Everland: Korea's Largest Theme Park / April 30, 2019 by Jaclyn Sison

It’s been so nice having warmer weather here in Korea. I work the night shift so I haven’t grasped the concept of spring blooming until a few days ago when I walked the doggies outside while there was daylight. This was a special treat for Sean and I. Not only have I been feeling way under the weather, but also because we finally decided to break our routine of café hunting and make our way to Everland! Click here for discounted tickets to Everland!

There’s something for everyone at Everland!

I heard about Everland for the first time from my realtor when she took her kids there last summer. At first, I thought it was just a water park, but when I looked it up it was more than that! Everland has a theme park, a water park, and a zoo! The admission fee for both Sean and I was cheaper than one Disneyland ticket! You can get a discounted price by clicking here, saving you almost $15 on the ticket if you buy it online ahead of time!

During our visit, we went to see the tulips in the European Adventures area of the park, and of course to check out some of the rides that they had to offer. Every year they host a tulip garden and a rose garden. If you want to see a large selection of flowers but aren’t willing to make your way all the way to the Taean Tulip Festival then it’s worth it to visit Everland.

Take a gander at that drop on the rollercoaster in the background!

Everland happens to house the world’s steepest wooden rollercoaster. It took us all day to make our way through the park to get there, but I can honestly say it was worth the hour wait in line. It. Was. Intense. Sean made us ride in the back so we would get the full experience of the drop at full speed and good grief… I feel like I was falling out of my seat. You only get a seatbelt and another fitted bar across your lap. You feel like you’re going to fall out on every drop you hit. For a wooden rollercoaster, it’s definitely a 10/10 for me.

The next time we visit, we’ll be visiting the water park side of Everland called Caribbean Bay, so make sure you keep a look out for that adventure!

How does it compare to Lotte World?

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t enjoy Lotte World as much as I thought I would, so that’s probably why I haven’t written a blog about it. Lotte World is definitely geared more toward younger children. I’d say that Everland is more family friendly if it comes to having various ages (young children to teenagers) in your family. I’d say that the park is definitely more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, meaning it’s better kept than Lotte World is.

Everland is definitely something you’d want to check out during the months that are in between the extreme weather months, so spring and autumn. Lotte World would be better for going during the extreme weather months since they have indoor attractions as well.

As far as pricing goes, you can get Lotte World tickets for 33,000 won using this link [click], and Everland tickets for 37,000 won using this link [click].

How does it compare to big corporate theme parks like Six Flags and Disney?

I’d easily compare it to the older Disneyland. There are definitely enjoyable rides which also include virtual reality rides. The aesthetic of the park is broken up like it would be in Disneyland, but they’re geared more towards different areas in the world rather than cartoon towns. Their gift stores showcase characters of the park like Disney would. As far as Six Flags, there’s definitely no comparison in rides.

Nitty Gritty of the pros and cons of Everland

It’s affordable ticket prices make enjoying the park so much better. You’re not having to save up a crazy amount just to take your family out to a theme park.

The food in the restaurants are absolutely scrumptious, and well-priced. When we bought a two 19,000 won meals, they were well worth their price.

There are so many snack bars around the park, that are also very affordable. It doesn’t cost you $15 for a regular drink that’s mostly ice like it would in the states.

There’s a zoo in the park where you can pet wild animals. I mean, come on…

They have different galleries showcased there! We’re unsure of how often it changes, but the one we went to featured an interactive kaleidoscope art piece!

If you drive there, the parking is free! There’s a shuttle bus that runs from the parking lot to the entrance of the park as well, so you don’t have to walk back and forth for very long distances.

The park has a lot of steep inclines, so going up and down with strollers and small children may not be the easiest, but there are gondolas that can take you from different places to the park so you don’t have to walk the entire length of the park if you’re just trying to get to a certain zone.

Overall, we’d highly recommend this park for families with children, or even if you’re just a couple!

Head in the Clouds at Lotte Tower: Happy 2nd Anniversary! / March 29, 2019 by Jaclyn Sison

We felt bougie to say the least.

There was one thing that Sean wanted to do while we were in Korea, and that was to stay at the world’s 5th tallest building, Signiel in Lotte Tower. We had already stayed in Lotte World Tower, which was the smaller hotel next to it. We made a mistake thinking we had booked Signiel; it turned into a funnier story after staying there, but we were not happy at the time.

Five stars all around.

Signiel is definitely a hotel I recommend splurging your money on. Their customer service is superb, and their amenities are nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The afternoon that we got there, we were able to relax in the room, enjoy their welcome tea and cookies, and get ready for our evening.

Their lounge grants access to visitors, and you’re able to drink bottomless champagne with little treats like petite fours and fruit. Fortunately, we only had thirty minutes there before we were called for our cab to dinner, or else all of the champagne would have disappeared.

After our dinner at Ryunique, we were pretty tipsy upon returning to our hotel, so we just went back to our room to enjoy the bath and view that our room offered. Since it was our anniversary, they placed us in a corner room with the best view of the city! It was amazing! The bath itself came with small tea bags for a floral bath, and bath salts to help relax you. We fell asleep shortly after that.

Is this what celebrities do on their days off?

The next morning, I was able to enjoy the gym… alone. (Sean didn’t want to wake up…) So at 0530, I got ready to see what a 5-star gym was all about. It was intense to say the least. The equipment would be your timer, it would tell you if you were pulling/pushing too fast or too slow, and you could save it to your phone with one touch. It was awesome. Their equipment was state of the art. I did a pretty intensive pull day with my daily dose of abs, and then met Sean for the pool.

It was the second time we were able to enjoy the pool at a hotel we stayed at, and we’ve stayed at a lot of hotels. Sean got his short swimming lesson in, and luckily, he did not drown. When we got ready to go to breakfast, we both enjoyed the amenities of the swimming pool. You really did not need to bring anything with you to shower there because they had everything!

We must be insta-famous with our camera

We ended on a big note by going to breakfast at Stay, a very high-end French restaurant that serves buffet style breakfast. There’s very few breakfasts that Sean and I would recommend in hotels, and one of them was at the Radisson Blu in Paris, France. We were approached by the staff very frequently, and we think it’s because of our camera. Nevertheless, they offered us great customer service as usual, making recommendations on what to try, and even bringing us food first.

We plan on making one last stay here before we leave Korea. So next time, we’ll be a little bit more prepared with the photos. I really do suggest enjoying it yourself though!

Get a deal to enjoy the view from Lotte Tower with this link here!

How to travel Europe on a budget / March 18, 2019 by Jaclyn Sison

Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and find yourself completely awestruck at the beauty of the posts you see from Europe? You know the person in the post. They’re just your average joe, not a high visibility influencer, not a celebrity. For all you know, you make just as much money as they do because you work together! Traveling Europe doesn’t have to be expensive. It certainly won’t be the most lavish trip, but it can be the most memorable one, and here’s how you do it.

Map where you want to go

It’s almost overwhelming thinking about all of the places you want to visit in Europe. There’s the Eiffel Tower, the Swiss Alps, Neuschwanstein (aka the Disney Castle), and more… I’ve found that the easiest way to figure out how to travel for cheap is to map where you’re going ahead of time. “Doing things on a whim” doesn’t work well because in Europe, timing is everything. Many people don’t realize that Europeans have a culture where everything is closed on Sunday. You may not know certain holidays or religious observances that may occur in Europe. Plus, if you’re planning ahead, then there is a chance you can purchase tickets online, so when you get to the venue, you can just stroll on in instead of waiting in the lines!

It also helps because if you’re mapping out attractions you really want to visit, then you can see which country you need the most time in, where you book your hotel in a strategic location, and the best method of transportation!

Ryan. Air.

One of the best things that happened to me in Europe was discovering what RyanAir was. RyanAir is basically the cheapest flights you’ll find to travel Europe. When you’re booking your international flight from home, then use your big carriers like Delta or Lufthansa (LOVE LOVE LOVE both!) Once you’re planning your flights from country to country, then use RyanAir. Their flights can cost anywhere from 12 Euro to 100 Euro, and you’ll usually get the cheaper end! You can even plan multiple flights in the same booking!

Backpacking the entire trip

I find that the one downfall to booking RyanAir for all of your flights is that it cost money to have a check in. Ryan Air does allow one carry-on suitcase and a personal item for no charge. So if you can manage to fit your travel into a small suitcase (INSERT DIMENSIONS) and a small backpack, then do that! It adds up when you start trying to have a check in because they run up to 40 Euros each flight! Plus, it’s less of a hassle to find cars big enough to fit a check in luggage. Many of the cars you’ll end up renting are eco-friendly smart cars, and you definitely can’t fit more than one in the trunk of those vehicles.

Hostels, hotels, and Airbnb

If a budget is your biggest concern, then just cross hotels off the list! Hostels are the cheapest places to stay in Europe, unless you’re traveling with a well-sized group where everyone is willing to chip in for Airbnb. Hostels can be a place where you meet a bunch of new friends or even the love of your life. Airbnb apartments in Europe can vary from being cottage homey to downright modern living. With chic comes price, so be mindful if you want a really nice Airbnb with a great location, it’s going to cost you much more. I only resort to hotels when I’m traveling with Sean because that is one of our favorite experiences to review. If you’re looking to find cheap hotels, then try using Hotwire! Just be mindful that Hotwire will only put you in the location, not in a specific hotel.

House Wines/Beers

The best part of being in Europe is knowing that every restaurant most likely has a house wine or beer on tap. For the record, beer is cheaper than water in most restaurants. Water will come to you in bubbly form unless you tell them “flat water” or “no gas”. But try the house wines! They’re much cheaper than the bottled wines, save those for when you want to buy it for your room. Restaurants tailor their wines to fit their menu more than a bottled wine does. Plus, who can say no to a cheaper drink that’s just as good?

Travel for the experience, not for the ‘Gram.

Most of us want to show that we can live a lavish lifestyle, but if it truly isn’t in your budget, then why force yourself to spend more money than you have? Most of the things I’ve done have given me a full stomach, a nice buzz, and great friends. Travel because it fills your heart, not because it empties your wallet!

Defend Your Stoop: Ihwa Mural Village / March 11, 2019 by Jaclyn Sison

Never stop exploring

I was surprised that I had never heard of this place until I met Amanda. While Sean and I were eating lunch, it popped into my head again. We were going to take our usual trip to Myeongdong to try and find places to take photos, but we decided to switch it up.

Ihwa Mural Village can be walked to from Dongdaemun Station. It’s about a 20-minute uphill battle to this village, but the murals are well worth it… if they’re still there.

The walk there is already scenic in its own sense. The city life of small apartment complexes and crowded street parking, with a dash of history in the middle. You walk along side the Wall Museum of Seoul.

Then you reach the top of the hill, and you find yourself at a small cat café. We didn’t get anything at this café, but we did sit next to it and watch the cats as they perused through the crowds of people.

There were maps located around the village showing you where the different murals were located, but to our dismay, the murals that we wanted to see had already been washed away.

There were a few small paintings left around the city, and I think my favorite one had to be this corner painting of sunflowers. Just because they happen to be my favorite flower.

After our long trek up and down the stairs of Ihwa Village, we decided to stop for some milk ice cream, and it was absolutely scrumptious. It didn’t have a icy, gritty texture like most milk ice creams do.

To enjoy the rest of they area, we just took street photos and called it a day. We headed back to Dongdaemun station to get ready for our $90 movie date to watch Captain Marvel, which was amazing.

Check out the rest of our Ihwa Village Pixieset here!

Camino de Santiago | The Pilgrimage that changed my views on life / March 5, 2019 by Jaclyn Sison

Those who come to the Camino with a heavy heart always leave with a lighter load.

It was 10 PM and I was still scrambling trying to pack, unpack, and repack my backpack for my journey. “Do I have enough underwear? Will I really need this hat? How often am I really going to use this sunscreen? Do I really need a sleeping bag? Maybe I do, in case we have to sleep outside…” My good friend Stacy had already completed this journey before, so when he told us what to bring, I trusted him. After my journey was completed, I no longer trusted Stacy - joking, totally still trust him with my life, but I had NO use for that sleeping bag.

If you don’t already know, El Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage completed by people of all European nationalities. The general idea is to start right from your doorstep and walk all the way to Santiago, Spain where you will be greeted by a flock of nomads who all smell just like you. All over Europe, you will find small seashell signs posted in random forest trails and city pathways. This is to show you the path to Santiago. My friends and I were up for the trek, so we packed our bags and left for Spain.

Every day of the Camino was different. We always started before sunrise just to try and beat the Spanish summer heat. We would get our water and daily cortado at our first stop with a bite to eat. We learned from day one that we shouldn’t push ourselves too much into the afternoon because you never knew when the next town was coming up or if all the albergues would be full. That was not something we were willing to risk. An albergue is a hostel; all of the ones we stayed in were safe and relatively cheap and clean. Everything during the Camino was relatively cheap because they knew that the pilgrims didn’t often carry a lot of cash for safety. Our bodies were fueled by the same food every day. We ate nothing but paella, razor clams, roasted green peppers, aquarius, and Estrella Galicia beer. I was so in love with the green peppers that I made it a mission to find a patch so I could put it on my travel blanket.

We learned a lot about each other during this trip, but we also learned a lot about ourselves. The three of us shared stories about our personal lives that we never would have otherwise. Distance seemed to be the theme of my year 2017-2018 staring in November. Any kind of distance I traveled by foot always pushed me to a stronger mentality. Being able to pick yourself up at 0500 after walking 24 miles the previous day with a pack on your back takes a lot of strength. Doing it day after day shows dedication. Every step that I took, I wanted to quit but when I looked to my fellow peligrimos (pilgrims), I dug deep and kept moving. You would see older folks plowing through the crowds, and young adults hanging out on the side of the trail. It didn’t matter how fast or slow you were going, you were always greeted with a smile and a “buen camino!”

Find you a friend that will go to the ends of the earth with you

History along the way of El Camino

There was so much history to see along El Camino. We passed by many churches, and landmarks like the photo above. That photo was taken in Muxia, where they say Saint James remains landed here on the boat of the Virgin Mary. The waters of Muxia are very rough along the rocks, so they also say that the Virgin Mary calmed the waters so their boat could land their specifically. Near the church of Muxia, there is a stone statue from the boat. There was something very calming about being in this area. The sound of the ocean waves hitting the shores and being hit with the mist was refreshing after walking as far as we did.

Our last endeavor on our backpacking journey was to reach the ends of the Earth with each other, so we made our way to Finesterre. Finisterre translates into “End of Earth”. It is the furthest Western point of Europe. It is called this because the Romans believed that this was the most western point of their large empire. When we were there, it certainly felt that way. A thick fog had rolled in where you could no longer see the horizon. It just looked like the water dropped off into the abyss. Truly a mesmerizing experience after such a spiritually awakening journey.

This is a journey that I would recommend for anyone who needs time and space to clear their head; for someone who needs to put themselves in a challenging situation and a new environment. Whether it is for a religious enlightening or a personal enlightening, it’s worth the trip. It definitely sets you out of your comfort zone, but oddly enough, makes you feel like you’re right at home. I would do it all over again if the opportunity came up to revisit the End of the World.

Kilometer ZERO! Finisterre, Spain

A well deserved sit down after reaching our destination

Okami & Co.