South Korea (1) – Seoul Children’s Museum 어린이대공원 상상나라

I highly recommend this place to all kids out there. I spent the entire afternoon there to explore the four stories. Less than US$4 per person (above 36months) admission fee is so worth it!

B1: Sensitivity Development Play
1F: Space Play, Art Play and Nature Play
2F: Toddler playground, Imagination Play and Physical Play
3F: Science Play, Culture Play and Family Lounge (where we may sit down to have a drink or some snacks)

A picture is worth a thousand words. Let me show you some photos of mine, and I am sure you will want to visit this place too.

If you walk further in the Children's Grand Park, you will see a mini zoo with elephants, monkeys, bears and many other animals! I was there one and half year ago. So we decided to give it a miss this time round.

South Korea (Seoul) again – with a 10 month old baby and a 3.5 year old toddler

It’s my third time to Seoul, South Korea. This time, the trip was a pretty long one, (two weeks). We travelled from Seoul 서울 to Jeonju 전주 to Busan 부산 then back to Seoul from 31 May to 15 June. The trip was very child-friendly, filled with fun places for young kids. Though nothing much for my little brother, he was enjoying himself too. 

We started the trip with a red eye flight by Singapore Airline (SQ8). My first business class experience on a Boeing 777-300ER was amazing. Before boarding, we had the time to rest in the Business Class Lounge. 

Our seats were located on the first row but we didn’t board first. We took our time and strolled to the gate. The seats were wide and we could lie flat to sleep. I got a goodie bag from SQ too! I loved the available entertainment choices and watched The LEGO Movie.

Mummy chose “book a cook” as our inflight meal. Yummy! 

We arrived in the morning. I didn’t really sleep much. I might have enjoyed more if it was a day flight. But mummy said day flights were all A320 and business class was not as good. Lol. My 이모 came fetch us to our temporary home in Seoul and I had omelette rice as my first meal in Seoul. 

South Korea Family Trip (10) Seoul – Yeouido Park / Hangang / All about FOOD

This is going to be the last post for this 2 weeks long Korea trip (13 June to 26 June 2014).

We redeemed kris flyer miles for the round trip. Each adult spent 38250 miles & S$373 (US$300) and my ticket is S$137.80 (US$110). In total, we stayed in four accommodations all booked from Airbnb, cost S$500 (US$400) per person. Transport cost about S$290 (US$230) including KTX train ticket, domestic flights and car rental in Jeju.

This trip can be concluded as a leisure family trip, not on a tight budget and yet not a luxury one. We stayed comfortably and visited many places. We did not have expensive meals but decent savoury local  flavours. Mummy’s shopping therapy had just the right healing power on herself. She felt refreshed and recharged for the upcoming stay-at-home-taking-care-of-the-baby time.

We had four more days back in Seoul. I celebrated my 6 months old. Mummy permed her hair in a local salon. We took bus to move around the city to feel like a local. We spent a lazy afternoon in Yeouido Park and Yeouido Hangang Park. Mummy met up with many of her friends for a good catch up and food tasting. We finally packed our luggages and headed home. That was a scary 70kg, added with a checked-in stroller and travel cot free of charge.

This marks a great moment in my life. I have cut four teeth and started on solids. I am able to roll over and back, sit up without support and crawl to where I want to go.

Korean Style Perm at a price cheaper than Singapore. Mummy has not indulged herself in a hair treatment for very long!

Stroll in a street covered in green, imagine how lovely the cherry blossom would be in April.

Enjoy the hang river breeze and watch families and couples play in the water, picnic under the shade, or cycle along the path.

I am posing for a magazine cover. Do I look like a model? lol..

I am helping mummy to check if the bus is approaching.

Take out order from a typical Korean Chinese restaurant through a phone call.

Popular dish with rice cake.

Crushed ice with Mango, crushed ice topped with bean powders, and a slice of tasty toast bread from a stall in Myeongdong. It is very popular among Seoulites.

Bibimbap (mixed rice)

Breakfast is settled easily with a roll of kimbap and a drink.

Breastfeeding in public. I cover for mummy. This nursing top really works well. I don’t like the nursing cover though, quite stuffy inside.

We hired a jumbo taxi to bring us to Incheon Airport and two cars came to fetch us in SG. 70kg luggages + a stroller + a travel cot

Red eye flight is good for parents travelling with baby. I slept through the entire journey.

 

Our accommodation in Seoul for the last four nights booked from Airbnb:

Duplex apartment @SEOUL STATION #2 (https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/2825891)

Apartment – Entire home/apt · yongsangu manrijaero, Seoul, South Korea, Seoul 140-828, South Korea

My review of the place:

Kang’s apartment is just located behind Seoul Station, Lotte Mart and Lotte Outlets. The interior is very clean and new with full facilities. It was a very comfortable stay for us. Kang is very helpful. He met us at the exit of the airport train and introduced us to his place. He helped us order take out food so that we could just eat in the room. He also helped us call a jumbo taxi and brought our luggages down to the taxi upon check out. Thanks so much for all the help! Highly recommended!

South Korea Family Trip (6) Seoul – Shopping @ Namdaemun Market & Myeongdong

When women go shopping, time is always forgotten. This day was spent shopping only. It was something new for mummy as she has never shopped for baby clothes before in Seoul. Suggestion given by her Korean friend is Namdaemun Market (남대문시장) which is the largest and best general wholesale market in Korea. It is known for offering virtually every product imaginable, including clothing, kitchen utensils, handicrafts, accessories, food and much more to wholesale and retail customers nationwide inexpensively. Most of the shops directly produce their own wares. You can get all your Korean Souvenirs cheaper here instead of Insadong. Namdaemun Market is THE place for baby clothes with an alley of children wear shopping malls. It holds more than 90% of the children’s clothing market share in Korea. The most appropriate time for retail customers to shop is from 9am to 5pm.

Way to the market:
Railway: 5 minutes walk toward Namdaemun after Express Train
Subway: Hoihyun (Namdaemun Market) Station of Subway Line No.4
Airport Bus: 6051 (you can come for a transit shopping)

F-block is where all the children’s clothing is located. Map/Guide is available at the Tourist Information Center. I have plenty of new clothes to wear now.
Website: www.namdaemunmarket.co.kr

We had Tteokbokki (a popular Korean snack food made from soft rice cake, fish cake and sweet red chili sauce) and Sundae (boiled or steamed cow or pig’s intestines that are stuffed with various ingredients) along the street to cut lunch time for more shopping time.

Then it’s ladies shopping time at Myeongdong for fashion and cosmetics. It’s just one subway station away and if you are strong enough you can walk there. Unlike Namdaemun or Dongdaemun, many designer brands are sold in Myeongdong. In addition, several major department stores include Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeongdong Migliore, Noon Square and M Plaza. The department stores carry many premium labels and other fashionable goods at reasonable prices. There are so many local Korean cosmetics brands. Mummy loves Innisfree and the new Banila Co. The nursing room at Lotte Department Store is worth mentioning! It is by far the best nursing room I have ever visited! There is even a room for babies to sleep and rest with cute lamps, cots and swing chairs. Wet wipes, bottle washer and many other necessities are also provided free of charge. Mummy measured my weight and length too! 🙂

We had dinner at Myeongdong Kyoja (명동교자), a noodle restaurant around for 40 years. We tried all four main dishes knife-cut handmade kalguksu noodles, mandu (dumplings), bibim guksu (noodles with vegetables and red hot pepper paste), and kongguksu (noodles in cold soy milk broth).

We walked a lot today. Mummy carried me in a hipseat while shopping. Women are never tired from shopping. Pity their legs and feet. Maybeummy should go for a foot massage. Lol..

South Korea Family Trip (5) – Rail Bike

We planned to go Nami Island and Gangchon Rail Park at the outskirt of Seoul in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do province today. By the time we leave our apartment it’s already 10am and we wished not to have a rush day. So we decided to give Nami Island a miss (mummy had been there anyway), took the ITX train and went to Gangchon Rail Park (강촌레일파크) directly. (For those of you who watched Running Man, this is the filming location of ep.144) The Gangchon Rail Bike rides on a 8km long abandoned railway, from Gangchon Station to Gimyujeong Station, or vice versa.

It is summer now. Though there is no romantic Spring cheery blossom or colourful autumn leaves, the bright green covered mountain and gleaming river is definitely a great enjoyment, not to mention some serious exercise. The official website of Gangchon Railbike is in Korea, so it may not be so easy to find your way there.

We started from Cheongryangri station (청량리역). You can grab some breakfast there and have it in the train to save some time. We made reservation for family seats of four at 1130am online. There was nobody checking our tickets on ITX, so I guess it’s all by integrity. It was my first time taking a train. Exciting~

Nursing room in the ITX train. Look for the bottle sign to locate this in the train.

We alighted at Gimyujeong Station (김유정역). There is one transfer at Namchuncheon Station from ITX line. We had to go out of Namchuncheon station, tapped T-money to come in, and then take the normal subway line for one stop to Gimyujeong Station. The station is very uniquely designed. It is named after the Korean novelist Kim You-jeong.

To our surprise, there is a well maintained nursing room at the station! Just call the person-in-charge of the station to get a key.

We chose to start from Gimyujeong Station because the journey had more downslopes and seemed to be less tiring. There is fixed departure timing for the ride. As I needed to be fed and took a nap, we pushed the ride from 1pm to 3pm. While resting, we had a bowl of sweet dessert Patbingsu (팥빙수, red beans with ice).

Though the sun was still blazing down on us at 3pm, the cool summer breeze blew away all discomfort. Let’s enjoy the picturesque scenery along the journey. The tunnels were filled with fun elements, such as Oppa Gangnam Style disco theme and galaxy theme.

How cool I am! Trying to sit up straight by myself for the first time!

After about 1 hour ride (with 10mins break in the middle, you can recharge with some snacks and ice creams. Remember your bike number as you need to go back to the same bike after the break), we arrived at Gangchon. The free shuttle bus brought us back to Gimyujeong Station.

We had the famous Chuncheon Spicy stir-fried chicken and rice (닭갈비 ‘Dakgalbi’), the most popular local dish in Chuncheon, at 봉봉닭갈비막국수. It is prepared by marinating boneless chicken in spicy red pepper paste and stir-frying it with various ingredients in a large cast iron pan. You can order rice to stir-fry in the pan to soak up the extra, flavorful sauce!

We took our time resting and enjoying the time spent with one another in the restaurant. We did not go back to the same train station, went to Yongsan Station (용산역) instead, the last station for ITX. (On February 28, 2012, ITX trains began service between this station and Chuncheon Station on the Gyeongchun Line.) We kept our luggages in the locker provided in the station and went for a walk (actually shopping) at the I’PARK Mall, which is a state-of-the-art shopping mall connected to the station.

Railbike
Tunnels

South Korea Family Trip (4) Seoul – Namsangol Hanok Village / MIZY Centre / Myeongdong

The second day started with a culture immersion visit to Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골 한옥마을) which is located right in front of Chungmuro Subway Station. This village has five restored traditional Korean houses and a pavilion, a pond and a time capsule. The furniture in the house is situated to help guests understand the daily life of the past and you can try out some traditional games there. It’s a good choice for weekend family outing and you can be prepared to see many children during weekends/holidays. You can also take some photos in Hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) here for a small fee. The weather is getting hot now.

It was soon lunch time as we came out late again. 🙂  Wang Donkatsu (왕돈까스), the pork cutlet, is the main menu today. Mummy had the one with cheese. There are a few Donkatsu specialty restaurants beside the Namsan Cable Car station. 

We visited mummy’s BFF in the afternoon since it is near where we were. Yiyi (aunt) works for MIZY Centre located on the second floor of the Seoul Youth Hostel. The MIZY Center provides a variety of cultural understanding and international exchange programs for the youth of the multicultural era in order to support their growth as global citizens. Her job sounds so inspiring and fulfilling.

Website: http://www.mizy.net/eng/main/

Ladies love shopping! This is a fact! I am a boy but I was forced to shop with the ladies. Myeong-dong (명동) is one of the primary shopping districts in Seoul. Many brand name shops and department stores line the streets and alleys. Common products for sale include clothes, shoes, and accessories. Myeongdong also has family restaurants, fast food, plus Korean, Western and Japanese dining options. Myeongdong Catholic Church is also a well-known tourist attraction. After some shopping, we settled at Andong Jjimdak (안동찜닭 steamed chicken of Andong) for dinner. It is a variety of jjim (a Korean steamed or boiled dish), which originated in the city of Andong, and is made with chicken, various vegetables marinated in a ganjang (Korean soy sauce) based sauce.

A new trend of ice cream attracted our attention and one is selling at US$3.

 

We wanted to visit Namsan Tower after lunch. But taxi can’t go near it. We had a stroller. It was not possible to walk up under the hot sun. We could either take a yellow bus or the cable car. Nevertheless, it is still best to visit Namsan Tower at night. I sleep quite early at night (around 8pm) and traveling has been very tiring for me. We decided to skip the night market Dongdaemun and the beautiful Namsan Seoul Tower this round. These places are just a short distance by bus or taxi from Myeongdong. You can go after dinner. There is always something for the next trip. Sharing from mummy:

This is where couples lock their love locks. 🙂 Daddy & Mummy!

South Korea Family Trip (3) Seoul – Gyeongbokgung / Insadong / Bukchon Hanok Village

Travel tips for travellers with baby:

#1: DON’T plan your activities in the itinerary so packed. You will never be able to follow the timeline you set. The baby needs to be fed or changed and to take nap whenever he wants, not when you are convenient to do so.

#2: Take into consideration the mode of transport. You may find it very difficult to find paths to push the stroller around. Even when you are carrying the baby in a carrier, long standing walking journey or frequent transit in a subway can also require a lot of stamina. Taking taxi or renting a car may be easier. Taxi fare is considerably cheap in Seoul, so we chose to take taxi most of the time.

#3: Prepare to learn a bit of the local language or at least get them written down. Though there is free interpretation services in most department stores, taxis and attractions, it is still easier if you have a note ready for simple instructions like where to go, how much, etc. Not many people speak English here. Mummy speaks Korean, that’s why we had no problem moving around. Great!

#4: Pack all essentials and yet keep them minimum and light. I am still drinking breastmilk, so mummy does not need to bring bottles and milk powders (another problem my mummy is facing is that I do not drink from the bottle, she has to feed me personally. :P). You can hang the diaper bag on the stroller if you are travelling with one, if not, it’s best to carry a diaper backpack. Mummy got hers here.

Items in the diaper backpack: more than enough diapers, a diaper changing mat and wet tissues, a packet of puree and some baby rice powder, a fridge-to-go with an ice pack to store pumped breastmilk and baby cheese, an electric breast pump (just in case), a nursing cover (used when breastfeeding in public), a scarf (to block wind/sunlight), a set of clothes.

 

You can find many useful information from

Visit Seoul Website http://www.visitseoul.net/en/index.do?_method=main

Visit Korea Website (Korea Tourism Org) http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto

 

Though mummy has been to Seoul for countless times, it’s my grand-aunts’ first time to Seoul, thus, the palace is a must see attraction. So our first day here was a day of walking tour among historical sites. Gyeongbokgung Palace –> Insadong –> Bukchon Hanok Village –> Samcheongdong. We had the famous traditional Ginseng Chicken Soup, Samgyetang, for dinner.

We could not start the day earlier, because I had to take a bath and have my breakfast. When my mummy, grandma and grandaunts were ready to go, it was my nap time. lol.. We took taxi to the palace directly from our apartment cost US$5. We had lunch at the cafe in the National Palace Museum of Korea (국립고궁박물관), free admission to the museum where you get to see over 20,000 royal relics from Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine on display. It is located beside Gyeongbokgung Palace. Mummy and I checked out the nursing room while the others touring the museum. The nursing room is so lovely!

Nursing Room is called 수유실 – ‘suyusil’ in Korean.

 

Gyeongbokgung (Gyeongbok Palace)  (from Visit Seoul Website) was the first royal palace built by the Joseon Dynasty, three years after the Joseon Dynasty was founded in 1395. It was built by King Taejo, the first king and the founder of the Joseon Dynasty at the heart of newly appointed capital of Seoul (then known as Hanyang) and represented the sovereignty of the Joseon Dynasty. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces (the others being Gyeonghuigung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, Changdeokgung), Gyeongbokgung served as the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongbokgung is comprised of several palace buildings, most notably Geunjeongjeon, a majestic imperial throne hall designated as Korea’s National Treasure No. 223; Gyeonghoeru, a magnificent royal banquet hall designated as Korea’s National Treasure No. 224 and Hyangwonjeong, a beautiful lake-side pavilion.
Website: http://www.royalpalace.go.kr

We were just in time for the Guard Changing Ceremony outside Gyeongbokgung. I had a nap, so I missed the palace tour. Oops..
Guard Changing

 

Stop 2: Insadong. It’s just 10-15mins walk away. Google map asks you to take one stop subway and then walk. I suggest you walk towards the opposite side of the National Palace Museum and ask people about it. Insadong street is about two traffic lights away.

You can stroll to Insadong.

Insadong (from Visit Seoul Website) Nowhere exudes more local and traditional charm than Insadong, a quaint neighborhood in the center of Seoul that transports visitors back to a time when women wore hanbok and men rode horses. With its wooden tea houses, boutique galleries and street vendors selling traditional snacks, a stroll through Insadong is mandatory for all visitors, especially on Sundays when the streets become traffic free and come alive with street performances, buskers and throngs of young and old who have come to experience one of Seoul’s most fascinating and creative neighborhoods. While the entertainment here is free, Insadong is also one of the best places in Seoul to purchase traditional Korean art, products, and other souvenirs, as it is filled with antique shops, art galleries, traditional stationery shops, handicraft shops, pottery and porcelain shops, bookstores, and art supply stores. Insadong is also home to many traditional restaurants and teahouses. There is a unique Starbucks sign in Korean and many traditional restaurants.

You will not miss this landmark in Insadong. Ssamziegil is a traditional culture and shopping complex that houses over 70 stores that sell various items, ranging from fashion and art to food and accessories, on four floors above the ground that are connected by spiral staircases.

 

Stop 3: Bukchon Hanok Village & Samcheongdong

Samcheong-dong is one of the most unique places in Seoul. Gyeongbokgung Palace lies to its left and Changdeokgung Palace to its right, with Cheong Wa Dae (the President’s Office) and Insa-dong to the north and south respectively. Samcheong (sam means “three” and cheong “clean or good”) was given its name in reference to the three things it has plenty of: clean water, beautiful neighboring mountains and kind-hearted residents. It is famous for its Bukchon Hanok (Korean traditional houses) Village. Maintained remarkably well, the calm, antique beauty of Korean traditional houses standing proud amid the hustle and bustle of the city makes Samcheong-dong one of the most extraordinary places in Seoul. Samcheong-dong seems to appeal to artistic types and in recent years, chic galleries, restaurants, cafés, and accessory shops have sprung up in the surrounding area, respectful integrating themselves into the area’s traditional feel.

The walk to the top was quite energy consuming, 🙂 but the view is definitely worthwhile. We walked from Insadong to Bukchon and all the way back to Gyeongbokgung.

 

Dinner time! Tosokchon (토속촌) Ginseng Chicken Soup, Samgyetang Restaurant. The queue is long always.

Though I didn’t get a chance to feel the palace, mummy decided to share some old photos she took in her previous trips there. It looks fabulous!

South Korea Family Trip (2) – Arriving at Seoul

We arrived in Seoul late in the afternoon after a pleasant flight.

There was a shuttle train to bring us to the main arrival hall. (This depends on the arrival gate.) Many people seemed to be in a hurry.

It took us a while to clear custom. This was mummy’s first time exploring this special facility of Incheon Airport. Before we proceeded to the airport limousine bus stop, she made a short stop at the nursing room. The room is colourfully decorated with cute pictures, very user friendly with apparatus like weighing scale, hot water, sterilizer, diaper changing table. There is even nursing pillows for breastfeeding mums! 

 

 

We topped up our T-money (similar to EZ-link card in SG). You can get this transport card at any convenient stores. The airport limousine brought us directly to the door of our accommodation which mummy booked from Airbnb. Here is the information of this apartment and mummy’s review.

▶Ultra-Budget◀ @ EWHA UNIV.3  https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/3136649

Apartment – Entire home/apt · Daeheung-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-080, South Korea

Our family of four had a great time staying at Sunny’s place. The location of the apartment is very convenient, just beside the airport limousine bus stop and Ewha subway station. Close to all the streets of shops near Ewha. The room is very clean and well furnished. Living here feels like staying at home. The host, Sunny, is very warm and hospitable. She welcomed us with fruits and provided bottled water. It is more suitable for two people to stay. It’s a bit small for four and since there is only one bed, the other two need to sleep on an inflated mattress. It’s easily accessible with no stairs which makes our traveling very convenient. Highly recommended. She has a very adorable baby boy! 🙂