Week 4: 17/09/2012 - 23/09/2012
19/09/2012 - Wednesday
Today, i having my dinner outside of the university with Nani and Melinda. I bring them to the small Japan Restaurant, name Kamome which i came here before for dinner with Diana.
It just a small shop decorate with the little toy like the picture below and most of the customer are take away the foods, not having meal inside here.
I like their noodles (ramyeon) and the most famous food here is Unigiri also known as O-musubi or rice ball. It made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped with seaweed. They have variety flavor of Unigiri like Salmon, Eel, Tuna, Smokey Duck, and so on. After taking order, they will make it in front of the customer. That's always make me felt excited to see it. =)
The Unigiri shape actually is triangle but the picture below is after i make an "operation" on it so.. =.= we can see the tuna, some radish mix on and other things to make it delicious... =)
i order 1 set, so it come with the noodles and Unigiri. The standard price for 1 set is around 6000-9000won. Mine is 7,500won equal to RM22.50. Still.. EXPENSIVE, but i satisfied with the food here. =)
Then as usual, Korean will have their slide dishes when having meal. At Kamome, we are self service to take the Meso soup and radish by our self.
I order the seafood noodles, there is cuttlefish, mussels, fish cake and so on in the noodles. I think it worth it to taste it. =) All of us finish our food and it's really full..
After that, we took a walk around there bought some daily use and foods. Its really convenient for students because there is a lot of shop outside university so that students no need to travel far away to buy thing. Here, they have the small Home Plus(tesco), cosmetic shop, convenient shop, coffee shop, waffle shop, Olive Young (similar to Watson and Gardian), pub, wet market behind the Home Plus, fast food restaurant (KFC, Loteria) and so on..
If compare to staying in UKM.. i think it is really hard for me to go out because when we want to go out, we need to wait for the bus. Bus every 1/2 hour or sometimes 1 hour to reach bus stop then took around more than 15-20minutes to go to the KTM.. Then at KTM again we need to wait for a really2 longtime to go somewhere.. Hmm... (merungut sorang2) =.=
Hope everything will be upgrade soon become fast and convenient for the students?? Hmm..
For me it's ok because this will be my last semester for study~ Next semester i no need to attend any classes and i can start my working life again. Yeah~~ =)
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20/09/2012 - Thursday
Since after reach here, i don't have any chance to eat at the fast food restaurant due to we always cook and my friends they can't eat much at outside.. Today finally im outing with Diana and both are so hungry.. At the beginning we plan to eat at the famous Japan Noodles shop but unfortunately the shop was full. So we walk around and keep looking for any special restaurant to having dinner and guess what~ we choose to eat KFC at the Ajou street.. =.=
Even the idea to eat at here felt so lame but this is my 1st time to eat Korea KFC! So excited!!! plus wonder what's the different between KFC in our own country. =)
We saw there is a promotion for 2 person set. So we just try it.
We went in and Q for order. As usual not all the Korean can speak English very well so we just show on pictures what we want and she talk in Korea. We can understand what she say so everything went well..Easy. =)
We choose the set which have 2 chickens, 2 BBQ burgers, 2 drinks and it's cost 12,000won which is RM36. Maybe a little bit expensive but there is nothing wrong to have the 1st try. =)
After get our meal i was looking for the sink to wash my hand and what!!! There is no sink in the KFC here..=.= Really culture shock for me. Luckily Diana bring the higene hand cream then we can clean our hand before eat.
So here we go my first try on the chicken.. It's was like.. Hmmm... The first words that came out from my mind is Malaysia KFC more delicious.. Here the taste ok but just a little plain. I order the spicy chicken but it's not spicy.. it only smell spicy and taste very very little spicy.. Then i taste the original chicken.. Malaysia original chicken more salty and Korea KFC less salty.. and little plain?
Then i try on the BBQ burger.. it's was like woah~~~ Delicious and the taste and smell so good. I love it. =) It's really something special and different from Malaysia KFC. I guess Malaysia never have this BBQ chicken because i never saw it.
As a Malaysian, the 1st thing after get the foods was looking for sauce... Guess what... There is NO SAUCE in the KFC restaurant! Im sure Malaysian people will say "what the...." and yes... Diana from Sweden say in her country they also don't have the sauce and KFC only available at the Sweden airport because of the reason the way they kill the chicken was illegal in Sweden... and my answer--> "Ooo... really?? Thats too many different." Actually we can ask for the sauce and for sure we need to pay 300won (90sen) for the sauce... small pack.. So.. everything is money~~~
And here another shock for me is, we can REFILLS DRINK for free as much as we want at KFC~~~ I really wish that Malaysia KFC also have this free refills drink services. It's cool and of course will make customer happy and attract more customer. =)
Here, the environment in the KFC. Everything look different from our country. The chair and table have different design. In our country look more model and comfortable coz we have the chairs design like sofa, model chairs and tables. Here for me the design look like more to school type.
It's good to do like this. KFC can save labor cost because they no need to hire more staff for clean the outside tables and chairs because all the customer will do the cleaning them self. Beside that, it's keep the clean of KFC environment. The next customer no need to wait for the worker to clean and they can directly sit, having their meal without wasting time.
After done having the meal only then i saw there is the anti-bacteria napkin provide for the customer to wipe hand. =.=
After that, we walk around here and Diana recommend me to try Pomme Frites. This is the shop that sell something like potato wedges i called it... Diana say it is delicious so we go for a try for my 1st time. =)
We order the large set with 2 sauces, garlic and chili sauce and it's cost 6,000won (RM18).. still maybe a little expensive for Malaysian.. We only need to wait around 15mins to get the food.
Due to the cold weather its good to eat this on the way back to dormitory. It taste nice and delicious. Even it is fried with oil but when i ate it.. It not oily but crunchy. =)
As usual when walk back to dorm it is tired and cold~~~~ because of the weather, my hand are freezing and we need to walk through the 5 floor stairs to reach our room.. I wish that there is the lift for us so that we no need to walk through so much~ =.=
Today we join the Gyeongju Field Trip organised by OIA for the foreign students and we need to pay 70,000won (RM210) for 2 days 1 night trip. Even it's look so expensive but after the whole trip end up, i think it's really worth it. =)
Early in the morning at 8am we gather at the maingate of Yulgok Hall and all of us are required to seat on the designated bus. Diana and i was in the same bus. Nani and Sarah was designated at the other bus together and Melinda was with her China friends. There are 4 buses full of foreign students and the AGA members. The journey took about 5 and the half hour to reach, It's really far away so we just sleep in bus until we reach there.
The bus stop for rest at 11.30am for students to have their lunch and this are on our own expenses. Here look like Malaysia highway rest place. it's have toilet and food court but still, Korea rest place is much more nicer and beautiful plus more variety choice of food for customer.
This is my 1st time try on Jajangmyeon. As everyone know jajangmyeon is one of the most popular Korean dish. It consists wheat noodles topped with a thick sauce made if a salty black soybean paste, diced meat and vegetables, and sometimes some seafood.
I always heard people say that Jajangmyeon is nice and you must try it if you go to Korea. Most Korean love it and we always saw that noodles in Korean movie. So why not to have a try since Im here. It's so excited! So i order the Jajangmyeon and it's cost me 4,500won (RM 13.50). After ate it... I was like.. Hmmm...it is just black soybean.. Hmmm.... Or because of this place Jajangmyeon is not the special one... Tetibe hilang terus rase excited.. my 4,500won~~~ =..=
After done for the lunch, we continue moving to Gyeongju. Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang in South Korea. Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula between 7th and 9th centuries. Gyeongju is often referred to as "the museum without walls" because many major historical sites have helped Gyeongju become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea. And we can say that Gyeongju is similar to Malaysia most historical state --> Melaka.
Around 1.30pm we reach at the first historical site which is Cheonmachong (천마총). At first when i reach this place i was like nothing special... All just green mountains.. Nice view only. After heard the explanation by the tour guide only then i know all the green mountains actually is the grave / tomb believe probably from the fifth century or six century. The tomb was for an unknown king if the Silla Kingdom.
It is called as Cheonmachong because a lots of relics such as horse of heaven painted on it and the golden crown and so on found from the wooden box inside. The inside of the old tomb opened to the public nowadays.
From the wooden box, accessories the buried persons were wearing such as golden crown, golden gogwadae, belt, bracelet, necklace and also various kinds of weapons were exhumed.
Here are the King dead body were exhumed. We been told that all the accessories and thing here was not the real one. The real one been took away, put at the museum and other safe places for protection.
Next, we move to the Seokguram Grotto (석굴암). It's take almost 1 and the half hour if i not mistaken to reach at the top of Seokguram Grotto from Cheonmachong. Seokguram is known to have been built with Bulguksa Temple which we visit after this. And also, Seokguram is an artificial stone temple made if granite. As i know we need to pay 4,000won (RM12) for entrance fee, and for Youth 13-18 years old they only need to pay 3,000won, if we go by group it will be more cheaper which is 2,500won.
On the way walking from bus to the Seokguram we can see some village people here they sell some food and herb over here. Some herb or fruits we never see before.. So it quite interesting.
From here, we can stand to see the beautiful view of Gyeongju. But the beautiful view been spoil by them. Haha.. =)
Here some photos before we get in the mountain ( mountain la sgt) to see the view inside here and whats other special thing.
Here are the entrance door for Seokguram Grotto.
As we walk in it really cold because it is in the forest/mountain. I think it took around 15minutes to walk in. Then here, they have the mountain's water which anyone can took the water here and drink it. It's clean but i didn't drink it because too many people so i just go there and wash my hand. =)
The Seokguram Grotto famous with the monumental statue of the Buddha looking at the sea in the position. It so beautiful and huge but we cant take picture of it. The PIC there say it is not allow to.. So i just took my friends picture here.
After visit the Buddha monumental statue, again we took a walk down there. As we walk down, we saw there is a note write by Malaysian who been here before. =)
Next, our last historical site for today is Bulguksa temple. Bulguksa is a head temple of the Korean Buddhism in the North Gyeongsang. The temple is considered as a masterpiece of the golden age of the Buddhist art in the Silla Kingdom. Beside that, it is the representative relic of Gyeongju and was designated as a world cultural asset by UNESCO in 1995. The beauty od the temple itself and the artistic touch of the stone relics are known throughout the world.
This are the view of the Bulguksa temple before we walk in more deeply.
Here it is some Bulguksa temple pictures.
There is not much pictures of the Bulguksa because i have nothing much to take.. Coz there is just one temple in a forest.. Quite boring for me because i expected something different and special.. Hmmm..
Conclusion for the visit today it is good for the knowledge but some how for me and my friends felt so boring because nothing special and some how i felt waste the money pay so much but have a boring day..
Then who know after that we go check in the hotel (i dont know what the hotel name) and once we get the key and go in the room.. It was like "Wah~"
Each of us get 1 bed for our self. As Diana reaction in this picture i can see that she so happy and satisfied with the room until she dont want to go out or go back to Ajou anymore. Hahahaa...
After put all our thing and bags, we go down for dinner. It is BUFFET~
8pm something, after finish our dinner we go to the hall for next event. The talent show by the AGA member and the foreign students. Beside that, we also play games together. It is fun and at the same time we can see the whole hall like crazy keep screaming and laughing. It's cool because they create the games involve all participate but at the same time i feel they should prepare more so that become more systematic and explain the games rules more .
23/09/2012 - Sunday
We wake up and have our breakfast at 8.30am then check out from the hotel around 10am. After that we move to the last historical site which is only behind our hotel. It's called Silla Milenium park. It is a theme park integrating both education and entertainment about the history and culture of the Shilla period.
Then we watch some show about the Korean Warriors..
We are so lucky because we make it to take picture with the actors. =) After the show, we continue have a walk around here and take pictures.
Who know they have the foot spa for the visitor to cooling their leg.. It's really cold but fun. =) But after came out from the spa only i felt so dirty and disgusting to think that so many people put their legs in.. even the smelly legs.. Yuck!
Before we go back, we make it to watch the last show which is the Korean people play some traditional games while riding horses. it's really cool. =)
That's the end of the trip for Gyeongju and again we took 5 and a half hour to reach Ajou University and this time for sure all the students slept very well in buses since everyone so tired for walking and have fun in this trip. =)
Even the idea to eat at here felt so lame but this is my 1st time to eat Korea KFC! So excited!!! plus wonder what's the different between KFC in our own country. =)
We saw there is a promotion for 2 person set. So we just try it.
We went in and Q for order. As usual not all the Korean can speak English very well so we just show on pictures what we want and she talk in Korea. We can understand what she say so everything went well..Easy. =)
We choose the set which have 2 chickens, 2 BBQ burgers, 2 drinks and it's cost 12,000won which is RM36. Maybe a little bit expensive but there is nothing wrong to have the 1st try. =)
After get our meal i was looking for the sink to wash my hand and what!!! There is no sink in the KFC here..=.= Really culture shock for me. Luckily Diana bring the higene hand cream then we can clean our hand before eat.
So here we go my first try on the chicken.. It's was like.. Hmmm... The first words that came out from my mind is Malaysia KFC more delicious.. Here the taste ok but just a little plain. I order the spicy chicken but it's not spicy.. it only smell spicy and taste very very little spicy.. Then i taste the original chicken.. Malaysia original chicken more salty and Korea KFC less salty.. and little plain?
Then i try on the BBQ burger.. it's was like woah~~~ Delicious and the taste and smell so good. I love it. =) It's really something special and different from Malaysia KFC. I guess Malaysia never have this BBQ chicken because i never saw it.
And here another shock for me is, we can REFILLS DRINK for free as much as we want at KFC~~~ I really wish that Malaysia KFC also have this free refills drink services. It's cool and of course will make customer happy and attract more customer. =)
Here, the environment in the KFC. Everything look different from our country. The chair and table have different design. In our country look more model and comfortable coz we have the chairs design like sofa, model chairs and tables. Here for me the design look like more to school type.
Korean culture after having meal, we need to put in the plates and cup to the place they prepare for. Below are the place we put our plates and throw all the thing here. They divide it each different places. The ice we need to throw at the red column, paper, foods and cup different places.
It's good to do like this. KFC can save labor cost because they no need to hire more staff for clean the outside tables and chairs because all the customer will do the cleaning them self. Beside that, it's keep the clean of KFC environment. The next customer no need to wait for the worker to clean and they can directly sit, having their meal without wasting time.
After done having the meal only then i saw there is the anti-bacteria napkin provide for the customer to wipe hand. =.=
After that, we walk around here and Diana recommend me to try Pomme Frites. This is the shop that sell something like potato wedges i called it... Diana say it is delicious so we go for a try for my 1st time. =)
We order the large set with 2 sauces, garlic and chili sauce and it's cost 6,000won (RM18).. still maybe a little expensive for Malaysian.. We only need to wait around 15mins to get the food.
Due to the cold weather its good to eat this on the way back to dormitory. It taste nice and delicious. Even it is fried with oil but when i ate it.. It not oily but crunchy. =)
As usual when walk back to dorm it is tired and cold~~~~ because of the weather, my hand are freezing and we need to walk through the 5 floor stairs to reach our room.. I wish that there is the lift for us so that we no need to walk through so much~ =.=
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22/09/2012 - Saturday
22/09/2012 - Saturday
Today we join the Gyeongju Field Trip organised by OIA for the foreign students and we need to pay 70,000won (RM210) for 2 days 1 night trip. Even it's look so expensive but after the whole trip end up, i think it's really worth it. =)
Early in the morning at 8am we gather at the maingate of Yulgok Hall and all of us are required to seat on the designated bus. Diana and i was in the same bus. Nani and Sarah was designated at the other bus together and Melinda was with her China friends. There are 4 buses full of foreign students and the AGA members. The journey took about 5 and the half hour to reach, It's really far away so we just sleep in bus until we reach there.
The bus stop for rest at 11.30am for students to have their lunch and this are on our own expenses. Here look like Malaysia highway rest place. it's have toilet and food court but still, Korea rest place is much more nicer and beautiful plus more variety choice of food for customer.
This is my 1st time try on Jajangmyeon. As everyone know jajangmyeon is one of the most popular Korean dish. It consists wheat noodles topped with a thick sauce made if a salty black soybean paste, diced meat and vegetables, and sometimes some seafood.
I always heard people say that Jajangmyeon is nice and you must try it if you go to Korea. Most Korean love it and we always saw that noodles in Korean movie. So why not to have a try since Im here. It's so excited! So i order the Jajangmyeon and it's cost me 4,500won (RM 13.50). After ate it... I was like.. Hmmm...it is just black soybean.. Hmmm.... Or because of this place Jajangmyeon is not the special one... Tetibe hilang terus rase excited.. my 4,500won~~~ =..= After done for the lunch, we continue moving to Gyeongju. Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang in South Korea. Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula between 7th and 9th centuries. Gyeongju is often referred to as "the museum without walls" because many major historical sites have helped Gyeongju become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea. And we can say that Gyeongju is similar to Malaysia most historical state --> Melaka.
Around 1.30pm we reach at the first historical site which is Cheonmachong (천마총). At first when i reach this place i was like nothing special... All just green mountains.. Nice view only. After heard the explanation by the tour guide only then i know all the green mountains actually is the grave / tomb believe probably from the fifth century or six century. The tomb was for an unknown king if the Silla Kingdom.
It is called as Cheonmachong because a lots of relics such as horse of heaven painted on it and the golden crown and so on found from the wooden box inside. The inside of the old tomb opened to the public nowadays.
From the wooden box, accessories the buried persons were wearing such as golden crown, golden gogwadae, belt, bracelet, necklace and also various kinds of weapons were exhumed.
Here are the King dead body were exhumed. We been told that all the accessories and thing here was not the real one. The real one been took away, put at the museum and other safe places for protection.
Next, we move to the Seokguram Grotto (석굴암). It's take almost 1 and the half hour if i not mistaken to reach at the top of Seokguram Grotto from Cheonmachong. Seokguram is known to have been built with Bulguksa Temple which we visit after this. And also, Seokguram is an artificial stone temple made if granite. As i know we need to pay 4,000won (RM12) for entrance fee, and for Youth 13-18 years old they only need to pay 3,000won, if we go by group it will be more cheaper which is 2,500won.
On the way walking from bus to the Seokguram we can see some village people here they sell some food and herb over here. Some herb or fruits we never see before.. So it quite interesting.
From here, we can stand to see the beautiful view of Gyeongju. But the beautiful view been spoil by them. Haha.. =)
Here some photos before we get in the mountain ( mountain la sgt) to see the view inside here and whats other special thing.
Here are the entrance door for Seokguram Grotto.
As we walk in it really cold because it is in the forest/mountain. I think it took around 15minutes to walk in. Then here, they have the mountain's water which anyone can took the water here and drink it. It's clean but i didn't drink it because too many people so i just go there and wash my hand. =)
The Seokguram Grotto famous with the monumental statue of the Buddha looking at the sea in the position. It so beautiful and huge but we cant take picture of it. The PIC there say it is not allow to.. So i just took my friends picture here.
 |
| Songyi and me, My Korean classmate |
After visit the Buddha monumental statue, again we took a walk down there. As we walk down, we saw there is a note write by Malaysian who been here before. =)
This are the view of the Bulguksa temple before we walk in more deeply.
Here it is some Bulguksa temple pictures.
There is not much pictures of the Bulguksa because i have nothing much to take.. Coz there is just one temple in a forest.. Quite boring for me because i expected something different and special.. Hmmm..
Conclusion for the visit today it is good for the knowledge but some how for me and my friends felt so boring because nothing special and some how i felt waste the money pay so much but have a boring day..
Then who know after that we go check in the hotel (i dont know what the hotel name) and once we get the key and go in the room.. It was like "Wah~"
Each of us get 1 bed for our self. As Diana reaction in this picture i can see that she so happy and satisfied with the room until she dont want to go out or go back to Ajou anymore. Hahahaa...
After put all our thing and bags, we go down for dinner. It is BUFFET~
8pm something, after finish our dinner we go to the hall for next event. The talent show by the AGA member and the foreign students. Beside that, we also play games together. It is fun and at the same time we can see the whole hall like crazy keep screaming and laughing. It's cool because they create the games involve all participate but at the same time i feel they should prepare more so that become more systematic and explain the games rules more .
23/09/2012 - Sunday
We wake up and have our breakfast at 8.30am then check out from the hotel around 10am. After that we move to the last historical site which is only behind our hotel. It's called Silla Milenium park. It is a theme park integrating both education and entertainment about the history and culture of the Shilla period.
Then we watch some show about the Korean Warriors..
We are so lucky because we make it to take picture with the actors. =) After the show, we continue have a walk around here and take pictures.
Who know they have the foot spa for the visitor to cooling their leg.. It's really cold but fun. =) But after came out from the spa only i felt so dirty and disgusting to think that so many people put their legs in.. even the smelly legs.. Yuck!
Before we go back, we make it to watch the last show which is the Korean people play some traditional games while riding horses. it's really cool. =)
That's the end of the trip for Gyeongju and again we took 5 and a half hour to reach Ajou University and this time for sure all the students slept very well in buses since everyone so tired for walking and have fun in this trip. =)
