#159 Farewell...
...at Professor Won's house...but whose farewell was it?
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
#156 Busan @ 300 kmph... KTX
Hi everyone... this may be my last posting from Korea, but I am not sure...
This Sunday I travelled down south to city of Busan (Pusan). Busan is the second largest city of South Korea, it also hosted the Asian Games in 2002. Busan is a city with many hills around. Roads are up and down and smaller than Seoul and Incheon roads. Overall, I think Incheon is a modern city with much better planning.
It is said that night life is best in Busan, but I neither had the time nor the luck. I also felt that Seoul / Incheon girls are much much prettier than Busan girls :) hahah :)
The key point of the trip was travel by KTX. It is the High Speed Railway connecting Seoul to Busan and the technology is French (TGV). The top speed was 303 kmph and the average speed was 140 kmph. It was just awesome to whizzzzzzzzzzzzz past the beautiful Korean country side. Also the return journey was splendid.
The bus ride, that cost me just 40 % of the KTX fare, took just 4 hr 45 minutes for the 430 km!!!! Isn't that awesome? And on top of that, I got down from the bus right near the university.
This Sunday I travelled down south to city of Busan (Pusan). Busan is the second largest city of South Korea, it also hosted the Asian Games in 2002. Busan is a city with many hills around. Roads are up and down and smaller than Seoul and Incheon roads. Overall, I think Incheon is a modern city with much better planning.
It is said that night life is best in Busan, but I neither had the time nor the luck. I also felt that Seoul / Incheon girls are much much prettier than Busan girls :) hahah :)
The key point of the trip was travel by KTX. It is the High Speed Railway connecting Seoul to Busan and the technology is French (TGV). The top speed was 303 kmph and the average speed was 140 kmph. It was just awesome to whizzzzzzzzzzzzz past the beautiful Korean country side. Also the return journey was splendid.
The bus ride, that cost me just 40 % of the KTX fare, took just 4 hr 45 minutes for the 430 km!!!! Isn't that awesome? And on top of that, I got down from the bus right near the university.
KTX route from Seoul to Busan
Just outside Seoul Station
At the entrance of Seoul Station...
Cool architecture at Seoul Station...
Once inside... Ticket Counters
Waiting lounge and cafeterias...
Go up the stairs to board the KTX...
Entrance to the tracks... you cant just reach the platform, without a proper ticket!
The tracks... come come my KTX...
Voila!!!! C'est tres bien!!
Ohh!! Let us accelerate, oh my KTX... read 260.9 km/h
Wowie... Top Speed: 303.6 km/h
Korean country side whizzing past...
Inside the cabin...
zzzzzzzzz Sleepy heads...
11.50 am: Busan Station
Architecture Magnificent! Simply Awesome structure @ Busan Station
Front view: Busan Station
A part of Busan City :) 
Station Square...
Pretty picture... Candid!
Look at the double decker bus... I wish I was in it!
Haeundae Beach... Most famous in Korea
And more...
Choding Power :P
And more...
And more... aham aham
Goding power...
Ooooohhh!
Aah... this was somewhere between Seoul and Busan, on my way back to Seoul. It is a river, with embankments constructed to convert it into a picnic spot. The Koreans love to sit by the river and fish!
.....................All in all a good trip, and great journey!
Note: Well, there are more pics, but I dont think they are suitable for public display ㅋㅋ (kh kh). Contact me personally if you wanna take a look :P
Thursday, July 05, 2007
#155 Sorry Pyeong Chang
Pyeong Chang lost out to Sochi.
Nevermind, it wont lose its beauty with this result :)
Labels:
2014,
games,
korea,
pyeong chang,
pyeongchang,
resort,
ski,
winter olympics
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
#154 Correction: Pyeong Chang 2014
Correction:
In post # 152, there is a bit of correction. The pics that show the banner for Pyeong Chang 2014, and other pics in the same post, are actually taken in Pyeong Chang.
At that moment I thought it to be just a banner placed in the country side, but that place is actually Pyeong Chang county itself! And I wondered what the construction work all around was about!
Gangneung and Pyeong Chang will be hosting the Winter Olympics 2014, if they are selected tomorrow. Lovely place and it deserves to host the games...
Here are the pics once again :) These are the slopes that are fully covered with snow during winter. This place receives the highest snowfall in entire South Korea, and is a natural ski resort.
Labels:
2014,
games,
korea,
pyeong chang,
pyeongchang,
resort,
ski,
winter olympics
Saturday, June 30, 2007
#153 And now to the west coast...
Ganghwa Island, Incheon Airport, Wolmido and Incheon Metropolitan City.
The west coast of Korea , is along the Yellow Sea. The continental shelf is wide and most of the water near the shore is dirty brown. This area is known for its muddy flat lands along the shore.
Ganghwa island is known as a combat zone and has many old fortresses to protect the country from foreign attacks a few centuries ago.
This is Korea's Lucky Bird
---
The following pictures are from a Buddhist Temple in Ganghwa.
This is really how traditional Korea is...
We must put coins in this big bowl of water. If it hits the center, then our wish will be fulfilled. My coin landed many centimeters away from the center [:(]
But this was perhaps the sweetest water I have tasted so far in Korea... very pure and natural.
CHODING POWER
GODING POWER (goding: middle school students)
Construction underway: Incheon Airport - Incheon City Sea Link.
Once constructed, it will be around 12 kilometer long and will be amongst the three longest of its kind in the world.
And then we took this ferry to Wolmido... Yes our car went right inside :)
Korean cars, ready for export...
And in Incheon City: These are residential apartments.
Back to square one...
The west coast of Korea , is along the Yellow Sea. The continental shelf is wide and most of the water near the shore is dirty brown. This area is known for its muddy flat lands along the shore.
Ganghwa island is known as a combat zone and has many old fortresses to protect the country from foreign attacks a few centuries ago.
This is Korea's Lucky Bird---
The following pictures are from a Buddhist Temple in Ganghwa.
This is really how traditional Korea is...
We must put coins in this big bowl of water. If it hits the center, then our wish will be fulfilled. My coin landed many centimeters away from the center [:(]
But this was perhaps the sweetest water I have tasted so far in Korea... very pure and natural.
CHODING POWER
GODING POWER (goding: middle school students)
Construction underway: Incheon Airport - Incheon City Sea Link.Once constructed, it will be around 12 kilometer long and will be amongst the three longest of its kind in the world.
And then we took this ferry to Wolmido... Yes our car went right inside :)
Korean cars, ready for export...
And in Incheon City: These are residential apartments.
Back to square one...Sunday, June 24, 2007
#152 Can something be better?
I am too tired to write an introduction, haven't slept since two days. But so far, this has been my most memorable experience in Korea :)
I took a trip to the North Eastern Coast of South Korea, to a small beach town Jeondongjin, and was lead to a marvelous city Gangneung by some really wonderful people, that I happened to meet by chance!
---
This is Cheongnyangni Station of Seoul City. It caters to trains linking Seoul to the Eastern part of Korea.
---
And my train, listed on the chart as train number 1661. A normal express, not superfast :)
---
And the Sunrise Express: This train is run at a specific time, such that it reaches Jeongdongjin (my destination) before the sunrise.
---
Pretty people in pretty clothes :)
---
I reached the destination well on time, 4.05 am. And this is what I saw. This is the horizon... all you can see is the horizon... thats the Face Of God :)
---
Waiting anxiously for the sun to rise and show me its brimming face...
---
Aah.... here it is... almost there!
---
Hello, hello, where are you?
---
Ooops, something that I feared, the cloudy monsoon sky, hid the sunrise :(, and the sun could only be seen a few degress higher, a few minutes later :(
---
Oh, btw, here is the beautiful Pacific Ocean, my first view of crystal blue waters :)
---
I am a hero, aren't I? PHBBT
---
Clear waters and clear sand...
---
This is the whole beach and the Jeongdongjin railway station. This station has an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the railway station closest to a beach. Well, its almost on the beach! The stairs from the platform, end up on the beach. This was a lovely sight from a high hill near the beach.
---
This, is a resort, at one end of the beach. Its a hotel made in the form of a huggggggggggggge Ship.
---
This is a pretty famous icon in Korea, and this led to the beach becoming a national attraction. This is a sand hour glass, but its time period is not one hour, its ONE YEAR. On every New Year's Day, this hour glass or YEAR GLASS is rolled about and restarted. It was installed and is maintained by Samsung.
---
Jeongdongjin Beach Town - Pretty structures all around.
---
Aahhh... let me come to the point... A Choding (term's meaning explained in earlier post) introduced me to Jeong Hwa in the bus from Jeongdongjin to Gangneung Terminus. And we ended up being good friends. She offered to show me around a truly wonderful hill station city Gangneung.
---
And this is Gangneung...
---
These are: Na Hyae, Me, Jeong Hwa and Hyeon Yeong... had a cool time with them around :)
---
Spotted some Wind Turbines :) !!!!!!!!!! Really happy to see them in action since my internship research is on the same :)
---
This is a typical Korean train: KORAIL
---
On the way back to Incheon...
---
Through the tunnels, cutting the mountains...
---
Through the clouds, cutting the air...
---
And some more...
---
Wonderful pine trees all around...
---
Korean country-side... Gangwon Province
---
Pyeong Chang is a city on the north eastern coast of South Korea, and is competing to host the 2014 Winter Olympics :) Incheon has already won the bid to host the Asian Games in 2014...
---
Awesome... Simply...
---
At the end of the day, I would like to preserve my two tickets from this special trip!!
And, will you believe me people, if I add that the whole green cover that you just saw turns red and yellow in Autumn, completely! And white in winter, completely covered by snow! This province of South Korea receives the maximum snowfall and becomes a natural skiing resort!
---
Sorry folks... there are too many nice pics to post... but most of them are private ;)
I took a trip to the North Eastern Coast of South Korea, to a small beach town Jeondongjin, and was lead to a marvelous city Gangneung by some really wonderful people, that I happened to meet by chance!
---
This is Cheongnyangni Station of Seoul City. It caters to trains linking Seoul to the Eastern part of Korea.---
And my train, listed on the chart as train number 1661. A normal express, not superfast :)---
And the Sunrise Express: This train is run at a specific time, such that it reaches Jeongdongjin (my destination) before the sunrise.---
Pretty people in pretty clothes :)---
I reached the destination well on time, 4.05 am. And this is what I saw. This is the horizon... all you can see is the horizon... thats the Face Of God :)---
Waiting anxiously for the sun to rise and show me its brimming face...---
Aah.... here it is... almost there!---
Hello, hello, where are you?---
Ooops, something that I feared, the cloudy monsoon sky, hid the sunrise :(, and the sun could only be seen a few degress higher, a few minutes later :(---
Oh, btw, here is the beautiful Pacific Ocean, my first view of crystal blue waters :)---
I am a hero, aren't I? PHBBT---
Clear waters and clear sand...---
This is the whole beach and the Jeongdongjin railway station. This station has an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the railway station closest to a beach. Well, its almost on the beach! The stairs from the platform, end up on the beach. This was a lovely sight from a high hill near the beach.---
This, is a resort, at one end of the beach. Its a hotel made in the form of a huggggggggggggge Ship.---
This is a pretty famous icon in Korea, and this led to the beach becoming a national attraction. This is a sand hour glass, but its time period is not one hour, its ONE YEAR. On every New Year's Day, this hour glass or YEAR GLASS is rolled about and restarted. It was installed and is maintained by Samsung.---
Jeongdongjin Beach Town - Pretty structures all around.---
Aahhh... let me come to the point... A Choding (term's meaning explained in earlier post) introduced me to Jeong Hwa in the bus from Jeongdongjin to Gangneung Terminus. And we ended up being good friends. She offered to show me around a truly wonderful hill station city Gangneung.---
And this is Gangneung...---
These are: Na Hyae, Me, Jeong Hwa and Hyeon Yeong... had a cool time with them around :)---
Spotted some Wind Turbines :) !!!!!!!!!! Really happy to see them in action since my internship research is on the same :)---
This is a typical Korean train: KORAIL---
On the way back to Incheon...---
Through the tunnels, cutting the mountains...---
Through the clouds, cutting the air...---
And some more...---
Wonderful pine trees all around...---
Korean country-side... Gangwon Province---
Pyeong Chang is a city on the north eastern coast of South Korea, and is competing to host the 2014 Winter Olympics :) Incheon has already won the bid to host the Asian Games in 2014...---
Awesome... Simply...---
At the end of the day, I would like to preserve my two tickets from this special trip!!And, will you believe me people, if I add that the whole green cover that you just saw turns red and yellow in Autumn, completely! And white in winter, completely covered by snow! This province of South Korea receives the maximum snowfall and becomes a natural skiing resort!
---
Sorry folks... there are too many nice pics to post... but most of them are private ;)
Sunday, June 10, 2007
# 151 Wolmido... nice Quay
Hmmmm So this weekend I went to Wolmido and China Town...
China town in Incheon is the only Chinatown in entire South Korea... Not too big, just a small road and a park on the top of the hill. The park has a free for all gym instruments and its a favorite spot for old people :)
Next Stop Wolmido:
Beautiful place along the Yellow Sea. Nice Quay~ Lots of young people come for a walk, and especially just to eat sea food. This place is famous for its sea food like Oysters, shrimps, cuttlefish, lobsters and did I mention shells? Also from Womido wharf you can get ferry to Incheon airport which is just across the creek. You can get your car ferried across too... even buses are ferried in those huge ferries! Nice place to catch some sunset, some young people, cool breeze, colourful water fountains and skirts!
This is the center of Chinatown and the building with the glass windows is a famous as the first place in Korea to prepare the Jajangmyeon: Noodles with black Chinese Soya bean sauce. (very famous Korean Chinese dish)
These fluffy Tigers were sold for real cheap... I only wish I dint have a baggage limitation !
This is Abhi, from IITK, doing his internship at KICT.
This is Incheon Port. A pretty colourful sight!
Behind the port, you see the Incheon Sea Link that would connect the mainland with the Incheon Airport island by 2009. It would be amongst the longest in the world.
Yours Truly
Old people love this place because of the free-for-all gym!
Welcome to Wolmido: This particular mean machine just throws the girls around! Pretty picture for on-lookers and I wonder if its embarrassing for the girls!
This was one hell of a ride! Its gone almost 90 degree and high in the air, rotating too!
This is the same Incheon Sea Link seen form Wolmido
Wolmido Quay
"Paint my face"
Look at this ferry: It ferries not just people, but cars and even buses full of people!
Cute Korean kids "Choding" (choding: elementary school kids) in water!
Sunset by the Yellow Sea! (Incheon Airport Island in the far backdrop)
And I twisted by ankle once again :(
This horse cart was funny, cause the main power came from a diesel engine kept in the read of the cart, even the horses neighs came from a loud speaker and not from the horse itself!
Cute Korean middle school kids "Goding"
China town in Incheon is the only Chinatown in entire South Korea... Not too big, just a small road and a park on the top of the hill. The park has a free for all gym instruments and its a favorite spot for old people :)
Next Stop Wolmido:
Beautiful place along the Yellow Sea. Nice Quay~ Lots of young people come for a walk, and especially just to eat sea food. This place is famous for its sea food like Oysters, shrimps, cuttlefish, lobsters and did I mention shells? Also from Womido wharf you can get ferry to Incheon airport which is just across the creek. You can get your car ferried across too... even buses are ferried in those huge ferries! Nice place to catch some sunset, some young people, cool breeze, colourful water fountains and skirts!
This is the center of Chinatown and the building with the glass windows is a famous as the first place in Korea to prepare the Jajangmyeon: Noodles with black Chinese Soya bean sauce. (very famous Korean Chinese dish)
These fluffy Tigers were sold for real cheap... I only wish I dint have a baggage limitation !
This is Abhi, from IITK, doing his internship at KICT.
This is Incheon Port. A pretty colourful sight!
Behind the port, you see the Incheon Sea Link that would connect the mainland with the Incheon Airport island by 2009. It would be amongst the longest in the world.
Yours Truly
Old people love this place because of the free-for-all gym!
Welcome to Wolmido: This particular mean machine just throws the girls around! Pretty picture for on-lookers and I wonder if its embarrassing for the girls!
This was one hell of a ride! Its gone almost 90 degree and high in the air, rotating too!
This is the same Incheon Sea Link seen form Wolmido
Wolmido Quay
"Paint my face"
Look at this ferry: It ferries not just people, but cars and even buses full of people!
Cute Korean kids "Choding" (choding: elementary school kids) in water!
Sunset by the Yellow Sea! (Incheon Airport Island in the far backdrop)
And I twisted by ankle once again :(
This horse cart was funny, cause the main power came from a diesel engine kept in the read of the cart, even the horses neighs came from a loud speaker and not from the horse itself! 
Cute Korean middle school kids "Goding"Thursday, June 07, 2007
# *** Sweeter Than Honey
Today is no special day for me. Its just another day when I would like to thank "God" for everything I do and for everything I am.
A JOURNEY CUT SHORT 
The boy wanted to be a pilot when he grew up. But he died young at the age of 5 years after a short struggle with a lethal form of blood cancer. Five-year-old Subhash, the only son of a Chennai couple who was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, died in Singapore on Thursday.
News like these are not really rare in a place like India... but this is just unfortunate...
Think of his father and mother who gave him birth and who raised him all these years, constantly with the worry and hope that one day their child would be able to run and play with everyone. Think of his parents who sold away everything they had to invest in their child's treatment. Think of his relatives who knew him. Think of his friends, who might have been few but special. Perhaps god liked him more than others, so god took him away for himself.
But why did I have to include this in my blog?
When this news was featured on CNNIBN website, a lot of people posted their comments. Most of them were "May God bless his soul". I just glanced at them, but one of the comments held my sight. Something that suddenly brought a gulp down my throat. I cant explain the feeling, but it touched me all the way. Even as I am copy pasting those exact words, it brings a tear to my eye. Maybe I am too sensitive, or maybe there is a lot of "Love" in this world "to live for, and worth dying for!"
The boy wanted to be a pilot when he grew up. But he died young at the age of 5 years after a short struggle with a lethal form of blood cancer. Five-year-old Subhash, the only son of a Chennai couple who was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, died in Singapore on Thursday.
News like these are not really rare in a place like India... but this is just unfortunate...
Think of his father and mother who gave him birth and who raised him all these years, constantly with the worry and hope that one day their child would be able to run and play with everyone. Think of his parents who sold away everything they had to invest in their child's treatment. Think of his relatives who knew him. Think of his friends, who might have been few but special. Perhaps god liked him more than others, so god took him away for himself.
But why did I have to include this in my blog?
When this news was featured on CNNIBN website, a lot of people posted their comments. Most of them were "May God bless his soul". I just glanced at them, but one of the comments held my sight. Something that suddenly brought a gulp down my throat. I cant explain the feeling, but it touched me all the way. Even as I am copy pasting those exact words, it brings a tear to my eye. Maybe I am too sensitive, or maybe there is a lot of "Love" in this world "to live for, and worth dying for!"
will miss u loads................
n all the spiderman talks wid u.
Posted by: ":)"
May God bless your soul!
And give strength to your parents...
Click here to read
And give strength to your parents...
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
#149 Inha... Celebrations of.... (I really dint get that)
Hi,
Two blogs in a day... whoa!!!!
Time to watch some celebrations...
Two blogs in a day... whoa!!!!
Time to watch some celebrations...
If you dont seem to be getting enough of it... then: