Travelogue around Asia Pacific

Manila - arrived on time to Manila and the weather was scorching hot @ 38 degrees.   I always take the taxi at the taxi counter just outside the airport that says 'metered taxi'.   The taxi air-con was working in overdrive and it simply was hot inside, furthermore there was a traffic jam.  I was counting time to reach the hotel as it was unbearable.  I booked The Spa at Mandarin Oriental as I had a complimentary gift voucher for a 50 minutes session  that expires 30 Jan 2012, so I had to use it this trip.   Took a taxi to Mandarin Oriental as it's a distance to the hotel and the spa is on the 18th floor.   I was totally relaxed and very therpeutic. Afterwhich, I had my dinner at Oody's Bar & Restaurant  at Greenbelt 3. 2/Lvl. Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center Makati City, Metro Manila Philippines (02) 757-4259 The Thai food is below average... Lesley arrived late in the evening and we both went across the road for some c...

Hwacheon - Early morning Ahn and Ki-won met me at Courtyard Mariott @ TimeSquare (where I am staying) to begin our 2 hrs journey to Hwacheon. My 2nd ice-fishing trip.  We waited a short while and was joined by Young Jin.  An hour later, we stopped at a resting place for drivers to freshen up.  There were many people going to ski.   I was told water was sprayed onto the slopes to create falling snow and those were 'fake deers'.   The sign on the chair says 'do not cross this line'....haha This is the surrounding reality.. It is definitely cold -2 degress but no falling snow.   After another 1 hour of driving we finally reached our destination.  When the river freezes over, Koreans will start gearing up and go ice-fishing.  This will be my 2nd trip to Hwacheon for ice-fishing and it always is exciting.   Ice fishing in Korea requires nothing but a simple line and hook.   Some even catch the...

Seoul - I arrived Seoul and the temperature is 2degree celcius - very cold for me.  In the words of Young Jin, today is very warm...haha.   Today, I took for the first time the Airport Express train from Incheon Airport to  Seoul station - price W13,800 one way.   I boarded at 5:30pm and arrived Seoul station at 6:14pm (43 minutes of travel) and then took a taxi to my Hotel. For dinner, I met up with Young Jin and Chae Yun for sashimi.  It was an average restaurant that served buffet sashimi - we chose the W35,000 per person. This was a extreme dish - Tuna nose cartilage - there is no taste and lots of chewing. The fish tear liquor - you just down this liquor in one gulp.  I have tried it thrice, a liquor with a very fishy taste but once you gulp it down, the liquor just goes straight to your stomach.