Ep.51
30
July 2012.
“See the world. It’s more fantastic than
any dream made or paid for in factories.” – Ray Bradbury.
ICN
– Nami-seom, South Korea.
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| under the trees |
As
soon as I know it would be another visit to Korea, I contact Dalin. Remember
her? My high school friend that live in Korea? I asked her for a trip and she
agreed to take a day off. How cool is that? So I saved my energy just enough to
be able to do a day tour right after I touched down in Incheon. We do planned
to go sightseeing to an island which happened to be the most popular island in
South Korea, Jeju. But, Dalin said, there’s nothing much there, and she
suggested to go to another island which is the backdrop setting from a Korean
drama Winter Sonata. Hell yeah! I remembered watch that drama of 19 VCD
*somewhere 10 years ago* back to back not even sleeping in between. So, there
we decided to go to Nami Island.
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| Naminara Immigration |
As
soon as I checked into my room in Incheon, I rushed to bath and change. Dalin
said, instead of her coming all the way down to Incheon, what about me, meeting
her up in her apartment. I said no problem, coz it would be a lot more
efficient and practical. I am absolutely sure that I could find my way to her
apartment, as my previous visit was also to accompany her moving to that
particular apartment. *Don’t you remember?* At 7.00 in the morning, I left my
hotel heading to Dalin’s. As it would take around 1 hour and a half, I took a
good nap on the train. By the time I arrived at her place, I keyed in the
password to the door and something sounded like “Good Morning” came from the
bed. Shoot! She was still in her dream.
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| it says Nam-i-seom |
So,
I rushed her up and she took a quick bath. 30 minutes later, rain drops! Really
heavy rain. We checked on the
weather and it says it was also raining in Nami. We were ‘that’ close to call
off the plan. But, guess what, Dalin’s took her day off, and I already all
excited to go to Nami Island, we better risk everything rather than cancel it.
We brought along our umbrellas and off we go.
 |
| my snowmen |
Namiseom
is a tiny half-moon shaped island located in Chuncheon, South Korea, located
about 3 hours from Seoul. And to be added by my trip from Incheon, that summed
up to 4 hours each way. It could be reached by train, then transfer to a bus,
then with a ferry. Such a journey. By the time we got off from the subway, the
rain has stopped. God grace! We got on the bus and got off at the ferry pier.
Namiseom is an imaginary country called Naminara Republic, the "passport" issued from
Naminara is required in order to enter Namiseom. It declared itself a
self-governing country in 2006. In addition, it has invented its own passport,
currency, stamp and telephone card, and has promoted the establishment of
Naminara in other countries. The ‘visa’ to enter Namiseom is KRW 8000 per
person. We paid the visa at the ticket booth and we queue for the ferry.
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| traditional houses |
Nami
Island is an oasis for culture and leisure in peaceful harmony with humanity
and nature. After a five-minute ferry ride, we meet a forest of verdant trees
holding up the sky and open grassy areas where ostriches, rabbits, squirrels,
chipmunks, ducks and peacocks warmly welcome visitors in the midst of wild
flowers. And not to forget the snowmen that is featured in Winter Sonata. OMG!
It was like threw me back on one of the scenes. Such a romantic places to go
with your love one.
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| post office |
On Nami
Island, artists from all over the world show-off their talents and share the
sense of peace of mind the island creates. The island is the site of Nami
Island International Children's Book Festival (NAMBOOK) and other cultural events that take place
every weekend, making Nami one of the main cultural and artistic tourist
attractions in Korea. Nami is home to several galleries and is the site of the Song
Museum, which also
houses a collection of international ethnic musical instruments. There are
indoor and outdoor stages, facilities for seminars and workshops in addition to
a 46-room modern hotel and 10 cottages.
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| u are not alone |
Naminara
is unique in other ways, also. At night, all the lights are turned off on the
island so that visitors can harmonize with nature under the light of the moon
and stars. Most of wood and bottles generated by visitors to the island are
recycled and re-used. It has a very open hiring and retirement policy so people
can work until they are 80 years old if they wish.
 |
| where is this again? |
We walked
on the path following the trail under the high trees and it felt so great that
we could be in natural setting. We found a bench and sat there for a quick
picnic. We opened up our lunch, which actually some bread that we bought near
the station just before we board the subway, and we ate them up while we keep
each other update about our life lately. Along the path,
-->there were these kind
of traditional houses and *still*
the remnants of Winter Sonata drama’s icons. Where they met each other, the
cottages, the bench they’re sitting on, where were their first kiss happened
and so on and so on. It was such a beautiful experience to be in the scene of a
drama that you’ve watched.
 |
| jump! |
And here
it comes the climax of the trip. Have u ever seen the line up of trees that
high and full of leaves on top but all you could see from eye lever was just
the trunk along the pathways which seems endless. Yes! The icon of Korean drama
Winter Sonata. It would be green on spring and summer, golden and reddish in
Autumn and white covered with snow in winter. It was what I saw before my eyes.
We took pictures there, million poses, if I may say.
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| Winter Sonata |
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| Dalin n me |
I was kind
of walking through the path of the drama that I watched decade ago. Reminds me
of each and every romantic scenes that a young girl would think of. We stopped
for a coffee break in the middle of the tour as we gossiped each other *as
usual*. God has been really good that He stops the rain throughout the day and
we enjoyed this miraculously beautiful island in a good weather. Spent our time
for about 4 hours in the island, we head back to Seoul. But, nope, it ain’t
over yet.
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| guitar! |
Dalin
brought me to Hongik University area, which according to her is where Korean
youngsters would hang out and good cafes and restaurant were located. What
should we eat while we were in Seoul? Sam Kyeop Sal!! Yeah! Korean BBQ with
lots of pork neck. *Gosh I’m fat..please be merciful, God*. It was a pretty
crowded area full of fashionable Korean youngsters and not to forget pretty
cute and hot Korean guys are all around the place. We do a little shopping here
and there along the street and finally chose a restaurant to eat. We ordered a
good deal amount of meat for two and magically transferred all the food to our
own ‘pork belly’. Full tank, spent a good
KRW 11000 on the dinner, we were so ready to head back , Dalin to her
apartment and I to my hotel room.
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| u caught me! |
After
reached Dalin’s house, I bid her good bye and head to Incheon by my own.
Another 1 hour plus journey and I welcomed by my fluffy bed. Yet, in the next
few hours, I got to operate back to HK. Haha! Never mind, it was what this job
is all about. A visit to Nami island with Dalin is one of a kind. Thanks to her
to take her day off just to spend it with me. And thank God it wasn’t raining,
except for the beginning part of the trip. The next day, when I told the other
crew that I went to Namiseom, they called me crazy. Another prove not to be afraid of rain and distance.
“Take a
chance, you never know what might be happen.” – Me.
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