벌초 Beolcho (Tidy Up A Grave)

One of the biggest holidays in Korea is Chuseok which is Korean Thanksgiving Day. It is August 15th of the lunar calendar. Before holiday maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago, Koreans visit a family member's grave, and they tidy up a grave. We call it 벌초 Beolcho. Also they visit to their ancestral graves on the occasion of Chuseok. However, they don't mow the grass on Chuseok.

It is my family member's grave. We used to bury the coffin, but it is getting popular cremation.

After or before cut the weeds, they do simple ancestral rites. They have to do 큰절 Keunjeol (deep bow) to their ancestors twice. When they do deep bow to the death people, the number of bow is two, and for people who alive is one.

The room for my passed away grandmother and grandfather

A Butterfly

늘봄날 Neal Bomnal

A restaurant for 쌈밥 Ssam-bap (rice wrapped in greens) near Chungm-ro station

I visited here for the second time because it was really nice when I first came here.

There is a menu on the main gate, so people can decide get into this restaurant or not. Actually, the government demands this policy to all the restaurants. However, there are not too many restaurants where announce their food price yet.

We can enjoy the food here. I went to this restaurant for late lunch, so there was no customers.

Main menu of this restaurant is meat, but my purpose is eating 쌈밥 Ssambap which is rice wrapped in greens. I can eat many various of food with cheap price. It is only 6,000 KRW for person. We have to order for two persons as minimum (So, I paid 12,000 KRW total).

된장찌개 Doenjang-jjigae (Bean paste stew), 제육볶음 Jeyuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried spicy pork), and 꽁치구이 Ggongchi-gui (Roasted pacific saury) are main dishes and the other things are basic banchans. So, we can get more banchans free of charge except main dishes.

쌈밥 Ssambap eat like this. Put whatever you want to eat on the greens especially 제육볶음 Jeyuk Bokkeum.

Then wrap it up and eat in one bite.

It was so nice to enjoy the food with low price.

Address. 24-3, Pildong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea. 서울특별시 중구 필동2가 24-3.
Phone. 82-2-2274-4487.
Subway. Chungmu-ro Station line #3 & #4, Exit 1.

A Sweet Dream

During a volunteering activity...

For Myanmar children who study in poor surrounding, we painted and fixed the room. Many of us had never done those kinds of works, so we felt too tired. During short break, we tried to sleep lie down anywhere.

Short rest after hard working, we had a sweat dream.

[Boston] Boston Duck Tours

Dukw which used during World War II, was remodeled into the Boston Duck Tours. It is possible to do this tour in many other countries. Although it is little expensive, it is worth trying.

I went to Museum of Science with making a lot of efforts. I had to have a bored time there since I had some time to leave the tour. Of course I could spend time with looking around the museum, but I didn’t want to pay for it. Moreover it was rainy day, so I just stayed at the waiting room quietly. 

Two days later, I got the information that there is Prudential Center near my guest house. And there is a departure point inside of the building with shopping malls.

It is the DUCK that I got on. Fortunately, the rain was almost stopped when the DUCK left.

There were not too many passengers here because of the rain.

He is a driver and tour guide at the same time. He explained all the things about Boston with jokes. But I couldn’t understand what he said because my English ability wasn’t very good. I just made smile whenever other passengers laugh. (Still my English is not good, so I made this blog for my English ability.)

There wasn’t any transform when it got in to the river. I thought that it would be better if there were no windows here.

When we were in the middle of wide part of river, he gave a permission to drive this DUCK. I think he wanted to take a rest for a while.

I was there alone without any friends or interpreter, I volunteer for driving it. Even I asked him to take a picture for me.

Actually, I just held the handle. I didn’t need to put down an accelerator or a break. I realized that he let me drive this boat since there is nothing to do now.

After I finished the driving, I got this sticker from the driver. “I drove a duck!” Yes, I did, it is a piece of cake though. I don’t know where this sticker is now.

Whenever I visited strange city, I usually use this kinds of tour services to look around the city once. It is only possible when I have enough money of course. Through this tour, I can get a tour plan where I go.

For me, it was too long sitting on the boat with English explanation without interpretation or subtitles. I should have used shortest one.

More Info. http://www.bostonducktours.com/Default.aspx 

[Seoul] 용산전자상가 벼룩시장 Flea Market at Yongsan Electronic Shopping Center

I went to Yongsan Electronic Shopping Center to buy computer for my friend. When I was little, I played ‘Rainbow Six’ which is a kind of FPS game. Since its background is Korea, I visited Yongsan very much in cyberspace. Until finished the military service, I had never visited there. Finally, I was there to buy a laptop for the first time 5 years ago. However, I’ve never had a chance to look around Yongsan because I picked up my laptop whenever I visited there.

I didn’t look around at this time as well since I had a clear object; buying a computer. However, there was a flea market just in front of the gate of Seon-in shopping district where I wanted to go. There are more flea markets somewhere, but I didn’t know where it was. (There are a lot of things related to electronic in the shopping center not only computer but also lighting.

Only permitted sellers can get a spot at the flea market. And they sell used or be carried forward computer parts. But it wasn’t that cheap compared to interior shops. I think it is better to shop in the building because of the air conditioner.

They did cast lots for location of booth. Somehow, it is easier to gather the customers near subway station. So, they do not give the spots as sellers like.

I don’t know about the price since I’ve never used desk top since I graduated high school. When I was a middle school student, I might pay about 2 million KRW, but it is less than quarter now. 

I took this picture in the building. Used 24 inch LED screen is only 110 thousand KRW (about 110 US dollar). Many of them came from PC Bang a kind of internet café for high quality of computer game or charged online game.

Just in front of the market, there is a street food peddling. So, I drank a cup of cool soda. Later, I realized that there was Sikhye 식혜 (rice-punch). I should have asked to them about it. If I visit Yongsan Electronic Shopping Center again. I hope to look around more.

고기국수 Gogi-guksu

Gogi-guksu which is the pork noodle from Jeju near Korea University station

There is a restaurant just in front of Korea University front gate. The name of this restaurant is 고기국수 Gogi-guksu which is the pork noodle. Since there is 1호점 (first branch?), I thought that it is a sort of chain store. However, it is the only one restaurant so far.

Gogi-guksu came from Jeju. The owner brought it from Jeju to here. When I first saw him, I thought that he is a part-timer. However, he is an owner of this restaurant and a student of Korea University at the same time.

I was with my friend there. He still uses film camera.

There is a menu for meals. All the foods are less than 5,000 KRW. It is relatively cheaper than other places. I think the owner knows the students' financial problems since he is a student too.

Main menus of this restaurant are 고기국수 Gogi-guksu and 비빔고기국수 Bibim gogi-guksu.

This is Gogi-guksu. The soup based meat broth from port, and the boiled port on the noodle.

Bibim Gogi-guksu is spicy pork noodle. I can chose the level of spicy from 1 to 3. I prefer to eat with level 1 or 2. It is not that spicy but little sugary, so I like it too much.

There is an announcement about the quantity of noodle. Since many customers said that there were too much noodle on the bowl, so the owner of this restaurant decided to reduced the amount of noodle's quantity. But I can ask to give more if I want. Additional noodle served free of charge. Rice as well.

I am sure, many of people don't need to say that. Although they reduced the amount of noodle, it is still enough for a man. Sometimes, I couldn't finish it.

And there is a way how to I eat this guksu more delicious. Eat like this, kimchi, port, and noodle at once.


Address. 137-426, Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea. 서울특별시 동대문구 제기동 137-426
Phone. 82-70-8699-9360, 070-8699-9360
Subway. Korea Univ. station line #6, Exit 6.

[Seoul] 63시티 63City

 I got the ticket for 3 things in the 63 City from my friend. The official name of this building is 63 City, but many people still call it as a 60 Building which is former name. But it doesn't matter. Anyway, it was the biggest building in Korea in the past, but there are many buildings higher than 63 City now. Still it is a kind of symbol of Korea.

First of all, I went to aquarium. I've never visited other aquarium in Korea, so I can't compare with it. But, it is not that big.

There are letters to parents written by children behind the sea horses. I think it is a kind of events made by 63 City. There are more letters in the other water tanks.

I put my fingers for doctor fishes. It was weird feeling but not bad.

For the next, I went to observatory. It was a cloudy weather, so it's hard to see the N Seoul Tower.

I've just visited only two spots since I didn't have enough time. When I was little, I was here for the first time, it was so nice. However, it wasn't that fun for me at this time compared to visiting when I was little. Maybe I am too old to enjoy this. I hope the owner of this building have to make more fun things here.

More Info. http://www.63.co.kr/63eng/63Main.html