Day 5 began really early because we are catching a 8:30AM flight out from Jeju back to Seoul.
Breakfast came before 7AM. We had abalone porridge for breakfast.
Side dishes.
I could barely find any pieces of abalone in the porridge cos it was cut into such tiny sizes.
After breakfast, we went to the airport to catch our flight back to Seoul.
Bye bye, Jeju.
Hello, Seoul (again)!
~~
It was almost 10:30AM when we arrived in Seoul.
We proceeded to early lunch. On our way to the restaurant, while on the roads, I saw a signboard that amused me a little (okay, cheap thrill, I know):
E-Mart! I don't suppose they sell SAF credit items.
For lunch, we had...
Ginseng Chicken!
It was the only meal in the entire trip we had chicken.
Ginseng wine to go along for the meal/soup.
~~
After lunch, we proceeded to the first activity of the day: Kimchi making. As if we haven't had enough Kimchi for the trip already.
The place we had the Kimchi making session.
There were two long tables where we spread ourselves out.
Mr. Kim trying to conduct the class, literally.
In front of us where the plate containing the cabbage and the kimchi-paste, as well as a cup of (ginseng) milk.
The kimchi-paste.
Our sensei (okay, I've gotta watch my Japanese references) for the day appeared.
Sensei. Her Chinese is ichiban!
Just as I was wondering if the ginseng milk was part of the kimchi ingredient, she told us that it is for us to drink. It tasted, well, weird. I've had enough ginseng for the day already, thankew.
We were then told that the locals do not talk to each other when they are preparing the kimchi so that no saliva will go into the kimchi.
Basically, we are to spread the paste over each layer of cabbage. No step-by-step pictures here because I was too preoccupied with making the kimchi.
End product... looks gross.
The kimchi will then be further processed before it can be consumed. The traditional method of preparation is to keep the kimchi in urns, and buried underground from a period ranging from a year to 10 years even!
They had this community programme going on, whereby all the kimchi made by tourists like us will be donated to the Old Folks homes in the city. I sure hope no one did spit into the kimchi!
After the Kimchi making, we had some photoshoot at the same place where they got us to dress up in traditional Korean costumes. As I looked ridiculous in the costume, pictures displayed here will be kept to a minimum.
Everyone busy choosing their costumes.
The guys with Alex.
Chuwen with Sin Ni.
~~
We did not enter from the Gwanghwamun Main Gate though as we were on the coach.
Gwanghwamun Main Gate.
It so happens that today is the school vacation period and there are many, many, many people and local students.
Heungnyemun Gate (The second inner gate).
We were in time for the change of guard parade at 2:00PM. The drums marked the start of the ceremony.
The parade band (you've gotta excuse my SAF references) entered next.
This dude in front of the band is the one that goes around telling photo-snapping tourists to get out of the way of the marching route.
The incoming flag party arrived next.
They marched slowly from the parade square out to the Gwanghwamun Main Gate.
As they exited the parade square, I noticed this dude standing atop the Gwanghwamun Main Gate...
What are you doing up there? Excuse sun? Chao Geng arh?
Meanwhile, outside the Gwanghwamun Main Gate, the incoming and outgoing parties conducted the handover process, with the modern Korean skyline as a back drop.
"Today weather very hot hor?" | "Huh nor. Huh nor."
After the simple ceremony, the outgoing party made their way back into the palace.
"Oh, pang gang lo."
After the ceremony, we gathered near the second main gate where Mr. Kim waited for us. He then took us on a quick history lesson and tour of the palace.
He pointed out that many parts of the palace are currently undergoing repair works, and that the palace was nearly destroyed by the Japanese during the Japanese occupation in the early 20th century.
Not only that, he also explained the shame felt by Koreans that many of the palace treasures where being hauled away by the Japanese and only can be seen in Japan.
He was visibly upset.
I could sense how strongly he felt against the Japanese when he was explaining. This was, according to Mr. Kim, the reason for Koreans hatred against the Japanese.
On our way to the Geunjeongjeon (Throne) Hall, we passed the Yeongjegyo Bridge.
The river that runs under the Yeongjegyo Bridge.
Mr. Kim explained to us that the river was supposed to ward off evil and protect the palace as water had purification significance, and when the Japanese invaded and subsequently occupied the palace, they cut off the water flow, causing the river to dry up.
He brought us through the palace with relative ease, even though the palace was so darn huge!
One of the many places he bought as to is the the Gyeonghoery Pavilion, where the royal family use to dine and hold important and state banquets.
The Gyeonghoery Pavilion.
The pavilion is also reflected on the 10,000 won Korean banknotes.
Mr. Kim showing us the 10,000 won note.
Mr. Kim also explained the importance of the person on the 10,000 won note. That dude on the note (can't remember the name of the guy, so I'm just gonna refer to him as the 'dude') was the one responsible for inventing the written korean language about 500 years ago.
Interestingly, the signboards in and about the palace are all in traditional Chinese! Curiously, I asked Mr. Kim what did the Koreans speak before the written language was invented. He explained the Korean language has always been around, its just that no one had bothered to come up with a written system until the dude did.
You think it's cool that the dude made it on the 10,000 won note, eh? His mother made it to the 50,000 won note leh! Highest denomination of the Korean bank note.
Mr. Kim keeping the grad-trippers engaged with his interesting stories.
We spent about an hour or so touring the palace grounds. Though I was lost most of the time, having no idea where we were on the palace grounds, I gathered that we only covered less then half of the palace because the entire place was huge. It was a waste because I really enjoyed the tour, and mainly because of Mr. Kim vast knowledge on the history of the palace.
~~
Our next stop on the tour was to The Ice Gallery, where we got to escape the heat.
The first thing we did inside was an Ice-carving lesson, and in a way, a mini-competition where the 3 best carvings will be awarded some medal.
Tools of the trade.
After aimlessly carving for 20 minutes, the finished product looked like this...
Having an icy cold drink.
It was rather hideous. All it did was that it served to remind me that my career is not in ice-cravings. The winner of our mini-competition was none other than Yi Hui! Yay!
A grad tripper doing us proud! Not letting the two young kids steal all the limelight!
We then proceeded to the dungeons, I mean, the sewers, I mean, the basement, where the gallery is located. It was pretty small, not that I mind as the temperature was -3 degrees C.
Cooling off at the Ice Bar.
Ice topping for an icy cake.
Fancy some icy flowers?
How about huddling with the icy penguins?
~~
Our 4th stop for the day was a trip to the National Gallery and the nearby Presidential Residence, and get this, they have a name for it too. No, no, not the White House, rather, they call it the Blue House.
Where got blue? Looks white and grey to me leh.
The only reason I can only think of for the name (much like how the White House was historically named to stamp the superiority of the Whites, until of course, when Barack Obama came along), is that the Koreans thought the country's rulers as really blue bloods. I'm spouting nonsense, of course.
Anyway, the place is FLOODED with police and security personnel, plain-clothes and uniformed.
Here got one.
Here's another one.
Across the street is the National Gallery.
The Phoenix, the national symbol of South Korea.
Mr. Kim continued to fascinate us with his in-depth knowledge of the Korean history.
We were given something like 15-20 minutes to walk around the place. Among the more interesting displays included:
Wah, PM Lee visited the Blue House and was featured leh.
A reconstruction of the G20 leaders' meeting room.
With a giant board displaying the faces of the G20 leaders.
~~
We next proceeded for dinner and our last activity for the day, a musical-comedy known as Drawing Show: Hero.
Dinner was this Korean Hotpot.
I can't remember the name of the dish, but it was super awesome!
We caught the show at the MyungBo Art Hall.
First KFC and Coffee Bean we saw in the trip!
Heard some pretty good reviews of this show prior to watching it, so we were anticipating it even though all we know is that it is a show where the performers will draw paintings and sketches live.
The show. was. amazing.
Knowledge of the fact that the four performing cast had no prior training or talent in art makes the show and their talents even more impressive.
They opened the show with each member of the cast painting (and goofing around) a segment of a combined painting. At the point they were drawing their individual pieces, I couldn't make out what the finished product was. But the four pieces was promptly assembled to show... MJ! Fwah! Impressed!
Cue MJ's Black or White! Owww!
Many paintings and artwork were showcased throughout the show, such as...
Bruce Lee chalk painting
and...
The Three Kingdoms, drawn with Charcoal I believe.
There were 2 other fantastic paintings that I couldn't get photos off (no photos during the show, the above was taken after the show when they allowed us to). One was a giant mural done up entirely in the dark. Very nice and romantic.
The other was underwater painting, where the painting was done not with the performers underwater, but with the painting done under a layer of water. They had to literally work their art by inserting their paint under a layer of water.
And to top it off, the entire cast comprised of extremely humorous (and hot, no I'm not gay) guys.
Got photo time one leh!
One good thing is that the show has no dialogues, all action and vocal expressions, very tourist friendly.
The sexy one. My favourite character!
The strong and silent one.
The mischievous one.
Everybody loves the mischievous one!
I didn't had time to take a photo with the last member due to time constrains and the ushers were practically chasing me out of the theatre so they could close shop and go home :(
But I walked away humbled and impressed by their talents! It was a perfect end to Day 5, with many of us talking about the performance all the way back to the hotel.
On a side note, I found out when I'm back in Singapore that the Drawing Show: Hero is making their International Debut in Singapore this August! Tickets are on sale at SISTIC now!
A few of us grad-trippers are contemplating to catch them again. Though the location is damn shitty. Downtown East, what the hell.
~~
Our hotel for the next two nights is the 5-star (locally 6-star) The Lotte Hotel, situated right next to the Lotte World theme park.
Fwah, super big and classy room. Bed got decor one some more!
Even got personalised weather forecast for tomorrow!
Super classy toilet. Wah, got toilet seat warmer one leh!
There's even an indoor driving range!
Opposite our hotel, the foundation works for the up-and-coming S.Korea's tallest building, the Lotte World Premium Tower, not the world's tallest building as our tour guide claims it to be. Yes, wikipedia can be a bitch sometimes when it comes to dispelling claims.
Better view in the morning.
Scheduled completion is in 2015.
~~
But the night did not end for Chuwen, Leo and I cos at 1AM (midnight Singapore time), our final semester results are released! We initially did not want to check and turn in for the night, but none of us could sleep without knowing our darn results.
So at 1AM, we huddled at the hotel lobby with our laptops, iPads and iPhones to check our results. We all passed and officially graduated with 2nd Uppers Honors all round!
We then dropped John FB and MSN messages asking how he did, thinking he would be awake. But he was too darned jet-lagged from his US trip that he was asleep at the time.
We were all too happy (especially Chuwen) to sleep early that night. I'm really happy that all of us graduated with 2nd Uppers (:
