One Afternoon in Bukchon Hanok Village

After our Gyeongbok Palace and Insadong visits, we decided to check out Bukchon Hanok Village since it was just around the area and we had a whole afternoon to kill. We found out later that it was quite a long walk from Insadong, but we enjoyed looking at the interesting shops along the way.



Coffee shop / tea house




Crafts store



I initially thought that this area is a tourist spot, but it turned out to be a residential area. You can see locals walking home with grocery bags, or parking his car into a traditionally-styled garage gate.

Beautiful Houses




  

A very peaceful village

 

Among the alleys of hanoks (traditional house), one will also find several small museums or cultural centers. For a reasonable fee, one may enjoy several activities or crafts that are unique to Korea. Talk about cultural experience overload! :D

I wish I could own one of these hanoks!

We turned left, right, straight, right, left, left, wait.. or was it right? Hmmm simply said, we got lost among the maze-like alleys (despite having a map!). But YO! Look, where we arrived at many moments later. A very beautiful school!

Does it seem familiar? Yes, is THE school where Bae Yong Joon shot Winter Sonata!

Choong Ang Middle and High School

On our way back, we saw some tourist buses parked near an alley entrance. And quite a number of people flocking around it. It was very different from the quiet village that we just saw. Volunteers were waiting to give out maps and instructions to tourists and lost people like us.

One even came up to offer help, then she suggested that we visit one place...

I have a small confession to make. The real reason why I wanted to see Bukchon Hanok Village is because I was hoping to find one specific house - SANGGOJAE, the shooting location of Lee Min Ho's Personal Taste.

Now, I really applaud the Koreans for taking good care of their tourists. (And for reading my mind, of course) :p



Lee Min Ho's Sanggojae

It is JUST a house. Yes, I know that. It looks no different from the hundreds of houses around it. Yes, I know that too. But since I was there, I might as well take some photos of it. And for your information, there were also several k-razy fans happily snapping at the house!

Tips for Bukchon Trips:

1. Ask for a Bukchon Map at the tourist information booth in Insadong.

2. It is a residential area after all, so keep in mind to contain your excitement and to tone down a bit. (There are signs, several of them to remind you, just in case you forgot.)

3. Look out for the suggested photo spots where the best photos angles can be taken. The signs are bronze-colored metal on the ground.

4. If you want to see Lee Min Ho's Sanggojae, it is on 31 Gahoe-dong, on the left area of the map. Look for alley nearest Donmi Pharmacy and Gahoe-dong Catholic Church.

5. When lost, ask for directions. They are all so willing to help!

6. Time to spend: 2-3 hours max

A Journey to the Past - Gyeongbok Palace

One thing I love about Seoul is its rich culture and history. Amidst the modern structures, there lies one of its beloved ancient palaces – Gyeongbokgung.  



Hyeungnyemun



Don’t miss the COLORFUL changing of guards ceremony in front of the gate Hyeungnyemun. I suddenly decided to take this photo in a sepia/black and white mode, for that "ancient feel".



It was colorful, trust me.



The majestic Geungjeong-jeon or Hall of Diligent Government. This is where the king performed his formal meetings and discussed daily state affairs. I would have wanted to try the throne, but it is off-limits. :D



The throne inside Geungjeong Hall.



The inner court houses the private quarters of the royal family.

The royal residence

The palace grounds is huge, but not all house are open for public viewing, and the insides are more or less the same. So after snapping away at those tradtional halls and rooms, you may opt to visit the souvenir shop where you can borrow traditional costumes for FREE! Yes, it’s free, but you have to return it within 15 minutes. They have lunch breaks I think around 12:00 pm -1:30 pm so try to schedule your visit accordingly. The souvenir shop is located on the left side of Geungjeong-jeon - (the throne hall) No. 3 on the map below, and near the toilets.

Finish your palace tour with a relaxing walk along its vast gardens and lakes. The two best photo spots are Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion and Hyangwon-jeong.



Take a rest at Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion



Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion



The breath-taking Hyangwon-jeong





Spend quality time with Mother Nature



A trip to this palace will make one realize that everything in this world is so inconstant. People just come and go, but at least there are things and places that can withstand time and change to serve as proof of our existence.

Map of Gyeongbok Palace:





Photo from Gyeongbokgung brochure

 

Directions:

Ride the subway to Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3, Exit 5) or Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5, Exit 2)

Operating Hours:

March to October 9:00 am to 6:pm

November to February: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

* Closed on Tuesdays

* Tickets are sold until one hour before closing time.

Admission Fee:

Adult: 3,000 Korean Won

Children: 1,500 Korean Won

Tips:

1.      Optional museum tours: Upon exit from the Gyeongbokgung subway station, you will find the National Palace Museum. -or- Near the rear end of the palace grounds, there is the National Folk Museum of Korea.  Admission fee is separate.

2.       It is best to visit the souvenir shop earlier so you can check its schedule for costume renting.

3.       3-4 hours is more than enough for a visit. Don’t forget that there are still so much to see in Seoul!

My Jimjilbang Experience: Baring It All at Dragon Hill Spa

It was THE day. After having a nice breakfast, my mom and I were on the subway heading to Yongsan Station. We’re finally going to experience the Korean bath house or jimjilbang! We had the whole morning to spend at Dragon Hill Spa, one of the largest jimjilbangs in Seoul. (Directions to this location at the end of this post.)

almost there

From the entrance, a beautiful walkway leads to a beige building.

a short walk to the building

dragon hill spa

Upon entering, we were greeted by friendly receptionists who speak good English and Chinese. They gave us a short orientation on what to expect inside. Entrance fee for the common facilities like sauna and bath is 10,000 won (around Php 450). Other special services such as facials, massages, body scrubs, food, arcade games, etc. will incur extra charges. These will be charged to an electronic plastic bracelet which will serve as our “credit card” and key holder inside the spa.

reception area as seen from the shoe lockers section

these electronic bracelets are water-proof and heat-proof (photo from dragonhillspa.co.kr)

First thing to do once inside: leave your shoes inside the shoe lockers. Look for the locker whose number corresponds to the number on your bracelet. This will also be the number for your clothes locker upstairs.

shoe lockers

We rode the elevator to the ladies’ floors. The third floor is like a big changing room. You can find rows and rows of locker, vanity tables, plus a counter selling toiletries. In here, we saw women in all stages of undress :p

elevator to ladies' floors

buy toiletries here

We changed into the uniforms provided before entering the sauna/bath area in the second flooor. Actually, you may also leave your uniforms in the locker and just bring a towel and your toiletries with you. You save yourself the trouble of carrying your clothes all around when transferring from one pool to another. We should have done this, but we were not sure when to remove our clothes. Or should I say, we wanted to postpone walking around stark naked up to the last possible minute!

not the most flattering shirt :p

The most important thing to do is to take a shower before entering any pool.

don't forget to shower!

Aside from the shower area in the photo, we found another area with low shower heads and small chairs and started to shower while seated. (Better this way because only half of our naked bodies will be exposed :p) Halfway through our bath, we suddenly realized that we were showering in the wrong area, when some ajummas (old ladies) started giving us weird looks. Much later, we learned that it was the back scrubbing area. Haha, sorry for that, but regardless of shower location, we did shower until we’re squeaky clean J.

Now, it’s time to try the baths. By this time, not a piece of clothing should be on you! If you’re shy, you can use the towel provided and casually hold it in front of you. It is big enough to cover your whole front body. As for your back side, well, it is not every day that other people get to see your bottom. Do allow them the honor to admire it :p

one of the indoor baths

We tried the indoor baths for several minutes each. Digital thermometers indicate the various temperatures of these pools. Try getting into the hot tubs then moving to a cold one. The change in temperature is good for body circulation. :) After that, we went to the open air baths. There is a ginseng bath and also a sea water bath. We spent a longer time there because we had the place to ourselves and the gentle breeze of the outdoors felt good with the hot waters of the pool.

if I remember it correctly, this is the ginseng bath. (photo from dragonhillspa.co.kr)

Then, we got into the uniforms and explored the rest of the area. Dragon Hill Spa is really big. It has 7 floors of amenities that include:

The main hall. It is a co-ed meeting place. In here, we saw several people lying asleep on the floor. There was also a Chinese-inspired throne for the guests to feel like emperors and empresses. The luxurious interiors has been used as a shooting location for several Korean series. Perfect for picture taking. J (I think you can rent traditional costumes from the convenience store – not sure about this though). You can also try the salt room, facials, hand and body spa, and nail art services. (at additional charges.) Or you can just watch TV.

common area / main hall

A sleeping room. While my mom tried the massage chair (3,000 won), I explored further and saw a small stoned path to a Japanese styled room. It turned out to be a sleeping room. I peeked inside and heard some snoring haha.

they call this the winter sonata walk

sleeping room (photo from dragonhillspa.co.kr)

sleeping room

Saunas/steam rooms. There are several steam rooms of different designs. One is Egyptian-themed with pyramid structures. Another is designed to look like interiors of old English castles. There is even an area called womb cleansing wherein women sit on toilet-bowl-like chairs and get steamed from under! Eeww!

pyramid sauna

steam rooms

Ice room. If hot steams are not your thing, you may opt for the ice room and freeze yourself into an iced statue hehe kidding.

Arcade area. The jimjilbang is also a kid-friendly place. Kids or adults can get occupied for hours in the arcade area. (all with additional charges.) In their website, there is also a computer room and a fitness center but I did not find them.

arcade

Canteens. I don’t know how many there are, but I saw a couple of them during our tour.

canteen

Swimming pool. There’s a real outdoor pool with lounge chairs (swimming suit needed). We relaxed there for a while to people watch.

outdoor swimming pool

Sky Garden. On our way to this sky garden, we passed by the sleeping quarters. This is a bigger sleeping area for overnight guests. A restaurant is located at the topmost floor, and a small door led us to the sky garden.

welcome to the sky garden

parties can be held at the sky garden

It was past lunchtime when we showered and changed. At the vanity tables, we used their hair dryers and lotions. I also got to watch the Korean women dressing up and putting on their make-up. J

vanity/dressing area

Autographed photos of celebrities who have visited dragon hill spa

My verdict: Visitng a jimjilbang is a must-try activity in Seoul! For me, our trip was a very “liberating” and wonderful experience. I was surprised to find myself comfortable walking around with nothing on at all! One thing I learned: Flaunt your bodies while you still can :p

Dragon HIll Spa

Open 24 hours

Admission: 10,000 won for weekdays and 12,000 won for the evenings and weekends

Website: www.dragonhillspa.co.kr (in Korean)

Tips for visiting Dragon Hill Spa or jimjilbangs in general.

1. Go there on weekdays and on early mornings to avoid the crowd. We went to Dragon Hill on a Friday morning, not much people were there. The place will get crowded in the evenings and also on weekends.

2. Shower first before dipping yourself into any pools, or else you risk being scolded by ajummas/ajushis (old ladies and old men). There are many of them inside!

3. For those on a budget, you can stay overnight in a jimjilbang instead of hotels. The price is much cheaper, plus you get to enjoy the saunas and baths.

4. If you have to visit other places after the jimjilbang, do yourself a favor, don’t bring too much things with you. Shampoos, soaps, and even lingerie are being sold there. Towels are also available. So just bring your essentials and you can enjoy your city tour afterwards without lugging a big bag around.

Directions to Dragon Hill Spa:

1. Ride the subway to Yongsan Station.

Yongsan Station

2. Look for exit 1 and go down the escalator. You will see the I-Park Mall to your right.

I-park Mall (right) and My Wedding Hall Buffet (front)

3. Turn right and walk for 250m toward the white western style building. That is My Wedding Hall Buffet and Dragon Hill Spa is just beside it. (You will find some big circle structures along the way.) Then cross the road. You will see a big clock and the big “welcome to dragon hill spa" sign.

cross the road and you will find a car passageway. that is the entrance to dragon hill spa.

My Herb Island Adventure

For our first whole day in South Korea, my mom and I visited Herb Island, a herb tourism farm theme park. We enjoyed it so much that I vowed to be back there soon. But how we got there is an entirely different story. (read: tiring, confused, wrong bus, evicted from train, lost, lost, lost.)

For future adventurers to Herb Island, read thoroughly to save yourselves from frustration and stress! Directions at the end of this post.

For this trip, I believed that I had researched enough information on transportation details and directions. Boy, I was wrong. The directions I got online, (forgot where) were very confusing! Following the instructions, we headed for the Uijeongbu Station but along the way, all passengers were to get off at Arongdong Station. We followed the crowd and walked through an overpass then came to the opposite side of the rail. Then we rode the train towards Uijeongbu. But from there, the instructions I got online were totally not useful since almost all people that we asked were not familiar with the places listed on it.

I will spare you the detailed lost-and-found story, but the bottom line is that we got on and off different subway stations, and asked for directions from so many people. And finally, we arrived at Soyosan station.

Soyosan or Soyo Mountain Station

A station officer who speaks good English pointed us to the bus stop. Later, we were already across the street waiting for bus 53 (that's according to my research, but turned out to be the incorrect one). He came out of the station, and made one of his boys ran across the street towards us with a printed instruction for bus drivers. I was so grateful for his thoughtfulness that I gave him a big almost 90-degree bow across the street. (In the photo: He's the one who's turning to head back to the entrance door.)

I still have this paper with me. :)

We rode Bus 53 thinking that we would finally reach our destination. Little did we know that minutes later, we would be evicted from it. The bus driver grumbled something in Korean then pointed to the door. From what we understood, we were to wait for bus 57 at the bus stop. We got off and waited. The waiting shed was a bit deserted with only occasional passing by of trucks carrying soldiers! I suddenly felt panicky. Not sure where the Korean border was located, I silently prayed that no nuclear bombs and the likes would fall on us.

At last, Bus 57 came. I waved at it wildly. Literally. (I just want to make sure that it will stop!) We showed the printed instructions to the driver, and after some time, we arrived at Herb Island. Finally!!!

get off the bus when you see these signs

Samjeong Elementary School - a quiet learning place

Following the signs, we walked until we reached Samjeong Elementary School. We continued walking until we were finally at the entrance of Herb Island. (Phew!) Entrance fee is 3,000 won (approx. Php 120)  per head.

Map of Herb Island

We were starving by the time we arrived, but the place was too wonderful and we just had to take a few shots before heading for lunch.

And now, our first shots of Herb Island:

The Herb Museum

Herb Island's Venice

Doll Collections at the performance circle

The first sights to welcome visitors are the Herb Museum and Venice. The whole theme park is obviously very European-inspired. 

The performance area. FYI: These are Pinoy performers:)

We also chanced upon a band performing in the center arena. But the sun was quite unforgiving that day, so only a handful of guests braved the heat to enjoy their performance.

Gondola Station

Now, we just had to set aside picture-taking and attend to the more important matter of the moment- our hunger! So off to Herb Restaurant, Glass Room!

View from inside the Glass Room

Herb Restaurant's outdoor part is garden-themed, a perfect setting for an afternoon chat and tea. Benches are in vibrant yellow-green colors, that adds much to the charm of the area. We chose to be seated inside the glass room though, (obviously, for the airconditioning). We ordered a set meal of pork cutlet and a vegetarian bibimbap. (I think that was the healthiest food I'd ever had. :p)

Pork Cutlets :)

An herbal bibimbap with edible flowers hehe

I can't exactly remember the taste, but I think we were both happy with our orders, and the fact that we were seated inside such an adorable place, I think even vinegar would taste sweet!

After having our lunch, we finally set out to explore what this place has to offer.

Our first stops were the souvenir shops...

Sun-Mul Gagae or the Present Shop

The Sun-Mul Gagae or Present Shop is quite small and it offers the usual touristy stuffs like mobile phone accessories, keychains plus some other interesting items. As with the rest of the theme park, the shop is also filled with artsy-crafty-retro inspired decors.

Present Shop: There's always some picture-worthy corner, be ready with your camera!

The Haengbok Gagae or Happiness Shop:

Welcome to the Happiness Shop!

Flower lovers and craft enthusiasts will surely love this place. Happiness shop is the longest shop in Herb Island where you can find potpourri, artificial flowers, herb candles, herbal soaps, incenses, dolls, picture frames, and many other lovely things.

Happiness Shop: Potpourri, anyone?

Happiness Shop: So much to see!

We bought herbal soaps, scented sachets (Lavender, Rose, Sandalwood, etc.) and other small things to bring back as gifts. I especially love their Sandalwood scented sachet for my closet. I regretted not buying more for myself!

Scented sachet at 1,500 or 2000 won (Php 70-90)

The next must visit place is the Herb Bakery.

Herb Island Bakery

What to find: Herb bread, herb cookies, herb jams, herb drinks ...

And specialty here is (drumroll please... ) the Herb Garlic Stick! I tried one and was not disappointed. If I had tasted it before leaving Herb Island, I would have come back for some more.

My Herb Garlic Stick

Another shop that took away much of our time:

Photo from Herb Island Brochure

The Aroma Shop sells herb oils, teas, bath and body items, aroma pouches and so much more interesting trinkets. They also offer massage and free tea tasting. The different aromas of herbs, oils, and tea made a great combination, giving the whole shop a unique and relaxing smell.

Small bottle of Jasmine Tea at 5,000 won. (around Php 220)

For those who are not into souvenir shopping, Herb Island is also designed to give visitors so many photo opportunities. With their Mediterranean-inspired structures, everyone can  pose with Europe's famous landmarks.  

Herb Island's own Trevi Fountain

Un petite village: a French experience

After a long day of exploration and picture-taking, you may want to take a rest and have some traditional Korean food. The Herb Kalbi Restaurant is the place for you. According to the brochure, they have excellent Kalbi soup (beef rib). Hmm, maybe I'll try that next time.

Herb Kalbi Restaurant

Other places of interests include Animal Farm, Flower Shop, Observatory, Herb Plants Museum, Flower Garden, Waterfall Garden, Therapy Centre, and Herb Workroom. I would recommend guest to allot at least one whole afternoon to see much of the sights.

 

 

 

You will also find a very different Herb Island at nightfall. We wanted to stay until night time so that we can enjoy the scenic night view. But we were scared to get lost so we reluctantly went home before sunset. See you soon Herb Island..

 

 

 

Herb Island is open everyday from 10 am to 10 pm.

Entrance is 3,000 won per person.

 

 

 

Directions to Herb Island:

From my own experience, the best route would be: (taking a bus from Soyosan Station)

1. Ride the subway to Soyosan Station.

2. From the station, walk to the opposite side of the road and wait for Bus 57.

3. Get off the bus when you see the sign Herb Island 300m. (that is the Samjeong-ri stop)

4. From there, you'll have to walk for a few minutes. you will pass by Samjeong Elementary School.

5. You will find a guard at the bottom of a slope. That is the entrance of Herb Island.

Do not worry about getting lost. Just follow the signs. :)

Map to Herb Island

Bus 57 schedule:

From Soyosan (Soyo Mountain) Station to Herb Island

Departure Time   7:50   8:50 9:50 10:50 11:50 12:50 13:50 14:50 15:50 16:50 17:50

Arrival Time       8:30 9:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:30

From Herb Island to Soyosan Station

Departure Time 8:40   9:40 10:40 11:40 12:40 13:40 14:40 15:40 16:40 17:40 18:40 19:20

Arrival Time      9:10 10:10 11:10 12:10 13:10 14:10 15:10 16:10 17:10 18:10 19:10 19:50

** While it is hard to tear yourself away from a beautiful place such as this one, do try to make allowances when planning your travel time. Be at the bus stops at least 5 minutes earlier than the scheduled time.

Other directions from the Herb Island Brochure:

1. Take a train (Line 1) for Dongducheon Station.
2. When you get to Dongducheon Station, ride Bus 57 on the other side of the station.
3. Go through the Sinbuk Hot Spring, get off at Samjeong-ri (Samjeong Elementary School)
4. Walk 300 meters to Herb Island.

-or-

1. Take a bus (for Pocheon) at Dong Seoul Terminal (East Seoul Terminal) or at Suyu Intercity Bus Terminal
2. Take Bus 138 in front of Uijeongbu Station (Line 1)
3. Take Bus 57 in front of Hanmaeum Pharmacy (near Kang Hospital) in Pocheon.
4. Get off at Samjeong-ri (Samjeong Elementary School)
5. Walk 300 meters to Herb Island.

* Just choose which of the three directions is the easiest or shortest route for you. Personally, I think the first two are better.

Herb Island, the best present of nature.

Herb Island offers rest for both your body and mind through the stimulation of the five senses. 

--> that is according to their brochure, but I totally agree. :D