s breath. It was the perfect time to escape to Chuncheon in Gangwon-do. The area is gorgeous and full of greenery. The temple sits at the basin of Obongsan Mountain.  It was misty walking up to the entrance due to the heat and I began to fear that maybe I too would dissolve into sweaty mist. But, in the luckiest of circumstances, I saw just what I needed: an older couple soaking their feet in the crisp, streaming …

Jalgachi | fish market

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Do you feel that? That’s  that mean girl winter FINALLY getting the hell out of here. The sun is out and we only have a scant amount of time before the weather turns on us again here in Seoul and becomes an abhorrent shade of humidity and heat. So let’s enjoy the spring! The best season in Korea. And let’s break in the season with some raw fish! Last year my friend, Phil and I headed down to the the southern tip of Korea, Busan. We headed straight to a spot for lunch at the  Jalgachi Fish Market. Downstairs is a wonderland of fish and seafood…with a pungent smell and wetness just, everywhere. Upstairs is a restaurant where we parked ourselves for a giant raw lunch. There were some definite good things: the steamed lobster, the flatfish, the abalone, the boiled potatoes, the kimchi. There were also some let downs: the raw lobster tail and the raw moving squid come to mind. Overall, I was happy with what was set down in front of us. I believe it …

Daytripping | Chinatown

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  The only official “Chinatown” in Korea is located in Incheon and takes a long, boring ride on the subway to get out there. It’s a full on tourist destination and it has a quintessential selfie tourist trap, the barf-worthy Fairytale Village. But, as much as those things irk me, and they do, don’t let it stop you from heading out there just once. It’s an interesting and quirky place. There is a different feel to the area, in no small part due to the different smells and different building styles. There are many restaurants and spots to buy a snack. We found a dim sum restaurant that squelched some cravings I’d been having for weeks. It’s also the birthplace of the ridiculously popular Chinese-Korean dish, Jjajangmyeong. After eating, you can wander around and find a beautiful cafe, like one we found that doubled as a gallery. TLDR: A Brief History The history of the area is…interesting. When Incheon Port opened in 1883 a small settlement of Chinese people grew.  The population has remained small for …

Winter Vacation!

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year…to travel! Actually, I’m not sure if it’s the most wonderful, but I am having winter dreams about this one…Kyoto. I’ve saved up all my yearly stress for this holiday vacation and now it’s Crystal-time! The history. The architecture. The food. I can’t wait to walk aimlessly around for seven days, landing in coffee shops and stationery stores (oh, the money I will spend).  I will take loads of pictures of all the touristy things and then try to snap every Christmas in Kyoto-y thing I can find. If I see a geisha posing near a Christmas tree I may pass out. To organize my thoughts and enthusiasm, I’ve made my ideas list below. Any suggestions? Things you loved in Kyoto that are worth it, things that are tourist traps? Please let me know! Please visit soon! Likes and follows are loved! Facebook Instagram Bloglovin Tumblr

Autumn Views | Seoul Fortress Wall

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Time and tide wait for no lady. Even when she’s like, “Can you wait a second, I’m not like…super ready for November.”  Oh, there it goes. There went November.  It’s December! I know that’s a fact, but it seems nuts. November and most of October was a blur. I went out, did things, ate things… lived my life. And now it’s cold and dark when I get off work, so it’s back to blogging I go. I return to blogging season.   Sometime in November, I went on an amazing hike in the wilds of Seoul. It was sometime after I ate pounds and pounds of Halloween candy and was feeling especially awesome guilty. The trail is tough but worth it. There are steep inclines, beautiful scenery and fresh air plopped down just for the taking. I was thrilled to find it on my second attempt after we followed a very knowledgeable and talkative dad guiding his two kids to the trail. We were especially lucky to have such a beautiful, clear day to see far and …

Taejongdae | a brief guide

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Beautiful views. Cool breezes. The smell of pine and ocean together. Taejongdae offers all these things and is a great little getaway in Busan. I was thoroughly impressed with the beauty and atmosphere offered here. Just like every tourist place in Korea, there were hundreds of people at the base of the mountain in the shops, buying souvenirs and coffee and  waiting to take the trolley up. But, if you walk up on foot, which is a reasonable incline but not taxing (I did it in flip flops), it is wonderfully peaceful (something rare and beautiful in Korea at times) and you can get much better views for a much longer time. The blue ocean views from the cliffs were very calming and we seemed to be the only visitors to the small temple on our way up. It is a charming place altogether. And one I would recommend. Taejongdae To get there: From Busan Station, take Bus 88 or 101 and get off at Taejongdae Cliff Bus Stop. Other buses bound for Taejongdae: No. 8, 13, 30, 88, or 101. …

Donghae | relax east coast style

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The east sea has beautiful blue water and sandy beaches. Our trip was very quick and the days were mostly overcast. But, the peace of being away from Seoul made the trip to sleepy Donghae worth the bus ride out there. where to stay We booked a room at the Hyunjin Tourist Hotel. It was spacious, clean and has lovely staff. This was a picture of our view from the room. It was about a block from the quiet and calm Hanseomhaean Beach. It’s a block a different way to many restaurants and stores. They could not find my reservation so we were upgraded. Terrific end to a moment of panic. I booked through Agoda here. what to do Besides the beach, in particular, Mangsang Beach, there are actually several things to do in this small coastal city. Sea Train: take a ride up and down the east coast to see great views, drink a beer and listen to music Cheongok Cave: a large, cavernous limestone cave in the middle of the ctiy Mokho Harbor: …

A Brief Guide to Gamcheon | Busan

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The colors. The COLORS. Gamcheon Village, located in sunny Busan, is a beauty and conundrum to behold. Built into the sides of a mountain, the former slum is a kaleidoscope of pastel colored Tetris pieces, painted in 2009 to entice spectators and tourists up one hell of a steep slope. And it is worth it, if only for the spectacular views and creativity. Tourists have access to so many places in Gamcheon, walking around what feels like people’s private properties. One might wonder how they get the necessities of life into the cozy, cement houses nestled so close to one another. I caught a glimpse inside one residence to see a full size refrigerator, the likes of which I don’t have, and could not stop thinking about what they had to do to maneuver that beast up the mountain slope and through the nonexistent “streets” the rest of the trip. I was at once both envious and confused. Gamcheon is dotted with galleries, street art, street food and cafes.  I loved all the colors, the vibrant feel, the artisanal quality of …

A Brief Guide to Seminyak | Bali

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Start your day with a gorgeous breakfast at Bali Deli’s Le Spot.  Get some lattes, some eggs and fresh fruit and prepare for hours of relaxation. Make a morning appointment at Prana Spa. This was the best thing I could have spent money on. We were massaged, scrubbed, slathered in yogurt and otherwise pampered every glorious minute in this unique destination. Then explore Seminyak on foot. Look for the beautiful offerings. Watch where you walk, you might just knock one over. If it starts to rain, just tuck into a bar and drink these lemony beers. Bintang Railler is amazing. Hello, Indonesia! Street art sits adjacent from offerings and tropical flowers. Then it was back to our little slice of Bali paradise, our Airbnb rental. It looks like this home has been relocated per the owner, but, I would recommend the new place. The owner is very accommodating and the house we stayed in was terrific. The new Villa Marjens 3 looks beautiful as well.  Here was Villa Marjens 3 when we stayed. The green gateway to heaven. Is it vacation time yet?