Article from "Yahoo" - World Street Food Congress: 24 hours food tour to digest the cause

After living in Korea for 8 months, every time thought or seeing all the Singapore food picture that my family sent, it will just make me miss Singapore food even more. So even if I'm going to gain back all the weight that I lost, I AM SOO GOING TO DO LIKE WHAT THEY DO WHEN I'M BACK IN SINGAPORE  


[cut and paste from - https://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/world-street-food-congress-24-091103792.html ]

World Street Food Congress: 24 hours food tour to digest the cause

Mamu mee kuah opeh at bedok hawker centre intriqued them with the way he packed it.

Eating for 24 hours in one stretch is no joke. It’s serious business or culture, if you can see it.  So, about 25 foreign media descended onto our hallowed makan island last Saturday to embark on a food tour of their life- the 24 Hour Food Frenzy Safari. They were invited by Makansutra and The Singapore Tourism Board for what may be the world’s longest press conference event at this 1440 minutes of non-stop feasting on the go. It was to update the media, both local and international, on the upcoming second edition of the World Street Food Congress (April 8-12th, 2015).

It began at 10.30am at the Esplanade and they cruised through 34 stops and scarfed down about 40 items. It took them to all corners of the island through day and night. It also included an early morning seaside washroom and refresher break plus some stretching session (which many were too zonked to bend over and reach the knees to loosen up). There was also a proper one hour media press conference session buried in there somewhere. Four doctors took duty turns on board the food bus to keep things in check, but they really ended up enjoying the feasting party themselves. There were no casualties.

Media curiously hungry at tian tian chicken rice.

Very often, many could not see the opportunities, culture and the craft  behind that bowl of laksa or chicken rice in a hawker centre or coffeeshop. So this 24 hour food tour served to give them an idea of what we cannot usually see behind that bowl of kway chap or pig offal stew. They got insights on the business models of hawker centres, supply and supply chains in our land-scarce island where 95% of our ingredients are imported, the irony of a popular food culture that has no proper structure or culture that seeds continuity and even how a comforting plate of nasi lemak can be profitable at a measly $3.50. They now understand the culture behind why folks would queue for a spicy and spunky bowl of laksa at 7am and the entrepreneurial opportunities in this comfort street food trade.

Nasi padang at Hajjah mona geylang serai.

Tales about the plight, intents and aspirations of a new generation of hawkers were also regaled along the way, showing how this culture can play a big part in social enterprise efforts.  All these are part of the purpose and cause of the World Street Food Congress, which had its first event in 2013.

The media came from as far as Britain (the Independent) and the USA (The Daily Meal). There were also regional publications and online sites, plus bloggers from Indonesia (Detik, Femina and Jakarta Post), newspapers in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Denmark, Japan and even our close neighbours from Malaysia.

Ye lai xiang laksa at Woodlands.

They were taken to Woodlands, Bedok Changi, Jalan Kayu and to the shiny and delicious corners in town and saw how fishballs are made and turned into fishball noodles, how roti prata is flipped and made, and they understood the culture behind why folks would queue for a spicy and spunky bowl of laksa at 7am.

It made good footage seeing how prata is flipped at jalan kayu.

Blogger, chef and food host JJ Yulo from Manila was amazed at how safe the trip was. He intends to bring foodie travellers from his country to Singapore and the event opened up his mind to the opportunities in his field of work. Ms Julia Buckley from the Independent in London was bowled over by roti kaya and roti prata, and was particularly amazed at the prices and how it all still makes  economic sense adding, “Even if you raised it by 30%, it would still be cheap by the world’s standards”.

Bak kut teh at Rong Cheng was done using the long dragon ribs.

Korea life - day 96 (week 14) / (Seoul) class 1A last Gathering

29 May 2014 - Day 96 week 14

One of my level 1 classmate is heading back to their hometown soon. So we organised a goodbye dinner and one last gathering with the rest before she left tomorrow.

As there were 10 over of us, we had to split into 2 table. We ordered a spicy pot and a non-spicy pot of army stew (which is call Budae Jjigae in Korea - this dish often incorporates with ingredients like instant noodles, sliced cheese and meat. Other ingredients may include sliced sausages, baked beans, tofu, chill peppers and other ingredients that you like ).  Picture below is the spicy pot, although it seem very red but not very spicy at all.  

Too bad this is going to be the last picture with class 1A
Don't know when then can meet up with the full class.  

There were lot of thing for us to chat about while eating since we were now (almost all) in different classes and haven't have the chance to talk to each other for awhile. Now that we had learned korean for 3 month now, we could use korean to make a conversation much more easier than before(although was still not easy).

After dinner, all said want to go home but in the end we just stand around the street kept talking. It was still early when we really decided to all headed home, so went to a friend's house to slack. Because we all living near the school, go back around 11 plus also never mind. 

Article from "Cheapflight.com" - Top 10 cities that spook: Creepy tours around the world

With Halloween around the corner, many website are introducing interesting places to go during Halloween period. Although I'm not in Europe/ US , but I will like to try it out if I'm there. Hope in the future, I have the chance to try it out.

[cut and paste from - http://www.cheapflights.com/news/top-10-cities-spook-creepy-tours-around-world/ ]

Need a good scare this Halloween season? Indulge in your penchant for the paranormal with bone-chilling details of ghosts, torture and unexplained phenomena on a spooky city tour. Our list rounds up the goriest, scariest and creepiest tours all around the world. Read on to see which cities boast the most haunted stories and which continue to be influenced by paranormal activity.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Underground tunnel in Edinburgh (Image: fw42)

Edinburgh is said to be the most haunted city in Scotland, and with many underground tunnels and streets it’s no surprise why. In Old Town, Mary King’s Close, a street now enclosed underground, is said to be where victims of the plague in the mid-1600s were quarantined and left to die. Explore the ins and outs of Edinburgh’s underground history with a City of the Dead tour, where you’ll be taken to the South Bridge Vaults. Built to house pubs and shops, the Vaults were soon abandoned due to poor conditions, but remain a site of active ghost sightings and paranormal activity still today.

San Francisco, California, United States

Alcatraz (Image: Dennis Matheson used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)

San Francisco is home to the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, cable cars and some of the most horrifying ghost stories of America’s past. If you’re feeling brave, venture out on the Haunted Haight Walking Tour where your guide will take you on a two-hour stroll to infamous and lesser-known creepy parts of the city. You’ll tour the Haight-Ashbury district, home to famous murders and cult leaders while you learn about parapsychology – the study of paranormal or psychic phenomena. Be warned: It’s not for the faint-of-heart, and the tour is not recommended for children younger than 13.

Kimberley, South Africa

Honored Dead Memorial (Image: flowcomm)

Referred to as “The Diamond City” this small South African locale became well known for its mining by industry giant De Beers. The city has 158 known haunted houses, which the Kimberley Ghost Trail Tour will delve into with chilling details. This guided tour starts at the “Honoured Dead Memorial” and continues onto historic houses, monuments and cemeteries each with its own ghost tale. If the tour hasn’t fulfilled your ghostly interests, visit the Magersfontein Anglo-Boer War battlefield where many visitors have claimed to hear a phantom Scottish bagpipe and seen flickering lanterns.

Prague, Czech Republic

Old Cemetery (Image: Bjorn used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)

For the best bet of a haunted sighting, visit Prague’s Old Town where numerous dark events in the city’s history took place. Haunted Prague offers a number of gruesome options, including the Ghosts, Torture and Underground Tour that takes you on a walk to the Charles Bridge, where famous construction mysteries and executions took place. The underground portion of the tour offers insight into real torture methods and punishment tactics that were used on prisoners. As midnight rolls around, visit the Old Cemetery in the Jewish Quarter where an estimated 100,000 bodies are buried and supernatural sightings have been recorded.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Some people see a ghost descending down the stairs in the Hull House (Image: Jim Reynolds)

Chicago’s history is wrought with criminal activity and tragic happenings. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 tore through the heart of the city, leaving at least 300 people dead and thousands more homeless. In the 1920s and 1930s, mobs ran through the city and killed countless victims. The historically based Chicago Hauntings tours will touch upon all this and more as it takes you through these experiences. Visit the Bachelors Grove Cemetery, often referred to as one of the most haunted cemeteries in the world. Spectators have admitted to seeing headstones moving as well as apparitions roaming the area at night.

Victoria, Australia

Ararat, Australia (Image: Steve Gibson)

Victoria is home to a few infamous asylums. Aradale, located in the rural town of Ararat, is the largest abandoned insane asylum in Australia. In its 130 years in operation, approximately 13,000 people died and the institution was home to some of the most controversial psychiatric experiments in the country. Tours are offered after dark, where visitors hear of the brutal treatment of patients and haunted sightings of the past while touring all aspects of the asylum from the infirmaries to the morgue. While in Victoria, also tour Aradale’s sister hospital, Beechworth Lunatic Asylum, which eventually closed its doors in 1995 after being in operation for 128 years. The asylum offers tours that dive into stories of specific past patients and paranormal myths that were recorded while still in operation.

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

The LaLaurie Mansion (Image: Reading Tom)

It’s hard to look into the history of New Orleans without coming across Madame LaLaurie, a socialite in New Orleans in the late 16th and early 17th century. Known for her brutality and torture tactics used on slaves, many of the city’s ghost stories involve her victims. A New Orleans Ghost Tour will take you to the haunted mansion on Royal Street, where spectators have said they’ve heard screams of Madame LaLaurie’s victims from years past. If you prefer a more well rounded tour of New Orleans’ dark past, try the French Quarter Phantoms Ghost and Vampire Tour for a glimpse into some sinister tales of vampires that lurk in the city’s history.

Rajasthan, India

Bhangarh Fort (Image: Shahnawaz Sid)

It is believed that Bhangarh Fort in Rajasthan, India, about four hours from Delhi, is the most haunted place in India. The fort is supposedly cursed by a sorcerer living in the city who attempted but failed to make the palace princess fall in love with him, in turn cursing the palace residents to death. Select travel operators in India offer independent haunted tours of the area, but it is still prohibited for tourists to visit this unique site between sunset and sunrise, according to the Archaeological Survey of India. Local residents claim that no one who has stayed in the ruins after sunset has returned.

London, England

The Ten Bells pub (Image: Secret Pilgrim used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)

London doesn’t fall short when it comes to ghostly tales – from supposed paranormal activity at underground stations to the Tower of London beheadings and many other gruesome tales. One outing that is sure to thrill is the Jack the Ripper Tour, where you’ll be guided to the actual murder sites of the mass serial killer who was never caught. The tour will feel like a murder investigation, following the chronological route Jack the Ripper took in East End London in the late 19th century. After the tour, stop by The Ten Bells pub, well known for its association with two of Jack the Ripper’s victims.

Salem, Massachusetts, United States

The Burying Point (Image: Robert Linsdell)

Witchcraft is deeply ingrained in the history and reputation of Salem, where the infamous Salem Witch Trials took place in 1692. Dive into the truly dark details surrounding the trials and throughout the city’s past on a Spellbound Tour, where you’ll visit the location of an old Witch Dungeon and the second oldest cemetery in the U.S. For a more off-the-beaten-path look into Salem’s mysterious history, choose the Salem Tunnel Tour where you’ll be guided to various locations throughout the city. Hear tales of ghosts told by a medium and learn about conspiracy theories that have become part of the city’s culture including secret tunnels, sealed entrances and more.

(Featured image: Jaakko Hakulinen)

Korea life - day 91 (week 13) / (Seoul) having fun

Korea Life - 24 May 2014 (day 91 week 13)

Although now I had moved up to level 2 but that doesn't mean that I had forgotten about my level 1 friends. Today I'm meeting up with some of them to have a house warming at LZ house as he just moved over.

As I meeting up the rest for dinner, so morning I went shopping with CL at Myeong-dong first. Yesterday I wanted to but didn't got to do any shopping, so today I did bought some things.

Went back to put down my thing before heading over to meet with LZ. LZ's living 2 subway stop away from school. Wanted to order and have it sent over but because LZ just moved over, still don't have contact number so he and his girlfriend went out buy while we watch movie in his house.

We kept eating, drinking, playing games (games that we played the last time). Because some have appointed the next day, we went off around 11 plus (don't want to stay until so late like last time [the last time, I tried having conversation with them that last 7 hrs!!])

Korea life - Day 90 (week 13) / (Seoul) Korea National museum & Hangang river

Korea life - 23 May 2014 (day 90 week 13)

Exam has finished and is time to have fun !! Every time after mid term exam, we will have our school field (with other level students too; level 1 - level 5 students will all go) and this term field trip is to Korean national museum. Actually I'm not interested in the museum trip at all, I'm only interested in going with my classmate.

Since the last dinner date I had with my new classmate, we are slightly closer to each other so this morning we met up with each other at subway station to head go over together. On the way there, because most of us are from different country, we had to keep our conversation in Korean (use all the grammar and vocabulary that we learn in class ).

Teacher were already waiting for us at the subway station when we arrived. While waiting to go in, we were all busy taking picture and chatting away. We were asked to split up into group to go around the museum to look for answer to fill in the question paper that they gave us.  Our group didn't read the question properly and went up to second level to look for us (question told us to look for answer in level 1 >u<). Because of that, it took us 1.5 hrs to find all the answer (or else it will end even earlier).

After we had finished with the games, we had lunch together. School had prepare lunch box for all student but because there were too many student, it is impossible to have all 5 level to eat together, so level 2 and level 3 student were asked to eat first, after we left then other level student come in and have their lunch.

first picture - Korea National Museum ; Second & Third picture - while waiting to go in ;
Forth & sixth picture - gotten our lunch box and going to eat : Fifth picture - before heading to Hangang park

We didn't want to end our trip just like that so after we finish the museum trip, our class went to Hangang park to ride bicycle. But not everyone wanted to cycle so only one group went cycling and the other went off (to don't know where).  After an hrs of cycling, we slowly headed back home. Wanted to go shopping alone at Gangman underground shopping mall but too tired, so just went back and slept.  

Korea life - day 83 week 12 / (Seoul) Hongdae ; Running man: Haha

Korea Life - 16 May 2014 (day 83 week 12)

PQ's friend from Thailand is currently studying in daejeon and she came up to Seoul to meet up with PQ. She met us at Hongdae for late dinner as she had information that Haha will be going over to his  shop later tonight.
we met for late dinner so we met her after school. 

Walked around with her and had ice-cream while waiting for her friend to come. We headed to haha's shop at 10pm. His shop has totally change (even the menu) as 3 year ago when I was first here. I wanted to eat the old menu !! sad.. since already come so we tried the food. 

The food was actually not bad but I still miss the old food and Haha really appeared around 11pm. He had dinner gathering with his basketball team. Truth was Haha knows PQ's friend and remember her. He even gave free of charge soup after knowing this weekend is her birthday. He was very kind and took picture with all of us. There was this guy sitting next to us from england, was here alone, Haha even ask our table help to entainer him
stayed till almost 1am then left the place. 

Korea life - day 73 week 11 / (Incheon) short trip with korean friends part 2

6 May 2014 - Day 73 week 11

This is really the worst day ever in Korea. Last night as I felt uncomfortable, so I went to sleep early. Early in the morning, I woke up to feel worse than last night. Kept going in and out of the toilet to vomit and diarrhea. Wasn't able to go back to sleep at all, so I just went to bath and waited for the others to wake up.

We waited for MY to finish up the unused tickets that we bought yesterday night and when he came back, he came back with medicine for me. HOW SWEET OF THEM !! I nearly cried, felt so touched that there is someone there who care for me since my mum is not around me.

Seaside near Wolmido Theme park 

After finishing up the medicine, we continue of holiday in Incheon. We headed to the seaside where is just next to Wolmido theme park. We fed the seagulls and enjoyed the breaths before heading over to Incheon Chinatown. Wanted to take the bus there but can't find the bus-stop so we gave up and went to take the cab instead.

Incheon Chinatown 

At Incheon Chinatown, the MOST poplar thing there was JaJangmyeon (짜장면). It is a noodle dish topped with a thick sauce made of Chunjang (which is salty black soybean paste), diced pork and vegetable. Since we are there, is a MOST that we try the JaJangmyeon here. Although at that time, I can't really taste much now but since we are already there, we should at least have a taste of it.

top 2 picture of museum; bottom 2 picture of Incheon station 

But before that, we checked out the JaJangmyeon museum and some history museum about Incheon. But my Korean standard is still not there yet, I can't understand a thing that it wrote. (Can read but don't understand).

Many of the restaurant were full of people, until we found a restaurant that we didn't need to queue up then we went in straight. And is only after lunch then I heard the truth from PQ that PQ's body is quite weak to virus (as she works in nursery school where the kids virus are everywhere), she started to keep going to the toilet too. I felt so bad about it, when I'm starting to feel better, she start to feel uncomfortable.

Seeing the both of us not feeling very well, we headed back to Seoul after lunch. Felt bad that MY & JY weren't able to enjoy the trip fully due to the both of us. Hope that the next time we meet them, we can really have fun