Saturday 21 February 2015

K-town festival for 2015 Lunar New Year






The Sydney Korea town Festival Committee celebrates the Lunar New Year by holding an annual korea town festival on Pitt Street.

The public are kept entertained with non stop performances on the center stage from 11 until 6.30 PM, in addition they also have stalls set up along 400 m of Pitt Street where it has been dubbed the korean town due to the ubiquitous korean shops and restaurants in the small area. The big sponsors like Korean Airline, Asiana Airline, Garuda Airline were offering return tickets, with two lucky raffle winners will take home return tickets for Korean Air and Asiana Air, while Garuda Airlines presented return ticket to the winner of this year's K-Factor K-POP competition.

Some of opening performances
Among the performances are the martial art demonstration by Kang I Ho's Tae Kwon Do. The group has been selected to represent NSW in tae kwon do competition. The young group of people breaking wood planks and dancing to Psy's gangnam style certainly added a different flavor to the singing and dancing performances.

Younger performers also entertained the crowds of over a hundred people with modernized korean drums, acappella, smulnori, non-verbal performance, fantasy korea, taekownmoo, music and samulnori. 10 schools ranging from primary to high school participated in this student performance contest.

Aside from many of Korean traditional performances, there are also modern touches like the korean contemporary music performance using janggu (drum) by Deborah Kim titled I have a dream, to rap sessions with Miki, Jimmy Park and NoBrain Bankgroup.

Besides food stalls, the committee also set up games, art and hanbok dressing corner.





The quick art sessions offered are Korean fan painting, Hanji Craft (making a hand mirror), Calligraphy - writing your name in Hangeul and Tak-bon, a grave stone rubbing.

One of the most popular one is the Hanbok (Korean traditional clothe) dress up corner. Single, couple, friends and family alike can choose which color they like and will get to take home a free polariod photo in the end.

Trying out hanbok
The free mini polaroid
More crowds flock to see the highlight of the festival which is the K-factor K-POP competition. This year saw 9 selected entries that passed the video audition. 6 singers and 4 dancing groups compete for the grand prize of a return ticket to Bali, courtesy of Garuda Indonesia.

K-pop dancers compete for the grand prize

Singers entries of the competition

More solo entries



The two MCs were trying to make the atmosphere light with throwing jokes, puns and the female C even twerked with one singer on stage, all the while changing to many different clothes and shoes throughout the competition, just to make things interesting.

The winner of the airfare ticket is a 15 year old singer and dancer from Victoria, while two dance groups took home runner up and second runner up.




Although the weather was cloudy for most of the day, it certainly did not dampen the public's enthusiasm in participating actively in the festival.
Besides the korean town festival, the public can also enjoy seeing the Chinese New Year lantern at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, where the Chinese community also set up stalls and stage to welcome the sheep year.










Lastly, happy Chinese New Year!



Saturday 14 February 2015

Bangkok - first timer reviews

After 3 years of wishing one day I'd visit Thailand, on 2015, an opportunity finally presented itself, which I am really grateful.

BANGKOK

Transport: 9/10

I love the skytrain.
It remind me so much of the inner city train in Tokyo. The stations are very close to each other, it is frequent and it has bilingual announcement.
The exit was confusing at first, but after one time, you'll get the hang of it.
Easy train from Suvarnabhumi to city too. Only 35 minutes to Phaya thai for 45 baht and then transfer to any BTS station. 

MRT. Isn't the difference with the BTS that MRT is a subway?

BTS station
Helps you to see where you are

MRT

 Taxi is plentiful and colorful.
Most of drivers don't speak English though. Always asking for meter, because I've met a couple of silly driver trying to rip me off.

Tuk Tuk is surprisingly comfortable.
I was apprehensive to take tuk tuk as I hate to bargain my fare. But I did once for a short distance and it turned out to be a very comfortable ride.
Tuk tuk and a taxi


Shopping: 8/10

There are a lot of malls, as in any big city in South East Asia. Wouldn't say Bangkok offer the cheapest. In attractions, you can bargain your way, but I still found the price is relatively cheap (Sydney, you are the most ridiculously expensive city) so I didn't even bother to bargain.
There are a lot of Japanese store chains like Cath Kidson and Loft aside from restaurants. But I was disappointed that the price is as expensive.
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Terminal 21 mall





Siam Paragon
 


If you aren't fussy about haircut like me, try the 100 Baht hair cut at Easy cut. I found this on the internet, and decided to give it a go, especially when I found out, I can walk there easily and quick from my hotel in Asok. The review? It's mixed. Most people complimented the haircut, which is nothing special, just a normal shoulder length bob style. The hairdresser did say something in Thai, my guess that she actually recommended me to go to salon (the only word I could catch), probably because she saw I had a thick long hair that really needs professional help.

Safety: 9/10

I was a bit nervous as I traveled solo in Bangkok, but I was wrong. Bangkok is a safe place for female traveler. Perhaps it helps that I blended nicely to the crowds, being a tiny Asian female. But then again I avoid bars and red districts, so you still need to be wise.

Price: 7/10

Food price is still considerably cheaper than Sydney, but then again anywhere else does, even in Japan I can get a descent lunch for 500 yen. Street food like skewers are only 10 baht and they fill you up. In restaurants, the price is actually same as in Sydney.

35 baht small mango and sticky rice in coconut sauce

18 baht rose apple..yum
20 baht original thai crisp pancake


Clothing price is at par with Sydney, in big mall that is. I didn't go to wholesale market like MBC.

Admission fee: depending on the site, some are quite ridiculous.

Language: 8/10

I didn't use much Thai (or my Thai language app) in Bangkok. There are signs in English and I see a lot of foreigners.

Side note:

Controlled graffity





Asiatique

If you have nothing to do in Bangkok for one night. Try going to Asiatique. They have restaurants, the price is average (start from 150 baht), live music, a big ferries wheel, some sort of ride near the ferries wheel, and endless shops. It is best to come at night time for the view.



Live music

A ride?

Rows of shop


Direction: Get off at Saphan Taksin BTS, exit no 2 to the Sathorn pier to take the free shuttle boat to Asiatique pier.
The boat is very big, so even with the very long queue, you won't need to wait for too long.
It took only 5 min when the boat speed, but on normal speed it took 10 minutes.

Khao San Road

The mecca of backpacker in Bangkok. I had time to kill in the afternoon, and I was curious. You either like it or hate it. It was surprisingly small street, I didn't really spend a lot of time there, I bought few shirts (Couldn't help but shopping) then decided to avoid eye contact with the stalls before looking for insects food stalls. Yes I decided I would give bug eating a try. Unfortunately (or is it), a local told me that they will be available on the evening.





I think I saw the location where Running Man ( a popular Korean variety show) shot, the fan girl in me just screamed "That's the running man shooting location".

Where a Running Man team did the charade with foreigners?
Chao Phraya River

Chao Phraya river is a one very busy river. Tourist and locals alike uses it to go to places. It house as many as 30 something piers. Chances are you will use some of the boats on the rivers as a mean of transport. Along side the river is home of hotels, homes, temples, church, Chinese temples, shopping malls. There should be just one blog entry about the river. I lost count at how many type of boats running around in the big river


House of many different bridges too



Grand palace as seen from the river

heavy duty boat

one of Chinese temple as seen from river


River Sun mall from the river

Wat arun

Sa thang pier

Thai style building


The modern buildings view of the river

The central pier, Sathorn pier









Not the cleanest river, but not so bad



Wat arun



Busy river
Bangkok is the best for getting around cheaply if you don't drive. Also there is less language barrier in Bangkok than in other smaller city like compare to Kanchanaburi. I reckon you only need 3-4 days in Bangkok. 2 days in Sukothai (not exactly bangkok that's why you need overnight stay), 1 day for floating market, khao san road and mall hopping (just the ones at Siam station because there are three big malls and MBC mall is also near), then 1 day at the grand palace and some out of this world museums like forensic museum.