Pink and Undecided: fraser hotel

South Korea Winter Trip : Day 7 (Spaland Busan, Evening in Seoul)

Hey guys!!!

I have two or three more posts of the Korea trip after this one and i am hopeful that i can finish them up before our summer holiday trip!

As for Day 7, we spent majority of our time in Busan and 90% was in a jimjilbang!

Excuse the quality, the pictures while we were in jimjilbang were taken using my Blackberry because i have no idea if picture taking is even allowed (apparently nobody cares as long as you're not doing it in the changing room!!!)

So actually CL was the one who insisted on going to Busan, the rest of us just followed her lead *LOL*. We actually miscalculated the time because CL thought we'd leave in the morning after our last tour day but we actually still had schedules on that last day (to places that we really wanted to go as well! I mean, Namsan Tower is not really something one should skip while in Seoul!) we unexpectedly only arrived at Busan at night.

If we knew we'd have such a short time there, we'd extend the stay for two nights but since everything is already arranged (we already booked our Seoul hotel for the next day and it's not exactly cheap) we ended up having to make the best of half a day that we had and only managed to visit and enjoy the jimjilbang (it's CL's main reason for wanting to go to Busan, coz she clearly watches too many Korean dramas). Of course, Seoul has jimjilbang too but the nicest one is in Busan (trust me, read this).

Anyway, after lazing around and having a nice breakfast at Cooool Guesthouse, we finally waved Chris and Tom goodbye (but some of us still met them for a few more seconds when we retrieve our luggage before going back to the train station later!) and start the journey to Spaland (i mean, just by the name you'd know that it's not just any jimjilbang alright!).

The view to right (to the right to the right #beyonce) of Cooool Guesthouse's location, in case you ever want to stay there and might need some sort of image of the location so you won't be as horribly lost as we were!

And to the left

I miss being able to bundle up in thick jackets. So going for another winter holiday this December #fingerscrossed

We walked quite some distance to the metro station (and am not complaining! It was a very pleasant walk). You can see how clean the street is, no littering or whatever, but... I was quite shocked when i saw that most Korean that we saw spit in the street >.< ewwww. I really expected them to be... I dunno... Don't do things like that lah *i thought only in China*

Then we stumbled into Baskin Robbins and they have the CUTEST ice cream cakes ever!!!

Why don't our Baskin Robbins has such cute cakes???

Even the handle's so cute. And yop, that's still my freshly woken up face, i haven't even washed my face yet LOLOLOL

But still narcissistic nonetheless

OK let's continue

Then we stumbled into a mini arcade, outdoor!!! That's so puzzling that we had to stop and fool around first hahaha (not that kind of fooling around!!!)

Spaland is located inside a HUGE department store called Shinsigae Centum City and has a very humble (but extremely luxurious, i heard that it's the most high class jimjilbang in Korea because CL said "We're already here, we need to go to the best one!"), smallish entrance so we didn't expect the craziness inside *LOL* it's like... The size of a department store itself *LOL*, but before we got in i had to stop and squeal at the uber kawaii cakes (i had to be literally dragged from the counter -__-) :

I'm definitely a visual person because i eat with my eyes *LOL*, you know i'm not even a fan of sweet things and don't usually get cravings other than PMS period!

OMG OMG, of course gotta get the piggy one right! The price's pretty staggering, KRW 6.000 (around IDR 60.000) for a small cupcake, but hey... YOLO! LOL

It's crazily cute but way too big lah hahaha i don't think it's very smart to bring it traveling to Seoul!

These are also so pretty *sigh*

Okay let's go back to Spaland. Turned out that kids below 8 is not allowed so JD's immediately axed (i felt horrible because HR and DB ended up just wandering in the department store *and buying raw water chestnuts and made us all ate them raw WTF LOLOLOL* while we spent hours in the jimjilbang, but what can we do right?), Baby Boy's 7 so he was not actually allowed in but CL's pretty good at persuading people and she said he's 8 hehehe, thankfully he's pretty big for his age so the receptionist believed her! The entrance fee's not too bad, KRW 13.000 for adults (and around KRW 8.000 for kids), i think it's totally worth the price! And learn from our mistake, you'd want to spend MUCH MORE time in the jimjilbang than us. We could easily stayed there until 5 PM or something hahaha (just spare a whole day for Spaland, ok!).

Anyway, i didn't take any pictures of Spaland's interior so i'm borrowing some pictures from various websites (with credits, of course). Here's the front area :

Photo credit

After we registered and paid, we went to the locker room. It's HUGE and divided into two sections : the ones on the right's for male and on the left female, i didn't know it at first and went straight to the right-then got super confused because i couldn't open the locker hahahaha #stupid.

Photo credit

Then after leaving our belonging in the locker, we were given two (tiny!!!) towels and a "uniform". Next to the changing rooms (male and female separately, of course) we're off. The view that awaited us in the changing room was not something that i expected, i mean... I naturally assumed that the changing room would be like how a changing room normally look in our local swimming pool, you know... modest.

The changing room is MASSIVE, very simple but luxuriously decorated (picture taking is strictly prohibited and i also cannot find any pics in the internet so you should really go there to see and experience it yourself one day hahaha) with rows upon rows of big sized lockers to store our clothes in. What's even more unexpected was the countless women in every age and size walking around STARK NAKED!!! CL, Au and i were like "WTF is going on??? Why's everybody naked??? Are we the only ones who think this is strange????" LOLOLOL.

Seriously culturally shocked lah!!! I can't imagine doing that anywhere in Indonesia zzzz. Then... Au and i spent more than 10 minutes standing in front of our respective lockers, panicking and debating whether to strip or not *ROFL*. CL was like "Let's do this laaa!" and started stripping, after a while both Au and i decided there's nothing that we could do and start stripping too >.<. The teeny tiny towel's more fit to be called a face towel lah WTF, it's so small, if we try to use it to cover our boobies, then down there would be exposed, and vice versa! It was quite a traumatizing first experience to be completely honest with you *LOLOLOL*.

Then Au and i followed CL in the washing area and there were even more naked women out there OMG. They just walk around and chat with their group NAKED. OMG. #sorryrookie .There are a lot of showers in a few sections, you can choose to wash yourself standing up or sitting down (of course Au and i, the timid ones, ran to the sitting down one so we could conceal ourselves a little bit)-and you HAVE to wash up before getting in the jacuzzi/hot pools (nobody wants to share your body's dirts, okay hahaha).

I guess people guessed right away that we were tourists because of the way Au and i were acting, but even if they weren't they sure did soon after because we SQUEALED loudly when we tried to enter one of the pools, IT WAS EFFING HOT LAH WTF!!!! LOLOLOL. Later we also dipped into the COLD pool and SQUEALED some more WTF. There are many different pools with different temperature and benefits. I could only find this pic showing the biggest pools in the centre :

Photo credit

We dipped into i dunno, four or five different ones and when we decided that we had enough, CL discovered a "beauty pool" and dragged us in -___- and proceed on asking whether she became a beauty already -____- (repeatedly). She was also busy making observations and declared that Au and i fit right in there because we're as flat chested as majority of young Korean women @___@. The only ones with huge bazookas were ahjummas WTF.

Anyway, i felt super relieved when we're finally clothed (i don't think getting naked around strangers is something i can ever get used to) and stepped into the inner area.

Photo credit

Yep, that's the amazing view that greeted us!

Photo credit

If you want to laze around and take a nap, there are a LOT of couches to do so.

Photo credit

Then we're finally reunited with the boys in the mid area!

Photo credit

There's a resting area with hot floor in the middle where you can hang out and snack-like what people in Korean drama do! In my case, that would be Korean reality show though because i hardly watch Korean drama (but i'd watch any that Lee Jong Suk stars in *although i momentarily forgot his name, i really cannot remember Korean name easily OMG* because i am now his fan WTF-i even plan to review his series!) ... Anyway, then we exchanged "horror stories" because the boys were equally as stunned as shocked if not more so because i believe it's more disgusting for guys to see each other (and strangers') junks HAHAHAHA.

Of course, we spent a fortune on snacks :p, if other people come to jimjilbang for the sauna, i'd say we go there to eat and laugh hahaha.

LOL

Of course, sauna eggs are a must! Yummy!

Look at my dopey face LOLOLOL. I am a huge fan of egg in general though

Did you notice the bracelets we were all rocking? Well, it's actually our lockers' locks hehe, how convenient that it can be worn like that so we won't misplace/lose it! The same bracelet is used to tab our spending (we paid for them at the cashier when we're leaving the place). While getting our snacks, we also noticed them selling some sheet mask and decided to get some.

I mean, we're in a spa leh, need to thoroughly beautify ourselves, no?

LOL at these two

Btw, the boys actually already explored the spa before they met us because they thought they should only change and go straight to the sauna-and shower afterwards-so they were waiting pretty long while we were washing up and dipping in the pools! Upon learning that they're doing it backwards, they decided to go back and do it right LOLOLOL.

Anyway, after filling up and resting a bit, we decided that we needed to explore the place as well!

Yep, while wearing sheet masks :p

There's also an outdoor section, which is no big deal in summer but in the dead of winter??? There are coats provided but they're definitely not thick enough hahaha. Still, have to visit for a bit la!

Photo credit

Then we went to dip our foot. Baby Boy already warned us that it was really really REALLY HOT.

My expression. Was genuine.

Have no freaking idea how CL can still smile and hunny put on a serene face because i kept on screaming in pain. Like... It's scalding HOT leh!!!

Yep, Baby Boy was more composed than the mother hahahaha

We didn't have a lot of time so we decided to check out some of the many many different saunas (they're all very unique too) for a few minutes each hahaha. FYI, you should not be wearing contact lenses when you visit a sauna! I made a mistake of wearing them and had to leave after a few secs because i don't want my contact to melt into my eyes (not exaggerating, there are actually warning signs in front of the saunas)!!!

Photo credit

Sadly we had to leave because our train's leaving at 4 or something (cannot remember la). We showered, then applied makeup (around more naked women *LOL*. Oh yeah, Spaland provided bath products, body lotion and a full range of skin and hair products-even for the men! Hunny said he was super confused with what to use because there were too many products! LOL. He was even more baffled when he saw naked guys combing their hairs/applying skin products in front of mirrors...) and rushed out to meet up with HR and DB.

Was so chill after the spa experience (it's very interesting! Although the naked part scarred me for life, it's still something to put in your bucketlist la hahahaha) that Baby Boy had to make us work -___-. I didn't know when or how, but he suddenly got a hold of JD's brand new car toy and then managed to drop it into the back of an ice box and there's just no way to retrieve it! I wonder why he ALWAYS drop things???? Literally always. He's so clumsy like his dad i don't even... I know he didn't do it in purpose but there are times when i could just lose it. Like this time. We didn't have time, and he had to do this. Unfortunately, JD is also not the kind of kid that can be told to wait or be patient (hey, i am not judging! Every kid is different and every parents have their own parenting style, but i'd be lying if i won't spank him if he's mine LOLOL, sorry HR and DB!) so he wailed and screamed and trashed around.

We had to split team because there's just NO MORE TIME WTF. HD had to run upstairs and buy a new toy with JD while the rest of us rushed back to the guesthouse to retrieve our bags.

Don't worry, we replaced the toy okay. But seriously. I can't imagine Baby Boy pulling that stunt without me screaming at him like a mad person LOLOLOL, at that moment i GET why some mothers hit their kids in public. Call me mean, but i can really see it! I mean, i got super angry at him just the day before when he pushed JD without realizing his own strength. I do lose it sometimes, don't judge me (i just yelled at him, chillax. No spanking involved).

Imagine what i would do with a kid with more wild antics than Baby Boy. I'm not even being biased when i say he's one of the best behaving kid i've ever seen (he can also be super mature, you can actually really talk to him), you can ask my friends. Don't ask my family because like me, he acts the way he is expected to around families. My family's convinced he is a naughty, selfish, spoilt brat and he always mirrors that expectation around them. Just like how i act crazily immature, selfish and childish around them when i am so much more than that. We can't help it, probably our Chinese horoscope.

Anyway, in retrospect, i shouldn't be so angry at him-of course i should tell him off for not being a good elder bro or something, but i should stop yelling and ignoring him after he apologized and cried. I also can't help it, i feel like i needed to show them that i can be stern and that Baby Boy does get disciplined, because i think they don't believe he does. Which is so far from the truth. Oh well, we all learned our lesson. Baby Boy learnt that he should not be harsh to others, and to gauge his own strength. And that little kids are annoying, just like he is very annoying to his older cousins *LOL* (it's a vicious cycle, isn't it?). And i learn that when i yell at him too much, it hurts my heart more than i hurt him and that i should know when to stop/not get carried away with my emotion/people's expectation/the need to show people things.

Back to topic! We rushed like mad persons and get a taxi while panicking whether or not we're going to make it (we did, of course), thankfully we finally got a VERY NICE taxi driver uncle!!! At last!!! He was busy pointing to places and tried very hard to explain about the place. I heart you, uncle driver!

Didn't even get to go to the beach that we planned to. I just snapped this pic in the taxi while Baby Boy fell asleep *LOL*

So happy that we're finally in the same wagon this time round!

Time to unwrap (well, unbox) the uber cute (and uber exp) cakes from The Menagerie!

So expensive so endless selfie with them is a must la...

They're quite nice too! Very soft and fluffy, also not too sweet (just right!) that they made me sick. Then probably dozed off at the remainder of the journey i can't even remember. Went to check into our hotel in Fraser Hotel once we reached Seoul. Btw, we passed through a pretty crowded night market kind of street and KC almost got pick pocketed!!! So don't feel too cocky and safe either if you travel to Seoul okay!

Here's our room in Fraser Hotel :

Big and spacious bed

It was thankfully spacious enough for the three of us even with Baby Boy spinning act

Spotless bathroom is very essential for me

I didn't mind that they had a bathtub because it was spotless and the curtain's also very clean!

Selfie-ing with my baby with messy hair haha

Fraser Hotel's really really nice, it's also normal priced (i think we got a good deal, although when i check Agoda it's still the same price right now, maybe because it's now low season?) at IDR 1.500.000 per night, if i remember correctly. Pretty steep, and it's a lot more basic than the price if i'm to compare it to a hotel in Indonesia or Malaysia, but still reasonable enough. Although i would definitely try to find a cheaper place next time if we're staying more than two nights or so.

We also went out for dinner and finally got our samgyeopsal (and again at the last night. We're super sick of them for a bit afterwards hahaha) at a Korean BBQ resto nearby our hotel. No English menu and we had to use gorilla language to order, but we get each other!

Then we just got back to the hotel, chill and rest! That's the end of our eventful and exciting Day 7. Went to Lotte World and had tonnes of fun on Day 8, will blog about it ASAP (hopefully).

Toodles for now!

#Pink