I have a pretty great job, I must say. I get to travel all over the country with great people and eat excellent food. Yesterday was a particularly fun day because I got to send the day with the Estrada Family and we went to Yongin's Dramia. From Seoul it took about 1.5 hours. Luckily, we had my friend Kyung as our driver so we were able to drive in comfort. It's one of the places that is quite difficult to get to unless you have transport. You can get there by bus, but if you are unfamiliar with Korea , it could be a bit difficult. Entrance fee is about 7,000 won. So for those crazy about Korean dramas-especially the historical ones such as Daejanggum and Queen Seondeok, Isan, Jumong, and Dong Yi this is definitely the place to see. It was recently reopened and you can see the amazing historical buildings which are the sets of some of Korea's most famous dramas. I think that it is actually better than some of the palaces because you can see everything from recreated villa...

In day 3 we continued our intense trekking in Sagada, Mountain Province. Sagada is about 275km north of Manila and is a popular tourist destination for trekking, exploring caves and waterfalls, and other outdoorsy adventures. We started the day in Banaue with this beautiful breakfast from the hotel. Again the view outside the hotel is breathtaking. There were constantly birds flying by our window so here I was able to capture one. While driving down from Banaue towards Sagada we made several stops at particularly beautiful points along the way. This was one such scenic point. But wait a minute, this looks familiar. Ahhh yes, it's on the 1000 piso note, equivalent to about $25. I saw this kid here hauling rocks down the hill. It was a reminder that all of these incredibly beautiful rice terraces that are ubiquitous around the country are painstakingly made one stone at a time. I watched this kid carry at least 10 rocks down the hill within the 20 minutes we were stopped here. We als...

A few weeks ago I was invited (actually Dan was invited but thankfully couldn't make it, so sent me instead) to the Philippines as part of an initiative to propote tourist in the Philippines. Koreans are the number one tourists over there and the Philippine Department of Tourism invited us so we could share our experiences and try to lure some more Koreans over. A free trip? Free tour? Top rate hotels and restaurants? Hell yes I’m in. I am horrible at planning vacations – a year ago I spent 10 days in Vietnam and literally never left Ho Chi Minh City. My friend and I barely left our hotel rooms. We beelined to French bistros and then back home to safety. So, having a tour all planned out let me turn my mind off, my audiobook up, and zone the f out. I loved the Philippines. It stole a part of my heart. It was beautiful, relaxing, and all that stuff that tropical islands are. But most importantly, the people were warm and welcoming. I think I miss a culture where strangers can talk t...

Yesterday I was lucky to travel to Boseong tea country with some friends. As expected, Boseong was as beautiful as I heard. The land is picturesque and the tea products there are worth the journey. Here are some of what we saw during on our day. See pictures here: http://www.seouleats.com/2013/06/a-gr... If you are interested in traveling to Boseong, contact my tour company, O'ngo Food Communications (www.ongofood.com) to a arrange a group or a private Korean tour.

Yesterday I was lucky to travel to Boseong tea country with some friends to prepare for a new out of Seoul. As expected, Boseong was as beautiful as I expected. The land is picturesque and the tea products there are worth the journey. Here are some of what we saw during on our day. Here is the walk to the Dawon tea park. The rolling green tea fields. The green tea foods such as green tea bibimbap and green tea Naengmyeong. the green tea ice cream was incredible after the long hike to the top of the green tea peak. We learned how to make green tea from a tea master at her house. Boseong is worth the journey to get there. If you are looking to experience a truly Korean experience, I suggest you make a trip.