The Charms of Street Vendors

Had a few minutes left before boarding the Seoul-bound KTX from Daejeon station, so I might as well walk slower enjoying the surrounding when I got attracted to the line up of street vendors.

I noticed that these gukhwappang should be a delicious company during my trip back home.

...so I bought some and asked the ajumoni if she minded me taking a pic of hers. No she said smiling.^^ komapseumnida.

Then. . . Walked a few meters away when I encountered some snacks vendor. . .and.   the urge to buy also stopped me from concentrating on the fact that it's 10 minutes left before the train departed. Good Gracious. 

Suray. . .just go.!!! So. . .take a click and off I ventured into the station.

Oleh~Oleh dari Daejon

Daejeon.station. got to catch my Seoul-bound ktx train.

But I still had like 15 minutes.

So..the quintessential bread that everyone should buy..

Whenever one is in Daejeon

None other than the famous Sung Sim Dang bread.

Only 10,900 for 6 pieces of breads...

It's a treat indeed.

So..it completed my journey to Daejeon.

Meetings @ Daejeon

First, lunch. Then..over lunch..we had some briefings on our group's assignments.

We're a just a small family within a huge family of PERPIKA (Indonesian Students Association in South Korea)...

Oh, I didn't know this before. My friends told me that it's the downtown area of Daejon. 

well...not bad for a huge LED canopy that may look cool at night. 

2차, we moved to a nearby cafe to continue our talks. Again..chocolate and snacks were on the table...which more often than not..indeed distracted the discussion.^^ㅋㅋㅋ 

It's getting late..and we got to go back home...to Seoul, Busan...etc. 

But, first...we needed to drop by at the nearest Masjid operated by IMNIDA. 

Meeting up with friends at Daejon Masjid. 

Daejon December 2014

Some yet to be posted pictures of me with friends in Daejon. Yup, we managed to 'sneak' out of our busy schedules to go to Daejeon for some blitzkrieg meeting.

Sure..lunch was not to be skipped for. 

Though I did not eat any of this famous grilled fish..yet I enjoyed my time with them. 

Had a chance to visit IMNIDA, a musholla designed for Muslims in Daejon. 

And..what would be a Daejon Trip without some local delicacies? 

@ Daejeon KTX Station, we got to queue just to buy these delicacies.

It's called Sung Sim Dang cake. yup..worth the wait!^^

Going Back to Seoul from Daejeon

On my way back to Daejeon with mas Khoirul (my colleague from KIST), we stopped at the rest area where we encountered a rather amazing spectacle: banana tree. Yes, we saw banana trees..the real ones....outdoor. 

Two years ago, I saw banana trees inside a warm botanical garden. However, these ones were special, I assume. 

The rest area (휴계소) looked pretty much like this. A lot of effort must've been put into this place... 

Because, not only that it served the need of food&drink along the way, rather..the management intricately put so much effort in designing and decorating the area. 

Then..off we went agian on the high way..that led us to Seoul.
Since the car we rode in was a huge one that could accommodate as many as 9 people....we're happy to know that... 

we could just tag along..tailing right behind the bus on the bus-only lane..^^

Hmm what a great way to drive,then. 

colors of the Dusk...Magbrib....the sky's twilight ..

I remembered having to make sure along the way that mas Khoirul did not fall asleep while driving.!!!!

oh...what a job! But...being a navigator competing with computerized GPS-enabled device...was something. Really.

Daejeon: Meeting with Friends of Mine

ms. Park, ibu Park or simply Park sonsaengnim..or 박 쌤..yes..lots of students called her 'ibu Park' back then in UGM (when she was on 2-year assignment from KOICA). Yes, after more than 4 years..I was finally able to meet up again with ms. Park (the woman in the front). 

She's working in Daejeon now --her hometown. I called her telling her that I was in Daejeon for a meeting. So, I sneaked out of the seminar room and met her at a cafe inside the KAIST campus. ^^ 

We were catching up with what we've been missing for the last couple of years. Of course, Facebook sort of helped us out to sort things out we'd already known about:)

A conversation over a glass of fresh mango juice was a great way to talk about everything we've been wanting to know about each other. 

Ibu Park, hope you're always happy and healthy. 

Keep the smile on your face. 

Head up! 

Been a great day to meet her again.

Daejeon: Student Orientation

What a hectic week that was, indeed. I think I never set my feet at home. I've been on the move since.^^

On Sunday I went alone to Daejeon by the morning KTX. Well, I shouldn't have take KTX had I not been late waking up!!!!! Yes, it's my fault. I should've taken the bus provided by the organization (Universitas Terbuka Korea) that would take us to Daejon for only 10,000 Won round trip. But...since I took KTX..I got to spend almost triple than that. 

Anyway..I got to enjoy the trip no matter what. though..being alone for almost 2 hours.:)!!! 

Passing through a bridge ..crossing the Han River...it's a good sight, though. 

okay..let me wrap up what happened in Daejeon.

It's the orientation day for new students of Universitas Terbuka Korea (Open University) for Fall Semester 2013. New students got their university jacket as one of the initial official symbol of them..being students. 

Then...speeches after speeches...and talks after talks...about the (mostly important) bla..bla..bla...and the rest..is about how to and do and don't's .....^^

I think I also..learned about what I should do as a tutor...starting from this semester. 

As many as around 100 students attended the orientation at KAIST campus in Daejeon that day.

It's a long trip to Daejeon..but was it worth-it? yeah sure. 

At least, I could meet face to face with the students whom I am going to be tutoring for the next two months. It's been worth-it. 

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Well, this is just what I thought I saw on my way to Daejon. It took me a while to realize what that was until I passed it by. Then, I decided to take the pictures of these obnoxious act of courage:) Well, they were just statues placed in such a way to lure people's attention, especially those first timers who come to Daejon. It is located in the thorough fare of the main downtown area in the Daejeon city. I did it!
 I took 6 consecutive snapshots of the display.
See it for yourself to be mesmerized.
Since it was taken from the speeding bus, the pictures are zoomed in speed motion and thus made them look somewhat blurry; but I think that would add the excitement to the pictures.

the last picture I took on my way to Seoul

Daejeon Expo Park (part 1)

I was so excited to be there again......:)
Although it turned out that we did not explore the area even for 15 minutes.

bye bye futuristic park:) though we did not even feel you:)

The only reason why we came to this place was because inside the park there were some kinds of traditional stalls that would teach us to make Korean traditional handicrafts!
Yes, you read it right.
Instead of exploring the IMAX theater (oooohhhh), the roller coaster (ooooooooooh), the 4D movie theater (ooooooooooh)....and so many oooooooooooohhhhhhhh nooooooooooooos again........


We were ushered to the stalls where we could only choose one booth and made ourselves contempt to what we chose in the first place and stuck with it. So, before choosing, we got to make sure that that was what we really really wanted....:)
After taking an attentive look at all of the stalls, I ended up making a mask out of play dough that I would stick into a piece of paper and then have it covered in plastic (see the picture later on).
So, all of the students...had already chosen their lots and started being busy with what they were making.
Hmmm...it was fun. It turned out to be just quite fun, though.
I wished I could make two choices.
Making masks, making jewelry, beads, mirror, paintings with Korea-themed ingredients.