DMZ TRAIN (part 2)

DMZ Train or Demilitarized Train or 평화열차 (literally "Peace Train") in Korean. Prior to embarking on the train, Freya took a pose in front of the train. Judging from the exterior of the train..it surely is a tourist train that caters the need of everyone's imagination of what it'd be like to take 1.5 hour ride to the border of South-North Korea. 

Group picture. We're travelling with Mr. Nugroho and his family who happens to be in Seoul for a 3-week visit. This is our treat to take them to the trip into one-and-only place on earth where one nation divided into two. 

Since our family has not been to the DMZ as well, I think it'd be a good chance for the kids to learn one or two about Korean history as well. So...that's why we booked 8 tickets!!! Oh, it turned out that the train was full of kids with parents...or parents with the kids...with the same intention as I did have I suppose? 

There are three compartments with different themes: Love, Peace, and Harmony.

This is Love-themed compartment where we had our seats. 

The television above displays real-time view of the upfront view of the locomotive so as to give its passengers the live-show of where the train was heading. 

The interior of the train was really packed with everything: photos of mostly historical events related to the South-North Civil War, current development of Korea, the Korail itself, or...sentences with the same message: Peace Loving Harmony??? in various language...of course Indonesian language is included. But...I found Javanese, too. 

Just look at the floor!!! Isn't it cool?

I mean..we would be pampered with bright and colorful displays of interior dexterity(?) that would be likable or distasteful for some. Well, it depends. But as for me..

it's wickedly designed to keep the passengers guessing and keep on talking about it. 

DMZ TRAIN (part 1)

Finally, we got a chance to 'taste' the newly released tourist-train called 'DMZ Train' offered by Korail. Since it's getting more and more popular among tourists and locals alike, I got to reserve the tickets before hands. 

But..boy oh boy..the long queue @ Seoul Station started to wear me down since I was a bit hopeless as to whether I would get any seats. 

But...with finger crossed....that no matter what happened, there'd always be another day... 

Yeaaach..finally...I managed to book 8 tickets (4 adults, 4 children) to Dorasan Station. The most northern station(?)..the last station at the northern side of South Korea ..closest to North Korea. Since the morning train was fully booked, I got no option but to take the afternoon train....departing from Seoul at  13.30!!!

(Gee..what a hot summer it'd be). 

And..the characteristics of DMZ Train was that all passengers must purchase return ticket as well. So, we'd go back to Seoul at 17.30 the same day.

The price was okay...it's around 16,000 Won (return-adult)

and 8,800 Won (return-child).

Gyeongju: Here We Come!!!!

 We are going to Gyeongju. Yes....although summer is hot..hot..hot, we do not want to just stay at home...without doing nothing. We want to explore Korea. I've been to Gyeongju, of course. But, my family and my friends have not. So....we booked trains (all kinds of trains: Saemaeul, Mugunghwa, and KTX) to have a different taste of Korean train in all of its aspects. We depart from Seoul to Gyeongju via ordinary train, and we return to Seoul via KTX. Smart, choice? hmm..not really..coz we could've just booked all KTX train..from and to ..back and forth Seoul - Gyeongju. Because it's not even 5,000 Won in difference!!!!

Anyway we booked it already. Yeeeeeeee...

We go to Gyeongju with mas Wawan and mbak Ulfa: our fellow friends. 

Wait..this is not the price for Gyeongju, but Busan..

hmm going to Busan via KTX costs above 50,000 won per trip.

But...the trip to Gyeongju cost around 40,000 per trip.

Guess..we'd do it  

aoh..one more thing, we did manage to secure a home (pension) for our 3 days, 2 nights trip to Gyeongju.

We do hope that this is a great and an enjoyable trip.

Hurray!!! Got the tickets already...for 6 people in our group.

Korail Train Ticket.....^^

and...of course....one of the ways to explore Gyeongju (for those who want to have a hassle-free experience in Gyeongju).....is to take the Gyeongju City Tour Bus.

Got our seats reserved already...and we're ready to see the Shilla Kingdom:)

Lotteria for Lunch

 It was actually lunch time and yet we had not had anything to eat...
So, the only thing that I had come to get familiarized myself with is....Lotteria. Since we were still at Seoul Station, the best thing to do was getting into Lotteria ...which turned out to be so crowded during lunch hour. Then, I noticed that Lotteria offered a special discounted price for lunch menu. Oh...I see.

That’s why lots of people were jammed sitting on almost all seats available and visible there.  The only way to get any seat was just patiently waiting for any customers who’d finished their lunch. It  paid off...after 10 minutes or so we managed to secure seats for us to enjoy our Shrimph burgers. The kids loved the french fries.
I know...I know...it was the first day in Kore

a...and yet...we had not Korean traditional menus for the family...instead it  was Korean-style westernized burger^^....well..at least it was Korean brand^^.

Or .....that was not the exact reason as to why we ate there.....first, I came there often. Second, it was fast (fast foodJ), third: we needed to skip time...and fourth....hey....it turned out to be a good dealJ ^^.

The first train (a.k.a. AREX & Metro) ride in Seoul

  

I planned to pick up my family via AREX since it was cheaper than that of taking the Limousine Bus. Apart fromt that, I also wanted to make sure that my family could enjoy the best of their time even from their first day of arrival in Korea....i.e. by taking the train back to Seoul.

Eyra and Freya were so excited as they could see the first glimpse of what Korea was like through the windows of the AREX ...of course ...before the train subduing itself into the underground tunnel that would make it categorized into Metro or subway(back then).

Anyway...the  trip to Seoul by AREX and Metro turned out to be just fine...^^
After getting off at the Seoul Station where we had to transfer to Imundong where we live,  a diorama of a city with its trains operated by KORAIL  caught the attention of my kids.

So, we stopped there and let them enjoy their first enthusiasm of being in Seoul....despite the freezing winter breeze. They liked it, though.