It was really my dream to experience the Snow, as we all know that every tropical person does. When I was dreaming about how lovely playing with the snowfall was, it came to my mind to look for a ticket soon. When Cebu Pacific Air had their 1 fare in the middle of 2017, I got the chance to book a flight, and I was really excited about the day to come.
3 months before my flight, I applied for a Korean visa and processed it with the help of a Travel Agency in Iloilo. After 15 days, I got my passport with a sticker of a Korean Visa. Yes! I did it I got approved.
Time flies, all my bags are packed, and I’m ready to go. My flight to Incheon is 1:40 AM from Kalibo Airport. When I arrived at the airport, the terminal was full packed with Korean and Chinese folks, and just like a market, it was very noisy. The immigration officer interviewed and interrogated me for almost 5 minutes, thinking of getting me to pass or not. I can’t blame him because I just noticed that I'm the only Filipino who will fly to Korea at that time. In the end, I convinced him of the intention. We left the Philippines around 1:30am and arrived at Incheon Airport around 7:20 am, and it was still dark with heavy snowfall.
I was looking in the window while waiting for the cabin door to open, and the heavy snowfall was just waiting for me. The immigration process in Korea was smooth, but I’m unfortunate because they don’t give a passport stamp anymore; instead, they will give a confirmation slip to keep while in-country.
After passing the Immigration, I went outside the terminal, and it was time to play with the snow, yeah I know it’s crazy, but no one knows me there. A tropical boy is really excited to experience the snow for the first time in his life. The train left me to Seoul City, and I needed to wait another 20 minutes, so I went back outside to take time with the snowfalls.
Petite France is our next destination after Nami Island. It is also located in Gapyeong, 20 minutes from the Nami bus stop.
I researched a lot, looking for tips on how to survive the winter in South Korea, but before that, I was nervous since I needed to secure a Korean Visa before I flew, but no one can't stop me from dreaming about playing in the snow.
I was looking in the window while waiting for the cabin door to open, and the heavy snowfall was just waiting for me. The immigration process in Korea was smooth, but I’m unfortunate because they don’t give a passport stamp anymore; instead, they will give a confirmation slip to keep while in-country.
After passing the Immigration, I went outside the terminal, and it was time to play with the snow, yeah I know it’s crazy, but no one knows me there. A tropical boy is really excited to experience the snow for the first time in his life. The train left me to Seoul City, and I needed to wait another 20 minutes, so I went back outside to take time with the snowfalls.
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| Buckchon Hanok Village |
I booked an express train ticket online via Klook, and much cheaper compared to on-site. Before I left the airport, I went to foreign exchange to change my USD to KRW and brought a T-money card at the Kbook store at 4,000 won and loaded up with 10,000 won that I could use in the subway and bus convenience store. The journey from Incheon Airport to Seoul City is 45 minutes. I'd transferred a train in line 3 to Hongdae/ Hongik University Station from Seoul station, where my Airbnb place is located.
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| Petite France |
After I settled everything in my room, I went to Insadong and Hanok Bukchon village. The weather is freaking cold, and the temperature dropped to -14 degrees, but there is no snowfall in Seoul City. From Hongik University, I ride a train in line 3 to euljiro 3 to visit a friend's hotel. Unfortunately, he is not around, so I walk around using my instinct and a google map to find the Insadong. Still, I’m lost, luckily I found an Information booth and ask for the direction. After 30 minutes, I finally arrived in Insadong, eating some street foods before going to Hanok Bukchon Village.
Before I flew to Korea, I got wound in one of my fingers on the foot, so walking too long makes me more uncomfortable and hurt, but I don’t mind that because I went to Korea to enjoy it. It was dark when I decided to go home and rest before going to my friend’s hotel in myeongdong.
The next day morning, I went to Nami Island with my friend. Going to Nami will take more or less an hour by train and ferry. We spent almost 3 hours roaming around and eat some Nami Sausage which is delicious.
Petite France is our next destination after Nami Island. It is also located in Gapyeong, 20 minutes from the Nami bus stop.
We were supposed to visit Garden in the Morning Calm, but we decided to go back to Seoul City because it was dark, so we rode a bus from petite France to gapyeong station. We buy a ticket, but unfortunately, there's no available seat, standing ovation all the way to Yongsan station instead. hehe
On the third day, we visited the Gyeongbokung Palace, because that’s the only palace open on Monday the rest is closed when we arrived the ceremony was about to start. I was just watching it on TV way back, but now I’m here to witness that kind of ceremony.
Winter in Korea is fun, but it’s freaking cold, maybe because I’m just a tropical boy living in the Philippines with a Sunny and Rainy Season. I did conquer the winter in South Korea, and I’m so happy to make my dreams come true.
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