Backpack to Busan and Seoul, South Korea - Part 3

For Part 1, click here.

For Part 2, click here.

This will be my last post for backpacking in South Korea. 

The best part of Korea throughout the whole trip was the weather. Temperature was around 16 degrees Celsius in the afternoon and 9 degrees Celsius in the morning. You can walk for the whole day without sweating!!! Best time for sightseeing!

It was very hard to find somebody to help us take pictures but we managed to get a nice Japanese man to help us take some pictures of us and we helped him to take photos of him in a few locations. Helped each other :) The picture above was at Nami Island, where Winter Sonata was filmed.

Red maple tree and green maple tree. 

First time seeing maple leaves.

Fish cake on the left and teriyaki chicken on the right. I love the teriyaki chicken! Each cost 2500 Won (RM7.70). There is a machine to cook the teriyaki chicken and you can watch the video in my Instagram account @foodlovers . A lot people ate the sweet corn which costs 3000 Won but I'm not a fan of corn so we decided to eat something else. 

This is the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Why can't Malaysia do something like this at our Klang river? A lot Koreans hang out at the stream at night. You can make a wish too by throwing coins. Looks nice during the day and night time.

Hello Kitty Cafe @ Hongdae. We ordered Caramel Latte and the taste was not as good as the local brand coffee called Angel In Us Coffee and Holly Coffee. It costs 4500 Won (RM13.80) for a cup of coffee. Nice theme cafe for hanging out at least once in a lifetime although I'm not a fan of Hello Kitty. This shop closed at 11pm because we were the last customer that day. LOL

There are 5 palaces in Seoul itself. We wanted to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, which the largest, but it was closed for 3 months. How sad! So one of my friends brought us to another palace called Changdeokgung Palace instead. I would say that was the only attraction in Seoul, which was sightseeing palaces besides shopping only. 

Going back to Busan for the last two days where we'll catch a flight back to KL. Adeline and I decided to take the KTX (Bullet Train) back to Busan from Seoul Station. It can speed up to 300Km/h and took only 2 hours 50 mins. It costs 54 800 Won (RM168) for a single journey.

I still prefer the slowest train in South Korea called Mugunghwa which took up to 5-6 hours to Seoul from Busan because we get to see more scenery. It costs 25 900 (RM79) . At least I tried both and I could experience the differences between both trains. KTX has wifi but couldn't connect. South Korea is a country with the world's fastest internet speed but we couldn't connect to the internet and I was really speechless. (Perhaps the train was too fast! XD)

One of my favourite fountain show! It is inside Aqua Mall in Busan. There are 3 slots of fountain shows in a day. We watched this at 3pm. Very awesome fountain shows with words too and playing Super Junior songs. 

Busan Tower 

List of Expenditures

Day 7

6000 (Brunch)

4500 (Bulgogi Hotdogs @ Itaewon)

6000 (Reloading T-money)

54800 (KTX-Bullet Train to Busan)

3250 (Chocolate Drinks)

4000 (Dinner)

1500 (Ice cream and waffle) Divided between 2 persons

500 (Water) 

2250 (Bread)

= 82 800 WON / RM 253

Day 8

3500 (Dessert and gimbap)

5000 (Lunch)

2750 (Angel In Us Coffee @ Busan) Divided between 2 persons

4000 (Daily pass metro @Busan) 

900 (Snack)

4000 (Dinner)

= 20 150 WON / RM62

Day 9

1400 (Single Journey Metro) - Card

1300 (LRT to Gimhae Airport) - Token

7500 (Breakfast @ Airport) - Octopus Bibimbap 

= 10 200 WON / RM31

9 Days expenses = 288 130 KOREAN WON / RM882
Shopping             = 89 100                               / RM273
APPROXIMATELY TOTAL                       = RM1155

Flight           = RM 800 per pax
Room           = RM 537 per pax
Exp + Shop = RM1155 per pax
TOTAL       = RM2492 

Backpack to Busan and Seoul, South Korea - Part 2

For Backpack to Busan and Seoul Part 1, click here

Adeline and I went to Seoul on the third day of our trip. We took the slowest train in South Korea (Mugunghwa) and the cheapest way to go after comparing with the other 2 trains. It took us 5 hours plus to reach Seoul, but it would take about 2 hours 50 minutes if we took the KTX (bullet train).

Mugunhwa 25900 Won (RM79) and KTX 54800 Won (RM165)

I did take the KTX back to Busan on the last day to catch my flight back to Malaysia. Although the journey of KTX was the fastest but the Mugunghwa provided better scenery to enjoy such as seeing orange plantation, paddy fields and grapes farm. The picture above shows how the Busan Station looks like. Nice right?

Paddy fields all the way to Seoul.

This was the hostel I stayed called the Little Pencil 2nd Hongdae for 5 nights at Hongik University station neighbourhood at Seoul. This hostel provided washing machine, hair dryer, kitchen, microwave oven, refrigerator, TV, air conditioner, floor heater, passcode door and free WIFI. All of the facilities are SAMSUNG brand!

Average 1 night per room that I booked through Agoda cost me RM130. This room is twin sharing and it has a toilet attached too. One of the best budget room I had ever stayed compared to the rooms I stayed in Hong Kong or Thailand! There is a Chinese receptionist from Hong Kong too and she can guide you everything from food to shopping.

Everything is beyond excellence for the price and the quality of the facilities for this room.

Namsan Seoul Tower at night. You can choose to take bus or cable car to this tower.

You can bring some locks to lock it at this big heart stainless steel by writing some love message. 

It's not a convention centre. It's the National Museum of South Korea.

Pavillion mall KL? This is the National Museum. Damn NICE right?? Best place to get some knowledge and it's free entry. Guided tour from Japanese language to Mandarin are provided upon request at the counter. There are 6 sections which covers 3 whole floors. There are gold on display in this museum too.

Ice cream cone @ Insadong. View my Instagram account @foodlovers for the Twins Sundae picture!
It cost 2000 Won (RM6) for a sundae.

List of expenditures at Seoul

Day 4

1500 (Rice Ball)

23000 per person (Nami Island -Winter Sonata place) including transportation, entrance fee and ferry.

8000 (Magnet at Namsan Tower)

7500 (T-Money) 5000 won credit & 2500 purchasing cards

900 (Water)

6500 (Dinner)

Day 4 = 47 400 Won / RM145

 *Nami Island is located at Seoul outskirt and advanced booking is required.

 *T-Money is a card like our Malaysian TOUCH & GO or Hong Kong's Octopus Card that could be used at any public transport and convenience stores to purchase items. 

Day 5

5000 (Reloading T-Money)

5000 (Brunch)

16000 ( Meeting up a friend to have Chinese food dinner at Myeongdong) 

9000 (Going up to Namsan Seoul Tower)

2250 (Hello Kitty cafe divided between 2 persons)

4250 (Fridge magnet)

Day 5 = 44000 Won / RM135

Day 6

10 000 (Reloading T-Money)

3000 (Egg Ramen @ Museum) One of the cheapest meal in the whole trip

3000 (Dinner divided between 2 persons)

3000 (Teokbokki for supper, teriyaki chicken stick & gimbap) Divided between 2 persons

1000 ( Tall sundae) Divided between 2 persons

3000 ( Palace entrance fee) 

1000 (water)

Day 6= 24000 Won/ RM73.50

For Part 3, click here.

Backpack to Busan and Seoul, South Korea - Part 1

It has been months I didn't blog and this time I will blog about Busan, South Korea. I'm not a fan of K-Pop and what made me interested to visit Korea instead of Taiwan? One of the reasons it's maybe I don't really like Taiwan food compared to Korean food. 

Gimhae International Airport (Busan) and thats Air Asia X at the middle of picture   =P

I bought the flight for RM800 return ticket including tax, choosing seats (RM70 return) and luggage (15KG for RM50).

First time flying so far and in my mind telling me for sure this trip will be very expensive for a student like me! I spent RM2000 for 9 days including (flights, rooms, foods),  RM200 (Shopping) and another RM300 for bullet train to from Busan to Seoul. Total whole trip spent RM2500 for 9 days. I will type down the whole list that I spent for the whole trip.

I'm staying at Gwangali Beach at one of those budget motel nearby here for RM130 (Air Cond + Wifi + hair dryer + Big TV) and bathroom attached. This is exactly the Sun City Motel entrance was and it is facing the beach.

Sunrise at the Gwangali beach

A must eat seafood noodle at Busan! Just for  6000 Won (RM18). Inside of the noodles consists of 7-8 mussels, 1 crab and squid. The noodles is spicy and it was perfect to eat at that weather there. Seafood was very fresh too especially the mussels.

This shop is located at the same row as Tae Jong Dae park entrance and just beside the bus stop where all the drivers wash the bus there. You can't miss it because it is the cheapest food at that same row of shops. No English menu so I'm just pointing at the pictures on the menu or pointing at the next table.


List of Expenditure @ Korea
Day 1 (Busan)

1200 (LRT)
1400 (Interchange Train)
11000 (Pork ribs with potato soup and vege) -Dinner
= 13 600 WON / RM41

Day 2 (Busan)

4000 (Daily pass train) RM12
25900( Mugunghwa Train to Seoul on day 3) RM78
5750 (Dinner)
820 (Coffee)
6000 (Seafood noodle)

Day 3 (Busan and Seoul)

2350 (Waffle for Breakfast)
6500 (Beef ramen and curry udon for lunch @ Hongdae)
1150 (Airport Train from Seoul Station to Hongik University)
5500 (Korean chicken chop style dinner @ Hongdae)
2500 (Bread)
500 (Water)

Total 3 days = 70750 WON / RM216.50

Advantages of backpacking at Korea
*Sky juice free at every restaurant and refillable too
*No service charge or government tax
*Nett price as shown in menu

Backpack to Busan and Seoul Part 2

Backpack to Busan and Seoul Part 3

Pier 21 @ Terminal 21, Bangkok

Highly recommended place to visit in Bangkok will be this Pier 21 ! Why? Cheap food and great mall!

 Mango Sticky Rice for 35 baht! The mango tasted sweet and the rice was not too sticky too. This mango sticky rice is the cheapest in Bangkok and the 2nd cheapest mango sticky rice was in Krabi (30baht) @ Market.

 Green curry fried rice (45baht). Usually I have green curry in soup based instead of fried rice. Tasted so good, maybe because I was hungry that time. It was not too milky compared to the fried rice version. It was very fragrant as well.

Love the food court the most and Food Republic couldn't compete with Pier 21 in terms of the ambience and prices. All of my friends love Bangkok the most because they are drawn to the cheap and delicious food here.

 You will never miss the sign of Pier 21 inside the @Terminal 21 located behind the iconic Golden Gate Bridge!

 Secondly, please visit the wash rooms too! Every floor with different themes including automatic washlet. One of the best wash room in Bangkok.

Hokkaido green tea soy milk. Tasted just nice for me and not too sweet. Located near the supermarket.

The ugly side of Burger King @ Masjid Jamek, Kuala Lumpur

As you know the Masjid Jamek area have not much food to eat besides fast food. I try to avoid McDonald's because the set lunch is not cheap as it used to be and Burger King is offering RM5.95++ all day long. My friends and I love to go there for lunch because it is cheaper and Burger King offers 4 varieties from beef to chicken.

From the sets of RM5.95++ can be upgrade from fries to onion ring for just 0.80++. So I did upgraded until I found something from the picture above. Is that onion ring overcooked or not cooked ? Retarded onion ring? I went to the cashier and show them about this and they respond to me it can be "EATEN". HELLO?! You think customers are stupid? 

Something in not right with the ring. I didn't eat here ever since March 26 2013.

Pink Room (Take A Nap Hotel) @ Bangkok, Thailand

It has been a month my partner and I didn't blog. Let me share my experience in a pink room in Silom, Bangkok for my graduation trip in Thailand with my other course mates. Actually this hotel offers different themes for each room but I have 4 other friends which means I had to get a bigger room for a group of friends. This hotel managed to offer this and with an additional bed too.

All of my friends are guys. Staying in a pink room? Seriously?!

 They do have other themes for a room of 4 people for just RM200 per night but for that week I went to Bangkok, the room available was just pink room. I would love to stay in this hotel again if the seashells theme is available.

 Air cond temperature can be only set at a certain temperature. That's the only disadvantages for this hotel because it is not cold enough for such a big room.

 Breakfast area

The corridor of the hotel.

 Next street of the hotel is a gay street.

Black burger by McDonald's @ Mong Kok, Hong Kong

This will be my second time having black burger and my first time was at Burger Lab's. Black burger by McDonald's tasted so much better than Burger Lab's! What I can comment from my Burger Lab's food experience was overrated. I couldn't feel full?!

Black Burger by McD- "Discover the dark side of flavor with our new mashed potato base burger smothered in truffle sauce tapped by two 100% beef patties and wrapped in a deep black squid ink bun and bacon"

Food in Kuching Part 4: Going back in time

Previous related posts:

Food in Kuching Part 1
Food in Kuching Part 2
Food in Kuching Part 3: Foochow Food

For today's post, it is more indigenous and Malay.

We tried Sago Pancakes in Sarawak Cultural Village. It smells yummy and it tastes best eaten when it's fresh. If not it'll be dry. The pancake is not super sweet. Support the people working there :D And haha, I did not take down the price. Wahahahah... ahahahha..hah (OMG how could you do this to us?!)

Ok it's RM 2. It is not cooked or fried with oil.

Sago Pancake

Since it's the cultural village and this blog is about food, I'll post some pictures showing how the kitchen looks like in those days.

Check out how they store the red spoons int he picture below. It's ingenius for me!

Big pan and big stove and big fire..

Imagine all the embers flying about while you cook! Ouch ouch ouch and smoky.

I think cooking with these kills two birds with one stone.

You cook and get food, and you get a sauna at the same time.

Cherish our modern stoves and ovens :P

Opposite the Cultural Village is the Damai beachfront. They have a food court there where performers from the cultural village eat as well. I ordered Butter Chicken Rice from Stall Number 10 and I was pleasantly surprised that it tasted good.

For dinner, we took a boat across the Kuching waterfront to the restaurant called Barok (or My Village Barok). We were recommended to go there to try the Ayam Penyet. The best description of the restaurant I can give is it's behind a big food court and it's a wooden house. When I first entered, it reminded me of Aunty Juliet's in Kota Kemuning.

In Barok, they have a lot of set menus to choose from. We chose the one with Chinese tofu (they make it really like the Chinese style and good!), pakis cooked with garlic called Midin (green vegetable that we do not have in KL, good too), vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms etc), chicken (Ayam Penyet) and rice.

It must be good because the cats there sat beside me on the stool. The waiter had to chase the cat away. Another customer next to us helped too. Everyone was friendly :D even the cats, so no fear.

From top right clockwise: Rice (everybody knows so it's a good starting point XD), Chinese tofu, the bowl of vegetables, pakis called Midin, fish and then the chicken (Ayam Penyet).

The fish was awesome. It was cooked right and smooth. Nyam nyam nyam. Mahu lagi. We ordered siakap fish cooked in sweet and sour sauce.

For drinks, we ordered the Barok Special. In Barok Special, there's Sunkist, lime, lemon, asam boi and lychee. I would describe the taste as refreshing :D

Set Lunch @ Teeq Roof Top, Lot 10 Bukit Bintang KL

Top image: Breakfast set (RM15++) come with free refillable drinks. Although this is available during lunch hour from 12- 2.45pm but it was called as breakfast set. The bacon was a beef in the set.

Bottom image: Beef Burger (RM25++) come with free refillable drinks. All of my friends agree this was the best meal of the whole set lunch because of the juiciness of the beef.

The ambience of the shop and free sky juice in the champagne glass facing KL tower ;D

Top image : Beef Kuay Teow (RM12++) with free refillable drinks. This was the cheapest set offered by Teeq. The beef was given in slice and my friend ordered this for the second time because it was delicious.

Bottom image : Butter fish (RM15++) with free refillable drinks. This tasted so-so only.

I ordered Ice lemon tea (free refill) and every sets come with free bread. You can dip the bread into the olive oil too. Happy hour from 5pm? You can get a cocktail from RM13! I would love to try that if next time I pass by there.

Free refillable drinks from all carbonated drinks (Pepsi, Ice lemon tea and so on). The waitress serve us well and ask us whether want to get a cup of coffee or tea. The picture of the liquor is not free. haha. I have been there twice and the service was as good as Shangri-La Hotel KL and for a very affordable price too.

Address

Level 8, Rooftop, Lot 10

Shopping Centre, Lot RT3, 50

Jalan Sultan Ismail

50250 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia

Business Hour

Mon - tue : 12.00 - 15.00,  18:30 - 23:00

Wed -Sat : 12:00 - 15:00, 18:30 - 01:00

Sun : 12:00 - 15:00, 18:30 - 23:00

Directions

View Larger Map

Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Teeq-Brasserie/166480816743566?sk=page_map

Contact Number

03- 2782 3555

Email

info@teeq.com.my

Website

http://www.teeq.com.my

*SERVICE CHARGE 10%

*GOVERNMENT TAX 6%