빅 마마 에서 저녁 식사

Decided to upload some outdated posts before I continue with updates on my Spring trip back home. I went to 빅 마마 with my friends few weeks ago on a Friday night. When I called for reservation, I was told there are only two time slots for Friday. 6pm or 8pm. I chose 8pm although I don't usually have my dinner so late.

빅 마마 is very easy to find. About 5 mins walk from Tiong Bahru Station.

So sad....감자탕 is not available ㅠㅠ

My friends ordered 식혜 while I ordered 수정과. If you have been to Ju Shin Jung, 수정과 is the complimentary drink they served towards the end of the meal. I think so ㅎㅎㅎ I don't like cinnamon but I like 수정과 when it is served cold.

We love the lotus roots topped with sesame sauce and the small anchovies ^^
Banchan is refillable FOC ㅋㅋㅋ

닭갈비 ^^

This was delicious!!
We ordered our 닭갈비 for servings of two people.

All of us liked this the most.
I told the waitress we wanted to have 볶음밥 when we are done with our 닭갈비.

She cooked the rice on our table.

This 부대찌개 Budae Jjigae fails.
I find the broth was too thick.
The waitress told us its a stardard size for two people.
No additional order of ramyeon 라면사리 or any other ingredients are allowed.
The reason she gave us was so as not to change the taste of the budae jjigae.............

해물김치전 Seafood kimchi Pancake. This was not bad. I can't be fussy cos there is no pancake that can be compared to the one I ate at Pajeon Alley. There were four of us, each of us paid $26. Reasonably cheap ^^

옴 마니 파드메 훔 옴 마니 반메 훔

It is really heartwarming to see so many Koreans(including companies, fishermen, commoners etc) coming forward together to chip in whatever they can towards the ferry disaster. It is not just the families and friends of those involved in the tragedy who are grieving but almost the entire nation is in sorrow. You are not alone. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. 옴 마니 파드메 훔  옴 마니 반메 훔 

Media has a huge influence, big responsibility and should display professional ethics when reporting news. Personally, I hope they can focus more on this area rather than focusing on the captain. No doubt he has done wrong but the whole system bears a BIG responsibility as well. 

May love & light shine upon all who are affected in the ferry disaster. May the family members and friends of those on board, and all who have been rescued find the strength and guidance to move on. May all who have passed on to rest in peace. May the rescue teams be safe and complete their missions successfully. Your lives are just as precious. Let's pray for a miracle. 옴 마니 파드메 훔 옴 마니 반메 훔

20 Mar 2014 - I want to come back.

I walked to the bus stop for my bus back to Tongyeong Bus Terminal. There is no need to cross the road this time. The bus directory was displayed way above eye level! It was hard to read it but it looks like the hundred series shared almost the same route.  Please do not fault me for this comment.  I did not have time to analyse it hahahaa 

Generally, I think it is not difficult to take bus in Tongyeong. The bus routes seems rather straight forward. Anyway, I was looking hard at the bus route of bus no. 100 when bus no. 141 arrived. I was not looking at the bus but the bus driver called out to me, "어디가?" Means "Where are you going?"  Ermmm....was he talking to me??  I think so. I must have looked like a lost tourist!!! LOL I replied, "Tongyeong Bus Terminal". Hence, I got on bus no.141 at 5.59pm. Somehow, I felt I sort of know this bus driver.  

Can't remember what time I reach Tongyeong Bus Terminal but I got off at the bus stop opposite the bus terminal. The bus driver called out to me just before we reached the stop. I think he said something, "Singapore?" Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! No wonder I felt he was so familiar!!! He was BUS DRIVER A!!! Remember the kind bus driver I mentioned?? I walked up to the driver seat, trying to find the correct word to say. I don't know how to say, I just said, "아까??"  He smiled and nodded his head. We had another "Chicken & Duck" conversation before I got off the bus. I am so grateful to this uncle. I wish I can tell him I am very grateful to him for being so kind to me. I wish him good health, safe journeys and happiness always. 당신아저씨에 너무 감사. 정말 감사합니다.  Kind people and beautiful place. Yes, I will be back. 

Bought my bus ticket back to Busan.
No time stated but the counter staff told me it will leave at 6.25pm.

This was my bus. It left at 6.24pm instead. I reached Seobu Bus Terminal at 7.45pm. I did not went back to the hotel straight away but walked over to Renicite for some shopping. It started raining heavily as I walked to Renicite. It took me about 10mins walk from Sasang station, exit 3 to Renicite. Renicite is a very big shopping complex, something like Migliore but bigger. Took the Airport Light Rail Transit from Gwaebeop Renecite station back to Sasang Station for my return trip. Gwaebeop Renecite Station is just outside Renicite and only one stop away from Sasang Station.

20 Mar 2014 - 너무 배 불러요!!

대풍관 is located opposite the turtle ships.
Ermm...You can't see the turtle ships in this map though..

Online info says that 대풍관 is popular for its fresh oyster.
However, I did not come here for its oyster becos I was never a fan of oyster.
I came here becos many people came here ㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎ
There were many other popular restaurants in the area as well.

I was the only customer when I reached here about 5.05pm.
The place was packed when I left around 5.45pm.

I already decided what I wanted to eat before I came here ^^

해물 된장 Seafood Doenjang, 멍게비빔밥 Squirt bibimbap and 굴탕수육 Sweet sour oyster were on my list!  Well, due to "unforseen circumstances" of overeating, I decided to forgo 해물 된장 Seafood Doenjang and 굴탕수육 Sweet sour oyster...

I ordered 멍게비빔밥 Squirt bibimbap. As the waitress started laying the table, I got worried. She started off with the portable stove (Which puzzled me) and the side dishes. Next, she came in with a plate of fresh oyster which is shown on the bottom right in this picture. Thereafter, she came in with a pot of soup and placed it on the portable stove! I asked her, "멍게비빔밥?". She replied that the pot of soup and fresh oyster were service. I thanked her but at the same time, I was very worried that I could not finish the food. "Service" came at the wrong time cos I was not hungry at all. The pot of soup happens to be 해물 된장 Seafood Doenjang! It was what I intially planned to have but decided to give up since I was still feeling full from my honey bread.

멍게비빔밥 Squirt bibimbap ^^

This was so delicious!!

Mix and eat ^^
Soooo niceeee!!

I don't really like to eat oyster but this plate of oyster was fresh and the sauce was quite tasty.

Ahhh...this 해물 된장 Seafood Doenjang was so niceee!!
I could not finish the fresh oyster and some of the banchan becos I was super duper full.
So so full that I felt I have eaten food that can last me for the next three days!!
Felt apologetic that I could not finish the oyster...
Anyway, total bill was only KRW10000!!
Thanks to the great SERVICE ^^

Feeling sad becos it was time for me to make my way to the bus terminal.
Tongyeong is a very beautiful place.
I know I will come back again.
I hope I can stay at least one night on my next visit to see the night view of beautiful Tongyeong ^^

20 Mar 2014 - Turtle ships at Gangguan harbour

I left Dongpirang Village and walked back to 강구안 Gangguan Habour.

You got to buy admission ticket to go on board the turtle ships even though they were only replicas.

Although these were only replicas of the famous navel vessel that defended Korea from Japanese invasion on numerous occasions, I was still very happy that I can finally get to see them ㅎㅎㅎ  I think there were 3 or 4 of them.

Captain Room.

First Mate Room.

A view of the habour from the turtle ship.

Bottom deck.
The steps down to the bottom deck were pretty steep and narrow. 

치료실.  Cure room??
Something like a treatment room I supposed.
The area was very small.
How did the ancient people cope if there were a lot of sick or injured soldiers?

Ooopppss...The little boy in the picture is real ㅋㅋㅋ

                           

It says, "Officer Room".
This turtle ship has an Officer Room and a Captain's Cabin.

This is the Captain Cabin.

You can access to the top deck using this stairway.

This is the bottom deck of another turtle ship.

This turtle ship was slightly different from the other three cos it had metal spikes at the top of the ship. Got to conserve my battery for dinner time! ㅎㅎㅎ It was almost 5pm. Time to make my way to the restaurant that I wanted to go for dinner, which was about 5 mins walk. Yes...food again...my fifth "meal' for the day including an ice cream at Jangsado. I was not hungry at all but I wanted to try as much local cuisine as I could.

See the two arrows? That's the place I wanted to go for dinner. I saw the restaurant by chance when I was peeping out from one of the turtle ship. Actually, both signage are referring to the same restaurant, 대풍관. However, I think the red arrow is not the actual place, it was just a signage. The blue arrow is the actual place, located somewhere behind the signage where the red arrow is pointing. Ermmm..you understand what I mean?