8th Anniv Celebratory Trip

This year we chose Seoul as the celebration venue for our 8th Anniversary.  Good that our Wedding took place towards the end of the year so the festive mood added on to our celebration :)

It's the first time that we took an afternoon flight.

Comparing to our first visit 5.5 years ago, we toured Seoul a different way.  Over these years, it's sure turned into a charming city & a paradise of cafés :)

During this trip, we visited quite a few cafés, ate a lot of the popular Korean fried chicken and bought many skincare products.  We like that Seoul is a spacious city with very clean public toilets.  It's a pleasure to walk on the streets including those shopping areas.  It's very different from HK streets (which, of couurse, we love too!).

When we reached Seoul, it's late night by the time we cleared immigration.  Upon arrival at hotel, we'd problem with the taxi driver who charged us KRW200,000 (approx S$240) for the airport-hotel taxi fare!!  Thank God that my Honey stood very firm & negotiated with him & that the driver finally agreed to half of the fare - KRW100,000 instead.  We could only blame ourselves for letting our guard down by going with the 1st man who approached us at the arrival hall instead of looking for the taxi stand (we've never made this kind of mistake in all our past travels!).  Actually hubby already sensed that it''s not too right when we saw that  the taxi was an MPV but the driver stressed that it's charged by meter.

After the scare, we finally checked in but were not what we expected to see.  Not only the room was tiny, it's also twin bedded.  And we waited a while for the front desk to change room for us.  It's so different from the one we stayed in 2008.  Both were Fraser Place properties & this is less than 1 year old.

We're pretty affected by what happened right from we landed at Seoul - the congestion & overwhelmingly long waiting time at the immigration which consequently contributed to our carelessness, the sky-high cab fare, the wrong room given, the room size..... seemed liked we didn't have a good start.  But praise God that those were just initial hiccups so we would cherish what a nice holiday He has blessed us with.  Afterall, we're safe and healthy through the trip & the taxi driver actually willing to reduce the fare by half!   Well, it's a matter of how we look at things ;)

And what really cheered me was the surprise that hubby prepared for me :)

Pretty bouquet from hubby which was placed in the room prior our check-in

We reached Dongdaemun just after midnight.  First cafe, BeansBins, we visited as I was hungry.

Late night shopping @ Dongdaemun.  And it's 5°C!

We're still shopping & eating @ Korea time 3am.  First time for us!

DAY 2

Rise & shine!

We woke up a lil late the following morning & just missed the breakfast.

Spent some time talking to the front desk & visited a couple of rooms (of another category) as what we wanted to change to was fully booked that day.  By the time we headed out, it's almost noon.

Enjoyed our walk to Myeongdong

First lunch - Samgyetang (参鸡汤) & Tongdak (Korean oven-roasted chicken).  Yummy!

Myeongdong

Cafe 2 - Cat Cafe in Myeongdong

Cat Cafe in Myeongdong

Cat Cafe in Myeongdong.

Seoul Station/Lotte mart in the afternoon.  

Went there for some skincare products/cosmetics that I'm currently using.

At Hongdae - for our Anniversary dinner.

Alfresco Korean BBQ dinner with soju :)

Round 1: Korean BBQ dinner with soju

Round 2:  Korean fried chicken & beer at the restaurant next door :)

Cafe 3 - Angel in-us Coffee in Hongdae

DAY 3

Morning walk in Myeongdong 

Lunch in Myeongdong which made us appreciate those in Singapore more.

Finally got to change room after lunch :D

Exploring Itaewon.

Cafe 4 - Coffeesmith in Itaewon.

Relaxing at their balcony, enjoying the cold air ...

Coffeesmith in Itaewon

Itaewon at night.  An interesting place.

Another Korean BBQ dinner.  

Nicer than the previous night yet the price was about the same with much better service.

 

Post-dinner drinks at Itaewon.  Cold!

Korean Fried Chicken supper @ HOF (Korean style pub).

There're HOFs everywhere in Seoul!

Cafe 5 - Hollys Coffee next to our apartment to end the night.

Our first taste of the super yummy Sweet Potato Latte :)

DAY 4

Trendy Garosugil (meaning tree-lined street).

Cafes everywhere!

Cafe 6 - Cafe Publique on Garosugil street

Pitstop & people watching... it's a great one.

Garosugil - tree-lined street

Cafe 7 - MoMo Cot at Garosugil.  Nice place to chill.

MoMo Cot at Garosugil.

Next stop - Gangnam

Indulging in street food from Pojangmacha (roadside tent)

Chicken again @ another HOF!

DAY 5

Back to Hongdae. 

Cafe 8 - aA Design Museum Cafe in Hongdae.

Museum, designer furniture showroom & cafe all in 1 premise.

Cafe aA in Hongdae.

Cafe aA in Hongdae.

A very impressive cafe with high ceiling that exudes nostalgia yet blends with a lil modernity. 

The stairway to restroom

Cafe 9 - Toms Cat Cafe in Hongdae

Toms Cat Cafe in Hongdae.

So many cats! 

Toms Cat Cafe in Hongdae

Toms Cat Cafe in Hongdae.

This kitty was particularly adorable!  Look at how affectionately hubby talked to him :D

Toms Cat Cafe in Hongdae

Hongdae 

Street food again, in Myeongdong & last round of shopping. 

Had our fav food & beverages again on the last night. 

Thank God it's such an awesome holiday we had.

Initially we only had one main objective for this trip, that's to enjoy the cool weather but at the end of the trip, we realised we've brought back lotS of fond memories from the cafe hopping, walking in the Seoul streets & the nightly HOF session etc.  Thank God that we're not once lost in Seoul... the Seoul metro app and Google Map which hubby downloaded were excellent.

Blessed 8th Anniversary Honey! :*

S3OUL !

Finally done with the D&D preps and time to focus on our Anniversary holiday.  Less than 3 more weeks to go... can't wait!! :D

Quite a lot of searching and planning to do and enjoying every bit of it!  We have been there before 5 years ago but I was a sick gal then so did not really manage to explore the city.  This time, with God's Grace, we hope to make it right :)

Lights, Camera, Action!

This is the theme of this year's D&D.  Hollywood!

Been thinking what to dress up as... this year I wanted to be pretty (since last year's Tinkerbell was a cute character) & I wanted to wear a wig.  Don't know why but I just felt like wearing a wig, haha.

About 2 weeks before the event, beloved hubby accompanied me around to look for the right "props"...

That day hubby had work to rush so unable to take half day leave.  So we went for Plan B - booked a room @ Fairmont.  We'd early release (@ 3.30pm) but I left office at noon.  We checked in during lunch & brought all the stuff to the room before hubby returned to office and I went to a doctor nearby for my rhinitis condition.  Even went Orchard for a walk & returned to the room 4ish.  This year was a more relaxing one compared to last year's when I'd 3 ladies in tow (all 3 of them did not attend this year's).. I & A preferred to go home... it's good to be having the toilet all by myself :P  The timing was perfect.... hubby reached just before I was done with my makeup & in time to help me with my wig.

All ready!

Guess who I was trying to dress up as??

 

 

Thought I looked very different with the blue wig but my boss could even reognise me from the side when I was about to enter the hall!  Some colleagues from the ex-team happened to see me & they spread the word around & many more came to my table to take pix, haha.

 

The first pic with I & A

 

Took with my "visitors" - Mel & Serene behind me ;)

While we're looking for I who went drinking with some of the team members, a Partner got us to take a pic with him!

 

With boss!

 

Another lovely shot with them

Like this!

A shot with J, A & Serene before walking the red carpet ;)

 

With buddy, C

This was really funny. 

At almost the end of the night, our big boss came to me & wanted to take off my wig.  I stopped him from doing so &, in order to deter him, told him that on 1 condition that I'd take my wig off.. that was, he'd have to wear it.  I didn't expect at all that he'd agree! 

I stunned for a while before trying to pull it off, together with the netting, in style (think about those shampoo advert haha).  Then I asked if he'd mind wearing the wet wig which was all drenched with my perspiration.  I guess by then he couldn't back out so he nodded.  So I slapped it on to his head while those around were laughing away & J took some shots.

 

I am proud to announce that I managed my 5-inch heels very well till.....

.... I met my black cat - Max, the crazy French man.

After dancing for a while at the dance together with my fun loving (ex)team, he pulled me away from the dance floor & towards the stage.  I panicked & tried to get hold of a table, then a chair.. the only objects that came my way.  I eventually broke loose from his grasp & ran back to my group & that's when I tripped on the carpet & fell!  And I had to make him promise me that he wouldn't attempt to drag me up the stage before I got up.

And he, also volunteered to carry my handbag when I was dancing.  After some time, I couldn't find him... he disappeared like 10mins.  I was worried that he's drunk & might just lying somewhere or even went home with my bag! Worriedly I walked off the dance floor, wanted to go find him.  A few of my sweet colleagues, Mel & J, noticed something amiss & caught up with me.  After knowing what happened, they reassured me that they'd definitely locate him.  Shortly after they really found him with 2 mugs of beer which he claimed one of them was for me!  My black cat......!

(Above photos were taken during the dinner.  Suddenly he snatched my cam & started snapping away) 

Another pic with some good friends (from ex team) & ex-boss on my left.

With more from the previous team!

 

There're so many of us (like 2,000 that night?) that we're like playing hide & seek & it didn't help that I was wearing colored lens.  During one of the searching rounds, 2 Caucasians (yes, I don't know everyone in the firm despite working there for 3 years) stopped me...

 

C1:  Can you tell us who do you dress up as?

Me:  What do you think?

C1:  Katy Perry?

Me (delightedly):  Yes!  You've guessed it right!

C1:  I told him (pointing at C2) that it's Katy Perry but he said it's xxx (I couldn't make out of what name he said as it's a lil noisy then)..

C2:  You look very beautiful (with C1 concurring).

Me:  Thanks.... but just not Katy Perry.. Haha..

They continued with some small chats but I was more eager to find my friends.  So I wished them "have a good night" before carrying on with my search.

 

It's a kind of recognition as someone could tell who I was dressing up as!  Frankly I did not expect such limelight that night (realized that I was the only blue-haired gal & hence easily recognizable).  The colleagues been really supportive & everyone was full of praises... I'd Partners wanted to find out who I was too!    Enjoyed the night being (somewhat) like a celebrity.. with the total support from my loving hubby ;)

Touristy Night

We started our (Hari Raya & National Day) long weekend with a dinner/drinks session with an ex-colleague.  He's from the Port and we used to work together during those commercial missions and exhibitions in the region.

It's a reunion after 6 years+ and the first time we met his Chilean girlfriend.

Dinner @ Lau Pat Sat.

I didn't expect the outdoor seats to be full (90% were tourists).

Beer @ One Fullerton's Overeasy

The our guide's name is Vincent :)

I'm always mesmerised by 'The Fullerton Heritage' view

Fullerton Bay Hotel

Though there's language barrier with Erica, it's a great meet-up.  She's such a warm person :) 

Change

Early July, I had a transfer.  So after 3 years, I am back to almost square 1... to the same unit.  But this time, I'm much happier.  I just have to marvel at how God worked in my life!

Since the transfer, I've been busy.  Anyway I didn't accept the offer for an easier life (I knew I'd be much busier than previously).  It's just good to be back :)

Colleagues Week!

I don't usually go out with colleagues as I feel spending more than a-third of every weekday together in office is enough.

But the 3rd week of July was different ...

Drinks at Club Street's Platters

Seafood buffet dinner at Ellenborough Market Café

Farewell dinner for Kendrew @ our current fav Chinese restaurant - The Star Vista's Canton Paradise.

He returned to Sydney where he's got a better job offer.