Enjoy a short video of our time in El Nido, Philippines. El Nido is a region in the province of Palawan. Located southwest of Manila. It took two plane rides and a 6 hour van ride to get to the tropical paradise.
Alex and I experienced our first Korean wedding a few months back. Our co-worker gave us the invitations about two weeks in advance (everything is done last minute here) and we were thrilled to accept the invite. First thing to know is that everyone who gets married in Korea is obliged to invite all their co-workers, so every teacher at our school got an invite.
Cali and Alex – First Korean Wedding
Al and Cali with their faces painted with colourful mud.
On July 18th we ventured off to the western shore of South Korea to Boryeong. The main purpose of this trip was to experience the famous Boryeong Mud Festival. You’re probably wondering what the heck a mud festival would consist of, and why we would want to go to such a thing. Continue reading
South Korea seems to be the busiest during the summer months. Every weekend is spent enjoying the sun before Monsoon season hits (a month where it just rains stupid amounts). We have been spending the past two months (June and July) attending festivals, island hopping, and going on as many trips out of the city as possible.
Picking the best green tea leaves.
One of the most authentic trips we have gone on lately was to the Boseong Green Tea Fields. We booked this trip through a foreigner friendly travel group called – WhenInKorea (WinK). We departed at 11:00pm on Friday evening from Seoul and traveled over night to our destination. Continue reading
On May 2nd we packed up and went on a little mini vacation to Busan, South Korea. Busan is a beautiful place found on the southern coast of South Korea. There are beautiful beaches, magnificent hiking trails, the worlds largest department store, breathtaking temples, South Korea’s largest fish market, a spectacular night life, and much more!
Gwangalli Beach at sunrise in Busan, South Korea.
It is almost indescribable how beautiful this city is in late March and early April. These short 2 weekends are devoted to travelling to Cherry Blossom Festivals in and around Seoul. These areas are packed with tourists and locals enjoying the thousands of blooming trees. Areas with large amounts of trees are shut down and used for outdoor concerts, food vendors, jewelry stands and so much more.
The Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul, South Korea at Yeoudio Station.
On Monday March 24th I had to “run” to Japan to be a legal teacher in Korea. I’m guessing they call it a “visa run” because it is a very quick two day, one night trip to Japan. It could also be called that because sometimes you actually have to do a little bit of running during your visa run.
So long story short, I was required to go to Japan to receive my Visa in my passport because I did not get it prior to departure from Canada. For some odd reason, my original Ottawa nation wide criminal background check was denied at Korean immigration. No, it was not denied because I am a criminal. In fact, my criminal record check was clean and was the exact same as Cali’s and many of my friends’, which were accepted by Korean immigration.
On Sunday March 23rd 2014 I was lucky enough to meet up with my brother Chris’ friend from Ontario, Rob Taylor to go tour around Dongdaemun and hit up the unbelievable Gwangjang Market among other places. You may have noticed I already posted about this market and the wonderfully delicious Korean pancakes they serve there (if not check out “Gyeongbokgung” post).
I met Rob early in the AM on Sunday at the “Dongdaemun History & Culture” subway station. This station brings you right into a little area known to me as “Russia Town”. The reason I refer to it as “Russia Town” is because for a moment it felt like I was in another country. If any of you have ever been to a “China Town”, think of that, but only Russia.
Today marks our 5th week in Seoul, South Korea. We are loving every moment of this crazy adventure. After a month of people watching out our window, on the subways, and during our countless hours of exploring the city I have compiled a list of things that must be mentioned about South, Korea.
1. Love Motels
First on my list are the iconic Korean love motels. This is where Alex and I spent our very first night in Seoul. After a long thirteen-hour flight a man holding a sign with our names greeted us. This man was a complete stranger to us and could not speak a word of English. He simply passed Alex a cellphone with our school’s Director on the other line to confirm that we were indeed the right foreigners.
Changing of the guards at Gyeongbokgung Palaces in Seoul, South Korea.
We can’t believe it has already been a month we’ve been gone from Canada! Everyday is a new adventure.
On Saturday, March 29th 2014 Cali and I ventured off on the subway to head for Gyeongbokgung Palace in the heart of Seoul, South Korea. It was a very miserable day, but that didn’t stop us from thoroughly enjoying the sights of the beautiful Palaces. The most memorable part of the day was the “Royal Guard-Changing Ceremony” (pictured), which happens on every hour from 10:00am-4:00pm. All of the guards wear very beautiful and bright costumes and all play different instruments from big drums to long horns.
'Seoul'ful Re'Korea'tion 