The year of 2012 was a year well spent. I had the privilege of visiting roughly 35 cities in a total of 10 Asian countries – South Korea, China, The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar. I am deeply grateful for the many incredible experiences and countless new friends I have made along my journey. I have been blessed beyond belief.

So, this is a simple tribute to all the places, the people I met along the way, the memories we made, and the laughs we shared. 2012 will forever have a special place in my heart <3

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

xxx

Something I will keep in mind.

To the adventures we don’t anticipate!

xxx

Mud Festival is known to attract thousands of international visitors and is considered by many to be one of the best events of the year; one that should not be missed. The festival is held at the Daecheon Beach area in Boreyeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do.

A group of us headed there for the first weekend of festivities with the tour group, Adventure Korea. We left Seoul early on Saturday morning and arrived in Boryeong at around 11:30. After grabbing lunch along the beach front, we hopped back on the bus to a mud field for a marine-type extreme training course on silt. We all dressed up in military gear (camo pants) and participated in various games, such as cavalry battles, mud wrestling and a seriously muddy game of soccer.

Saturday evening consisted of walking along the beach, watching an amazing fireworks display, getting completely drenched in the pouring rain, and renting mini motorbikes to ride up and down beach road – a definite highlight!

Sunday morning we were up early to head to the main mud area and get involved. The muddy activities included an obstacle course, mud slides, mud wrestling, the famous Mud Prison (where you get SOAKED in mud), and other random games. A ridiculous amount of fun once you’ve gotten over your initial apprehension!

Once we’d had our fair share of mud, we cleaned off in the pool, picked up some lunch and headed to the beach. Various bands played throughout the day and we were entertained by the many festival goers hanging out on the beach.

[Obviously, taking a camera into the mess was not an option, so for some really great muddy pictures click here.]

MudFest was one of the best weekends and coolest experiences I’ve had in Korea – I would highly recommend going and getting as muddy as possible. A bonus – the mud has proven to be very good for your skin…

xxx

Samcheok-si is a small town on the east coast of Korea, the southernmost region of Gangwon-do. It upholds itself as the City of Caves, and is also the avenue to some beautiful coastlines and interesting sculptures. A few of us headed there last month to explore and celebrate a birthday.

We started our weekend off with a visit to one of the famous limestone caves. Hwanseongul Cave is one of the largest limestone caves in Asia, and the largest in South Korea. It is a known 6.2km long, 20 to 100 metres wide, and varies in height from 20 to 30 metres. This 500 million year old cave can be reached via a 30-40 minute, 1.3km hike (including 398 stairs) to the entrance, or by cable car. We opted for the latter due to lack of time. The view from the entrance of the cave is incredible – beautiful, misty mountains and valleys covered in trees and amazing rock formations. The cave itself is home to stunning stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, sculptures and various limestone formations. Waterfalls, themed bridges and Buddha sculptures are a few inside attractions along the course. The humidity in the cave is between 86 and 96%, and the temperature is generally between 10 and 14 C.

Our chauffeur for the day.

Later that day we hopped on a bus and headed south to Haesindang Park, along the east coast. This park boasts unusual and erotic sculptures, and the formation of it was based on an old folk tale about a young girl who drowned in a storm along this very coast. It was a, um, unique park in which to spend our afternoon. The surrounding scenery is really stunning and we spent a good few hours walking around the park and along the coast. [If you wish to know more about Haesindang, please click here.]

After spending the night in Samcheok City centre, we headed south again on Sunday morning to try out the greatly advertised Ocean Rail Bike. The Rail Bike travels along a 5.4km-long double track along the east coast. The bikes go through various tunnels, including an Olympic-themed tunnel in support of the  London 2012 Olympics. The scenery along the route included pine tree forests and beautiful views of the East Sea. Although a slightly bizarre concept, we enjoyed the time spent outdoors taking in our surroundings and soaking up the sunshine before heading back to our respective home cities.

xxx

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

- Alexander Supertramp

- Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

A few of us girls decided to head down south for a weekend of cycling and exploring in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do; and to see the cherry blossoms in their prime. Perfect weather and great company made for an incredible weekend.

Our traditional Hanok Guest House

Mode of transport for the weekend.

National Museum

Pagoda

A big thank you to the lovely Ella for arranging the weekend for us <3

xxx

Tagged: Asia, Cherry Blossoms, Gyeongju, Korea ]]> http://missparris.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/gyeongju-cherry-blossoms/feed/ 1 Gyeongju 082 missparris Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju Gyeongju http://missparris.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/boracay-an-island-paradise/ http://missparris.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/boracay-an-island-paradise/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:45:07 +0000 miss parris http://missparris.wordpress.com/?p=372 Continue reading »]]> 18-26 February 2012

Boracay Island, The Philippines

I had the opportunity to escape from the (dreadful) Korean Winter and spend 9 days in Boracay, an absolute island paradise, with some great company. Our days consisted of soaking up the sunshine on the famous White Beach, riding jet skis around the bay, snorkeling, sunset sailing, a banana boat ride, cliff jumping, parasailing, island hopping, massages on the beach, great food and an overdose of fruit shakes. Not bad for my first island holiday…

Arrival at Boracay Harbour

Boracay Beach Club, located in Station 1 on White Beach, was our home for those 9 days. Friendly and helpful staff, a resort pool, a beach bar, amazingly comfortable rooms, and delicious breakfasts were all part of the package. I would highly recommend this great family-owned resort for anyone traveling to Boracay.

Front entrance to Boracay Beach Club – across the road from White Beach

White Beach

Sunset sailing

Sailboats

Around town

Mount Luho Viewpoint

Puka Beach

Island hopping cruise

Our boat (that broke down…)

Crocodile Island

Parasailing is something I had always wanted to do – and I couldn’t imagine a better setting for it!

Before lift-off

Going up…

Higher and higher…

Coming down…

Landing

Ariel’s Point – cliff jumping, snorkeling, kayaking

One of the best destinations I’ve ever had the privilege of visiting.

xxx

Insadong is a neighborhood in the Jongno-do district of Seoul. The main street is Insadong-gil, where you can find markets for antiques and artworks, traditional restaurants and tea houses, street food, jewelry and clothing, souvenirs and more. It’s a great place for a day visit and the perfect location to pick up gifts for family and friends.

Traditional honey dessert

Pomegranate Tea at a traditional Tea House

Cheonggyecheon Stream

This 5.8km stream is more than 4.6 metres below street level, and the perfect place to get some peace and quiet from the bustling streets of Seoul. More than 20 bridges are featured along the course of the stream, representing various beliefs or stories of symbolism. Cheonggyecheon Stream offers many beautiful sights to see, such as a grand fountain, ceramic murals, cultural wall paintings, a wishing well, and aquatic life. The annual Seoul Lantern Festival is also held along the stream.

xxx

As Seoul was named World Design Capital in 2010, a few of us decided to head through to COEX Mall (the largest mall in Asia) to check out the Seoul Design Fair this March. The exhibition was first launched in 1994, and has proved to be an important platform to display both current and future trends in Korea’s interior design industry. The theme for this year’s fair was “Art Home” and exhibitions included interior & furniture, digital home appliances, fabrics, home textiles, kitchenware, exterior, lighting and more. Here are a few personal favorites:

xxx

N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower, located on Namsan mountain, was built in 1969 and has since been a landmark of Seoul. It measures 236.7 m in height, and is 479.7 m above sea level. You can choose to walk up the tower or take the lift to the observation decks (the 4th deck is a revolving restaurant). The tower provides an incredible 360° view of the city of Seoul, including the Han River, and is a must-see for anyone visiting Seoul.

N Seoul Tower

Love locks

Lit up

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace was named a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in December 1997. It is one of the  ”Five Grand Palaces” built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty, and was constructed between 1405 and 1412. Changdeokgung (창덕궁) means “Palace of Prospering Virtue”. The grounds encompass a public area, the residence of the royal family, and the rear garden. The place, like the other Grand Palaces in Seoul, was heavily damaged during the Japanese occupation of Korea, but was restored many years later. The palace is really beautiful and a site that attracts many tourists all year round.

Detail

xxx