Yeouido Park > Seoul ~ South Korea > Day 10 (6) - 2014 October 17 (Busan, Gyeongju, Seoul, Daegwallyeong, Nami Island, Mt Seorak, Kuala Lumpur)

Next I went to Yeouido Park. Yes, it's only me, because my friend is sick and she said she go back to guesthouse first to take a rest.

Yeouido Park is a large recreational area located on Yeouido Island in the central part of Seoul. It was once originally covered with black asphalt, and people frequented the place for bicycling and roller-skating. The construction began in 1997, and opened officially in February 1999. It is now the place where many people in the city come to rest and enjoy strolling around, play sports, and cultural events.

The park is divided into theme-based sections: the Traditional Korean Forest, Grass Square, Culture Square, and Nature’s Ecosystem Forest. In the Traditional Korean Forest, only traditional Korean trees are planted, and it has a pond and an octagonal pavilion, with a trail walk that completes the feel of an elegant Korean garden. Grass Square has a low hill, with grass field and various trails, and nearby there are evergreens and deciduous trees to reflect the changing of the seasons. Many performances and events are held at the Cultural Square, and because there are many zelkova trees lined up nearby, it is a great place to rest. One particular part of the park that is most enjoyed is the Nature’s Ecosystem Forest – it is where you can observe nature and learn from an ecologically sensitive pond and forest, right in the middle of the city. Composed of a swamp area, waterline area, grassland area, and a forest, you can observe various kinds of life forms living in these areas.

One of the must-see areas is the Yunjunro Street, behind the National Assembly Building. This place is famous for having the loveliest cherry blossom street in Seoul. Cherry blossom trees, 30 to 40 years old, line up for about 6km, and is very popular in the spring.

Credit: Visikorea

Once out from the station, we can see the 63 building

Yeouido Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

It's a nice evening to enjoy the park. Maybe next time, I could come here with someone, and enjoy more of it's facility.

Yeouido Subway Station

Seoraksan National Park > Sokcho ~ South Korea > Day 09 (2) - 2014 October 16 (Busan, Gyeongju, Seoul, Daegwallyeong, Nami Island, Mt Seorak, Kuala Lumpur)

Seoraksan Bus Station is the last station. So you won't missed it. It's so crowded with tourists. The bus station and the entrance is quiet far. So you have to walk 10-15 minutes to the entrance. Just follow the others, because most of them is go to Seoraksan National Park.

The entrance ticket cost KRW 3.500/pax. Once we entered, we could see the beautiful autumn.

Seoraksan, also referred to as Seolsan and Seolbongsan, the mountain was named Seorak ('Seol' meaning 'snow' and 'Ak' meaning 'big mountain') because the snow would not melt for a long time keeping the rocks in a permanent state of white. In November 1965, the Seorak Mountain district was designated as a Natural Monument preservation area. Afterwards in December 1973, it was designated as a park preservation area, and in August 1982, as a Biosphere Preservation District by UNESCO.

The park is spread across 4 cities and counties: Sokcho, Inje, Goseong and Yangyang. The highest peak is Daecheongbong; to the east is OeSeorak and to the west is NaeSeorak, which is divided again into North NaeSeorak and South NaeSeorak. North NaeSeorak is composed of Bukcheon, which flows to Ingyecheon and Baekdamcheon streams. There are numerous valleys in NaeSeorak. Follow the Baekdamcheon valley where all the streams meet and you will reach Baekdamsa Temple, which is known for its beautiful scenery. Upstream there is Gayadong valley and Suryeomdong valley, and past Yeongsiam and Mangyeongdae there is Madeungryeong ridge (1,327m) that leads to Seorakdong.

Follow Suryeomdong valley and you will reach Waryong and Ssangpok waterfalls. Further up is Bongjeongam (1,224m sea level). Once you arrive at Daecheong peak you can view the magnificent mountain range. The sunrise viewed from here is spectacular and should not be missed. South NaeSeorak directs the valley from Oknyeotang area to Hangyeryeong. Daeseung Waterfall north of Jangsudae is the most beautiful site of NaeSeorak, which is 88m high. South of Yongdaeri valley is the twelve fairy bathing spring, Oktang Falls, and Yongtang Falls, along with several other traditional relics.

Credit: VisitKorea

We bought the cable car ticket first. And we have to queue. There's the time schedule in there, which show what time the next cable car.

I got 15:45 cable car.

The cable car cost KRW 9.000/pax. We wait for approximately 2 hours. While waiting, we walk around the cable car area. In the behind cable car's building, there's a river with amazing scene. There's also a bridge to some attraction place (I didn't remember).

behind the cable car's building

the river

the bridge

If you want to explore more, stay for 1 / 2 nights in here. I see that there's a cabin inside the Seoraksan National Park. You can try to sleep in there, so if you want to watch sunrise, you could ride the cable car early.

용두산 공원 Yongdusan Park & 부산타워 Busan Tower > Busan, South Korea > Day 02 (6) - 2014 October 09 (Busan, Gyeongju, Seoul, Daegwallyeong, Nami Island, Mt Seorak, Kuala Lumpur)

After eat dessert, before back to hotel to resting, we decided to come by Yongdusan Park. It's beautiful even at night. From Nampo-Dong District, you can ride elevator (it's really long and high) to reach this place.

There's Busan Tower, the Statue of the Great Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the Bell of the Citizens, a flower clock, the Museum of Musical Instruments of the World, and a bust of the Busan-based independent activist, Baeksan An Hee-je.

Busan Tower is a symbol of Busan that stands proudly 69m above sea level at a height of 120m. The top of the tower is modeled after the baldaquin of Dabotap Pagoda in Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju.

the statue of the Great Admiral Yi Sun-Shin

Busan Tower Entrance

The view from Yongdusan Park is beautiful. The Busan Light is really glamorous.

South Korea is famous as love country. And it's famous with the love locks.

It's 22:00 already, and we didn't get enough sleep yesterday. So we decided to back to hotel for rest. Good Night, see you tomorrow..

Kledung Pass Hotel & Mount Sumbing > Parakan ~ Central Java ~ Indonesia

Today, I accompany my cousin with her boyfriend, to visit her boyfriend hometown, Parakan. Parakan located at Central Java, sub-disrict of Temanggung City, from Magelang it took approximately 1 hour if not traffic.

I've been here many times, but this is the first time I stay in Parakan. Some of my friends in University, also from Parakan.

You can see Mount Sumbing clearly from here. That's why the weather here, was colder than Magelang.

This evening, we visit Kledung Pass Hotel, which located between Mount Sumbing and Mount Sindoro. Kledung also a sub-district of Temanggung City.

Too bad, when we arrive there, it's cloudy, so we can't see the mount clearly. Here's some flower in Kledung Pass Hotel.

And while we were there, there's some cats that come and play in the garden behind the hotel.

No sunset today. So we decided to go home. While on the way home, the mount Sumbing was seen. So we stop by and took some picture.

The dinner menu for today was Fried Rice. It's delicious. And we also bought some Ronde. Drink Ronde in the cold weather, really comfortable.

Suria KLCC Mall, Petronas Twin Tower & KLCC Park > Kuala Lumpur ~ Malaysia < 2013 August 14 (2) > (Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Kuala Lumpur)

After check-in hotel, we eat lunch at KFC then go to Suria KLCC Mall. We ride monorail then change to LRT Kelana Jaya Line to station KLCC.

Located at Jalan Ampang, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, phone: +60 3-2382 2828.

Suria KLCC is an end to end Developer and Asset Manager of Retail Assets in Malaysia. The largest retail asset, Suria KLCC, is detailed in this listing.
Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suria_KLCC

Suria KLCC Group includes of Suria KLCC, Malaysia's premier shopping destination located at the foot at the Twin Tower at the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Alamanda Shopping Centre located at Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative capital and Mesra Mall located in Terengganu, on Malaysia's East Coast known for its picturesque islands and scenic beaches.
Website: http://www.suriaklcc.com.my/corporate/index.dot

It's near Petronas Twin Tower. This is my 2nd time come to Petronas Twin Tower. This time, I didn't go to the observation deck but I went to KLCC Park to enjoy the tower. (I will talk about the observation deck when I have a time to review, I went there when my trip to Taiwan in 2011).

While waiting for the sunset, we drink coffee at starbucks. We see the mall map, and looking for starbucks. But the sign was confusing, we took some time to found it.

When the time, we preparing at the park. There's so many people that "picnic" in the park to enjoy the view.
Website: http://www.petronastwintowers.com.my/

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Petronas, or Menara Berkembar Petronas) are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)'s official definition and ranking, they were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101, but they remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.[2] The buildings are the landmark of Kuala Lumpur with nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower.
Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Towers

KLCC Park is a public park located in the vicinity of Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The park has been designed to provide greenery to Petronas Twin Towers and the areas surrounding it.
Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLCC_Park

Wat Phra Si Sanphet (วัดพระศรีศรรเพชญ์) > Ayutthaya ~ Thailand < 2013 August 10 (5) > (Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Kuala Lumpur)

Wat Phra Si Sanphet (วัดพระศรีศรรเพชญ์) is situated on the city island in Ayutthaya's World Heritage park in Pratu Chai sub-district. It has been registered as a national historic site by the Fine Arts Department since 5 March 1935. This monastery was the most important temple of Ayutthaya and situated within the Royal Palace grounds. It served as a model for the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok.

See:
- http://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Temples_Ruins_PhraSisanphet.html
- http://wikimapia.org/2078226/Wat-Phra-Sri-Sanphet-%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%8D%E0%B9%8C
- http://www.ayutthaya.travel/monuments/in-the-external-area/wat-phra-si-sanphet.html
- http://www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Sights-and-Attractions-Detail/Wat-Phra-Si-Sanphet--2

This is the 2nd place where we visit in Ayutthaya. The ruins is beautiful. The ticket price is 50 THB for tourists, open from 8:30 to 17:00.

Wat Phanan Choeng (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร) > Ayutthaya ~ Thailand < 2013 August 10 (3) > (Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Kuala Lumpur)

Wat Phanan Choeng (วัดพนัญเชิงวรวิหาร) is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ayutthaya and a part of Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Phanan_Choeng

At first, this place is not included in our itinery. My Thai Friends didn't mention about this place. But Mr Driver told us, that we have to visit here. Just go inside and you will see why Mr Driver wants us to be here.

There's a big gold Buddha sit statue. And when we come there, a lot of people come here to pray. We come to Thailand, at Queen's Birthday holiday, so there's a long weekend in there. And most people spend their holiday by come to temple to pray.

Unfortunately, I can't take picture of the statue, because when I came there, there's a pray ceremony. I only watch them.

Surround the temple

Yuyuantan Park 玉渊潭公园 & Minbao Hotpot Restaurant # Beijing - China

It's saturday, so we decided to go for a trip. Today, we went to Yuyuantan Park (玉渊潭公园). They said, in here you can see Cherry Blossom Tree and this month it's the first time they bloom to welcoming the spring.

See:

- http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/yuyuantan-park.htm

- http://www.thebeijinger.com/directory/yuyuantan-park

The place quiet far. We go there by bus after browsing bus number at www.bjbus.com.

(I'm sorry, I forgot the number of bus).

The garden near CCTV Tower. Once you are in front of the garden, you can see CCTV Tower. CCTV is the most famous TV company at China.

And we can also saw some part of the park.

It's weekend, see there's sooooo many people in there enjoy the early of spring season. But it's beautiful inside. If you have time, you can go here.

Cherry Blossom

Tulip

After walking around, we went to Minbao Hotpot Restaurant 民宝火锅城 *minbao huoguo cheng*. A lot of foreigner students know this place, and said, that this place is delicious, and it's indeed delicious. We love it. Every people got their own pot to cook, and the sauce is delicious.

The address:
海淀区花园东路8号
Hǎidiàn Qū Huāyuán Dōng Lù 8 Hào
BeiTaiPingZhuang
Telp : +861082036598

Opening Hours: Everyday, 9:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m.

The place always crowded with people. But if you go here, prepare to be smelly after you eating.