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Thursday, January 19, 2012



Do you remember what happened on July 7th, 2011? Korea won a bid to host the Winter Olympic game in Pyeongchang. It was a huge triumph made of relentless challenge, support from whole nation and wish that moved IOC members. 
 <People excited about being selected as a host of Winter Olympic Game> (Source: Yonhapnews)

On Feb 9th, 2018, Pyeongchang will draw a lot of attention from globe. Koreans as well as foreigners will gather around the sites or in front of TV. Expecially for those who are on the sites will spend some extra time on looking around the area before opening the game. What are the attractions in Pyeongchang that we can introduce? Here they are.

Daegwanryeong Ranch
 Daegwanryeong, the entrance of Taebaek mountains, is well known for sheep ranches, plantation over high mountains and ski resorts. Ranches are as much exotic as Swiss and Austria because it is not easy to see ranches over high mountains. Samyang and Yangtae ranches are the popular ones, however, they are slightly different.


Let’s go to Samyang ranch first. Take Yeongdong highway to Gangreung and exit at Heuinggye IC. Then, make a left turn, and pass a three-way intersection. Go straight and turn right at the next corner. Keep driving 8 more kilometers.


Samyang ranch is the largest one in Asia, located 1,140 meters high from sea level and 1,983 square meters in size. The ranch runs shuttle bus, which is nonstop to the peak. However when coming down, you can get off at either of four stops and take a walk. Shuttle bus doesn’t run in winter. Admission fee is 7,000 won for adult and 5,000 won for children. There are milk cow, sheep, Tajo, rabbit and goat in the ranch. Among them, the flock of milk cow and sheep are the ‘best’. The perfect season for visiting is spring and summer when they are all outside. If you visit in winter you’ll see them in their cages.
On the side way to the peak, there is a windmill electric generator complex. It looks simple but ‘literally’ generates 67% of whole electricity in Gangreung. There are TV drama sets and movie sets such as trees shown in the movie, Love Story. A fish called Hwangtae Deokjang is very well known. If you walk down from the top, you can’t miss anything special.

<Electricity generated by clean air of Daegwanryeong>
 (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Next, let’s move on to Yangtae ranch. It is located 805 meters high and 200,000 square meters in size. Land size is just 1/100 of Samyang ranch but it is as famous as Samyang ranch. Although it is smaller than that, it is way more comfortable to take a walk the whole area, watching sheeps. It is also close from Samyang ranch, which is just 12 kilometers away, so you can stop by after another. The sheep goes back in their indoor cage at 4 so you’d better manage your time to see them.
You can feed any animal in Samyang ranch but in Yangtae ranch you can only feed sheep because as you can see from the word ‘Yangtae’, which means ‘the flock of sheep’, they have only sheep. Instead, there is no admission fee in Yangtae ranch. There is only feeding fee, 3,500 won for adult and 3,000 won for children. 

 <A child feeding sheep> (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Unlike Samyang ranch, there is no shuttle bus in Yangtae ranch. It is long enough to take a walk and look around. You will find a bigger hut at the top of the hill, which was on the movie, ‘A man who has gone to Mars’.
By the way, you don’t have to worry about getting bitten when feeding hay to milk cow and sheep. They don’t have upper teeth so feed them freely.

Past, Present and Future in First Road in Woljeong Temple

If you have some knowledge of Korean history, you might recognize the Octagonal nine-story pagoda in Woljeong Temple was built in the early years of Goryeo dynasty. It is regarded as one of the greatest heritage in Korean history and the one that made its temple known throughout Korea. As Woljeong temple is a temple of name established in Ohdae mountain by Buddist monk Jajangyulsa, a number of people have visited the temple. If you want to visit here, take a bus at East Seoul bus terminal to Jinbu suburban bus terminal. Then take a bus toward Woljeong temple. If you drive, get on the Central express highway, and move over to the Yeongdong express highway. After you come off the highway at Jinbu IC, you are almost there.

<Octagonal nine-story pagoda standing straight like a fir tree>
 (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

In addition, Fir tree road also attracts tourists. The road has become known after it appeared in a mobile phone ads. It has become a ‘must’ go place in Pyeongchang now. Just typing ‘firs’ on the internet search engine, you’ll find Ohdae mountain firs forest. You’ll be overwhelmed with the forest with a full of fir trees. Firs are vulnerable to pollution, so it’s not easy to see them in cities. That makes them truly valuable. 

 
 <Tree first or road first> (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

To enter Firs road, you should get into Woljeong temple. With admission fee 3,000 won, you will find pavilions and octagonal nine story pagoda. Passing by pine trees at entrance gate of walk road, you will face firs road. Flowing stream will satisfy your all senses.
Fir trees grow by 40 meters high and 1.5 meters round. Firs here have grown to the highest. They don’t stretch out their branches very much so you can still find the pieces of sky and stream through them. Road is as straight forward as trees stand upright. You will feel more comfortable with them.
Sometimes, when you take a walk along the street with a deep thought, you might see a monk coming from the opposite side of you. Just greet him, slightly nodding your head with holding your hands together. It is a courtesy for you to greet first because you are visiting a temple.
Iljoomoon, which is a main gate of the temple, stands at the end of the fir tree road with a height of 800 meters. Mostly those who have no business here just go back the way they came. A writer inspired by the road said, “After walking a while, I got to Iljoomoon. I felt a present. As I turn back up the road, the road until just now was a past. I walk to the future from now.”
As the visitors have to walk on the same road when going back, so the expression! above sounds really fit.

The Home of Herb Scents, Herbnara

Everywhere in Pyeongchang is just nice for taking photos. One of the best photo zones is Herbnara. There are only herbs, not flower trees, however, it can be the most favorable photo zone.
For directions, after Myenon IC through Yeongdong express highway from Seoul, you’ll get to the area around Phynix park and Heungjeong valley. Well, from Gangreung, you should pass through Jangpyeong IC and get to Bongpyeong-myeon and Heungjeong valley. Admission fee is 7,000 won in summer and 5,000 won in winter. Infants with family are free of charge and a group of infants is 3,000 won regardless of the number of them. Herbnara opens at 9 and closes at 6. Latest entry is 4:30, so don’t be late!
When you pass by the ticket both after a bridge in valley, you will see welcoming signboard, written “Home of scents, Herbnara”. Amazed at hand paintings, you’ll enter the medieval age style of garden. The farm consists of eight themes. The first theme you will meet is a medieval garden. There are mini windmills, fountains and sculptures. They are very well harmonized with structures in the garden. You will definitely regret if you forget to bring either of digital camera or mobile phone camera.

<Fountain of Herbnara> (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

After medieval garden, you’ll meet with Shakespeare garden following Cottage garden, Butterfly garden and Rock garden. If you move forward, you’ll get to a palette garden which is full of colorful flowers. If you turn back, you will see children’s garden. Suddenly you’ll feel the herbal scents while taking a look. Smell the herbal scents, they will refresh yourself.

<Signboard providing fun and knowledge> (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Well, do you want to taste the herb? A restaurant named Jajaknamujib add herb in every food. They serve herbal tea, which makes you feel purified as well. They also have herbal ice cream, herbal bread and herbal jam. 
There are still many things to do. You can learn the use of herb and herbal products in herbal museum and herbal crafts room. In the hope of multiple culture center Pyeonggang garden runs Turkish museum which shows Turkish crafts. You can watch Korean old animation in animation forest of animation museum. Once in a while, if you are lucky enough, you will see some concerts held by Lee munsae, Noh yeongshim, and Lee ruma on starlight stage in an open-air theater. The music which covers the whole garden will touch your ears and refresh your mind.

Did you enjoy the attractions of Pyeongchang Olympic city so far? We hope that Pyeongchang could be remembered not only just an Olympic city but a city which is beautiful and entitled enough to host the Olympic game. 

Global Technology and Korea for 2012 Gartner, known as an IT research and advisory firm, announces a notable ‘technology’ every year. It has introduced ten potential strategic technologies every October. The uprising technologies in 2012 were announced in Symposium/ IT Expo 2001, Orlando Florida. Gartner’s “Technologies for 2012 (Source: Yonhapnews) The top ten strategic technologies for 2012 include Media Tablets and Beyond, Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces, Contextual and Social User Experience, Internet of Things, App Stores and Marketplaces, Next-Generation Analytics, Big Data, In-Memory Computing, Extreme Low-Energy Servers, and Cloud Computing. There was a huge change in the list. The cloud computing which ranked first last year has dropped to 10th. Amid rising interests on developing effective energy-saving technologies, such as low energy servers, green IT and so on, Gartner expressed his interests in the effective use of energy. Let’s find out some of the technologies that drew his attention. Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces Over the last 20 years, the user interface (UI)has changed a lot. Since the development of media tablets, UI has adopted the ‘touch’ function from ‘click’ function. Gartner predicted that’mouse’ and ‘keyboard’ applications that needed ‘click’ will be changed into the ‘touch’ applications. He added that applications will become more and more mobile-friendly solutions. (Source: Yonhapnews) That means the applications will be simpler easier to use in mobile devices. In addition, Gartner analyzed that a variety of applications with voice and motion recognition function will be shown up soon. At this moment, many companies are developinging the applications for a variety of mobile gadgets and technologies fitting into the gadgets. Low-Energy Consuming Servers Efficient use of energy has always been an issue to all companies. Gartner has mentioned the importance of technologies related to ‘Green IT’ in ‘Strategic Technologies for 2010’. Once again, he mentioned energy efficiency in detail with Low-Energy Consuming servers for 2012. The more important the technology related to analysis becomes, the higher the frequency of using servers becomes. Fortunately, the technology that is not only low energy-consuming but also effective has emerged. Gartner said it is possible to do the 30 times or more processes. Moreover, the energy efficiency and speeding up the process is expected since the burden of the server would decrease as well. Gartner predicts low energy sever technology is likely to increase. Korea’s Technology in 2012 (Source: Yonhapnews) Well, then, how about the prospect of Korea’s technologies this year? Let’s take a look. Growing Interest in the Third Platform After the mainframe and client server era, a new platform, so-called ‘third platform’ is dominating IT field. New platform era based on development of mobile market, introduction to cloud service, SNS and big data technology, has begun, like a new platform era emerged on a 20 to 25 year cycle. The awareness on this matter will be expanded in 2012. Expand the Use of Multi-Client Devices Now, the era of multi-client devices has started. The supply of smartphone has already surpassed over desktop and laptop computer in terms of number. Multi-client environment is expected to be common as mobile devices in both shipments and expenditures would take over PC market in 2012. This change will prompt the change of application market including lead of control and OS through boosting private and cooperative market. It seems that mobile technology is the biggest issue nowadays. Maybe in near future, smartphones will replace PC. What kind of new technologies will emerge this year? It’s exciting.


Gartner, known as an IT research and advisory firm, announces a notable ‘technology’ every year. It has introduced ten potential strategic technologies every October. The uprising technologies in 2012 were announced in Symposium/ IT Expo 2001, Orlando Florida.
 Gartner’s “Technologies for 2012

<Tourists looking at mobile road app> (Source: Yonhapnews)

The top ten strategic technologies for 2012 include Media Tablets and Beyond, Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces, Contextual and Social User Experience, Internet of Things, App Stores and Marketplaces, Next-Generation Analytics, Big Data, In-Memory Computing, Extreme Low-Energy Servers, and Cloud Computing. There was a huge change in the list. The cloud computing which ranked first last year has dropped to 10th.
Amid rising interests on developing effective energy-saving technologies, such as low energy servers, green IT and so on, Gartner expressed his interests in the effective use of energy. Let’s find out some of the technologies that drew his attention.
 Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces
Over the last 20 years, the user interface (UI)has changed a lot. Since the development of media tablets, UI has adopted the ‘touch’ function from ‘click’ function. Gartner predicted that’mouse’ and ‘keyboard’ applications that needed ‘click’ will be changed into the ‘touch’ applications. He added that applications will become more and more mobile-friendly solutions.


<Business meeting with tablets> (Source: Yonhapnews)

That means the applications will be simpler easier to use in mobile devices. In addition, Gartner analyzed that a variety of applications with voice and motion recognition function will be shown up soon. At this moment, many companies are developinging the applications for a variety of mobile gadgets and technologies fitting into the gadgets.

Low-Energy Consuming Servers 
Efficient use of energy has always been an issue to all companies. Gartner has mentioned the importance of technologies related to ‘Green IT’ in ‘Strategic Technologies for 2010’. Once again, he mentioned energy efficiency in detail with Low-Energy Consuming servers for 2012.

The more important the technology related to analysis becomes, the higher the frequency of using servers becomes. Fortunately, the technology that is not only low energy-consuming but also effective has emerged. Gartner said it is possible to do the 30 times or more processes. Moreover, the energy efficiency and speeding up the process is expected since the burden of the server would decrease as well. Gartner predicts low energy sever technology is likely to increase.
  
Korea’s Technology in 2012

<Primary school students studying with computers instead of textbooks>
(Source: Yonhapnews)

Well, then, how about the prospect of Korea’s technologies this year? Let’s take a look.
  
Growing Interest in the Third Platform
After the mainframe and client server era, a new platform, so-called ‘third platform’ is dominating IT field. New platform era based on development of mobile market, introduction to cloud service, SNS and big data technology, has begun, like a new platform era emerged on a 20 to 25 year cycle. The awareness on this matter will be expanded in 2012.

Expand the Use of Multi-Client Devices
Now, the era of multi-client devices has started. The supply of smartphone has already surpassed over desktop and laptop computer in terms of number. Multi-client environment is expected to be common as mobile devices in both shipments and expenditures would take over PC market in 2012. This change will prompt the change of application market including lead of control and OS through boosting private and cooperative market.
It seems that mobile technology is the biggest issue nowadays. Maybe in near future, smartphones will replace PC. What kind of new technologies will emerge this year? It’s exciting.

Monday, January 16, 2012

A Dinner with Ilya's Parents

I've been wanting to post this entry for quite some time since I did enjoy the time when the parents of my  pal right here in Korea invited me to have dinner with them. So, it was Ilya's parents' special visit to Korea that made it even more meaningful. Ilya--my friend and kind-of-my-younger-brother from Kazakhstan  --had been so busy the week his parents visited him in Korea last December (2011).

 We had this special dinner at a Chinese restaurant just around the block near our campus.
I remembered vividly that it was a chilly and windy night of December. But, the warmth of the dinner and especially Ilya's parents and auntie made it worthwhile for me to remember the occasion.
One thing I treasured: they even ordered just a special food for me since they'd known (thanks to Ilya) that I happened to be a vegetarian.
.....
Some of our friends were also invited in the dinner: Aigerim, Yelena, Aizhan (three of them from Kazakhstan), and Taekcho (from China).
The best part: it was such a wonderful occasion since it was (surprise...surprise) a customary (is it?) in Kazakhstan to bring along some present to their guests. Wow what a treat.









I mean...I got this whole bunch of candies and fruits from Kazakhstan...that I would not have tasted, had I not known these friends of mine. Amazing, right?
(more pictures and stories of these colorful candies later on^^ my other entry).


Another thing that I want to keep in mind was the fact that both of Ilya's parents did invite us to their homeland should we have a chance of going there. Why not. It would be such a great trip should I be able to realize this dream of going to Ilya's country--someday. Fingers crossed? ^^. Some say dreams do come true, right?

some of the unthinkable pictures on candies

well, for me, to be frank.....
opening up a box of candies or chocolates that surely come from other countries indeed gave me a jittery of excitement of what it has to offer or what it stores inside the box.



like what happened this time.
these candies and chocolates were freshly plucked out of the presents that Ilya's parents gave me.
Wow....could never believe it myself.
I mean...just look at the pairing wrappings that surely made to outlandish the sheer difference of excitement of just biting these simple looking chocolate-wrapped wafers. Yes, mostly they were wafers but--with the slight twitch of chocolate as the condiments.....
....the wafers turned to be one of the yummiest candies I've ever tasted.














They look so cool or too nice to open up and eat^^

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Dinner @ Korean Restaurant


A sumtuous meal was deliberately laid out before our eyes. Well, for my wife and kids who are yet not too-well-accustomed to eating the whole package of Korean food, the experience was somewhat a great deal...too good to resist.  We went into this 하늘과 바다 (haneul gwa bada) ‘sky and beach’ restaurant. Well, I did not know exactly as to why it was named this way.
The point was...the food was delicious. We ordered 양념 돌솥비빔밥 yangnyeom dolseot bibimbap with the whole set of side dishes.  Since it is called yangnyeom ‘nutritions’ the food is surely full of nutritious ingredients. And it was. Even the side dishes were a vast arrays of any imaginable feast we could get right here. Of course, kimchi was included.
The best part of  having a meal in any Korean restaurant is its free service of any additional side dishes that we eat. We won’t be charged of any side dishes that we eat no matter how much or how many times we ask the owner to keep refilling them. Great!
Since I love the sesame oil fried sprouts, kimchi, and tofu, I kept asking the ajumma or the eonnie or any restaurant owner to keep them refilled.^^

Namdaemun and Namsan Tower


Although the title of this entry is Namdaemun and Namsan Tower, I just want to jot down about the time when we were in the surrounding areas where Namdaemun and Namsan Tower were.
We were actually near Namdaemun and near Namsan Tower (a bit far actually, but it was visible).  From Shinsagae Department Store—a place where we were heading—we got out of the building and the whole Namdaemun vicinities and its Seoul Tower were visible.


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The Namsan Tower was actually a bit far off from the area, but for those who just want to chip into the area, they could just take off at Namdaemun station (Hoeyon station) and take the Tower as their background in taking pictures—just like what we did there. By doing so, the whole areas were visible.







The busy streets near Namdaemun and its vicinities were part of the whole things to enjoy. But, since it was Winter, for tropical people like us.....the wind could be a downside since we just wanted to be in a hurry so as to skip being frozen and went straight shopping in the market....instead of enjoying the surrounding areas adjacent to Namdaemun Market. 

Taking the family out in Winter


Actually, I should have put this entry earlier but since I did not write anything about it yet,  I might as well put it now. So, the pictures tell about the time when were taking a stroll along the university in one Winter morning.









 


I guess it was Saturday.  All of us were dressed up or wrapped up(?) in Winter clothes that we could think of so as we did not feel the shivering cold weather.  Luckily, it was  a bright sunny Saturday morning.












To capture the moment before going straight into the subway, we were passing by the main building of our campus. Oh....we live in a house right behind the campus so every time we go out somewhere, we have no other choices but to pass the whole campus right into its entrance before heading towards the Metro station. 






My kids become so accustomed to playing and passing by the campus yard be it in a broad daylight or night.




Korean gwaja or snacks


We bought some of these Korean snacks that we did not know before.Ghana coco pie, corn chips, butter coconut chips, PEPERO J, cereal, strawberry cereal chips, and many others not visible there.
We can eat most of them. Most of them? Yes....because the particular coco pie was not something that we can eat since it contains gelatin from pig. So, it was a good thing that we knew it now. Some of our friends did not know it before so before consuming any gwaja, we should check the ingridients contained in the product. I was lucky to be able to read Hangeul otherwise it would hard to imagine what to eat here. The good thing about most gwaja in Korea was that (although...sadly speaking—they are mostly written in Korean alphabet ‘hangeul’)they provide ample information of what the ingredients were. In fact, most of them even show where they come from. Nice, right? So, the next time we buy something (any food) we’d always make sure that no pig or pork or any gelatin-like ingredients were inside or contained in them. I do hope that this information would be of help for others, too. Especially for any Muslims who concern about the halal labeling of the food—which is a rare case, yet. 

A reflection of serenity in one early Winter afternoon (at my HUFS)


I think it was the first week of Winter. I remembered the temperature was about 7 Celcius or so. The wind was blowing a bit hard. The barren trees were as if left stranded without any warm embrace from the leaves that left them staggering in the chilly day of one Winter afternoon.
I was passing by the main building when I saw no one was around. Oh, yes....it was Sunday. No one was seen everywhere...I bet it was sooo chilly for some.
I kinda liked it since it did give a postcard-like image of the university main building. The sky was bright blue with no traces of any single cloud visible.  It was --- I think--- breathtakingly stunning.

I am glad that I did take the snap of the moment to capture it into my memory so as I will alwasy remember and be able to share it with others how beautiful a single day could be when we just stand and sit and calm ourselves down to contemplate the beauty. In this case, the black-looking barren tree in the picture tells it all. It was as if it was ready to welcome the bright Winter it has been waiting for....

House warming or jibteri


It is a Korean culture to invite friends and relatives to one’s newly built or rented house or homeJ So, we did, too.






We invited some friends to come over and have the food that we prepared and see where we live. Most of them were my friends from other countries who happened to be studying in Korea.  As the pictures show, our friends Laos (Changmi), Ghana (Felix), Uzbekistan (Jobirson), Japan (Chika & Akane), Kazakhtan (Ilya), Cambodia (Borey), China ( Arin & Iwol), Algeria (Maya), Indonesia (Wawan), and our family. Others were also coming afterwards to have dinner with us. 

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The house did become warm since lots of us came and sat together in one place. I thought that the house was big enough to hold all of our friends...but....then....it felt like so small...but that was the whole point. Being one in a two-room house would make the house warm.

La Fonte Spaghetti


What is a house warming party without food? To tease and to sum up the culmination of what we were striving for....we prepared spaghetti for our friends. It is not that spaghetti is our daily staple or anything, it was just that one of my wife’s signature dishes was spaghetti. So, spaghetti it was.
The fact that making spaghetti has been in her niche, it was not a difficult task to prepare to cook some spaghetti for as many as 20 people.  Or was it?
I was or we were so oblivious of the fact that during winter time......the price of tomatoes in Korea was sky-rocketting. Not many people eat tomatoes since these fruits(?) were expensive. I was oblivious that they were....so...despite the fact that tomatoes were soooooooooooo expensive, we did not know or best to say----we were unaware of it.


We bought as many as 7 kiloes of tomatoes or so. ^^. To make it worse, we did not just buy them in one place, so I had to go back and forth from E-Mart, Jinro Mart, a store near our house, and another store and another store just to find some tomatoes. No wonder that some people were staring at me when I was ‘ransacking’ some kilos of tomatoes into the shopping bag. They must’ve thought that I might be crazy to buy lots of tomatoes.
One ajeossi in one store even asked me as to why I needed some tomatoes in this chilling winter....^^
Ok, another thing that I wanted to jot down here was the simplest fact that the La Fonte spaghetti that we bought turned out to be our beloved spaghetti from Indonesia. Oh, it was imported into Korean market for foreigners right here. Wow...that was amazing. 

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