The Travelling Mushroom: South Korea

Vending Machine

Hey dudes,
Today is a quite special day !
Yesterday, I met my friend and discussed about photography.
He told me that nowadays there are many phone vendors that overcome the market.
One of them are really provide its users to download many programs including photography programs.
He told me that he could edit a picture in a minute and become more portable. We become able to edit more photos faster and could edit your photo anywhere you are.
I listened to his advice and tried it at home. This photo was edited while I was eating. Editing using tablet is easy as you can imagine.
And this is it ! What do you think ? Yea or nay ?Vote please :D
If I get many "yea" for this photo, maybe I'll consider to write about how to edit using your mobile phone. Cheers!

Vending Machine, Jeju Island, South Korea

Okay, I'll tell you a little bit story about this photo below. This picture was taken when I was travelling to Jeju Island, South Korea. Based on Wikipedia, vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, cologne, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine. At that time, I had never saw a vending machine before as it is very rare in my hometown. I admired these vending machine as when I was a little I often saw a vending machine in several cartoons programs but I never saw it. When I traveled to Jeju Island, South Korea, when we were heading to watch a show called "Nanta Show", I saw a vending machine stood there. As usual, I took this picture using my SLR. However I edited this picture using my tablet and gave it HDR and vintage effect to represent my memory in my childhood.

"I believe there's something out there watching over us. Unfortunately, it's the government."

- -Woody Allen

That was Woody Allen said about the government. I really agree with him. Today we gonna talk about the government in Korea. Last year, I was lucky that I could went abroad to Korea. The unique part of our trip is when we was taken to a government building. So what is so special with this building until it has been become an icon of Seoul, and many tourists come here to see this building ? We gonna talk about it for today. Enjoy!

General Information :

The building that I visited last year in Korea is called Cheong Wa Dae or in English called The Blue House. This building is a place for the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state. In the other word, the president lives right here! Dude, you visit the president!

My story :

We went to The Blue House right before we went to the DongDaemun. Actually, we didn't get into The Blue House. We just passed by. I saw a big building with a green environment within it. I wanna come closer to see what it is. When I walked closer there is a sign that inform the visitors about the distance limit. We are prohibited to come closer. I just be able to take its picture from far far away.Precisely, in from of the Dongdaemun. As I looked for information about this building, I could understand why they give the visitors the distance limit. As I think that they are afraid if there are spy which spied them. By giving a distance limit, they can avoid these spy. This distance limit also will help the police to deal with the bad guys. So, what is so special with this government building. I will help you solve this question. This building has seven part of building. The main office,Yeongbingwan (Guest House), Chunchugwan (Spring and Autumn Pavilion), Nokjiwon (Green grass), the Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) Valley, and the Seven Palaces. Those buildings has their signature shape that really reflecting the Korean architecture style which you won't get anywhere else. That's why this place is famous for tourists as this place is educating the tourist about the Korean architecture. For those who love architecture so much, this place gonna be a cool place to visit.

The Blue House, Seoul, Korea

Rating :

Poor

I give two stars for this attraction! It offer the tourists a tour to look around for free. The tour takes around one hour. It is quite interesting to observe the building here. The most interesting part is when you been able to visit the president dude! Unfortunately, it doesn't mean that you gonna meet the president directly. However, the distance limit also quite disappointing for tourists who only passing by.

Nami Island

Nami Island which is also known as Namiseom. This island is located in Chuncheon, South Korea. It's name was taken from General Nami which have battled the rebel. But unfortunately he was slandered and being falsely accused of treason during the reign of King Sejo, the seventh king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. So in purpose to honor him. The government use his name for an island in South Korea.

The Welcome Statue Which Made of Recycle Stuffs.

It takes around 5 minutes using ferry to reach this island. In 2006, they have declared it's cultural and artistic tourist attraction which is being famous nowadays. Many tourist around the world visit this island because it's artistic atmosphere and also because this island has been used for the Winter Sonata film making. You can easily find the statue, photos, etc that related to Winter Sonata here.

The Unused Railway

Photographing The Unknown Temple

When we went to Mt.Sorak, we were delivered by a gondola. Everybody busily took a photo in the gondola. But I have a different mindset, my aim is to have a different viewpoint photo than others so I could get a unique photo of Mt.Sorak. But I suddenly realized that we were too close to the mountain so definitely I can't took it's picture on the whole. I felt so dumb at that time.

I've already set my camera off because I've failed to take it's photo as we were too close and also the window of the gondola made my photo bounce back. Surprisingly I found something very interesting. There is a building surrounded by trees in the forest.

I think that it's a cool building. As time goes on, my curiosity grow bigger. So that I asked my tour guide related to my photo.Then she answered that it' Sinhheungsa Temple and we had visited that temple right after we visited Mount Sorak.

Sinheungsa Temple from the gondola

So here is some photography tips when you are in the gondola to Mount Sorak :

1. Get in to the gondola faster than others and stay next to the window

2. When taking photos don't use your flashlight to avoid reflection

3. After several minutes inside the gondola, you'll find a temple. Recognize that it's the Sinheungsa Temple.

4. You need to retouch your photo by adding some contrast level as sometimes the photo which is taken through a window is quite "foggy"

The Forgotten Historical Site

Dongdaemun,,

Dongdaemun market ? Nooo, even though the market is an interesting place to visit in Korea, and also nominated as a popular shopping and tourist destination. Today we are not going to talk about the market.

There is a part which is often overlooked by writers and traveler.

It's the Dongdaemun itself.

This can be proven by the time you write down Dongdaemun on a quite famous search engine ( initialed with G), the topmost result is the Dongdaemun Market. I'm not blaming the search engine but as we know the search result is sorted by the amount of people who have searched with that keyword on the search engine.

I just feel concerned about human being's lifestyle nowadays. Shopaholic has been endemic through all around the world.

In fact this wall is very important during Joseon Dinasty. It surrounded Seoul so it was really useful to reduce risk of war with neighboring countries. Sadly,now it is not considered as a VIP ( Very Important Place) Hahaha. Whereas this wall is quite beautiful with some oriental work on it.

Dongdaemun Gate

Oriental Curve on the Gate

Note : I'm not assuming all of the people isn't concerned about historical place. I'm just trying to foster public awareness of concern for historic sites.

The Dragon and The Old Man

Jeju Island !

I call it as The Thousands Miracles Island as this island has many folklore.

Once Upon A Time, the villagers believe that there is a rock which is created in a dragon form. And now it's known as dragon head rock. It's located on the northern side of Jeju Island.

At first when I came to this place, I couldn't found a figure of a dragon on that rock. But after stared on it for about half an hour, I finally found it and took a picture of it. I hope it can help you ease to find the dragon's figure on the rock so you shouldn't staring on it for hours.

Meanwhile All of the tourist is looking for that rock, I'm very interested to an old guy who still working in his old age. As you know Asian people is a hard worker people. I learn so much from this old man. Something that I could learn from this old man is "Hardworking regardless of age,therefore do not be too soft on yourself"

The Dragon Head Rock, Seoul, South Korea

The Diligent Old Man

Seoul's Night Market

Are you a shopaholic?

Wanna be a K-pop star that surrounded by cute stuffs?

Myeong-dong is the answer!

After we went to Lottetown which known for their "Star Avenue" . We took a walk to Myeongdong the main market district in Seoul. So it's normal if you find branded items such as Polo, LV, Forever 21, and many more.

Myeong-dong is a night market. So you won't find anything before night. The unique part about this market is their regulatory that disallow vehicle to go into the market so all the people should walk through the market and its feels great! So when the rain come, everybody is busily open their own umbrella. It was a great experience, you are like being in an action movies.

But for those of you who doesn't give too much care about brand, so do I. I prefer to go down the street and look for a street vendor around Myeong-dong. I really recommend you to buy some cute things such as cap, bags, and umbrella. Because it's really hard to find those cute things outside Korea, although you certainly found it will be very expensive.

Myeong-dong Night Market

Sunrise Peak, also known as Seongsan Ilchubong (성산일출봉)

Sunrise Peak, also known as Seongsan Ilchubong (성산일출봉) is an archetypal tuff cone formed by hydrovolcanic eruptions which located at Jeju Island. Jeju Island is one of the nine province of South Korea.

When we arrived at this tuff cone which also known as the Sunrise peak, everybody were very enthusiast to see what is very special with this peak so that this peak can be nominated into the new seven wonder of the world.

Oh! I forgot to tell you that when I visited Korea, there were many pennant banners about Sunrise Peak. They are very proud of this tuff cone / peak compounded by many travel agents and adviser recommend Jeju Island as one of ten top destination since last year.

When we came down from the bus, the weather became very hot. Many of the adults and parents discouraged to went up to the top. They just took the trip with our local guide to saw ocean view. But I keep determined to conquer that peak and see what is so special with this peak.

My efforts commensurate with what I can saw from the crater. The view that I got when I was on my way up is wonderful, I can see Jeju Island from the top as the bird see, and it feels great!. Even though I didn't follow the local tour guide to see the ocean, I still can see it from the top.

After I being on the top of this 182 meters high tuff cone/ peak. I really recommended the teenagers to go up as I have done before. I guarantee that you won't regret. Otherwise you'll regret to death if you decide not to go up to the top because the chance doesn't come twice.

And for the adults, I still recommend you to go up the peak but maybe you'll need your umbrella to avoid the sunlight , massage ointment because you'll need it badly, and some extra clothes because you'll totally get sweaty after take this trip.

Jeju Island From The Peak

Note :

1. tuff cones : steep sloped and cone shaped. They have wide craters and are formed of highly altered, thickly bedded tephra. They are considered to be a taller variant of a tuff ring.

Annyeong Haseyo!!!!

It was a quite sunny day,

I saw a bird statue when I visited the Blue House ( Presidential House ) in Korea. At first I have no idea about this bird, I just described this bird as an icon of the country.

But after a YEAR !

I found a similar statue with it in China. I felt so curious, whether that bird is an icon of Korea or it's just an icon that often used by the people in Asia. So I decided to make a research in the internet.

The bird is called Fenghuang ( 鳳凰 ) or in Korean called Bonghwang (봉황) . Fenghuang / Bonghwang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. It is a symbol of high virtue and grace. In Korea, the Chinese phoenix / fenghuang has been used for the royal emblem (more especially for Queens) and the presidential emblem. That's why I saw that statue at the Blue House.

Bonghwang (봉황)