My school exchange: The last of Korea part 2

Continuation from the previous post, we took a bus back to Gangwon-do along with Isaac, KL, KL's friend. And Rais joined us when we were there. He was there for his own backpacking trip.

It was the Trout Festival here.

What awaited us was this fantastic sight. SOO different from Seoul.

Yes the rivers have froze into ice.

We bought our necessary equipments for trout fishing on ice!!

See the cracks on the ice? I can assure u it feels dangerous walking on such ice. Could hear the sound of ice cracking every now and then. BUT! Its safe. At least no one fell into the icy waters due to ice cracks. HAHA.

Amazing how these thin sticks can fish up trouts. I think I changed holes twice or thrice. And decided to stay by this hole by the corner. Heard that fishes gather at the corners so I felt that I should stay put here. Besides, there were some pro-looking uncles fishing beside me, I thought I should stay and watch how they fish. And alas, at some timing, a big truck came to refill trouts. Yes they punched holes into the ground and put hordes of fishes into the river. Right before me. Cos I was at the corner u see. THEN I THOUGHT, HMMMM I must have a huge chance of getting a fish. Must get back my entrance fee's worth!

Saw alot of ppl around my area getting their catch. One guy even had 4-5 catches. I fixed my eye on how he fished and copied his actions. 

U have to release and pull your string so that the bait resembles a tiny little prawn swimming in the waters. Up-down up-down action. Not smoothly but jerk a little as u pull up. This then resembles a prawn. Following that action, I realised I actually caught some, at least 2-3 but they swam away!! U cant pull in too quickly, neither can u pull slowly. After I sort of got the hang....

I got my first catch!!!!! It was really heavy I tell u.

Luckily Rais had a plastic bag for keeping the fish. None of us got that bag! haha!

I was so excited I screamed.

Continuing the action of pull and release....

I GOT MY SECOND CATCH! OMG!

The lucky hole. LL decided to come over and share this with me. Anqi and Rais came over and started digging a hole (with the digging tools available at the side) beside me.

But by the time they finished digging the hole, I could feel that the hordes of fishes had swam away. It was quite late alr and we thought that we should do the other winter activities.

So out of the 7 of us, only I caught the 2 fishes. Was hoping that everyone had beginners' luck and could catch at least 1 each, so that we could get back our money's worth. LOL

But it was better than nothing. At least we could have sashimi later on!

Us posing with the fishes:

After that we passed by this ice slide and all of us went crazy sliding down the slide. Hmm couldnt find pictures of it but anw it was fun cos it was all ice. But my butt became wet. LOL

Later we went for this ride. All of us sat on this balloon thingy and were pulled along by a tractor vehicle. It turned rounds and rounds and over the heaps of snow.

Actually quite exciting leh. Had to hold on tight.

After that, we went for this:

We had to queue up with the balloon sleighs and went up the hill and just slide down!

Isaac queuing behind me. This game was FUNNNNN. We slided so many times I couldn't rmb how many times we did.

After that, we went to the skating rink beside and found many different types of vehicles to skate in.

Double Bicycles.

Single bicycles. Oops Anqi's camera dropped onto the ice.

I was feeling lazy and sat on this board while Anqi pushed me along.

Then Rais came along on this skates and we got this amazing picture. I LIKE!

After so much fun we walked back to the canteen and....

got the chefs to slice the trouts into SASHIMI! OMG

It was awesome. FRESH, SUCCULENT. But sad that 2 trouts only became like that after slicing. But it was still a fun experience!

After a tiring day, we took the bus back to Seoul. 2h ride and we went to Dongdaemum for a late nite shopping. I found my first Gingerbread man in korea at this cafe! Nothing much to shop there leh. So we cabbed back to our hotel and got ready for the next day.

KL promised us to have this Coffee appreciation class at his friend's company.

The dad was so kind to bring us to a restaurant for lunch.

And after that, got 2 teachers to teach us coffee making!

First u heat up the milk until the cup is hot to the touch.

Then u fill the cup with coffee powder. Make sure it is level with the cup. shake abit.

Insert it under the machine. Press the button and let the coffee drip into the cup for 25seconds at most.

Then pour the milk into the cup. This is mine. Realised that making patterns using the milk ain't easy AT ALL.

With our awesome teachers! 

After that, Me, LL, Anqi went to watch Nanta at Myeongdong. It started snowing!

Had booked tickets few days before. I thought that it was quite boring. But Rais, Nic and Mabel liked it ALOT. Ohwells, my parents thought it was boring too hahaha. To each his own.

At nite, we went for dinner at Bonjuk. The best porridge I have ever eaten in my life. They totally change your perception of porridge! SG should have their branch. I would totally go there.

Surprise! Met up with my buddy Seran as she was in Seoul for an interview.

Her favourite pose: 

Surprisingly, saw Jolene and we walked together. Later at nite, it started snowing again!

We ended the day and the next day would be the last day in Korea.

KL's friends brought us to a lunch buffet. 

I think the variety is really little. So wouldn't recommend going back again.

Then they brought us to Insadong. The streets had a pretty arty and nostalgic feel to it. Luved it.

Had tea at this traditional korean tea house. And my favourite snacks.

We left for Incheon and stayed at a very good hotel apartment for a nite. forgot to take pictures of hotels but this place was awesomely BIG. amenities were good too. We had a late nite chicken and beer meal. 

Next morning, LL left an hour earlier for his Cathay flight. sobx. I was still sleeping and in groggy conditions when he left. And then when it was our turn to go to the airport. BTW the hotel offers free shuttle services to and fro airport..

Had our last Baskin Robbins ice cream at the airport. It is only much cheaper over there than SG.

On board the plane. Me and my beef meal.

Reached SG at nite. 

And sweet LL waited for 2h for me. Lucky he met up with my parents for dinner if not he would be so bored and tired alone there.

Ok. heres the end of the whole Korean exchange. I've enjoyed it very much. And till now I still miss Korea, the weather, the scenery, the food, soooo soo much.