South Korea Trip: Seoul Central Mosque and Lotte World

After finished the hanbok photo session, we continued our journey to Seoul Central Mosque which located at Itaewon. The mosque is located in the uphill location, so prepare your feet to take a long ascending stairs to get there. Before entering the mosque gate, there's a board which informed about how to dress up when entering the mosque.

dress code

in front of Seoul Central mosque

inside the mosque

The unique thing about Itaewon is you'll find many Africans in here, but I don't know the history why most of them dwell in Itaewon instead in other part of Seoul.

After finished our prayer, we directly went to Jamsil station since we wanted to visit Lotte World. Actually when we went to Seoul, we planned to visit only one from two theme parks (Lotte World or Everland), because entering two theme parks will be costly. At that time we planned to visit Everland only, but when arrived at the gate of Lotte World, it was very tempting to get in, just to fill in our curiosity.

me and Lotte World castle

Since what we want to see inside Lotte World is its famous castle, so to avoid any regret we bought general admission ticket only without any plan to play any of the attraction. The great thing is, Lotte World entrance ticket price is reduced at 4 p.m. from 31,000 won to 26,000 won, and if you enter at 7 p.m. the price will be lower to 17,000 only. It was already 7 p.m., so we were excited to know that we can enter Lotte World with its lowest price.

Lotte World ticket

17,000 won only, yeay!

Lotte World has two area, the first one is Magic Land. Magic Land is an man-made island just for the theme park. It's also where the castle located.

Atlantis attraction in Magic Land

the popular Gyro Swing

Snow White diorama

there's even a place for lovers in the magic island

The second area is the indoor park. If you come at night at late November just like what I did, it's more comfortable being in the indoor park since the temperature is warmer.

inside the indoor park

with Lotte World mascot

The indoor park located inside the Lotte shopping mall, so when we came out of the theme park we can shop and window shopping at Lotte department store.


XOXO,
The Tourist

South Korea Trip: N Tower and Hanbok Photo Session

We woke up in the morning and prepare for the second day journey. Before coming down to the first floor of the guesthouse to have breakfast, my sister opened the door to the porch and found out that the porch has beautiful view of N Tower.

the view from Soo guesthouse porch

After having our breakfast, I saw that our guesthouse has a wall that covered with money from various country. When we walk to the gate, I found out the there was a cute heart shape picture in the wall.

the money wall

really like this cute pink heart

That morning we wanted to visit tourist attraction around Myeong-dong. Our first trip is to Myeong-dong cathedral. The stairs to the cathedral was interesting, unfortunately I didn't take its picture.

found this funny bench while walking to the catherdral

Myeong-dong that morning

Myeong-dong cathedral

After that we planed to take picture while wearing hanbok, Korea's traditional clothing. But since we didn't know where to hanbok photo studio in Myeongdong, so we went to the Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center first.

Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center

They are very helpful and inform us that the photos studio is in M Plaza 5th floor.
When we arrived there, it turned out that we need to queue for 2 hours. So we decided to book our the time and went to N Tower while waiting for our photo session.

Walking to N Tower cable car station was really challenging, the road was really steep so prepare your feet before you take this kind of road.

N Tower Cable Car Station

Our round trip ticket

After reaching the top station, we couldn't help ourselves to not take picture along around N Tower because it was beautiful around there.

the stairs to the tower

you can even see the love lock before arrived at the tower

location map

my sister and N tower

they even use the falling leaves as decoration

That day the N Tower not really crowded, so we can directly take the lift to the observation floor. From the observation floor we can see 360 view of Seoul. There were also some window that can told us about the distance to other country that parallel with that window.

City view from N Tower Observatory deck

the shadow of the tower

the falling leaves decorations from above

Jakarta is in line with this window :)

inside the observatory deck

Finished with the observatory, we came down to the ground floor. N Tower is also famous as a place where people put their lock of love. There are plenty spaces for you to put your love lock around N Tower. I didn't want to miss that chance to so I also put my love lock at one of the fences around N Tower.

me an the love lock trees

my sister said this bench ever appear in one of her favorite K-Drama

me and my love lock

not only love lock, you can also pour your heart on these mini tiles

After put the love lock, we realized that we had to go back to M Plaza to catch up our hanbok photo session. So we tried to catch the schedule since the admin said that our booking will be cancelled if we're not appear in 5 minutes after the schedule. With all the sweat and short breathe we finally made to arrive 5 minutes earlier. We can choose the type and color of hanbok that we want, I choosed the pink hanbok while my sister picked the red one.

our hanbok photo sesion

Since the photo session is free, so we should take our picture by ourselves. but if you bring camera, you, you can put it on the tripod that already available in there.


XOXO,
The Tourist

South Korea Trip: Cheongdam-dong and Trick Eye Museum

Last November, my sister and I visited South Korea. Well basically this is to fulfill my sister dream to visit the country of K-Pop and K-Drama, since she loves them a lot. Once we arrived in Seoul, we drop our bag in our guesthouse in Myeong-dong and start the journey. Since we've spent half day at the plane, so the first day journey just trying to adapt with the new situation.

The first trip is to Cheongdam-dong. My sister had plan to visit some K-Pop music companies that are located in Cheongdam. We stop at Cheongdam station and walking along the Cheongdam-dong. The sun down early in Seoul, 5 p.m. already feels like twilight.

Cheongdam-dong at twilight

The first music company that we visited is JYP Entertainment. JYP Entertainment was founded by Park Jin-Young and its popular pop groups such as Wonder Girls, Miss A, and 2 PM. JYP office building is covered by pictures of its popular artists. In front of JYP office, there is a Dunkin' Donuts cafe which was full with fan girls who are waiting if there's any JYP artist come out from the building.

JYP Entertainment building

Not far from JYP building, there's Cube Entertainment. Cube's popular artists such as Rain, 4Minute, and Beast. 

Cube Entertainment building

After Cube Entertainment, we intended to visit the new SM entertainment building. But since we couldn't find it, so we decided to visit its old building that was being renovated. It's not a big deal since its under construction building were covered with huge posters of Girls Generation's group members.

SM Entertainment building that was being renovated

Finished with the three buildings, our stomachs started calling for foods. Since we intended to take MRT from Apgujeong Rodeo station, so we try to look to all stores along the road, including seeing this beautiful blue lamps in front of The Galleria mall and lovely Christmas decoration in at Caffe Bene.

beautiful lamps at The Galleria

Caffe Bene christmast decoration is sooo unbearable

Cheongdam-dong is full with branded stuff and high class cars, which worrying us if we took the wrong restaurant, since we didn't plan to visit fancy restaurant in our itinerary. Luckily we found Lotteria, so we directly entered and order some fried chicken. We also got corn salad, which is good because it's tasty.

the dinner

From Apgujeong Rodeo station, we stop at Hongik Univ. Station to visit Trick Eye Museum. When we arrived, unfortunately the museum has closed. The last entrance was on 8 p.m. and at that time it was already 8.30 p.m. The officer said that there are some free area that we can try near the ticket desk. The pictures were not much, but enough for us to take some silly pictures.

Since our guesthouse in Myeong-dong, so we took some time to visit some make up stores in there. Then we went back to our guesthouse at Soo Guesthouse to have a beauty sleep.

Soo Guesthouse front door

XOXO, 

The Tourist

Singapore Trip: Simply Wrapps and Laduree

Here are two foods that I highly recommend while you're on Singapore:

1. Simply Wrapps

I tried Simply Wrapps booth in Raffles City Mall. I know this place from internet and thought that I want to eat such healthy food like this. I ordered Journey to Norway with tomato basil wrap, while my traveling partner ordered Tuna Lovers without wrap. The vegetables were so fresh and the smoke salmon inside my Journet to Norway were also tasty. The tomato basil wrap also added the flavor uniqueness.

the store

Journey to Norway with Tomato Basil Wrap

Tuna Lovers

2. Laduree Macaron

Laduree originally from Paris and also well known as one of the best macarons in the world. I bought Ladurees macaroon in Tangs Mall at Orchard Road. The macaroon is pricey and you can't buy just one. The smallest portion that you can buy is 6 pieces. The taste of the macaron is so delicious, not too sweet like other macaron and the bun also crispy. I really enjoy every bite of it.

6 pieces box

the flavor choices

XOXO,
The Tourist