Tips on traveling in Busan

First, I need to apologize to my blog followers for not even posting a single post in Year 2019! In fact, it's a wonderful year for us as we traveled to Europe and South Korea. I have kept up to date of our travels in my Facebook Page. Do take a visit if you are interested. 

To kickoff Year 2020, I am sharing tips that I learnt during my November 2019 trip to Busan, South Korea. I shared and updated them "on the go" in my Facebook Page on the consideration that I might forget to update later :-P. 

What to prepare, what to buy, what to avoid, what to eat......all are included. If you have more tips on traveling in Busan, please do let me know. I will include them if I find them useful :-)

Gamcheon Culture Village

1. Buy a T-money 💵 card or Cashbee 🐝 card for your public transport. You will get discount.

2. Tap when you get down the bus 🚌 if you are getting a transfer to another bus or metro 🚇 within 30 mins. The transfer will be free.

3. The English standard is still not very high. Chinese language seems to work better here if you can’t speak Korean 🇰🇷.

4. At Gamcheon Culture village, buy a 2000 won map 🗺 from the tourist counter. I strongly recommend the 2 hrs route if you got time.

5. Haggle if you are buying seafood 🦞 🐠 in the Jagalchi market. There are many stalls there and they want your business.

6. Not all restaurants got English menu. Prepare to use your mobile📱 to show pictures for your order.

7. The zebra 🦓 crossings are like non-existence here. Be bold when you use them as the drivers will not stop for you.

8. The public buses 🚌 have only Korean and English (electronic sign at front of bus) announcements of stops. The metro 🚇 has Korean, English and Chinese announcements (only for key stations)

9. Google map 🗺 can’t be used here. I used Nava Map app. Will be helpful if you prepare the Korean address in advance as the app does not recognise some English locations.

10. Be sure to eat seafood 🦞 when you are here. Using King Crab 🦀 as a comparison, you can get almost half the price compare the one you get in Japan 🇯🇵

11. A little spicy 🌶 can still mean very spicy to some people 🥵

12. You need to take bus 🚌 to Taejongdae and Oryukdo Skywalk. Not to worry if you will miss the stop 🛑. Both locations are at the end of the bus route. The bus driver will chase you down if you don’t 😂!

13. Most of the subway 🚇 has only escalator going up. If you have big luggage 🧳 and need to go down to take the trains🚆,look out for the elevators.

14. Not all shops 🏬 offer tax fund return if you buy over 30K won 🇰🇷. Make sure you check before purchasing.

15. Coffee culture is very strong here. You can almost find another coffee ☕️ cafe or outlet within the next 20 steps you take. Apparently, take out is cheaper than eat in for some for the outlets .

16. The Busan people stand to the right side of the escalators.

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Hong Kong Travel Video 2017

We visited Hong Kong (again) in November last year. It is almost my second home now as we would almost at least visit it once a year to visit my in laws. Many would think I have become a Hong Kong expert given my multiple trips there but I seriously do not think so. There are still so many new things to explore and learn every time we go there and I do not think I will ever get tired of this fabulous country.

For our last visit, I have specially made an video to record the places we have visited. I always think that nothing beats the visual effect of a travel video. It was purposely recorded as a third party view (Charlotte as the lead, Alison and I in cameo appearance 😀) and I hope it brings viewers to an effect like a  real time perspective experience as if as they were travelling with us at the same time.

The travel video will bring you to the all time tourists favorite like the Wong Tai Sing Temple, Hong Kong Ocean Park, Victoria Harbour etc as well as less visited area such as the UNESCO Geo Park, Sai Kung, The Cats Tea Room etc.

Sit back and relax to watch the video. Let me know if you have any question on the places we have visited. I will gladly answer on any enquiry. Give us a Like and Share the video if you love it 😊 

      

The Chiang Mai Trip, Thailand

Alison had always wanted to pay Chiang Mai a visit and we took the June school holiday opportunity to fly there. Just like Penang, I last visited this mountainous city more than a decade ago. The vast difference is that Penang has changed much but Chiang Mai has not. The temples, elephants, night markets, people and food felt so familiar and I was glad the old city has retained it's rustic charm. You cannot see many high rise buildings. The Thais respect their temples and it's always disrespectful to build infrastructure that rise above any of the 300 over temples in Chiang Mai.  

Wat Chedi Luang

We would visit the more famous temples like Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep . My daughter loves the elephants at Maesa Elephant Camp  and we had a whale of a time playing with the baby elephants🐘🐘🐘. There are many online debates on the controversies of riding elephants but personally I feel that it takes tremendous budgets to feed and maintain the huge appetite animals. The money must come from some revenue. 

Family Photo at Maesa Elephant Camp

We also took the opportunity to visit Doi Inthanon National Park. It housed the highest mountain in Thailand (2565m). The temperature at the peak was around 15 degree Celsius when we visited and we had to pinch ourselves to remind ourselves that we were in Thailand, which was always hot and humid. The imposing King and Queen Pagodas that are situated near the summit were sight to behold. Shrouded in mist when we visited there, the area emitted a feeling that we were somewhere in heaven. The equally impressive Wachirathan Waterfall was somewhere we would always remember. We spent sometimes enjoying the spectacular sight and cool breezes created by the water dropping from a height of almost 80 meters.

Many readers would know by now I am a "Temple man". In my itineraries, there would always be the presence of temples. But if you observe carefully enough, there is another destination I often included in my plan. Yes, Zoo is always another regular feature. We visited the Chiang Mai Zoo and enjoyed our day there. The park is massive and Charlotte enjoyed herself a lot feeding sheep, giraffes, emus elephants and deer.

I specially created a 7 mins plus video to summarize our amazing trip in Chiang Mai. Hope you enjoy it and give a thumb up!!!

Below is a brief plan of our 6 days visit. As usual, drop me a mail  if you want a more detailed itinerary. Please give us a Like at our Facebook Page before your request 😉😉😉. Let us know if you are looking for a good local driver. We can recommend the one that we used for our trip.

Day 1
-Arrived at Chiang Mai International Airport
-Checked in U Chiang Mai Hotel
-Night Bazaar

Day 2
-Wat Chedi Luang
-Wat Phra Singh

Day 3
-Maesa Elephant Camp
-Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Day 4
-Doi Inthanon National Park
-Ping River

Day 5
-Chiang Mai Zoo
-Shopping at Central Plaza

Day 6
-Checked out U Chiang Mai Hotel 
-Return to Singapore

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The Osaka, Kyoto and Nara Trip

At Kinkaku-ji Temple, The Golden Pavilion

We visited Osaka, Kyoto and Nara back in last year November and December. It was a different experience compared to the visit to Tokyo two years back. The people, culture and food have their own unique flavor and we were glad to visit during the autumn. The spectacular and colourful sceneries with the sea of reddish and yellowish leaves left deep impression with us.  For the local, the fall autumn season holds equal significant meaning to the Sakura season. I was not too surprise after being very fortunate to witness the splendor of both.

The Famous Dotonbori Street

The Osaka Castle

We would spend about two weeks exploring the Kansai region. Osaka was our base with side trips to Kyoto and Nara. Being fans of Japanese gourmet, we decided to reside in hotels near the famous Dotonbori street. This was one of the best decisions made as we conveniently managed to savour the different delicacies for our meals. The only regret we had was the limited capacities of our own stomachs :-(.

Let's Start Running with the "The Glico Running Man"!

All my readers shall know by now I am a "Temple Man". The beautiful Japanese temples and shrines were "Must Have"items in my travel plan. Top in my lists were the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto and Nara. To name a handful-Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Todai-ji temple and Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. The last name is not a UNESCO World Heritage site (yet) but we were always fascinated by the Senbon Torii (thousand of Torii gates) situated along the mountain trails behind the shrine.

The Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

The trip would not be completed without including plans for my young daughter, Charlotte. Her best memory would be the time spent with the deers at Nara Park and the snow monkeys at Iwatayama Monkey Park at Arashiyama. We would also indulge ourselves at the different theme rides at Osaka Universal Studios and the sight of wonderful sea life at Osaka aquarium (Kaiyukan).

At Osaka Universal Studios 

Charlotte feeding a Nara Deer

With LARGE Stingray At Kaiyukan

More posts and tips will be shared in my later blogs for this trip. Below is my itinerary for this trip for your planning and reference:

(For a detailed itinerary, please Like our Facebook page and contact me by Email)

Day 1

-Arrived at Osaka
-Checked in Metro 21 Hotel
-Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi
-Tombori River Cruise

Day 2

-Osaka Castle
-Umeda Sky Building

Day 3

-Sumiyoshi Taisha
-Shitennoji Temple
-Shinsekai
-Tsutenkaku Tower

Day 4

-Arrived at Nara
-Nara Deer Park
-Todai-ji Temple
-Kasuga Taisha Grand Shrine
-Higashimuki Shopping Street

Day 5

-Universal Studio

Day 6

-Arrived at Kyoto
-Checked in Amenity Hotel
-Kiyomizu-dera Temple
-Gion District
-Yasaka Shrine

Day 7

-Nijo Castle
-Kinkaku-ji Temple
-Ryoan-ji Temple

Day 8

-Arrived at Arashiyama
-Tenryu-ji Temple (with Bamboo Groves)
-Saga Scenic Railway Ride
-Monkey Park Iwatayama

Day 9

-Tofuku-ji Temple
-Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

Day 10

-Yasaka Pagoda
-Higashiyama District
-Arrived in Osaka
-Checked in Naniwa Hotel
-Dotonbori

Day 11

-Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan)
-Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi

Day 12

-Hozen Temple
-Kuromon Market
-Tennoji Zoo
-Shinsekai

Day 13

-Back to Singapore

Have you been to Osaka, Kyoto or Nara yet? Share your experience at the comment columns below!

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Travel Photos Series#13-A Traditional Japanese Wedding Procession

Traditional Japanese Wedding Procession

I went to Meiji Jingu Shrine at Tokyo with a main purpose. It was to witness a traditional Japanese wedding at the popular religious site. I was not disappointed as there were many wedding processions taking place on that day (1 June 2014). Though Japan is a modern country, traditional practices and cultures still hold  important places in many Japaneses'hearts.

You can read my experience at Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Related Posts: Meiji Jingu Shrine-Tokyo, Japan, The Tokyo Trip

Travel Photos Series#11-The Javanese Musician

I was glad to capture this photo when I checked into Manohara Hotel on 17 March 2015 for my visit to Borobudur, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Indonesia. I spotted this friendly Javanese musician playing the traditional instrument-Gender at the reception hall.  He sportingly posed for a few photos when he seen me taking pictures of him. I always remember the smile he wore on his face :-)

Related Posts: Travel to Borobudur Temple, Dawn at Borobudur Temple

Dawn at Borobudur Temple

Dawn at Borobudur Temple

It was 4 am. I got up from the creaky bed and dragged up Alison and Charlotte. We were ready to head to Borobudur and experienced it's famous sunrise view.

The hotel we resided at was Manohara Resort, the nearest hotel to the World's famous UNESCO World Heritage site and offered free access into the temple (Foreigner fees-Adult: USD $20, Child: USD $10). But the hotel charged a separate fee for it's sunrise and sunset view (Foreigner fees-Adult: IDR 380 000, In-house Guest (Adult): IDR 230 000, In-house Guest (Child above 5 years old): IDR 175 000).

"Borobudur Sunrise" Signboard

At 430 am, we arrived at the reception area to purchase our tickets. Surprisingly, there was no queue. We were provided with torch lights and directed to follow illuminated signboards to the temple. It was still pitch dark and finding the temple would not be an easy task.

Fortunately, I had done my homework the day before and surveyed the route to the site. Borobudur had always been in my bucket lists for the longest time. I was glad to have ticked it off but witnessing the sunrise at this holy site would be yet another totally different experience.

As we walked to the temple, we could hear chanting being broadcast in the compound. It sounded a bit eerie but yet strangely comforting to hear this in the darkness. It also reminded me of the similar chant we heard during our sunset visit to Pura Tanah Lot at Bali.

Stairs to the top of Borobudur

At the temple gate, the security guards would perform a check through our belongings before letting us in. We could see a number of people already making their way into the temple ground. We were puffing and panting as we clambered up the steep stairs to the top tier of Borobudor. It must be the morning dense air(and of course our lack of exercise :-p).

Buddha's View#1

Buddha's View#2

There was already a crowd when we reached the top. The recce on the day before had came helpful again as we took up a strategic position to witness the sunrise. The sun was supposedly to raise from the east at the direction of Mount Merapi. After settling Alison and Charlotte on a good place beside a stupa, I decided to take a short walk round to savor the morning scene.

As most of the people were focusing to see the impending sunrise at the eastern end, the rest of the temple premise was almost empty. The seemingly endless stupas overlooked the surrounding environment. Some might not know that a mediating Buddha statue resided in each and every of the stupas.

Few of the stupas have actually been "un-covered" to reveal the Buddhas within. There was a shroud of mist settling above the forest surrounding the temple, adding to the already serene atmosphere of the temple.

Stupas View#1

Stupas View#2

Stupas View#3

There was a commotion when the golden rays started to appear behind the still smoking Mount Merapi. I could finally comprehend why the sunrise view at Borobudur was considered one of the twenty-seven places to see before you die.

The yellow rays filtered through the still active volcano and cast upon those on the top of Borobudur. If "Enlightenment" has another meaning, it might actually refer to this moment of time. The scene was stunningly beholding. Although the sun was covered by the cloudy sky, it did not mar the beautiful moment.

Golden Ray of the Sunrise

Sun Ray on the Buddhas#1

Sun Ray on the Buddhas#2

Family Photo with the Stupas

Myself with the Bas-Reliefs

The crowd began to dissipate after the sunrise. We did not leave but stay to explore the temple further. It was a good move as there were only few people around. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the World and the single most visited monument in Indonesia.

Basically, the temple was built like a stepped pyramid with bas-reliefs, stupas and statues to honor the life and teaching of Buddha. It has nine platforms-the bottom six are square and the top three are circular (we watched the sunset at the top circular platform). Seventy-two perforated stupas surrounded one big central stupa at the circular platforms.

Please refer here if you want to read up more info on this 9th century ancient construction.

The Main Stupa

Bas-Reliefs#1

Bas-Reliefs#3

Gallery with Bas-Reliefs

Bas-Reliefs#2

The day crowd began to arrive in number at around 8 am. It was also getting hot and we felt it's time to leave the temple. I have been wanting to visit the temple on numerous occasion but did not do so due to various reasons.

There was a sense of achievement when I could finally stand upon the temple and witnessed the famous sunrise.  Borodudur did not fail my expectation. It shall also meet yours if you wish to visit it someday :-).

Borobudur's Facade#1

Borobudur's Facade#2

Borobudur's Facade#3

Fun Family Photo

  Tips when visiting Borobudur Temple

1. Stay at Manohara Resort for convenience. It is the nearest hotel to Borobudur temple (around 5-10 mins ) and inexpensive. The stay includes unlimited accesses to the temple and a discounted rate for the sunrise and sunset tour. But remember to book early (few months before) as rooms are limited and always taken up fast!

2.  The sunrise tour is a must. After that, grab the time to take great photos before the day crowd arrives.

3. If you have the chance, visit the temple once before the sunrise tour. It will help you locate strategic spot for your sunset view especially if you are preparing to capture the golden moment. The "site survey" will also help you save time to locate other good spots for photo taking.

4. Note that the entrance and exit of the temple are two different gates. Ensure you oriented yourself and do not get lost after coming out of the temple.(I nearly did ;-) !)

5.  Read up before visiting. Otherwise, the temples are just like big rocks and stones to you and can get very boring. A guide will be helpful. Manohara Resort provides a free video presentation about Borobudur which helps me to understand more on the temple background.

6. It gets very hot in the noon. Come in the early morning or late noon if possible.

7.  Bring lots of water. Wear comfortably and bring a hat.

8.  A sarong is needed to wear around your waist but not strictly enforce. You can get it free near the ticket booth after paying the entrance fee.

9. Take note of the vendors near the entrance and exit of the temple. They can be very aggressive to sell their stuff to you. Just say a firm "no" and walk away if you are not interested. If you want to buy some souvenirs from them, press down the price to a quarter of their quoted price. Settle no more than 50% percent of what they ask for. You shall get what you want as competition is stiff among them.

10. I use yogyadriver for my trip around Yogyakarta. Write a comment and drop your email address (I will reply you) at the comment column below to enjoy up to 10% discount off the normal rate if you decide to use their service.

Have you been to Borobudur yet? Share your great experience here!

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Related Posts: Travel to Borobudur Temple, The Prambanan Temple, Mount Merapi Jeep Lava Tour

The Borobudur Temple

Travel Photos Series#7-Nan Lian Garden, Hong Kong

Golden Pagoda at Nan Lian Garden

Took this picture at Nan Lian Garden on 6 December 2012 at Hong Kong . This place holds great memory for Alison as she used to live here till the area was cleared to make way for the garden. You will not miss the Golden Pagoda in the photo if you visit here as it was the star attraction in this beautiful Tang Dynasty-styled garden. Just a stone throw away here lies Chi Lin Nunnery, a serene and scenic site.

Related Posts: Hong Kong-Pearl of the Orient

The Prambanan Temple

The Prambanan Temple

Our plane finally touched down on the Adisucipto International Airport. It had been hovering in the sky for almost half an hour before being given the clearance to land. It was a small airport and we had to wait a while before clearing the custom.

Young Students

Our driver Yanto was waiting for us at the Arrival gate. I identified him by the big board he was holding with my name "Paulo" prominently written on it. Yanto spoke in halted English but luckily I was able to comprehend most of the things he said. We spotted many adorable young local students at the airport while waiting for Yanto to fetch his car. I could not resist snapping photos of these big eyes and shy looking kids.

The Prambanan Complex

Inside his six seater car, Yanto asked if we would like to change our plan and visit the Prambanan Temple first. My original plan was to head straight down to Borobudur Temple. After talking to his boss Ukhi on the mobile phone and understood from him that the Prambanan Temple was only half an hour from the airport, I agreed to the change of plan.

The Prambanan Temple Compound is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It consists of Prambanan, Sewu, Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu. Except Asu, the rest are situated in the complex. Prambanan Temple is it's star attraction followed by Sewu Temple. Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu are still in ruins and have nothing much to offer.

Signs at Prambanan

The Prambanan Temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva, a Hindu god. There were actually 240 temples in the beginning but nearly all were destroyed in a massive earthquake. Only six of the main temples were fully restored and the rest are still work in progress. One could only imagine how massive the temple complex was during it's heyday. For extensive info on Prambanan Temple, please refer to this site.

The Imposing Shrines

We paid the foreigner entrance fee (adult: IDR 207 000) and went into the temple ground. Not surprising, we went straight to the Prambanan Temple first. Despite seeing the temple umpteen times in the internet, I was still beheld of the monstrous size of these ancient constructions. To say that we looked like ants when compared to the temples was no mere exaggeration. The tallest and biggest temple in the center was obviously dedicated to Lord Shiva the Creator. The two temples flanking it were dedicated to Brahma the Keeper and Vishnu the Destroyer. These three main shrines formed the "Trimurti" (three forms). The three other smaller temples were dedicated to the "Vahana"(vehicle) of the gods-Nandi (Shiva's bull), Hamsa (Brahma's swan) and Garuda (Vishnu's eagle). All were dwarfed by the presence of Shiva's 47 meter tall buidling.

The Shiva Temple towered above the rest

The design of the temples shared these similarities. They were divided into three realms. The lowest realms-Bhurloka depicted mere mortals who were still tempted by earthly desires and lusts. The outer courtyard and base of the temples represented this most unholy realm. The middle realm-Bhuvarloka represented those who had seen the light of truth, resided at the middle courtyard and the body of the temple. The holiest realm-Svarloka was for only for the gods and resided at the roof and top of the temples. The architecture reminded me of the the Angkor temples in Siem Reap. They were designed to be Meru-the holy mountain of the Gods.

Svalorka

Top View of the Complex

Guardian of the Temple

Entrance to the Gallery

View from another angle

The temples are adorned with life like panels of bas-reliefs narrating the stories of Hindu epic. They could be attained by climbing a set of steep steps to the gallery behind the balustrades walls. It would also lead you to a dark chamber which housed a statue of the god it symbolized. One would need to start from the east entrance and walked clockwise along the gallery to follow the sequence of the narration. Sadly, just like what I have witnessed at temples of Siem Reap, many of the statues' heads were missing. They were being stolen which can fetch high price from private collectors.

Bas-Reliefs#1

Bas-Reliefs#2

Bas-Reliefs#3

Bas-Reliefs#4

Bas-Reliefs#5

Bas-Reliefs#6

Statue of Shiva

We spent a couple of hours at the Prambanan Temple before proceeding to Sewu Temple. Along the way, we passed by Lumbung and Bubrah. As mentioned before, they were still in the state of ruins. Sewu temple was in a much better state and we could see the familiar guardian statues guarding the front gate of the temple. Due to time constraint, we did not explore much of this site. On our way back to the front entrance, we saw a deer park in the vicinity.

Sewu Temple

Deer Park

Family Photo at Prambanan

Fun Photo

We met Yanto at the carpark after navigating through a complex of souvenirs shops. I told him to bring us for lunch and then proceeded to our main destination-The Borobudur Temple.

Prambanan Complex Map

Tips when visiting Prambanan Temple:

1. It gets very hot in the noon. Come in the early morning or late noon if possible.

2. Bring lots of water. Wear comfortably and bring a hat.

3. A sarong is needed to wear around your waist but not strictly enforce. You can get it free near the ticket booth after paying the entrance fee.

4. The complex is very big. The walk from Prambanan to Sewu is around 1 km and takes around 20 mins walk. There are free tram rides offer which takes you around but the frequency is not very high.

5. Lumbung and Bubrah temples can be taken out of your plan if you are deprived of time.

6. Read up before visiting. Otherwise, the temples are just like big rocks and stones to you and can get very boring. A guide will be helpful.

7. There are licensed photographers in the complex which can take good photographs of you and the temples. Ensure you ask and negotiate the price before engaging their services.

8. Candi means Temple in Yogyakarta and Central Java.

9. I use yogyadriver for my trip around Yogyakarta. Write a comment and drop your email address (I will reply you) at the comment column below to enjoy up to 10% discount off the normal rate if you decide to use their service.

Have you been to Prambanan? Share your tips here!

Related  Posts: Travel to Borobudur Temple , Dawn at Borobudur Temple, Mount Merapi Jeep Lava Tour

Patrol Van at Prambanan

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