Taiwan Family Trip (4) – Kaohsiung/Kenting

We had breakfast in the hotel and left for a Kaohsiung city tour in the car. The weather today was too hot to do anything outdoor! We passed by the 85 Sky Tower, Love River, and took a few photos at Sizihwan Bay.  

           
Before we left for Kenting, we ate the No. 1 Beef Noodles in Kaohsiung for lunch, though I only tasted a bit.  

 
The drive down to Kenting was quite a pleasant one with clear views of the mountain, the countrysides and soon the sea. After less than 2 hours drive from Kaohsiung, we were at Kenting. I kept on saying ‘Wow!’ as I saw the turquoise sea from the car window. 

We checked in, settled down and geared up for the sunset at Guanshan, one of the most beautiful sunset scenes I have ever seen! 

Daddy drove up to the car park. We were early for the sunset which was said to be at 6.37pm according to the weather app on iPhone. Daddy took out his DJI Drone and captured a few pictures of the bird’s-eye view of the surrounding areas. 

   

  
I was very fascinated by this little device. On one hand, I was a bit scared by its sound and motion; on the other hand, I wanted to touch and play it. I called this thing “plane” though. 

Then we went to the lookout to wait for the sunset. I seriously could not understand why people liked to gather around to see the sun setting. The sun sets everyday, doesn’t it? Anyway, I was more interested in the trees and birds there.

  

  

 

We had seafood dinner again! Seafood for the third consecutive day. Daddy ordered beer today. I think Kenting is quite an ideal holiday destination. 

  

Taiwan Family Trip (3) – Kaohsiung

From North to the South. 

Daddy drove all the way from Taipei to Kaohsiung in our rented white Toyota Wish. It was a 350km drive and took about 3 hours. We stopped at a highway rest area 國道台中清水服務區休息站 for a short toilet and lunch break.  
We reached our hotel in Kaohsiung around 5pm. Mummy booked this hotel especially for me. The entire hotel is decorated with colorful art drawings on the wall. We even had a cocoon swing chair in our room. I loved it! 

 

  

   

Let me give mummy a call~

Daddy drove us to Cijin Island via the underwater Kaohsiung Harbor Tunnel. We caught the last sight of sunset at the beach.

  

    

We stopped at the old street and hoped to get some fresh seafood. Unfortunately, the restaurants seemed to be overpriced for the tourists from nearby hotels. 

     

We decided to go 萬三小吃店, a place that is famous for locals and really value for money! This is going to be Daddy and mummy’s all time favorite! Free self-service rice and drinks and free fruit platter were provided. 

   

  

Taiwan Family Trip (2) – Taipei

Daddy’s good friend had not been to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the most prominent historical landmark in Taiwan, and daddy thought it would be good for me to pay a visit there. The CKS Memorial Hall was erected in honor and memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the former President of the Republic of China, and was opened in 1980 as part of a national park and gathering area. I ran freely at the Liberty Square under the scorching sun.    

Free Soul

There were some exhibitions going on too.

  

 

Lunch was done at Ay- Chung Flour-Rice Noodle Mee Sua 阿宗麵線 in Ximending shopping district. I took a nap there and was woken up by a fierce dog. 😦 

 

After a good rest, I was faced with a big challenge. (To be frank, it’s a big challenge for my photographer.) Yi Po bought me a professional photo shoot package. I was supposed to come when I was 6 months old, but now I am already 1.5 years old. It’s probably the rowdiest time of a toddler that the photographers hate the most. We spent 4 hours in the studio. Hopefully the photos would turn out to be nice. 

      

  

We had dinner at a Tung Hakka Cuisine 桐花客家私房料理 in Neihu District. It was not easy to reserve for a table though.       

Taiwan Family Trip (1) – Taipei

We are on the go again. This time Koaladidi is in Taiwan, the Republic of China, an island in East Asia between People’s Republic of China and Japan. 

We almost missed the midnight flight actually. Check in counter closes 1 hour before departure for scoot. Our flight was 00:45 and we reached the airport 11:45! The main reason was the MPV taxi mummy reserved waited for us for a while with calling and left just when we came downstairs. Our plan was disturbed by this and thus we were late catching another taxi. Lesson learnt! We need to leave house much earlier next time! 

 

We reached Taiwan at 5.05am and reached our cozy little home at 新埔新巨蛋 around 6.20am. Daddy and mummy immediately fell asleep. Grandma entertained me till 11am and I fell asleep too. Beef noodle for lunch and everyone’s craving was satisfied. 

   

Then, we went to have a look at Mitsui and had some sashimi. Too bad that I could not eat sashimi and I was actually quite scared to see those live see creatures waiting to be eaten. This set of seafood was about NT$1800. 

   

       

We wanted to have dinner at 欣葉 in Taipei 101 as daddy and mummy said the view up there was really something. But they didn’t call to make reservation. We needed to wait for at least 2 hours for a table, so we gave up. Anyway, mummy was more interested to go the Eslite Bookstore 誠品書店 to select some interesting Chinese books for me. 

  

 

They had dinner at a 熱炒 restaurant called 臨洋港 near our place, daddy wanted to go there so much. Any not to forget bubble tea 珍珠奶茶 at 50嵐！I was left in the room though. >.<  

 

First Trip after Turning 1

My great grandfather’s 90th birthday was on Friday. We were on a three-day trip. We flew from SG to WH by Silkair at 9am. Daddy and mummy was worried that I would run around or make a fuss. It turned out that I behaved well possibly because I found everything very amusing. The inflight time was also pleasant as my parents tried so hard to ensure that I didn’t make too much noise with lots of tidbits and toys. 

Ready to go! That’s my flight!

Go! Go! Koaladidi is a big boy!

  

koaladidi tried all kinds of positions at the seat

 

Silkair is under Singapore Airline, so all the service and food were not too bad. I had an infant meal with purée from Heinz. But I preferred my biscuits and cereals. 

Mummy prepared fresh fruits and cheese for koaladidi.

Dinner was held in a restaurant with none of the relatives I knew and neither did my mum. (She had seen a few though.)  

I was bored at the dinner so I played with tissues.

I read books even at my great grandparents’ place.

 

I explored the estate as mummy didn’t really like the idea of going out.

   

I wore mummy’s cardigan and played wefie with mummy in the car while waiting.

We came back on Sunday 2pm. What a short and tiring trip for all. I was a bit restless but still was fascinated by the taking off and landing of the plane. I took a short nap too. 

Daddy has a tummy that is so comfortable and nice snacks for me!

The view up in the air is stunning.

  

koaladidi read the safety rules carefully

   

Late Winter in Sydney Australia (3)

I am still talking about my trip to Sydney in Sept here. Why does it take me three months to resume my writing? It is because my dear mom forgot her password and how to set up the WordPress app on her new mobile phone. It’s alright. Let me continue.

Our itinerary for today was 1) Sydney Fish Market 2) Darling Harbour 3) Sydney Bridge and Opera House 4) Bondi Junction Plaza.

The cool winter breeze was perfect for people from a tropical country. We strolled our way through the Sydney CBD to the Fish Market where we had lunch with the sea gulls. Oysters, prawns, crabs and other Australian delicacies lie nearly on the icy shelf. The seafood here looks so fresh and juicy. You can buy the cooked meal sets or grab the raw ones and get them to cook in a way you want.
http://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/home

The cheapest way to have a full view of the Sydney Bridge and Opera House from the sea would probably be taking a public ferry from Darling Harbour. The last time daddy and mummy took a jet boat which was definitely faster and more costly.

We had a bit of photo session here just like all the tourists in Sydney. How I wished I could walk. Nevertheless, I still crawled joyfully up and down the stairs at the Opera House. Then we headed back to Bondi to have dinner. For your information, it was STEAK again!

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 (8) Jeju – Car Rental / Dongmun Market

Grandma, two grand aunties, mummy and I flew to Jeju-do/Jeju island from Busan on Jeju Air 2.25pm-3.20pm for about US$57 per person. The domestic flight took only 55 minutes. The return flight departed Jeju at 11.20am and reached back at Seoul at 12.25pm. It was also just a 65 minutes flight. We booked too late and all the discounted fares were sold out and we got ours at about US$78. So we spent a total of US$135. If you watch the fares closely on different airlines, you may be able to get a return flight for as low as US$40, 30% of what we paid.

You can book your domestic flights in Korea via any of the following airlines: Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, Jin Air, Air Busan, T’way Air,

These budget airlines fly to nearby places such as Japan, HK, Thailand, etc.

Two relatives joined us for Jeju trip, so we rented a 7-seater Chevrolet Orlando for our weekend trip here. Mummy was the driver. Take a shuttle bus outside Gate 5 of Jeju International Airport and go to the office of respective car rental company to complete the rental procedures. Mummy made her reservation online though.

Note: You need to have an International Driving License in order to rent a car in Jeju Island. Driving is the easiest to get around with GPS installed. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi or a jumbo taxi for larger group on a daily basis for a fixed fee. Then you don’t have to worry about driving. But most of the drivers cannot speak English. Taking public transport is the cheapest but most time consuming method. You may have to walk a lot more too. 

Our accommodation was only 10 minutes drive from the airport. So we put down our luggages and walked 15 minutes to the Jung-ang Ro Shopping Street Alley Market and the famous Dongmun Market Place. It’s a traditional Korean market selling home-made kimchi, side dishes, local food, fruits, and Jeju specialty ORANGE.

Our accommodation (which I do not recommend):

3 rooms nearby airport and downtown 

Apartment – Entire home/apt · 이도일동, 제주시, 제주특별자치도 690-021, South Korea

My review:

Six of us stayed in the 3-room flat near the airport for three nights.

Review of the host:
The host was very caring. She contacted us to make sure we can reach the place. She was kind to show us around the house when we first arrived and gave us rice/eggs to eat. She also provided us with clean blankets and towels to use. She was responsive in answering all queries and gave us directions and suggestions to the nearby market and restaurant on the first day. She installed a new aircon in the room and provided electrical mosquito killer. She can speak English well.

Review of the house:
The pictures look much better than the house itself. The house looks better at night probably that’s why the pictures were all taken when the lights were switched on. It is not well maintained and the furnitures are worn out. The balcony and laundry place look abandoned. The house is packed with leftover household items. The fridges are filled with half used sauces and food. The house has a bad smell, probably from those leftover food. The shower water is too soft for a comfortable shower. There are also mosquitos in the house. We were out in the day and only back for the night and could not sleep well due to the loud wind blowing sound coming from the shabby windows. It’s very near the airport though, takes less than 10mins drive.

Suggestions:
It’s better that the host cleans up the house and leaves the travelers a better living environment. She should also label the items in the house. No English instructions at all for washing machines and other electrical devices. We could not connect to the wifi there.

We had a bit of misunderstanding at the end but solved with mutual agreement. We expected a much better apartment environment with the price charged. If not that we wanted to stay together, it’s much wiser to choose a hotel at the same rate then. Please make your choice wisely.

South Korea Family Trip (7) Busan – Haeundae / APEC House / Shinsegae Centum City / Gwangan Bridge

Busan (부산 or 釜山) is the second largest metropolis after Seoul. It is located on the southeastern-most tip of the Korean peninsula. Busan was the host city of APEC 2005 Korea. Busan has Korea’s largest beach and longest river, and is home to the world’s largest department store, the Shinsegae Centum City.

We spent 3 days 2 nights there. Frankly speaking, real sightseeing time was less than 8 hours. So we covered the must-see places only. (This was mummy’s third time here. She told me about Taejongdae (태중대), Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) and the market place around Busan Station, all that she had visited. I am sure I will have another chance to see these places with my own eyes.)

DAY 1: We took the KTX speed train from Seoul Station to Busan Station. The journey takes about two and half hours. The one way ticket cost about US$45. It took quite a long drive from Busan Station to our apartment in Haeundae. Yiyi’s parents gave us a lift. Thanks a lot! I was so fascinated with his driving!

It was almost night time when we reached our apartment. We took a short stroll around the apartment building, shopped for a while at Homeplus Supermarket (similar to Walmart) and settled our dinner there. We could see the APEC centre from our window. It was only 22 degrees, naturally air conditioned environment. We loved it! We do not get this weather in Singapore.

 

DAY 2: We had another day of walking tour. It started with a glimpse of the Gwangan Bridge. This suspension bridge is the second longest bridge in the country after the Incheon Bridge. We saw this after 5 minutes walk from the apartment. We came again in the evening to admire its night view when the lights were turned on. We visited Nurimaru APEC House –> Haeundae Beach & Pojangmacha Village –> the Shinsegae Centum City (신세계 센텀시티).

I fell asleep in mummy’s hipseat carrier. Mummy used a big scarf to block the blowing sea wind.

We briefly walked around the APEC Climate Center (APCC). The furniture was still maintained as it was for the APEC summit in 2005.

Pojangmacha refers to small tented restaurants on wheels, or street stalls in Korea which sell a variety of popular street foods. Many stalls here selling fresh live seafood, but not open when we were there. (Probably only open at night.)

The fishcake odeng (오뎅) boiled in crab soup tasted very delicious.

The Shinsegae Centum City Department Store is registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest shopping complex in the world. There is a ice rink and a golf range under the same roof.

It was indeed a tough exercise for mummy to walk the whole day carrying a baby 8kg heavy.

If you have a limited travel time, taking a tour bus may be a better choice. It drops you at the main attractions for only US$10 a day. You can get off the bus at any stop and board another one later. The night tour bus operates separately. But it is more popular, so be sure to make reservation in advance. When we want to purchase the tickets, only 2 seats left for the night tour bus, but we had 4 of us. We had to give it a miss.

You can make your reservation for Busan Tour Bus here. Take note that it does not operate on Mondays.

 

DAY 3: The airport limousine bus stop was minutes away from our apartment. The bus came on time according to the timetable listed there. It took about an hour to reach Gimhar Airport, where we were going to take a plane to Jeju Island. Our T-money could not be used for this bus, so we paid cash US$8 per person.

The dustbins at Gimhae Airport are so creatively designed.

Check out the nursing room at Gimhae Airport.

There is a baby cot for baby to sleep, a sofa for mummies to rest and an air purifier to keep the air fresh!

We took Jeju Air from Busan to Jeju. We booked late, so the fare was quite expensive, one way US$80. On some good days, you can get a ticket as low as US$20!

The pretty stewardess gave me a balloon dog during the flight. 🙂

 

This is the apartment we stayed for two nights in Busan booked on Airbnb.

Luxury Twin Residence HaeundaeBeach (https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/1139649)

Apartment – Entire home/apt · U-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan 612-021, South Korea

My review of the place:

The location and view of the apartment is wonderful. We enjoyed the sea view and the walk along the beach. The only down side was that the room was not cleaned. It’s dusty everywhere. But the host was quick in rectifying the problem and sent in a cleaner the next day. The room is much smaller than seen from the picture. Though we didn’t manage to meet Daniel in person, I could feel that he is very responsive and caring. I would recommend this place.

View of the sea from our apartment window.

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!