J will grow up to be....

J will grow up to be ... like this?

The Little Fairy

G has always wanted to be a fairy. She really wants to have wings so that she can fly from place to place. Well, this is the best pa pa and ma ma can do for her now.

Kodak Tri-X 400
HC-110 Dilution B

Korea - A Road Less Travelled via F&E (perhaps?)

1. We first stayed in Incheon (left blue house).
산솔펜션
http://www.mountainpine.co.kr/main.php

Please don't be decieved, Incheon is huge, so huge that it can take some 2 hours from 1 Incheon corner to another! We put up at 중구 (Chung Gu) for the close proximity to the airport (~30mins). This is largely due to us taking the redeye flight, arriving at 8am; anymore travelling may just kill the little children. Furthermore, we have to pickup the Koos the following morning at 7.30am. So staying near the airport is the best solution. At Incheon, we visited the Chinatown near Wolmido.

2. We took the purple top route from Incheon, through Seoul, ChunCheon, then arriving at Yang Yang, about 5 hours drive. This is the longer route, compared to the direct expressway to Gangneung and heading up north to Yangyang (~3.30hours). The problem was, with little understanding of Korea, and the Korean GPS, it is hard to force the GPS to route via the Gangneung expressway. Lesson learnt --- bring a Korean dictionary next time!

다빛펜션
http://www.dabipension.co.kr/

3. At Yangyang, we went to Seoraksan via the blue route north. Took about an hour. The plan was to take the 10minutes cablecar up to one of the peaks and walk around a bit. It turned out to be the hottest period (Autumn foliage). Cablecar wait was 2 hours. We decided to use our own foot to make the way up to Ulsanbawi, a trek we took a few years ago when we were carefree without children. Even then it took us about 3.30hours both ways. This time round, we took 5 hours; and short of 500metres to the peak. It got too steep for both the families with babies on their backs. Next time perhaps!

4. From Yangyang, we took the southern route down towards Gangneung, and turned inland towards PyeongChang. The drive was about 2 hours. We celebrated the 2 fathers' birthday (3 days apart) with a local yummy cake!

안단테
http://www.sjpension.co.kr/02_pension/pension_view.asp?p_code=2321299

5. We stayed at 5 minutes drive to Herbnara Farm 허브나라농원. As guests of the nearby pension, we got ourselves some discounts to the farm. Nice walk in the garden, quite a well kept place. We sat in the garden's restaurant to have a simple meal (sandwich for G and bibimbap for myself. Can't remember what LS had!)

6. Took the blue route back to Gangneung (~1 hour 10mins) to take the local tourists Seatrain (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1064143). The train headed south to Samcheok (1.5hours 1 way). Apparently this is the closest track to the sea. It was a nice trainride, with J sleeping in my arms all through. It was raining, so not a bad idea to stay indoors, kind of.

7. Took the blue route to Yangdae MookChang 양떼목장 (Sheep Farm). The enclosed sheep farm is a vast piece of rolling hills land. G got to feed the sheep with her bare hands!

8. On the way back from the Sheep Farm, we visited a sculpture musuem - Mu-I Musuem 평창무이예술관.

9. Took the purple route towards Wonju turning south to MunGyeong 문경. We stayed at the pension that was formally a train. This pension was run by Korail.

http://www.korailpension.co.kr/pages/sub1_1.asp

9. The original intention was to visit the apple farms. However due to language barrier, we couldn't find an apple farm that allows us to pick. We ended up trekking a fort 진남교반일원.

10. We headed up the expressway to Yeoju, and westward back to Incheon.

을왕라1박2알
http://www.wooripension.com/pension/woori_m.asp?pension_code=w0119001&rsrm_date=2011-09-08&room_code=#1

11. We went to Wolmido, pretty disappointed at the absent of activities. We visited the museum of Emigration History (free entrance). It was also nice walking on Eurwangbi Beach just minutes of drive from our pension. There was even a movie shooting going on, hidden behind big screens. Can't see any of the stars though.

Sisterhood

When the parents are gone (eventually), the sisters still have each other.

Likeness?

 

When G was a baby, she has the distinctive look of grandpa, and grandaunt. As G grows older, more commented she'd take on mama's look.... Judge for yourself!

娘惹琪

我们家的小娘惹。

Bronica SQ-Ai, PS80mm, Fujifilm Neopan Acros

Wheee! ....

J might not be able to walk yet, but that's not stopping her from enjoying the slide!

J playing with the slide at the Biopolis playground

Bronica SQ-Ai, PS80mm, Portra 400.

The Growing Girl

I thought I am able to spot the growth of G every morning when I wake her up for bed. I often ask her to please stop growing up, and be my little G forever. She would say "I can't!".

And here she is - in the baju kurung that grandma borrowed from the neighbor for her school's Hari Raya Party. She looked so much more mature than her actual age of 4! Daddy's little girl is just growing up too fast!

G in baju kurung, all ready for the Hari Raya party at the school.

Photo taken with Bronica SQ-Ai, PS80mm, and Kodak Portra 400.

Raffles Hotel Mooncake

Raffles Hotel Champagne Truffle is one of our favourite mooncake. Since the time when it was introduced by Shirley yearns ago, we'd looked forward to it on every mooncake festival without fail. And here's G growing up with each mooncake festival!