Page 135 - Smile Magazine: May 2013

t r i p
j o u r n a l
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Buddae-jiggae
(
army stew) was invented during the Korean War
out of food scarcity. It has noodles, Spam, veggies and sausages.
DIDYOU
KNOW?
DIALINGCODE
+81 (6)
CURRENCY
JPY100 = PHP52.92/
US$1.28
TOUCHDOWN
Take the Nankai Express
Rapit from Kansai International Airport to
Osaka (38 minutes to Namba station) and
the JR Haruka limited express (33 minutes
to Tenno-ji, 51 minutes to Shin-Osaka).
SEE&DO
Visit the Osaka Castle, which
is rich in history, then stroll the streets
of Dotonbori at night and see if you can
spot an anime character walking around.
Plan a sidetrip to Kyoto, as it’s only two
hours away from Osaka. And don't leave
Japan without trying takoyaki balls!
SLEEP
Try Hilton Osaka at 1-8-8 Umeda,
Kita-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 530-
0001.
It’s close to the shopping spots in
Umeda.
Tel: +81 6 6347 7111
EAT
Sample restaurants along Dotonbori,
a popular strip of restaurants. But if you
love ramen, you have to try Ippudo.
SHOP
Go to Yodobashi in Umeda. For
branded boutiques, head to Shinsaibashi.
INSIDERTIP
Stop by to Don Quijote (a
Japanese discount store) in Dotonbori to
buy souvenirs.
Rhea
Villareal
seniorbrand
manager
JAPAN
OSAKA
DIALING CODE
+82 (51)
CURRENCY
KRW100 = PHP3.65/
US$0.09
TOUCHDOWN
From the Gimhae
International Airport, take the bus, the
Busan Subway Line or railroad line. Make
sure to plan your transfers carefully so
you don’t miss your flights.
co.kr/doc/gimhae
SEE &DO
The world’s largest department
store, Shinsegae Centum City, is found in
Busan. It features a whole lot of awesome
must-go places such as an upscale spa,
skating rink, multiplex theater, concert
hall, art gallery, driving range and an
outdoor park.
SLEEP
Love in Busan Guesthouse is
a smart traveler’s choice. It is ideally
situated in Dongrae-gu and close to Pusan
University.
EAT
If you’re up for Korean grilled beef,
head to one of the more popular restaurants
called Bawoo Seokswegui. Try the galbi.
SHOP
Nampo-dong is the best place to
shop. It has everything!
INSIDER TIP
The easiest way to get
around the city at a low cost is to ride any of
the roaming Busan City Tour Buses.
DIALING CODE
+82 (32)
CURRENCY
KRW100 = PHP3.65/
US$0.09
TOUCHDOWN
Look for taxis with
stickers that say “Foreign Language
Service”. Cabs can be shared except for
those with black and yellow tops. Thanks
to a new bridge, the trip takes 15 minutes.
Eight subway lines serve the main areas.
SEE &DO
Walk around the Gangnam-
gu area in Gangnam-style. Visit N
Seoul Tower and get a 360° view of the
whole city. Visit and explore Gyeongbok
Palace in the morning when ceremonial
soldiers in colorful costumes parade the
palace grounds.
SLEEP
Stay in an authentic
hanok
(
a
traditional Korean house) in the Bukchon
area. Try Bukchon Guest Houses.
EAT
Try the
buddae-jiggae
,
which
literally means “army stew”, and
hotteok
(
fried pancake).
SHOP
Dongdaemun Market is the most
popular for retail and wholesale shoppers.
INSIDER TIP
Have a tourist and subway
map on hand, and go around the city via
the subway and bus systems.
Benmarc
Josef S.
Negre
metallurgical
engineer
Alphonse
Delgado
traveler
SOUTH KOREA
INCHEON(SEOUL)
SOUTH KOREA
BUSAN
OSAKA TOURISM
SEONG JOON CHO