Work, work, work...

Bangalore - I had breakfast with Lesley - it was the same type of dishes served the last time I was here.   Well, I ate the same food but more fruits and juices.  Ate eggs without yolk - full of cholesterol....

It was seminar day for me and I did about 2 hrs of presentation and it felt really good - I had not done public speaking for a long time.  The audience was really good and some participated.   Lunch was part of the seminar.   The lamb Goulash and Chicken was really good and it went well with their special rice.  I really don't know why the Nann is always burnt - it taste good but tried to avoid charred food as it's carcinogen.

This is what I gathered from the Internet....If foods are overheated or burnt, a group of carcinogenic substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced. PAHs represent a very large group of compounds. Chemically, they consist of fused aromatic rings made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms.  After being ingested, PAHs can be absorbed in the intestine and distributed to other organs through blood circulation.

Besides cancer-causing, PAH exposure is also associated with many adverse effects in laboratory animals, including reproductive toxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, bone marrow toxicity, immune system suppression, and liver toxicity.

Dinner was at the Hotel restaurant - remembering that the last time the main dishes were large portions - I just ordered 1 portion and it was a seafood dish + complimentary soup.   The seafood is not fresh but frozen and I think they cook it with heavy spices to musk any taste - I would prefer simple BBQ (i.e. without heavy spices)  if it is fresh as it brings out the freshness of the seafood dish.

Back to Banglore

Bangalore - I was on a SQ 502 flight when there was a passenger that was SMOKING on this flight.  You can smell the strong smoke and the flight stewarders was around and they identified this idiot.  Not sure what happened to this passenger but I believe there is a heavy federal fine.

I watched this movie 'Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang' - family movie.

The weather was beautiful around 21 degrees with a light breeze and staying at Le Meridien Hotel.  Fortunately, this time I brought a jacket..

Seokguram Grotto

Gyeongju - Seokguram Grotto lies about 4km away from Bulguksa Temple driving up steep sloop towards the location.  

The grotto was completed by the Silla court in 774, shortly after Gim's death. An old legend stated that Gim was reincarnated for his filial acts in his previous life. The legend relates that the Bulguksa Temple was dedicated to Gim’s parents in his present life while the Seokguram Grotto was dedicated to Gim's parents from a previous life.

Entrance to the Seokguram Grotto

Parents pay for prayers for their children during Final exams

Young Jin helping himself to the flowing mountain water

Young Jin drinking from the cup provided

List as one of UNESCO historical monument -http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/736

Gyeongju Bulguksa Temple

Gyeongju - Bulguksa is a Buddhist temple and one of South Korea's historical treasures.  Construction of this temple began in 751 but was burnt down by the invading Japanese in 1593.

Signature at the entrance of the temple

Entrance of the temple

Famous view of the temple

Stairs to the temple

The stairs to the temple is off limits and the only time visitors can climb the stairs is on the Birthday of Buddha.  This is one of 2 remnants of the temple that survived the burning of the temple.  Visitors have to go via a side entrance in order to come to this top of the stairs.

Another view from the top of the stairs

Side view from the top of the stairs

What does Living House mean?

Young Jin drinking from the flowing mountain water

Mr Kim filling his water bottle from the ever flowing mountain water tap

Another view of the mountain water

Choe old house in Gyeongju

Gyeongju - Visited one of Gyeongju historical sites which is next to the restaurant.

Korean Traditional House

Six Instructions to manage a household

Gyeongju famous restaurant

When we reached Daegu, we were met by Mr  Kim Jun Sung and journeyed another 1.5hrs on road to Gyeongju city in his nice SUV.   It was so hot in Daegu - the mercury was 34 degrees Celsius.   The Meteorologists expects thte blistering temperatures to continue till mid-September.   Daegu is often the hottest region in Korea.

Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BC – 935 AD) which ruled most of the Korean Peninsula between the 7th and 9th centuries. A vast number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period remain in the city. Gyeongju is often referred to as "the museum without walls".  Among such historical treasures, Seokguram grotto and Bulguksa temple are designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.  The many major historical sites have helped Gyeongju become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea.


We reach a famous traditional Korean restaurant to have lunch.

Cheon Ha Dae Jang Gun

Cheon Ha Dae Jang Gun are Good Fortune Totems that are used throughout Korea to ward off evil.  They are generally placed at the entrance of the village to keep spirits out.  The inscription on the male left reads 'Great Lord under the Sky', while the inscription on the female figure reads 'Great woman Lord of the world'

Entrance of the restaurant

Entrance to another much lower door - you need to bow

Walking to our private dinning room

Young Jin entering the private dinning room

Spread of traditional Korean food

Delicious Raw fish

3-layer slices of Pork

Jelly Fish

Braised Beef with Chestnut

RESTAURANT SURROUNDINGS

Fermentation Clay Pots

Korea Bullet Train - KTX

Seoul - Daegu - Woke up 7:30am to prepare for the trip to Daegu. YJ fetched me at the Hotel to go to Seoul Station to catch the KTX (Korean bullet train) to Daegu. The journey will be approximately 1.5 hrs travelling at a speed of over 300km/hr.

Seoul Station

We had our breakfast at KFC and at around 10 minutes before 10:10am we adjourned to the train platform to board the train bound for Daegu. The journey was very smooth and I spent my time doing SMS and email on my iPhone. Also managed to update my blog whilst travelling at 300km/hr. The Internet connectivity was amazing and it was installed by one of my customer who specializes in outdoor wireless LAN installation.

Young Jin

Chicken Backside...

Seoul - The arrival to Seoul was delayed by 30 mins as the pilot needed to take a different route to avoid an incoming typhoon that will be approaching Seoul. I got on board the limo bus bound for Renaissance Seoul hotel - half through the journey it rained heavily and continued till I arrived the hotel 1 1/2 hrs later. Fortunately, the hotel staff were standing by with umbrellas in hand. This made it much easier as I wheeled my luggage to the front desk. YJ wad already waiting for me at the hotel.

We had dinner near the hotel. There are many good restaurants nearby. I wanted to eat sashimi or sushi but none was around, so we popped into a Korean BBQ restaurant and ordered Kalbi - Korean BBQ beef ribs. We were joined later by a good friend - Baek. According to YJ he wanted to meet me. He was at home and got on the subway to meet me in 1/2 hr in the rain.

Throughout the meeting, no mentioned of business was brought up and we had a good dinner and a laughable time drinking. Koreans like to drink.  We had the infamous liquor - Seoju .  I hold my liquor very well and never got drunk or made a scene in Korea or anywhere else. Especially when on business the ability to hold one's liquor spreaks highly of a person.

After dinner we move to another place to continue our drinks and good time.  We had another kind of liquor - Bak Se Ju.   Bak Se Ju literally means '100 years wine'.  Bak Se Ju is a Korean glutinous rice-based fermented alcoholic beverage flavored with a variety of herbs including licorice, omija (Schisandra chinensis), gugija (Chinese wolfberry), Astragalus propinquus root, ginger, and cinnamon, ginseng most prominent among them. According to some, the name comes from the legend that the healthful herbs in baekseju will help you live to be 100 years old.  

YJ asked me whether I tried chicken ass - I said no and in Singapore - we just threw it away..they called it Dak Dong Jib Marinated sautéed chicken ass. 

Dak Dong Jib