Mustachioventures

This is not a countdown for an upcoming South Korea trip, but a countdown for a past South Korea trip. Who counts down to the past? I do.

10 * TEN * 열

I booked a one-way ticket ten months in advance. I wasn't coming back. Just kidding. (But if I could, I would!) I was just waiting for a cheaper fare for my return via another city. I had months until the next promo fare to decide how long I would spend in South Korea, but in the end, it was the cheapest fare that decided my length of stay. I am a slave to the airline.

Map from Visit Korea

9 * NINE * 아홉

South Korea has nine provinces (Chungcheongbuk, Chungcheongnam, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Gyeongsangbuk, Gyeongsangnam, Jeju, Jeollabuk, Jeollanam) and eight special cities (Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Incheon, Sejong, Seoul, Ulsan). I want to visit all of them! But...

8 * EIGHT * 여덟

My cheap return ticket, bought six months after I bought my one way ticket to South Korea, dictated that I would only have eight whole days in the country. How should I spend it? Where should I go? What should I do? I had four months to iron out my 8-day itinerary. But did I start planning for the trip after I had sealed the deal with my return ticket? No. Procrastinator is my name.

7 * SEVEN * 일곱

I hustled three weeks before I had to fly out. I scrambled for places to see, for directions, for accommodations. I ended up with a long list of places, places scattered all over South Korea. Definitely unattainable in just eight days. By process of elimination (Too far? Too time consuming? Too expensive? Delete. Delete. Delete.) I trimmed it down to just seven cities: Incheon, Seoul, Suwon, Paju, Daegu, Changwon, Busan. All others, including Jeju, would have to wait.

6 * SIX * 여섯

My scramble for places to see, for directions, for accommodations led me to download several travel apps. On the trip itself, I ended up using just six of the apps: Visit Korea, Booking.com, Google My Maps, Weather, Seoul Subway, Korea Subway (for other cities).

5 * FIVE * 다섯

I have seven Korean friends. Two in Seoul, one in Gyeonggi, four in Busan. I sent them all a warning that I would be in their country. Five friends did not heed the warning and I happily cleared some days on my itinerary to spend with them. Two friends went into hiding. (The two had an important company event on the day I had scheduled to be in their city, and there was no way I could change my schedule as my outgoing flight was from there.)

4 * FOUR * 넷

With my itinerary ironed out, I had four modes of transportation to wrap my head around: airplane, subway, bus, KTX (South Korea's high-speed train). Taxi was out; too expensive.

3 * THREE * 셋

Maybe it's my friends. Maybe it's the kindness of strangers. Maybe it's the culture and history interspersed in a modern city. Maybe it's all these that has tugged at my shoelaces and purse strings the third time.

2 * TWO * 둘

I jammed my things into two bags. My 33L backpack (my constant travel companion) and a duffel bag. If I had a big backpack, one that would make me look like a walking backpack, I might have used just one bag. But my back says no, I wouldn't have survived; I would have toppled backward.

1 * ONE * 하나

Then there's one. One me. Me, myself, and I. My first solo trip from beginning to end.

South Korea on Three
South Korea Countdown (you're here!)
(more soon)

How I Spent My Eight Days in South Korea.

In short, my itinerary.

Click to enlarge

How Much I Spent for My Eight Days in South Korea.

In short, my expenses.

Click to enlarge

Like my previous posts about expenses, I did not include the airfare as I usually buy my tickets six to twelve months in advance, during airline promotions. Processing the visa would cost nothing if you have a Korean Consulate in your area. If you don't, then you'd have to process your visa through a travel agency who would charge a processing fee, of course.

Accommodation. I saved on accommodation by staying in dorms (four nights in Kam Guesthouse in Seoul and two nights in Sum Guesthouse Garosugil in Busan), spending about Php 550/night for a dorm bed (with breakfast). Most dorm beds would cost Php 800 to Php 1200/night. Then deciding I wanted some peace and quiet for a few days, I doubled my budget for accommodations and spent Php 1100/night for a single room at Aroha Guesthouse.

Transportation. I took the subway and the bus to go around. The only time I splurged was for the KTX (high speed train) to get to Daegu from Seoul. Daegu is 237 km south of Seoul and would take about 4 hours by bus. By KTX, it only takes half the time (2 hours).

Food. I took advantage of the free breakfast offered at the hostels I was staying in. For the rest of the day's meals, I would eat wherever I found food...from convenience stores, streetfood stalls, some restaurants. I spent an average of Php 760 per day (lunch, snacks, dinner). But I would advise to allocate at least KRW 30,000 (about Php 1300) a day for food.

Tour. For this trip, I spent most of my days walking around parks, temples, villages. I skipped the famous spots that I have been to before, like Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Bukchon Hanok Village, and N Seoul Tower. (Mind you, these are places not to miss for first timers.)

Others. For the first time in all my travels, I decided to rent a pocket wifi. Though it would be my third time in the country, I was planning to go to cities I was unfamiliar with. The pocket wifi proved very useful.

There you have it. Eight days in South Korea has made my wallet poorer but has made my little memory box a little bit heavier. And no, I am still not done with my exploration of this country. I hope to keep coming back until I see every nook and cranny of South Korea.

South Korea on Three
South Korea Countdown
Itinerary and Expenses (you're here!)
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These are the things that were most useful (aside from money) during my 8-day trip to South Korea:

T-money

My very pink T-money card, the only
design available at the time.

T-money was my ticket to almost anywhere in South Korea—it's a prepaid transportation card that can be used for the subway, bus, and taxi. (It can also be used to pay for purchases at affiliated convenience stores, vending machines, lockers, etc.)

For me to have a T-money card, I had to have money to purchase one. A T-money card (no credits yet) would cost from KRW 2500 to KRW 4000 (for cards with special designs) and can be bought and added with credits (from KRW 1000 to KRW 90,000) at convenience stores or at subways stations.

Advantages:

Fare charged using the T-money card is KRW 100 cheaper than when paying with cash.
Eliminates the hassle of buying a ticket every time you take the subway.
No need to have the exact amount when boarding the bus, just tap the card upon boarding and before alighting.
The remaining balance, if less than KRW 20,000, can be refunded at convenience stores minus a service charge of KRW 500. Refund amount of more than KRW 20,000 can only be refunded at the T-money headquarters in Seoul, so be sure to put in just enough for your trip.

Tip: If you plan to be in South Korea for five days or more and need to take the subway and/or bus often, a T-money card would be advantageous in terms of savings. You can estimate the total subway expense by searching for the route and fare using Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation's Cyber Map (for Seoul) or Subway Korea app by Malang Studio Co Ltd (for Seoul) or Korea Subway app by Pengtai (for Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju).

Smartphone
A late bloomer, I only got myself a decent smartphone less than a year ago. In years past, I never saw the need for one, and just went old school (paper maps!). Having a smartphone proved to be very useful for this trip...

Mobile Apps
...especially since I had to rely heavily on six apps:

Booking.com – This is where I found and booked all my accommodations: Kam Guesthouse in Seoul, Aroha Guesthouse in Seoul, and Sum Guesthouse Garosugil in Busan.
Visit Korea – I scoured the Visit Korea app for places to see in South Korea. In addition to photos and a description about the place, this app also provides important information like transportation directions, maps, operating hours, and admission fees.
Google Maps or Google My Maps – I used Google Maps/Google My Maps to find my way around. Being a map geek, I pinned places and created my own map using Google My Maps.
Weather – When in a country with four seasons, and when traveling during non-summer months, I need to check the temperature to know how many layers I should be wearing.
Subway Korea – This app made snaking my way around Seoul's extensive subway system (which extends to Incheon and to some places in the provinces of Gyeonggi and Gangwon) easier, faster, and smoother.
Korea Subway – Although this app also includes Seoul Metro, I used this app mainly for Daegu and Busan.

(I will bore you with details about these apps another time.)

WiFi Egg (Pocket WiFi)
But these apps wouldn't work without WiFi. Although there is free WiFi in most places, I decided to rent a pocket WiFi or a WiFi Egg as they call it in South Korea, in case I find myself lost in a no free WiFi zone.

A WiFi Egg (or mobile phone if you also need to make calls and send text messages) can be rented at the Roaming Center of Incheon International Airport (first floor, arrival hall, between gates 10 and 11) or at Gimhae International Airport (first floor, near gate 3). WiFi Egg rental rates are the same for all telecoms: Data KRW 5000/day + Device Rental KRW 3000/day + 10% tax.

These are the three telecoms (and their current promotions) to choose from:

Korea Telecom – Rental fee is free when reserved online.
LG U+ – For rentals of five days or more, rental fee is free on the 5th day onward.
SK Telecom – Rental fee is free until December 31, 2016.

Renting a WiFi Egg (or a mobile phone) requires a credit card and passport. The credit card should have enough credit limit to cover the data and rental fees for the rental duration AND the deposit for the device (KRW 200,000 for the WiFi Egg, more for mobile phone).

Tip: If you're planning to visit Seoul (flying in and out of Incheon) this year, avail of SK Telecom's free 5-day rental of Samsung Galaxy Note 5 with free data and voice calls.

Credit Card
The main reason I got myself a credit card was because I would be traveling alone and it could be used for (God forbid) emergencies. In the end, there were no emergencies (thank God), but I was able to use it to:

Buy airline tickets online and later on, buy add-on baggage and inflight meals.
Book accommodations online.
Rent a WiFi Egg.

Powerbank

South Korea uses
the type C Plug

A powerbank adds weight to my already heavy bag, but I needed it to resurrect a dead phone and/or a dead WiFi Egg.

Adapter
To resurrect dead gadgets when the powerbank dies too. Gadgets whose plugs are all other types except type C need an adapter to gather juice from South Korea's two-round-holed power outlets. (If you're coming from a 110V region, you might need a step up converter, too.)

Season-Appropriate Clothes
This and the Weather app go hand in hand. I visited in April and brought a jacket for the low temperatures and an umbrella for the spring showers.

Comfortable Shoes
My feet did not thank me for walking every day for hours on end. But it did thank me for being in comfortable shoes.

What would I have done without all these things? I would have survived. But probably not without getting lost, missing my bus/subway stop, getting on the wrong subway line, dropping coins while fumbling for change and holding up the line in the bus, shivering in the cold for wearing too thin clothes, sweating in the heat in a thick jacket, soaking in the rain, and hobbling home with blistered feet.

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials (you're here!)

(more soon)

It was smooth sailing in South Korea with the help of these apps:

Booking.com

All of my accommodations for this trip were booked through this app. What I loved about Booking.com is its ease of use. I can filter by location and by price—no need to salivate over accommodations I cannot afford!

To book, some accommodations on Booking.com would require a credit card, but won't charge the card; it is only to guarantee the booking. Payment would be made upon check in. Some don't even require a credit card! If something comes up and you need to make changes or cancel your confirmed bookings, it can be done through the app. Most accommodations on Booking.com would allow booking cancellations free of charge (within a given number of days).

Internet Connection: You must be online to search and book accommodations and to view the map to a property. When offline, you can only view the details (not including map) of your confirmed booking(s).

Tip: Watch out for Booking.com's "Deals Day" which means discounted rates!

Download Booking.com app here: Android | Apple

Visit Korea

Visit Korea was my sole source of information for where to go. I just specified the area I wanted to visit, clicked on the category (history, nature, UNESCO sites, food, shopping, etc) that interested me, and browsed the suggested pages. Each page would show photos, give a description, and provide important information such as opening hours, admission fees, transportation directions, map, etc.

Internet Connection: To search anything on this app, you are required to be online. If you save a page, the saved page can be viewed offline.

Tips:

Plot your itinerary using the app's Planner feature.
Check out the Discounts section...there might be discount coupons for places you are planning to visit.
When taking the bus and the driver can't understand or speak English (or when you're lost and want to ask for directions), show him/her the page on Visit Korea app for the place you are going to/looking for; the title on the page is in English and Korean.

Download Visit Korea app here: Android | Apple

Google My Maps

I planned a day of walking from neighborhood to nearby neighborhood and had in mind specific areas to visit. I created a map on Google My Maps, plotting out my route and pinning locations. Google My Maps also became very useful for me when I just winged it to a place without much travel information. On the way to wherever it was I was going, I pinned locations for the bus stop and the bus terminal...this was so I would not get lost on the way home.

Internet Connection: You should be online to search locations, pin locations, and create your own map.

Tip: If your WiFi Egg battery's low, but you need your online map, pin your destination on Google My Map, load the map (both zoomed in for details and zoomed out to cover the area you need), turn on location/GPS, start walking until you see that little dot on the map (that's you) move. Then turn off your WiFi Egg.

Download Google My Maps app here: Android

Weather

I would check my smartphone's weather app to plan what to do the next day (hmmm...looks like rain; hiking might be a bad idea) and what to wear (nice cool 13°C, I shall wear a light jacket! And windy?!...maybe I should wear two light jackets!).

Internet Connection: You should be online to get updated data.

Tip: Don't forget to check for information on wind and gusts. Eventhough you think the temperature is tolerable with no jacket, the wind could bring down the real feel temperature to chilly.

Subway Korea

The subway system in Seoul looks complicated because of its many subway lines, but is fairly easy to understand. Nonetheless, having the Subway Korea app was a great help:

it provides the timetable/schedule
it gives options for fastest route or fewest transfers
it tells you which side the door will open
it tells you how many stops between stations
if you need to transfer, it suggests which car door to enter/exit for a faster transfer
you can set an alarm so you won't miss your stop
it provides an exit map for each station
it tells if the station has a restroom, elevator, disabled access, etc

This app is not only for Seoul, but it also includes subway maps and information for these cities: Busan. Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju.

Internet Connection: If you need to know the schedule in realtime and check the station exit map, you should be online. If you just need to know the duration of the journey and the fare, you can still use the app offline.

Tip: If you have to transfer trains, follow the suggested car door to enter/exit. The car and car door number is indicated on the platform floor: the first number is the car number followed by a dash then followed by the car door number (ex. 9-2 means car 9, door 2).

Download Subway Korea app here: Android | Apple

KakaoTalk

Most Koreans are on KakaoTalk. Without a local mobile number, I got in touch (text and call) with my Korean friends and even my accommodation hosts through KakaoTalk.

Internet Connection: Required.

Tip: Before leaving for South Korea, download KakaoTalk and save all contact numbers of your hosts and check if they're on KakaoTalk. You might need to contact them if your flight is delayed so they won't release your booking (especially bookings that have no downpayment or did not require a credit card). But if they're not on KakaoTalk, you can always resort to email (and pray they check their email), or, if you're on roaming, call.

Download KakaoTalk app here: Android | Apple

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials
Six Apps for a Smooth South Korea Trip (you're here!)
Incheon: Tail End of Cherry Blossom Season

(more soon)

Having arrived at the very tail end of the cherry blossom season, the first order upon arrival—nevermind not having had any sleep for more than 24 hours—was to go to Incheon, in the hopes of gazing at cherry blossom petals on branches and not on the ground.

Chinatown

인천 차이나타운

I was in South Korea, why would I want to go see China? I did not want to, but I had to. From Incheon Station, there was no other way to get to Songwoldong Fairytale Village and Jayu Park, but through Chinatown.

Just across Incheon Station looms a huge yellow and red gate. Unmistakably Chinatown.

Walking the uphill main road of Chinatown, I followed my nose and turned right to a street lined with many different shops and stalls selling so many unfamiliar food. I wanted to try everything! But my common sense, budget, and stomach were all in agreement: No! Just two or three. The woes of traveling alone.

Gonggalpang (foreground) and Onggibyeong (background)

So many delicious smells wafting from every direction, but these are the must try ones when in Chinatown:

Gonggalppang – The name means "empty bread". These are large, sweet, round, and hollow crisps. There was a bowl with pieces of gonggalppang for a free taste. After trying a piece or two (okay, maybe three) I wanted to buy one....but it was sold in bags of five to eight!
Onggibyeong – These are oven-baked dumplings which looked to me more like buns. The buns are stuffed with sweet potato, pumpkin, meat, or red beans, and baked in a large clay jar. Onggibyeong are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Jajangmyeon – Because this stir fried noodles in black bean sauce is said to have originated in Incheon.

Directions to Chinatown: Take subway line 1 to Incheon Station, exit 1. Right across is Chinatown.

Songwoldong Fairy Tale Village

송월동 동화마을

I left the delicious smelling street of Chinatown, and followed the road opposite until I found a rainbow archway to my right. The archway with Korean letters let me know (though I don't know how to read Korean) that I was now in in the land of fairy tales: Songwoldong Fairy Tale Village. This magical village is replete with colorful murals and decorations depicting well loved children's fairy tales such as The Wizard of Oz, Aladdin, Little Red Riding Hood, The Frog Prince. etc.

Directions to Songwoldong Fairytale Village: Take subway line 1 to Incheon Station, exit 1. Enter Chinatown right across the station, and follow the main road. At the end of the road, turn left and follow the road until you see a rainbow archway on your right.

Jayu Park

자유공원 (인천)

From somewhere in Songwoldong Fairy Tale Village, I spotted a white puff of trees from a distance. I walked along roads with those trees as my guide until I was on the fringes of Jayu Park. I made my way to the park and just walked around and around. Jayu Park was sprinkled with petals falling on the ground and locals enjoying the cool spring day. I explored more of Jayu Park until I reached an area with patches of brightly colored flowers and a vista of Incheon Port.

At the fringes of Jayu Park

Spring has sprung

The view from Jayu Park

Directions to Jayu Park: Take subway line 1 to Incheon Station, exit 1. Enter Chinatown right across the station, and follow the main road. At the end of the road, turn right and be tempted by the delicious smells of food. After the temptation, turn left where the walls are tiled with scenes of a Chinese story. At the end of the story (or maybe that was the beginning?), turn left to Jayu Park.

Incheon Grand Park

인천대공원

With time and energy to spare, I decided to go to Incheon Grand Park. The lady at the Tourist Information Center just outside Incheon Station told me that I could go directly to Incheon Grand Park by bus (1 hour), but I decided to take the subway to Songnae Station (30 mins) then a bus (15 mins). From the bus stop I followed a man in a hiking outfit, deducing he was going to the park too. After he had unwittingly acted as my guide, I thanked him in my mind and, lest someone think I was stalking him, overtook him to start my exploration of Incheon Grand Park. The grassy areas of the park were dotted with picnickers and the tree lined roads were teeming with locals strolling, biking, jogging, and admiring the thinning trees as it snowed cherry blossom petals.

Directions to Incheon Grand Park: If you're coming from Chinatown, at the bus stop right outside Incheon Station, take bus 15. Or take subway line 1 to Songnae Station, exit 1. Then take any of these buses: 103, 16-1, 909.

On the subway on my way to my hostel, still an hour and a transfer away, I fought the urge to fall asleep and instead thought of how lucky I am to have caught the last scenes of the cherry blossom season.

South Korea on Three
South Korea Countdown
Itinerary and Expenses
South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials
Six Apps for a Smooth South Korea Trip
Incheon: Tail End of Cherry Blossom Season (you're here!)
(more soon)

All guys named Carl must be washed here.

Spotted by Zhequia of FTW! Food, Travel & Whatevs

along Gov D Mangubat Ave, Dasmariñas, Cavite

Thanks Zhequia!

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

On weather

Check the weather forecast.

Including the little details.

Living in the Philippines more years that I can count on my fingers and toes, I don't remember ever being concerned about the weather. It was either sunny or rainy. Either way, I can go out in shorts, shirt, slippers; just bring an umbrella when it's the latter. Knowing the weather forecast climbed 10 rungs up my to-do ladder when I started traveling. But sometimes, old habits die hard, and I simply take the weather for granted.

Exhibit #1

Beijing, China

I figured I'd leave my waterproof hooded jacket in the hostel because it looked sunny and, the day before, it was just light rain. That was my basis for the decision. I did not bother to check the weather forecast. The day went on fine without the need for the jacket. It was at night, when we were leaving Beijing 798 Art Zone, the bus stop still miles away—it was maybe just one mile, but seemed like 10 miles when caught in the rain—when it started pouring cats and dogs. It was either run like the flash or find shelter. We decided on shelter and waited an hour or so for it to calm down before venturing out in the rain.

Exhibit #2

Seoul, South Korea

On a spring day in Seoul, I checked the weather forecast and the temperature. It would be sunny with a temperature of 13°C. I wore a light jacket. The wind blew throughout the day and I was shivering whilst shuffling along the streets. I had neglected to check for winds and gusts and real feel temperature.

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

I initially planned to stay in one of the guesthouses I had stayed in in 2012, but then I found these inexpensive guesthouses with pretty good ratings on Booking.com.

Kam Guesthouse

17-7 Seongam-ro, Mapo-gu, 121-849 Seoul

Directions: Take the subway to Gajwa Station (Gyeongui-Jungang Line), exit 1.

Kam Guesthouse is a small guesthouse with only two 6-bed dorm rooms (one room for males, one for females) and a one–bedroom apartment. WiFi is available throughout the guesthouse. The dorm rooms have a locker that can fit a backpack. Each bed has a power outlet. Each dorm room has its own toilet and bath. Towels, soap, and shampoo are provided. The rooms and toilets are cleaned daily. You can also use their washing machine for a fee. Breakfast of bread, jam, butter, biscuits, juice, tea, and coffee is also provided.

Dorm Bed KRW 15,000

One–Bedroom Apartment (up to 3 pax) KRW 60,000

Why stay in Kam Guesthouse:

Exit 1 of Gajwa Station is just across the street.
Hongdae, a university area filled with cafes, clubs, and shops, is just a 3-minute subway ride from Gajwa Station (the line that runs from Gajwa Station to Hongik Station runs every 15 minutes).
Room and toilet are clean.
The guesthouse is located in a quiet neighborhood.
Prior to the trip, Kani, the owner was very responsive to queries.
Kani is very friendly and spends time to chat with her guests.
Kani is accommodating. My flight was delayed and I had to check in early in the morning, instead of the previous night, and she welcomed me even as she was rubbing off sleep from her eyes.

Why not stay in Kam Guesthouse:

Although Kam Guesthouse is very near Gajwa Station, the line that runs through Gajwa Station to Seoul Station only comes every hour.

Book Kam Guesthouse thru Booking.com

Aroha Guesthouse

35-8 Huam-ro 57-gil, Yongsan-gu,140-821 Seoul

Directions: Take subway line 4 to Seoul Station, exit 12. The Airport line, Gyeongui-Jungang line, and Line 1 also go through Seoul Station, but these lines do not have access to exit 12 from underground.

Aroha Guesthouse has dorm rooms and private rooms, but none of the rooms have an ensuite toilet and bathroom. Towels, shampoo, and soap are provided. Breakfast of cereals, bread, jam, butter, milk, juice, coffee, and tea is provided. There is a TV and PCs in the common room. There is also a washing machine available if you need to do your laundry. WiFi is available throughout the guesthouse.

Dorm Bed KRW 26,000
Private Rooms from single to quad KRW 37,000 to 92,000

Why stay in Aroha Guesthouse:

Aroha Guesthouse is just a 3-minute walk from exit 12 (Subway line 4) of Seoul Station.
Room is neat and clean.
Provided clear instructions on how to find the guesthouse.
Private rooms are affordable.
I stayed in a Single room and an extension wire was provided which allowed me to recharge my gadgets at the same time.

Why not stay in Aroha Guesthouse:

If having your own toilet and bath is important, then this guesthouse is not for you. All rooms share a toilet and bathroom (5 T&Bs shared by 17 rooms).

Book Aroha Guesthouse thru Booking.com

On the map below, I have pinned all the places I have stayed in, except for the Airbnb accommodation near Seoul Station that I stayed in in 2014, because that's not on the Airbnb listing anymore.

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials
Six Apps for a Smooth South Korea Trip
Incheon: Tail End of Cherry Blossom Season
Seoul Stays: Kam Guesthouse and Aroha Guesthouse (you're here!)
(more soon)

When preparing for a trip or during the trip itself, do you go crazy combing the internet for suggestions on what to see and do? You can keep your sanity in check with GPS My City app, an app containing thousands of articles for over 600 cities around the world.

The mobile app itself is free and is published both for Android and iOS. For a minimal amount, you can upgrade the app to gain access to GPS guided travel articles with an embedded high resolution map pointing out the destinations mentioned in the article—plus GPS navigation assistance! The best part? You don't need the internet to read the article and use the maps. With this app and your map reading skills, you will never get lost.

No WiFi? No Data Plan? No problem.

To introduce you to this very useful app, click on either (or both!) of my two articles for GPSmyCity—Exploring Georgetown in Penang and Taipei: An Artist's Playground—and it will take you to the article, then click on upgrade to access the offline maps. The upgrade is FREE from July 11 to July 17! (If you haven't installed GPSmyCity app yet, it will prompt you to install the app, then once installed, it will direct you to the article.)

A trip would not be complete without trying local food! Here are the memorable ones from my recent Seoul wanderings:

Oh Hyang Jokbal

오향족발

134-7 Seosomun-ro, Jung-gu, 100-865 Seoul

My friend, GaYeong, brought me to Oh Hyang Jokbal, one of the top 3 jokbal restaurants in Seoul. The restaurant is located in an alley near the City Hall and it took us some time going to and fro looking for the restaurant.

Jokbal 족발 is pig's trotters or pig's feet. The jokbal in this restaurant is cooked in five secret spices/ingredients that gives its delicious aroma. The meat is very tender and is best paired with the restaurant's garlic sauce 마늘소스. We asked for half of the order of jokbal to be not spicy and the other half spicy. GaYeong and I finished every bit of non-spicy jokbal. The other half was too fiery for our tastebuds: one bite and we had to drink a glass of water to put out the fire in our mouths. The jokbal set also came with tteok mandu guk 떡만두국 (rice cake and dumpling soup).

We had this sumptuous meal as our late lunch (2PM), inadvertently avoiding the long queues this restaurant often attracts during lunch and dinner. We walked out of the restaurant staggering in fullness with a doggie bag of spicy jokbal in hand. (Even if the entire order of jokbal were not spicy, we wouldn't have finished it. The set was good for three to four persons and costs KRW 34,000 or about Php 1500.)

종로제면소

55 Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

GaEun, another good friend of mine, took me to a restaurant known for its noodles. GaEun ordered bossam gwa mandujeongol 보쌈과 만두전골 (pork belly and spicy dumpling noodle soup, KRW 25,000). This was another really good meal! I ate so much and gave up before GaEun did. I think she eats more than I do but she never puts on weight!

Gopchang

곱창

Gopchang Alley, Hongdae

After watching Nanta! in the Nanta Theater in Hongdae, I followed my good friend, MinJun, through the streets of Hongdae to a restaurant serving gopchang 곱창 (intestines). He ordered pork intestines and other offal, and started grilling it all once it landed on the table. In between bites, he kept saying he couldn't believe people ate this stuff! I couldn't believe we finished all of it!

I did not take note of the restaurant's name or its address, but if you want to try gopchang, there are many restaurants in Hongdae that serve this.

Hyoja Bakery

효자베이커리

54 Pirundae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

I had read about this bakery and set a goal to find it. My quest was a success and a shock—there was a long line outside the bakery. I did not expect Hyoja Bakery to be that famous. I had half a mind to turn back and leave, but the other half argued that I had walked a long way just to find it. In the end I fell behind the long line of Koreans and waited my turn. The wait wasn't so bad; one of the bakery workers would walk down the queue and give out samples of their bestsellers. I was the only one that did not look Korean and he asked where I was from, then helpfully enumerated and explained in English what their five bestsellers were: corn bread, onion cream cheese, blueberry cream cheese, bread with tteok (rice cake), and bread with fruits.

To queue or not to queue?

My breads got squished when I got home.
Clockwise from top: corn bread, sweet bread with fruits, bread with tteok.

I planned to buy one of each of their bestsellers but when I got inside the bakery, I was in for another surprise. Their goodies were either too big or sold by half a dozen. I decided to buy three of the five bestsellers even if I knew I wouldn't be able to eat all of it. I figured I could share it with the other guests at the guesthouse I was staying in (Kam Guesthouse). Of the three I bought, I liked the corn bread best. It wasn't your ordinary corn bread; aside from corn, it also had onions, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.

Sweet bread with fruits for breakfast the next day

Sindangdong Tteokbokki Town

신당동떡볶이골목

Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

I like tteokbokki 떡볶이 (rice cakes). But I have only tried tteokbokki cooked in gochujang (red chili pepper paste). When I found out there was a tteokbokki street that had tteokbooki cooked in a variety of ways, I added it to my itinerary. What I didn't know was that the restaurants in this street only served food good for three to four persons. All I could do was walk down the street and look at every photo on the restaurant glass walls with my stomach grumbling. The woes of traveling alone in South Korea.

Welcome to Tteokbokki Town (a street, really)

Put your soles to work and find these Seoul food with my handy dandy map:

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

Because where I live I am deprived of huge parks and cool days so forgive me if I spend my vacation days doing boring things like visiting parks.

Songpa Naru Park

송파나루공원

180 Jamsil-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Directions to Songpa Naru Park: Take subway line 2 to Jamsil Station, exit 2.

Songpa Naru Park surrounds Seokchon Lake. It looks like two lakes but is really just one big lake with Songpa-daero Boulevard cutting across the middle. Cherry blossom trees line the walking/jogging trail that circumnavigates Seokchon Lake.

I got there early in the morning and there were a few people jogging. I walked past them clutching my small plastic bag of convenience store breakfast: triangle kimbap and yogurt drink. I picked a spot near the lone tree that had cherry blossoms left on it. A slight breeze was blowing the last of the blossoms away. Songpa Naru Park must have been a beautiful sight just a week back when all the trees were in full bloom.

Other places nearby that you might want to check out:
Lotte World Amusement Park
Lotte World Folk Museum
Kidzania
Olympic Park

Banpo Hangang Park

반포한강공원

40 Sinbanpo-ro 11-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul

Directions to Banpo Hangang Park: Take subway line 3, 7, or 9 to Express Bus Terminal Station, exit 8-1. Go straight for 250m, and turn right at the Express Bus Terminal 4-way intersection. Continue going straight for 400m and cross the road. Go straight through the underpass to arrive at the park.

The reason I went to Banpo Hangang Park at night was to see Banpo Bridge and its Moonlight Rainbow Fountain show. The 20–minute show happens four to five times a day, but lucky guy that I am, the show the night I was there was cancelled because it was too windy. As all the other picnickers and photographers packed up and left, I sat around for a bit looking at the skyline across the river. It wasn't long before I was freezing on the concrete bleachers. I got up and walked to the other side of the bridge where the bright lights of Some Sevit were and that's the extent of my exploration of Banpo Hangang Park. My bones by then were too cold to explore the length and breadth of the park.

Other places nearby that you might want to check out:
Some Sevit (also known as Sebitseom)

Banpo Bridge

Artificial island called Some Sevit or Sebitseom

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

When Kate Spade isn't designing bags and clothes, she's baking cakes.

Spotted by Justinne of Babe for Food

at 83 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore

Thanks Justinne!

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

On drivers

(and bus conductors and flight attendants)

Talk to your tricycle driver, jeepney driver, van driver,
habalhabal driver, taxi driver, bus conductor, flight attendant, etc.

(Just don't be a distraction.)

Their job is long and tiring and kind of boring and maybe lonely. Be nice to them. Talk to them. Having someone to talk to would break the monotony.

Davao City

2013

I remember sitting up front in a jeepney in Davao City years ago and got to talking with the driver. And one of the topics was Duterte. I asked him if he would like to have Duterte as president. He was on the fence about it... yes, because he believed it would be good for the country, and no, because he was afraid many would not like Duterte.

Moalboal, Cebu

2016

During the 8km ride to Basdaku in Moalboal, I talked with the tricycle driver. It turns out he was from Luzon and moved to Cebu because his wife is from there (oh, love). I asked for his contact number so we could hire him again the next day (and we did). On the bus leaving Moalboal, he sent a text message saying thank you and have a nice day.

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

A blank slate for Day Two. All the planning was up to GaYeong, a friend I haven't seen in four years. She told me to meet her at exit 12 of City Hall Station (Seoul subway line 1 or line 2). Hugs and how-are-yous, then off to explore the area near City Hall Station.

Jeongdong Observatory

정동전망대

15 Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

(13th floor of Seosomun Building)

Daily 9AM to 6PM

First up, a cup of joe at Jeongdong Observatory to warm the body that breezy, chilly morning. We went up to the 13th floor of Seosomun Building where the observatory slash coffee shop was. The observatory/coffee shop overlooks Deoksugung Palace; and a little to the right, Seoul Metropolitan Library, Seoul City Hall, and Seoul Plaza; and the tall buildings and mountains beyond. I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem of a coffee shop. It was a great place to catch up and to start the day.

Deoksugung Palace as seen from Jeongdong Observatory

Deoksugung Doldam-gil

덕수궁 돌담길

Warmed up enough, we went for a walk along Deoksugung Stonewall Road or Deoksugung Doldam–gil, the road on the south side of Deoksugung Palace. We strolled along the brick-laden sidewalks (with trees and benches every few meters) until we reached a little rotunda with a sculpture in the center. Then we traced our way back. Because, in truth, this stroll wasn't on the plan. It happened because we took a wrong turn. We were supposed to go to Deoksugung Palace straightaway after our cup of joe at Jeongdong Observatory.

Deoksugung Doldam-gil (top), squished sculpture (center), a rotunda at the end of the road (bottom)

Deoksugung Palace

덕수궁

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Tuesday to Sunday 9AM to 9PM

Admission Fee KRW 1000

We went into Deoksugung Palace for one building: the Seokjojeon Hall, also known as Daehan Empire Historical Museum. GaYeong didn't tell me that she had booked us for a tour in the hall/museum that I dawdled around Deoksugung Palace grounds, causing us to be late for the tour. Thankfully, they still let us in.

Seokjojeon Hall, a very western looking building, was designed by a British architect and construction started in 1900 and was completed in 1910. (Aside from Seokjojeon Hall, there is another western-style building in the palace grounds and it currently houses the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art 국립현대미술관.) The interiors of Seokjojeon Hall were classy beautiful. Too bad the tour was in Korean that I went in and out of Seokjojeon Hall none the wiser.

The building on the left is Seokjojeon Hall

Inside Seokjojeon Hall

After the Seokjojeon Hall tour, we looked around the palace grounds. I had no idea what the history and significance of Deoksugung Palace was because it was already past the last free English guided tour (Deoksugung Palace English guided tours at 1030AM and 130PM only), thus no guide.

Junghwajeon Hall is the main hall of Deoksugung Palace

As we left Deoksugung Palace, a Changing of Guards Ceremony was taking place. (Ceremony schedule: 11AM | 2PM | 330PM)

Guards at Daehanmun Gate

Seoul Metropolitan Library

서울도서관

110 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Tuesday to Friday 9AM to 9PM

Saturday and Sunday 9AM to 6PM

Closed on Mondays

Because I am nuts for books, even libraries are not spared. After Deoksugung Palace, we went into the Seoul Metropolitan Library, checked out every floor, looked at book spines (most of it was in Korean), and spent some time in a room dedicated to the Sewolho Ferry Disaster.

A sobering exhibit/memorial

Seoul Plaza

서울광장

110 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

(In front of Seoul Metropolitan Library)

We went out of Seoul Metropolitan Library a little solemn (effect of the Sewol Ferry Disaster memorial) and walked slowly to Seoul Plaza, just outside of the library. Seoul Plaza is an open space where events like exhibits and concerts are held here every so often and, in the winter, transforms into an outdoor ice skating rink.

Across the road are Seoul Plaza and Seoul Metropolitan Library

Oh Hyang Jokbal

오향족발

134-7 Seosomun-ro, Jung-gu, 100-865 Seoul

And then it was time for lunch at Seoul's Top 3 Jokbal (pig's trotters) restaurants: Oh Hyang Jokbal, tucked in an alley that took us some time to find. All the more aggravating our hunger.

A jokbal feast at Oh Hyang Jokbal

Other places nearby that you might want to visit:
Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA)
Grevin Seoul Museum (Wax Museum)

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

I injected some art in my three days in Seoul:

Nanta!

Meongdong | Hongdae | Chungjeongno | Jeju

Tickets from KRW 40,000 to KRW 70,000

Music made not with instruments but with kitchen things like pots, pans, knives, ladles, vegetables. Who wouldn't want to watch such a performance? My friend (MinJun) and I settled in our seats in the Nanta Theater in Hongdae and having researched a little bit about it, MinJun told me Nanta is not only music, but a story (with minimal dialogue) of three cooks who are tasked to prepare a wedding feast by 6PM of the same day. On top of that, the three cooks also had to teach a new guy to cook and prepare food.

It was also MinJun's first time to watch Nanta so we weren't really sure what to expect. When we emerged from the theater, we both had a wide grin on our face. It was absolutely entertaining; the storyline and the actors were funny, the performance enjoyable. Not a second was a bore. (Plus the audience participated!). It was worth every won!

Tip: If you have a Korean friend, maybe you could ask him/her to buy you a ticket online...there is a Korean website (I assume most, if not all, Koreans know about this website) that sells cheap tickets not only for Nanta but also for other shows and events. Thank you MinJun for finding KRW 25000 second row VIP tickets and not accepting my payment!

The only photo I have on Nanta...because photography and videography are not allowed during the performance.

Ihwa Mural Village

이화 벽화마을

Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Directions to Ihwa Mural Village: Take subway line 4 to Hyehwa Station, exit 2. Walk towards Marronnier Park.

GaEun, whom I haven't seen since 2012, took some time off to go sightseeing with me around Ihwa Mural Village. She herself hasn't been to Ihwa Mural Village and has been wanting to go. We walked around the village looking at murals, sculptures, and artistic shops. We walked and walked (and it was no easy walk...it was mostly uphill!) until we reached a viewing deck in Naksan Park. Only then did we sit, wipe sweat off our brows, and take a breather. If it wasn't so tiring, we would have wanted to look at every alley around the village!

Tip: Wear good walking shoes!

Art around Ihwa Mural Village

And more art!

The view from Naksan Park

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

동대문디자인플라자

281 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Directions to DDP: Take subway line 2, 4, or 5 to Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station, exit 1.

There are exhibit areas in Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), but I was more interested outside. I spent some time at DDP's park just looking at the smooth curves of the DDP building, the sculptures around the park, and the LED roses (this exhibit has been extended until October 2016).

Tip: If you want to see the LED roses lit up, go to Dongdaemun Design Plaza after dusk.

Clockwise from top left: At the park, LED roses, water fountains, rest areas

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials
Six Apps for a Smooth South Korea Trip
Incheon: Tail End of Cherry Blossom Season
Seoul Stays: Kam Guesthouse and Aroha Guesthouse
Seoul Food
Seoul: Songpa Naru Park and Banpo Hangang Park
Seoul: Wander Around City Hall Station
Seoul Art: Nanta!, Ihwa Mural Village, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (you're here!)
(more soon)

I am a heritage hog. And, surprise surprise, this trip wasn't without its share of visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. South Korea has twelve inscribed in the World Heritage List:

Baekje Historic Areas (2015)
Changdeokgung Palace Complex (1997)
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (2000)
Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000)
Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks (1995)
Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong (2010)
Hwaseong Fortress (1997)
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (2007)
Jongmyo Shrine (1995)
Namhansanseong (2014)
Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (2009)
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (1995)

Do I want to visit all these sites? Heck, yeah. But quite impossible to do in just one short visit. So I try to squeeze in at least one per visit. In 2012, I visited Changdeokgung Palace Complex in Seoul. In 2014, Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple in North Gyeongsang Province. And in 2016, I managed to visit four: Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul, two of the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty in Seoul, Hwaseong Fortress in Gyeonggi Province, and Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon in South Gyeongsang Province.

Jongmyo Shrine

종묘

157 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Wednesdays to Mondays 9AM to 530PM

English Guided Tours at 10AM | 12NN | 2PM | 4PM

Admission Fee KRW 1000

Directions to Jongmyo Shrine: Take subway line 1 to Jongno-3(sam)-ga Station, exit 11. Or subway line 2 or 5 to Jongno-3(sam)-ga Station, exit 8. Jongmyo Shrine is a 10-minute walk from any of the three options.

Jongmyo Shrine was founded in 1395 by King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. For centuries, Jongmyo Shrine was where the Confucian ancestral rites—Jongmyo Jerye (royal ancestral rites) and Jongmyo Jeryeak (royal ancestral ritual music)—for the deceased kings and queens was held several times a year. It is also where their spirit tablets are enshrined. Nowadays, the ritual is only performed once a year, on the first Sunday of May.

It was a solemn tour around Jongmyo Shrine with only about a dozen guests. The structures in Jongmyo were plain and similar looking but it's the history and the ritual behind it that made it an interesting visit (thanks to the guide who spoke English well and encouraged visitors to ask questions). There are some countries that follow Confucianism, but it is only Korea that still performs this ritual.

Tips:

Eventhough Jongmyo Shrine is open from 9AM to 530PM, visitors can only enter during scheduled tours. Purchase an admission ticket at least five minutes before the scheduled tour.
If you'd like to visit Jongmyo Shrine without a guide, you can do so anytime between opening hours on Saturdays and on the last Wednesday of every month. Added bonus on the last Wednesday of the month: free admission.
If you plan to visit Jongmyo Shrine and all four palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, and Deoksugung), get the combination ticket KRW 10,000. It will save you KRW 4,000.
Visit on the first Sunday of May to witness the Confucian ancestral rites being performed.

The Main Hall called Jeongjeon is where the spirit tablets of kings and queens are enshrined.

Yeongnyeongjeon or the Hall of Eternal Peace enshrines four generations of King Taejo's ancestors.

Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty
Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs
서울 선릉과 정릉
1 Seolleung-ro 100-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Tuesdays to Sundays 6AM to 9PM
(Opens 630AM November to February)

Admission Fee KRW 1000

Directions to Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs: Take Seoul subway line 2 or Bundang Line to Seolleung Station, exit 8. Walk about 5 minutes along Seolleung-ro, turn right to Seolleung-ro 100-gil to find the entrance to the park.

There are 18 Royal Tomb sites, and five of these are in Seoul. Of the five, I visited the Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs (also known as Seongjeongneung Royal Tombs), which is located in the same park and can be reached via a subway ride (for the other Royal Tombs around Seoul, one has to take the subway and bus).

Seolleung is the tomb of King Seongjong, the 9th ruler of Joseon Dynasty, and his third queen, Queen Jeonghyeon. Jeongneung is the tomb of King Jungjong, the second son of King Seongjong, thus the 11th ruler of Joseon Dynasty. (King Jungjong's first queen, Queen Dangyeong, is buried in Olleung Royal Tomb in Gyeonggi Province, which is not open to the public. His second queen, Queen Munjeong, is buried in Taereung Royal Tomb in Seoul.)

The tombs all look similar: it has a red spiked gate that marks the start of a stone path (the king's road on the right, and a slightly elevated spirit's road on the left—no man should walk on the spirit road!), which leads to a shrine where the ancestral rites are held. There is also a small shed where tombstones inscribed with the deceased royalty's achievements are kept. Then a small hill where the burial mound, surrounded by stone figures and a low stone wall, is.

Of the three burial mounds at Seongjeongneung, the burial mounds of Queen Jeonghyeon and King Jungjong can only be viewed from below the small hill where I didn't really see anything but grass and, if I made like a giraffe, heads of some stone figures. The burial mound of King Seongjong though, I did see up close, because it had a small viewing area off to the side of the wall that surrounds the burial mound.

Seolleung

Clockwise from top left: Red spiked gate of Jeongneung Royal Tomb, burial mound of King Jungjong,
the ceremonial area in Seolleung, burial mound of King Seongjong

King Seongjong's burial mound

Here's a map of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Seoul:

South Korea on Three

South Korea Countdown

Itinerary and Expenses

While trying to come up with blogposts about my last South Korea trip, I came across photos of jajangmyeon (stir fried noodles in black bean sauce), bossam (pork belly), and jokbal (pig's feet) which ignited a frenzied search for those dishes in Cebu. Going through the labyrinth that is the internet, I somehow found my way to Han Guk Kwan's facebook page which wasn't updated at all. I dropped a message (asking if they had any of those dishes on the menu) on the off chance that they might read it. I salivated when they replied in the affirmative. And my mouth became a faucet when they said they had a lunch promo for jajangmyeon and bossam!

Jajangmyeon

A bowl of dubu jjigae (tofu stew) and a plate of bossam and kimchi

I rarely go out of the office for lunch but the only way to turn off the leaky faucet on my face was to stuff it with these dishes. I just had to go out and drag some officemates to help gorge on a bowl of jajangmyeon (lunch promo Php 100; regular price is Php 200) and bossam (lunch promo Php 250, bossam comes with a bowl of rice and a bowl of tofu stew). It was worth the over break that day!

On the way back to work, I was already planning to go back to Han Guk Kwan to try the other dishes I had picked from their extensive menu: jokbal (pig's feet), dakdoritang (spicy chicken stew), and godeungeo jorim (spicy braised mackerel). A serving can feed two to three persons. Who wants to go with me?

(Their lunch promo is only for jajangmyeon and bossam. Note that the serving size for their lunch promo is good for one person only. On the regular menu, most dishes are good for two to three persons.)

Han Guk Kwan Korean Restaurant
Mahogany Court, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City
0906 308 2020 / 0932 608 1408 / (032) 516 8859 / (032) 231 1533
Open 24 hours daily

Jollibee's Singaporean cousin

Spotted by Justinne of Babe for Food

in Paragon, Orchard Road, Singapore

Thanks Justinne!

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

On fear

It is holding you back.

I love the beach. I love the sea. I know how to float. I know how to swim...only when the water is up to my neck. When the water is way beyond my head, I call on my best friend, the life jacket.

Then one day, out in the middle of the sea, we stopped to go snorkeling. I put on my snorkel and fins and jumped in. It wasn't until I had been in the water for some time did I realize that I had been swimming merrily without a life jacket.

Don't think, just swim. (In other words, it is all in the mind!)

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

With the half–hour delay and the half–hour it took for all of us passengers to be expelled from the bowels of the plane, it was already 1030AM when I stepped off Bay 7 of NAIA Terminal 3 and into my good friend's car. We were already late for our road trip to Pampanga.

Municipality of Guagua

Neneng's Kamayan
Jose Abad Santos Ave, San Matias, Guagua
(045) 405 0544

Two hours later and with the help of Waze, we found our first stop: Neneng's Kamayan in Guagua, Pampanga, a restaurant recommended by my friend's friend. Our quick lunch of dynamite sticks, paco salad, and pork sisig fueled our bodies and left us raring to explore.

The Original Razon's

Jose Abad Santos Ave, San Matias, Guagua

(045) 901 0809

The Original Razon's is just half a kilometer from Neneng's Kamayan. Razon's is known for its halo–halo, but Neneng's Kamayan had already taken up all the space in our stomachs.

St. James the Apostle Parish Church (Betis Church)
Brgy. San Nicolas, Betis, Guagua

St. James the Apostle Church was built in 1660, but the church doesn't look its age. That is because the original church was mainly built with wood and had burned down a number of times.

To my untrained eye, the faded pink exterior didn't look all that interesting. It was the church's interiors that I was in awe of: its wooden floor and its beautifully painted ceiling. To learn about the church and its paintings, read the information posted on the hallway just outside the Betis Museum (on the left side of the church).

In 2001, the National Museum and the Commission for Culture and Arts declared this St. James the Apostle Church or Betis Church a National Cultural Treasure.

Note: No shorts and sleeveless shirts allowed inside the church. The museum guard has a basketful of sarongs for the ladies (and maybe the men if you can dare wear a colorful sarong) to borrow.

Municipality of Bacolor

San Guillermo Parish Church

Cabambangan, Bacolor

San Guillermo Parish Church was constructed in 1576, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1880, and then rebuilt in 1886. It was not its age nor its design (which I know nothing about) that fascinated me, but its size—it looked a bit too small. And the door was way too narrow—not the usual imposing, gaping church doors I have been through. Stepping inside, I found the roof too low.

Its smallness was thanks to Mt Pinatubo. Although Mt Pinatubo erupted in 1991, it was on October 1995 when San Guillermo Parish Church was reduced to half its size when lahar flow from Mt Pinatubo buried 18 out of 21 barangays of Bacolor.

Because a wedding ceremony was about to start, we just looked around the convent off the side of the church. The convent had been turned into a museum/art gallery and that is where I found a painting of the church in its full height. Indeed, San Guillermo Parish Church is now just half its height.

City of Angeles

Holy Rosary Parish Church
Santo Rosario Street, Angeles City

This is the little bit of information I found on the internet regarding the Holy Rosary Parish Church: It was built from 1877 to 1896 by Filipino peasants through "polo y servicio," a labor system imposed by the Spanish colonial government, wherein Filipino males between the ages of 16 to 65 were required to work for free for a period of 40 days. It served as an American military hospital from 1899 to 1902.

And this is the little bit of information I found on a historical marker on a corner inside Holy Rosary Parish Church: On January 1945, an American Bomber went down and plowed through the roof of Holy Rosary Parish Church leaving a gaping hole. The bomber burst into a fireball near the church killing its entire crew.

Museo Ning Angeles
Santo Rosario Street corner Santo Entierro Street, Angeles City
Monday to Saturday 9AM to 5PM

We did not visit this museum but saw it from across Holy Rosary Parish Church, so I thought I'd just include it here, in case you came by this blog looking for places to visit in Pampanga. A little research told me that the building where Museo Ning Angeles is was built in 1922 and served as Angeles' City Hall until 1998. It was turned into Museo Ning Angeles in 1999.

Museo ng Kasaysayang Panlipunan ng Pilipinas / Museum of Philippine Social History
(The Pamintuan Mansion)
Santo Entierro Street corner Miranda Street, Angeles City
Tuesday to Sunday 8AM to 4PM

The Pamintuan Mansion was built in 1890 by Mariano Pamintuan and his wife Valentina Torres as a wedding gift for their son, Florentino (who became the mayor of Angeles in 1900). The house underwent many a historical event. It served as General Antonio Luna's headquarters in April 1899 and the following month briefly served as the seat of the Philippine Republic (occupied by General Emilio Aguinaldo and his staff). In June 1899, it served as a venue for the celebration of the first anniversary of the Philippine Independence. When the Americans occupied Angeles, the mansion served as General MacArthur's headquarters. During World War II, Japanese kamikaze pilots were housed in the mansion. The mansion later served as a club house, then a hotel, then a city hall, then an office.

In 2015 the Pamintuan Mansion was turned into the Museum of Philippine Social History with nine galleries telling about the history of the mansion, displaying Philippine textiles, clothing styles, architectural styles, home furnishing, Filipino music, and Filipino games.

We spent four hours on the road (two hours to get there and to hours to get home) and an equal amount of time to go back hundreds of years through the churches and historical buildings of Guagua, Bacolor, and Angeles City.

South Korea Countdown

Eight Days in South Korea

South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials

Six Apps for a Smooth South Korea Trip

Incheon: Tail End of Cherry Blossom Season

What's in a (Business) Name? Cincuenta y tres

Wisdom from the Road #41

Seoul Stays: Kam Guesthouse and Aroha Guesthouse

Explore a City with GPSmyCity (and Never Get Lost!)

Seoul Food

Songpa Naru Park and Banpo Hangang Park

What's in a (Business) Name? Cincuenta y cuatro

Wisdom from the Road #42

Seoul: Wander Around City Hall Station

Seoul Art: Nanta!, Ihwa Mural Village, Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Seoul World Heritage: Jongmyo Shrine, Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs

Lunch Promos at Han Guk Kwan Korean Restaurant

What's in a (Business) Name? Cincuenta y cinco

Wisdom from the Road #43

Bits of History in Pampanga