A stroll through the Olympic Park in Seoul, Korea (photoset)

Since we're at the height of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, I'm taking this opportune moment to look back on previous Olympic venues -- like that of Seoul (host of the 1988 Summer Olympics), and a look forward to the next Winter Olympics (to be held in PyeongChang in 2018):

It's incredibly easy to go to Seoul Olympic Park (or Olpark) - just get off at Mongchontoseong Station (몽촌토성) situated at line 8, exit 1. From the city center the journey via subway (pink line) takes 45 minutes.
You can see the signages leading to the park within the subway station, already emblazoned with the 2018 Olympics!
A few more steps up, and you will be greeted with a fabulous sight - the World Peace Gate:

Designed by Kim Chung-up, the arch stands 24m high, 37m wide, and 62m long, incorporating aspects of traditional Korean architecture, with colorful mosaic inlays beneath its "wings":




There is an hourglass sculpture once you pass through the arch, surrounded by a gallery of flags symbolizing the nations that participated in the games:


You may not notice at first the stones formed neatly in a circle (at the foot of the hourglass) - these were actually brought in by the individual countries to be placed there -- adds a neat touch to signify unity.

There are these cute and crazy totem poles on the sides of the entrances to the main areas (doubling as street lamps):

The sun was up while we were there, with a wonderful breeze it was perfect for a stroll in the park. I spent quite a while going through the length of the parade o' flags and trying to identify each country:

Behind the flags is a sprawling park, with a pond, fountains, foot bridges and green scenery.


It had a very relaxing vibe - this place would be pretty lovely in autumn :)


There are grand inscriptions of the XXIVth Olympiad at the walls facing the pond (just at the bottom of the flags as you may recall):




High noon in the park but didn't have enough time to explore the major stadiums, arenas and such surrounding it. Maybe next time!For the curious, you can sneak a peek through the official Olympic Park website's virtual tour.
Returning to the station, I cannot resist a photo op with (the image of) Kim Yu-na 김연아, world-famous figure skater (in fact, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Gold Medalist) whose star power was instrumental for PyeongChang's winning bid. (Definitely excited to see her compete later this week in Sochi, and I wish by 2018 she'll still have her skates on for hometown glory!)

Still a dream of mine to be front and center of an actual Olympics. Rio (2016)? PyeongChang (2018)? Tokyo (2020)? With a bit of planning and funding it just might happen!

Mesmerized by Macau

The Ruins of St. Paul, Macau's famous heritage landmark

I still dream of Macau.
Up until I had history class in high school I had little awareness that such a place thrived in East Asia. That until the penultimate turn of the previous century it was under Portuguese rule for over 400 years. That now, much like Hong Kong (an hour by ferry away) it is China's SAR (Special Administrative Region). This colorful backdrop probably paved the way for the modern-day grandiose and allure of the city.
Yes, ply the tourist route and hit all the heritage corners -- The Ruins of St. Paul, Senado Square, St. Lawrence's Church, A-Ma Temple, Taipa Houses, et al. Even do the bungee up in Macau Tower if you must. I'll be saving the day tour for later (though I must extol the virtues of pasteis de nata --egg tarts-- which is probably Macau's best specialty, best bought and eaten near the Ruins' steps).
For now I'll breeze through and tell you what I appreciate most about Macau: nightfall.
It is at dawn when the city lights up and takes on a different, exciting vibe. The cold air is more pronounced; the people, both local and foreign, stride in fashionable gear. The narrow streets fill up with crowds in search of a delicious supper. And must I leave out the CASINOS?
Arguably Macau's milking cow of an industry, casinos emerge with a life of their own and loom ever higher and brighter at night. It is as if you are thrust into a different world, where you succumb to intoxicating pleasure and there seems to no turning back.
In full disclosure: I have no gambling habits to speak of, just a blatant obsession with all places modern and glamorous! I've never been to the insides of casino hotels before this, so I definitely had a blast shuffling in and out. Mind you, there's more to it than gambling and haute living, part and parcel of these five-star hotels are the most fashionable shopping arcades, theaters, restaurants and food courts, and recreational/lifestyle areas. The luxurious interiors of these hotspots for me are already worth checking out, and can get blissfully lost into. So many hallways and passages, it's like I'm Alice in one hyperactive wonderland! Adding to the convenience are free shuttle buses which can take you from one casino destination to the next, so I bet by two days you can say you've explored the Vegas of the East!
The following is a photoset of what I deem Macau's very own Sunset Strip:

The Venetian Macau strip, with a bit of City of Dreams on the left

At the heart of Macau Peninsula, the legendary Grand Lisboa (casino czar Stanley Ho's flagship)

The Wynn Macau (where I played a bit of slot machine, but unfortunately)

My favorite lobby entertainment exhibit: Wynn's Dragon of Fortune

The MGM Grand Macau, making you feel a million dollar Vegas

The Galaxy Macau (which hosts other hotels like Banyan Tree and Okura), my favorite among all so far

Galaxy's lobby showcase, Fortune Diamond, beckoning me to come back on our last day there

Our last visit took the full maximum of two days only, short but sweet. Here's hoping I return for more and get lost all over again.

Nós nos encontraremos mais uma vez, meu amor...

Sunstruck

Call me shallow, but one of my great pleasures airborne is peering through my cabin window to the outside world. I love the thrill of take offs and pressurization, of seeing my city zooming out by the second, of reaching that perfect altitude and soaring just a little above the clouds. Sometimes my heart thumps out of anxiety, and my eardrums feel pierced and I have to force myself to yawn or chew candy, but I never let the view get out of my sight. It's a surreal experience every time, the marvelous feat of engineering and design and physics (geek mode), and how measured the aircraft's movements should be in order to keep it on its path and timing, and being in sync with the natural elements (ultra geek mode). [Serious note: Is there a science show episode where they explain these things? In my imaginings I fancy flying a plane, and not as the flight attendant. I don't think I can handle people.]

Most of the flights I've taken happen in the mornings or late at night. In the few times that I rudely awaken to catch an earlier morning flight (4 or 5 AM), I came to actually like, since at the very least you don't have to book a night's sleep at the point of destination, and you get to set a full day's schedule upon landing.
And the very bonus side of a bleary-eyed morning flight is... SUNRISE!

It's magical, just how you're above a blanket of clouds and everything seems gloomy, the cabin lights are off, passengers knocked into a stupor, and then (when you're lucky to sit at the right side of the plane) the sun starts to creep in, stealth-like but radiates its light in sequence, and just as we descend the sky is bathing in its glow. The crests of mountains appear, and the seas glisten in reflection. A brand new day awaits -- what a way to make this trip more infinitely promising!

As a sentimental traveler I cannot stay still without snapping pictures of such beauty before my eyes -- the one above is a flawless shot of the sunrise over Kota Kinabalu's waters.

An Ode to Thailand

View of the surroundings within the vicinity of the Chao Phraya river, taken atop Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)

I visited Bangkok, Thailand nearly two years ago, with the cause of the trip being mainly expedited as part of a free flight redemption (*one-way). Little did I know that I would come to love the place with its unique and fascinating culture.

Sure, the airport arrival and departure procedures were a big hassle -- as we spent nearly 3 hours on each leg, narrowly missing our tour and the boarding time respectively (I do hope they have fixed this by now). Yes, there was stress-inducing tension through the narrow alleys (soi) of the city, with traffic looming on each turn and passersby careening wantonly alongside the vehicles. And what more could be said of the almost unbearable heat that Bangkok experiences year-round?

But once you walk past the inconveniences, I'm sure you'll see that Thailand can show you much more (and I don't exactly mean ladyboys!). It was only there that I came to know that they follow a different calendar, the Thai Solar Calendar, so don't get shocked if the timestamp on your GST return is light years ahead from 2014 (FYI: This year is equivalent to 2557!) Which leads us to Buddhism -- Thais are the one of the most devout believers of Buddha, and to signify that are the multitudes of temples (Wat) for worship. One could do a "temple run" in Bangkok and will not run out of temples to see! The best known would be Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) located along the Chao Phraya river, with its iridescent pagoda (prang) rising like spires, but the grandest of those is located near the Grand Palace, Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), with Buddha superimposed and in solid gold.

I also started to like Thai food and delicacies upon devouring heaps of their usually spicy but flavorful dishes. One could not miss pad thai (stir-fried noodles), tom yum goong (spicy soup with prawn and lemongrass), tom kha gai (chicken in coconut milk soup), and khao phad (fried rice, usually served in pineapple husk). Probably an unofficial national dish too (often seen in the food streets) would be sticky mango rice (khao niao mamuang) -- never really thought that rice and mangoes were a filling combination!

I can say that the people are warm and respectful. Even if I was a bit daunted navigating through town or haggling for wares, they were polite, even helpful. Taxi drivers are generally honest. Language wasn't a big hurdle as some can understand English. And my view of Thais was greatly improved by Sytney, the guide who toured us around -- knowledgeable, funny, and went the extra mile to provide a memorable experience for the group.

Bangkok may not be the most urbanized of major cities in Asia but it has a pleasant mix of old and new, with a view to modernization. The malls we visited there were huge, clean and wonderful, and the night markets were just as interesting (almost everywhere). Transportation comes in all shapes and sizes -- hence the traffic! One thing I regret was not trying the Skytrain (but then we were already situated in the centre (where it mainly operates). I'd love to return to Bangkok and re-experience its charms at my own pace. Right now there is just too much unrest over the Thai political system and it is saddening that the country's being cast again in an unfavorable light. Hoping that the general elections run smoothly to get this otherwise peace-loving nation back on its feet.

the Marina Bay Sands, and why I'm here

This was one of the first sights that triggered my penchant for traveling -- the spectacular Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore. Encompassing the Helix Bridge, The Sands Hotel, and the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum, these provide an ultra-modern backdrop against The Lion City's skyline. I remember seeing it on photo when it was launched, and wishing I could see it before my eyes.
[Two trips later (and another one in the works), it still never ceases to amaze me! :-) ]
In other words... Hey everyone! Welcome to my first ever travel blog, Free At Leisure. I cannot wait to share my adventures (erstwhile or otherwise) and let you seize the world through this happy portal. Come on board!
-Ellie