電車男？鉄子の旅？！

It seems that my other activities posting need to be on hold while I'm posting this. This is not a story about Hermès, and not the die hard train mania like 横見浩彦. This is one of my missions here in Busan to take photograph of all subway stations. Inspired by Tube Challenge of London Underground, my idea was not to be the fastest, but just complete every station in a day. It was the 3rd day of 추석(秋夕) holiday on 15 September 2008, I started my journey on 5:36am via 냉정(冷井) towards 양산(梁山). Since it was on a holiday, the frequency for trains was less, where I only managed to get every station done by 11:05pm or so at 주례(周禮).

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

Here are some of the interesting bits I have encountered during my travel:

• The only time my one day travel pass (₩3500) failed to permit entry was at 사직(社稷) station. The staff at 사직 station was very helpful, and spoke great English as well. The ticket was reported ok by the handheld reader, and after a few insertion of ticket by the staff into the turnstile, I was granted entry.
• At 명륜동(明倫洞), the station master talked to me while I was about to take my photograph. He offered to give me a tour at his station, but noticed that I need to go to next station, he let me go. Spoke sufficiently well English. Maybe I should go and meet up with him again.
• When I was on my way to 부산역(釜山驛), a senior citizen 아저씨 (more like 할아버지) tapped on my wrist commenting about my camera. He also asked about the price, but I just use my standard answer, "I don't know. I can't remember".
• Line 1 frequency was way higher than Line 2 or 3, thus completing Line 1 was faster. Also, if stations are visited sequentially, not likely I would complete this. Thus, I had used Forward 2 Back 1 approach, which leverage on the time difference between arrival of opposite trains to snap pictures.
• Make sure you have sufficient camera battery. For me, empty battery hit every time the train was about to leave, making me needed to wait for next train.
• Some stations that allowed crossing over to another platform without exiting the ticket machine have only the middle staircase as the only option. Those on the side directly exit to the turnstile.

Where was I?

OK, I have to admit, I have been very lazy lately to update my blog. Also, I was actually out and about during the past few weeks since August. First I was in Cheorwon, then in Chuncheon. Subsequently I was in Tongyeong, and Seoul. Of course, I did two mountain hiking trips as well. I will be reporting about the places I have gone to. In the mean time, check out Chee Min's blog here, here, here, and here on our trip to Gangwon.

Foreign Supplies 3

With the returning of Seong Yee from Phuket, my supply of Mama Instant noodles has safely arrived! Thanks Seong Yee for getting me the noodle, although the mee hoon is not included. For pack of 24, it was ฿114, not too expensive actually.

I better start cooking after finish posting this blog. Really miss the tom yam flavoured Mama noodles.

More Hiking????

Okay, I can't believe myself that I've done another round of hiking in such short span from my previous hike. Plus, we took on the highest mountain in Busan, 금정산(金井山), with its highest peak 고당봉(姑堂峰) at 801.5m. Photographs below are courtesy of Yun Yi, our professional photographer.

It was a lovely day, where I made my first mistake of the day to get down at the wrong bus stop. We walked to the entrance to 금강공원(金剛公園) to take the cable car up, which cost ₩3,500 for one way (₩6,000 for return). The five minutes ride view is amazing, but as you get higher during summer, it's foggy as usual, with nothing to see other than the clouds.

One of the main objective for us is to visit all 4 fortress gates (South → East → West → North), which we did. Here's the proof.

금정산성남문(金井山城南門)

금정산성동문(金井山城東門)

금정산성서문(金井山城西門)

금정산성북문(金井山城北門)

Of all gates, the West gate is the most secluded of all, no signboard showing how to get there and full of overgrown plants. I guess a lot of people will give West gate a skip as it is really out of the way, but its the only gate that has a river (대천천, tribunary of 낙동강) flowing next to it, which was rather nice. Also we discovered something interesting instead. There is actually a village within the fortress, which is famous for its barbeque black goat, and the village has its own 막걸리. Also, check out the village website here to better understand the village.

Getting to the North gate will require a hike on the tar road from the village until a junction to the right, and another 2km of garvel trail with an abandoned church along the way. At that point, the altitude is roughly 665m or so from sea level. From there, approximately 800m up will leads to the 고당봉. The view on top was amazing. Right behind it is the city of 양산, which you can see 낙동강 and its tribunary from 양산. Refer to the first map for location.

After screaming at the peak, we decided to head back home. By the time we get to North gate again, mistake No. 2, choosing 범어사 approach. Night fell earlier than expected and we had to rely on our cell phone to provide glimpse of light to show us the way. It was a rather dangerous experience I think, and shouldn't be done in the first place. I kept hearing water flowing nearby and afraid might step into the wrong path. Lucky that there was rope to mark the territory and I had to make sure I didn't step into the waterfall type of river. Do not try this in Malaysia as the trees are more dense, and thus darker. See Yun Yi's post here and here to read her part of the experience.

One piece of advice, the 범어사 approach is though interesting, but it's a long and challenging 2.5km route, and with a presumably scenic river flowing next to it, but potentially dangerous way to do it in the dark, which was what we did. At any time while hiking, always stay within the defined trail, and do not go beyond it. However scary it might be, if you don't panic, you will get to your destination safely.

If anyone of you would like to give it a try, if you like to see the scenic route, do it early. If you plan to do it easy, I would recommend taking bus either from 동래 or 화명동 towards 산성마을 and start from there. 범어사 approach is best during broad daylight and non-rainy day. After this hike, I guess both of them who came along made it to my expanding list of people that are afraid of going out with me, which also includes Hofun, Yu Shu, Shiew Woei, Chun Wei .....

Foreign Supplies 2

With the safe return of Sing Hui from Japan, my supply of 桃屋　ごはんですよ!　has safely reached my hand. For those who are familiar with 焼きたて!!ジャぱん, ごはんですよ should be no stranger. This is the medium size, where I have been getting large size from KL before this. Sing Hui bought it for ￥278 each (approximately RM8.50 or ₩2,700). Great! I only need to wait for supplies from Thailand by next month for my delicious noodles.

Hiking Again?!

Finally, my partial hike up to 엄광산(嚴光山) on previous week was a success this time around as I did get up to the top instead of the helipad. Okay, it was suppose to be a sunrise thing, but ended up can't see much stuff due to the fog and clouds. It was an experience by itself hiking up on the wee hours of 3am and reach the top at 5am or so. Judge for yourself for the view that we had as shown below, and compared it with other people's experience of sunrise.

Hiking?!

Am I crazy or what? Of late, I've been doing what Koreans like to do best, mountain hiking.... I am not joking. I have done 황령산(荒領山), partial 엄광산(嚴光山), and of course, the current record for me, Busan 2^nd highest, 백양산(白楊산). 백양산 is my biggest achievement so far, as it involves a series of peaks before reaching the real thing. I think those who had followed me must be cursing me by now for dragging them along for the hike. Where the heck are all these mountains you ask? Here is a screen capture using Google map.

How to get up there? For those of you who are interested to try those mountains, here are the maps for your reference.

Some achievement photos to share.

Chee Min has done a software photo stitching taken on the way to 백양산. Quite cool, albeit some minor 'error'.

Busan Transit Map v3

Finally, a version with legend. I have done some alteration on typo, and has done some alignment of the lines. Maybe this can be put on production, in software deployment speak. Hope to get a colour copy printed and paste it on my little notice board in lab.

Foreign Supplies 1

Since coming to Korea, what is from Malaysia is considered as foreign, thus requiring import. Finally on 2nd July 2008, my order from Malaysia has safely arrived, courtesy of Sheng Chao's mother. It's been awhile since I have something Made in Malaysia, if you do not consider the margarine case.

Though Nestlé is technically not Malaysia, products shown in the picture are manufactured in Malaysia. Also, Marmite is actually imported from UK, you can't find Marmite in Korea, which is such a pity.

I'm looking forward for my Japan supplies and Thailand supplies soon. Sing Hui, don't forget my order! Seong Yee, I really miss the noodles!

GM Food?

OK! After a long hiatus, I'm back blogging away!

Bought 5 corns from 하나로 마트 near by campus, for ₩1980. Since I hardly had any corn while I'm in Korea, I thought it might be the best time to buy for a bargain. Hmm... purple or red corn, looks pretty strange to me, hope that those are not GM corn.

BTW, corn is called 옥수수 in Korean, which sounds smacking similar to Chinese 玉蜀黍, but I have yet to find any entry in Korean dictionary that actually explicitly stated any Hanja for 옥수수. This might imply that 옥수수 is not a Hanja word. Also, 玉蜀黍 is pronounce as 옥촉서 I will go and find out from larger dictionary, and hope to get come clue out of it.