Adventure Day in Maseok, Namyangju

Mannie and I went to Maseok on the second Sunday of February to visit his cousin. Maseok lies in the outskirts of Seoul but still part of the metropolitan area. To get there, we rode Gyeongchunseon, a provincial railway connecting Seoul to Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. 

Maseok lies beneath the mountain range of Gyeonggi Province

One of the main roads in Maseok

It usually takes a little less than an hour by train, but our trip took longer due to some mishaps we encountered along the way. We had to transfer platforms three times. There were stations we missed the train and waited like 15 minutes for the next one. And at one point we took off at the wrong station. Nonetheless, the confusion and moments lost in translation were all part of the adventure! 

These were some of the photos I snapped while on the train ride. I was looking out the window the whole time appreciating the beautiful winter scene. I noticed many organic farms and industrial establishments in the midst of heavy urban development. There seem to be a high-rise boom wherever I travel in South Korea. 

The fun part getting to Maseok was - shopping! It was Maseok market day, which falls on the 3rd and 8th of each month. Fresh meat, fish, fruits, vegetables as well as clothes and housewares are sold by the bulk in the town center.

Fresh strawberries and fried plum

Fruit, vegetables and other produce are available fresh from the farm to the public at wholesale prices. I bought about a week's supply for my cooking.

After eating a delicious and filling meal of gamjatang or pork bone soup for lunch, we headed over to Nike and Orange Factory outlets which was just a stone's throw away from the restaurant. Sportswear like jacket and rubber shoes are sold at incredibly marked-down prices. I was so  tempted to buy a new thermal jacket but thought twice about it since were halfway through winter. I had to buy a new pair of Nike trainers though, to retire my worn out ones. I simply had to purchase them as it comes at 50% off when it would normally cost about three or five times more at the malls.

Nike Factory and Orange Factory outlets offer big discounts all throughout the year.

We attended the 2 P.M. Mass at the Catholic church which was participated by migrant workers. It is evident that Maseok has an active Christian movement as seen by the numerous churches that are present in the area. 

A beautiful painting of Jesus Christ on the wall of the Catholic Church in Maseok

After the Mass, we headed for home. Just when I thought another wonderful day has ended, suddenly it started snowing again. It took a while for us to get a taxi, but I did not mind because I wanted to enjoy the snow as much as I can. So I end my post with these snow pics and a quick video of the train ride back home.

Everywhere was pretty winter wonderland!

My first time at a Cat Café!

I often think about my pets back home. I know that they are well taken cared of. Still, nothing compares to the joy of seeing them, cuddling and playing with them.

It was one of those days I got really homesick for my cats and dogs I sought out a cat café, a growing attraction in Seoul nowadays. A cat café is a coffee shop where cat-lovers can interact with various kinds of cats. Relying on pictures we saw on the internet, we scoured the streets of Hongdae to find one. We took a few wrong turns but eventually found Toms Cat Café.

I chose this cat for my model. He looks and behaves so much like my cat, Mimingjoy

Toms Cat is on the third floor of the same building as Making Hair. It is quite inconspicuous by day, side by side with stores with bigger and flashier signboards.

Before we entered, we were asked to change to slippers, keep our stuff in a huge plastic bag and disinfect our hands. We do not want to bring in those nasty germs. There are many cat café's in Seoul. I'm glad this one is professional and clean - no stinky smell of dirty cat litter.

Next, we were ushered to the counter to read simple rules on how to handle the cats such as "don't pull the cat's tail, do not wake sleeping cats, no flash when taking pictures, feed them only with our food, etc." Then we had to order a drink from their menu. Everything cost an average of 8,000 krw. It is slightly more expensive than regular cafés but fair enough considering I get to enjoy the company of cats for as long as I like.

This cat made friends with us as soon as we took our seats to wait for our drinks. Sweet! 

The place was busy as expected on a Saturday. Mannie, Rey and I were the only foreigners. There were mostly young people, who I suppose are students from nearby Hongqik University. Everybody seem so relaxed, stroking, playing and feeding the cats. I was as happy and excited as the next kid. I wished I had become a vet. I really love animals.

Cat cafés originated in Taiwan and have become hugely popular especially in Japan. As most tiny flats in Japan do not allow pets, Japanese people pay for time spent in the company of felines sipping their favorite coffee or tea. 

There are more than thirty cat residents in Toms Cat Café. Each kitty has his/her own picture I.D. on the wall with name, gender, age, birthday and character description. Well, not all the cats are toms, some are mollies. Lol!

A typical cat café would have tables, chairs, a carpet for the cats to lie down or play on and some cool piped-in music to set you in a relaxed mood.

The cats are definitely used to lots of people in the room with them. In my experience taking care of cats which at one point reached up to twenty cats, I know that they sleep for long periods of time. But I could also tell that some cats are just stressed from too much prodding and playing. Rules say sleeping cats should not be disturbed.

I love this blueberry smoothie.

Young people chilling out with cats and giving them kibbles.

This is one kitty with an attitude so better leave him alone!  Some cats wear scarves to let people know if they are friendly or not, or if they are feeling unwell.

Can you guess a cat's character just by looking at it? I believe cats are one of the most mysterious and unpredictable of animals. One thing for sure, those yummy snacks always get them excited.

Special cat food can be bought at the counter. 

Bonding with my favorite cats here. 

Going to a cat café is a great option for those who can not have a pet of their own.

I would say the cats here look generally healthy. They are well fed and well groomed. They also get a lot of love and attention from visitors. 

Though sometimes they want some private time for themselves too. According to one of the owners, the cafe opens from 1:00 P.M. till 11:00 P.M. during weekdays and from 12:00 noon till 11:00 P.M during weekends. This gives time for maintenance and for the cats to have real peace and quiet.

There are scratch posts, cat walks, shelves, perches and cubby holes all around the room for the cats to exercise, hide or simply keep an eye on what's happening around them.

There is a cat in every corner, watching my every move. 

We stayed for two hours and had an enjoyable experience. Next time I would come on a not too busy day. Someday, I wish to have my own cat cafe and provide a home to cats who do not have one.

Here's how to get to Toms Cat Café in Hongdae: Take Hongqik University Station Seoul Subway Line 2, exit 9.

Nearby establishments

Business hours and contact numbers

Winter in the "Palace"

This post is coming in a little late...I need to update this blog more often. My mind is full of things I want to say and do yet time always seem to pass by quickly.

The title of my post sounds like one of those Korean drama flicks. What I actually want to do is to show you inside Somerset Palace Residences, where I live. Also, what a typical day for me is like when I'm just hanging out at home.

One day, I went to the rooftop to take a look at what is up there. The blustery winter wind felt like it was going to topple me over. Scary. But I could not resist taking pictures. I would like to compare the scene I saw in winter to how it would look in spring and summer.

This is a picture of one of the trees in the rooftop. It's some kind of pine tree with fruit that looks like plum. I wonder if it's edible.

I had to strain taking these shots standing on a bench and felt very woozy. But the view was just spectacular!

Gyongbokgung Palace and the Blue House at the foot of the mountain as seen from the rooftop.

Jongno-Gu skyline

The pool is closed but it still got my attention. Shark warning. Lol! 

Jacuzzi area

Starting the day right. I wake up at half past five in the morning everyday. I would prepare Mannie's take out lunch, then we would eat breakfast together. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I believe it is. It gets my metabolism working and sets me in a good mood :-)

Daily continental buffet breakfast

The Resident's Lounge - where we eat breakfast while watching CNN.

My typical not too heavy, not too light breakfast.

Sweating it out in winter. After the holidays of way too much food, yes, I over indulged, those spicy kimchi and eat-all-you-can Korean barbecue were far too tempting, I promised to lose the extra pounds at the beginning of the year. What a worn out new year's resolution! But I have to live life healthier. If I am not going to lose weight at least I would like to try to keep fit. It's a great thing that these amenities are available where I live.

The gym and infrared sauna.

My treadmill reading at the lower right picture shows 200 calories burned after a 45 minute walk.

I only do low impact exercises - 45 minutes on the treadmill, 15 minutes on the cross trainer, and 30 minutes in the sauna (if that is considered a work out). I hope I am doing it right - burning about 300 calories a day. As for the sauna, I have not bathed in it for many years. It felt like I was going to faint during the first few days. Now my body gets so relaxed I often fall asleep inside the sauna. I don't know if that is good or bad.

Next time I will write about the trips I had in the hotel shuttle bus and pictures of random stuff I buy here. Till then.