ICEX | Back in Seoul

October 4, 2009August 8, 2018

Two Years Ago

On an October fourth, today’s date two years back from now, I arrived in Incheon Airport with four more guys I had never met before and who would be my coworkers during the next fifteen months. Five guys almost on their thirties (some already there…), not so mature, eager to travel and live life to the limit. So many great people to meet, great places to visit, great things to learn…

Who would have told me that day that those four strangers would become more than friends, partners in adventures, trips, parties, soccer games, unrealistic situations, terrific intensive Korean lessons, taekwondo evenings, Hongdae and mASS nights… who would have told me that they would become my diving buddies, that we would celebrate together the victory of Spain in the Eurocup…

Who would have told me that these four strangers would leave Seoul after those fifteen months and that I would stay here, trapped by this city, by its great people to meet, its great places to visit, its great things to learn…

And would have told me, on that day, at that airport, that two years after, I would miss those four strangers almost as much as I miss my family.

I miss you guys!

Look at’em! Just arrived in the airport on what’s our first picture together (thanks Jairo!). Nothing like 12 hours together on a plane to appear on a picture like childhood friends. From left to right, Alex, Jairo, Carlos and myself.

May 8, 2008August 8, 2018

Trip to Thailand

Sawatdee!!

Here are some pictures of our trip to Thailand. All of the ICEX interns in Seoul have spent six days relaxing in paradise-like beaches, from the pool to the beach and from the beach to the pool, drinking shakes for less than a dollar, and besides, Alex and I, got our diving license (the PADI Scuba Diver) 😀

Overall, the trip was great, although it was so hot and humid all the time. I imagined Thailand much more “Asian”. Sometimes I thought I was in South or Central America instead of in Asia.. I guess it must be because of the tropical weather;)

The six ICEX interns, on the Thai Airways airplane.

Taking the boat to Ton Sai Bay.

Alex and Ciro on the kayak.

InPhra Nang Bay, a beach near Ton Say Bay, where we went by kayak (here is a map).

After Ton Sai Bay, we decided to move to a resort in Phi Phi Islands. Here’s a view of our island, Ko Phi Phi Don (picture by Jairo).

This is a good summary of our trip.

In front of Ko Phi Phi Lee, the island where the movie “The Beach” was filmed.

With Carlos at the same beach. The sign is kind of scary, isn’t it?

On the boat going to do diving.

With Alex and two Koreans we met diving.

We were lucky that it only rained one day. Anyway, the temperature was still like Malaga in august.

Fire show on the beach.

Back in Bangkok, the same heat but no beach. Here we are at the Grand Palace.

Buddhist figure at the Grand Palace.

We had Mirinda in Spain long time ago, but they stopped selling it. In Thailand they still have it 😛

On a Tuk-Tuk, a kind of motorcycle with three wheels quite common in Southeast Asia.

Jairo playing Takraw with some locals.

Sunset at the Khao San Road market.

Back in Seoul, with a three-hour sleep and ready to work. On the bus, Alex and Jairo looked kind of tired:P

And if you want to see more pictures, all of them are here.

April 1, 2008August 8, 2018

Trip to Shanghai

Shame on me for uploading the post with the trip to Shanghai with almost two months delay… but well, here is the result:D

We were lucky enough to visit Shanghai during Chinese New year, which is always celebrated some day between January 21st and February 21st (this year it was on februray 7th), depending on the lunisolar calendar.

The result was just awesome. Being the country of gunpowder you can imagine how Chinese celebrate their New Year… in China, not only can anybody buy a firecracker, but they can also buy true loads of gunpowder, children, adults… the point is to make noise, the more the better. As a sample of this, take a look at these videos, taken on New Year’s midnight in any street of Shanghai:

As for the city, Shanghai is full of contrasts, even more than Seoul. As soon as you leave the Bund, which is the “rich” area where all the skyscrapers are, the impression is sometimes that of going back in time like thirty years, poverty, ugly buildings, dirtiness…

I had the chance to meet other two ICEX interns, Alberto (Ho Chi Minh) and Javi (Hong Kong) also on a trip, as well as the local intern, Quique. You can also take a look at their posts about Shanghai (here, here, here, here, here, here y here) much more elaborated than mine (I’m sorry, but my days need more hours…).

Also, I could spend some days with Azusa, a friend from my American days with whom I also spent some days when I went to Japan, and who finally decided to join us in Shanghai. Tanja, also came with us from Seúl as part of her vacation period.

In the subway, from left to right, Alex, Ciro, Carlos, Itzíar, and Jairo.

The typical picture, with the Bund and its Pearl Tower on the background. It was a little cloudy, as it is usual in Shanghai (we were very lucky that it didn’t rain indeed).

One of the communist-oriented commercials that Adidas released for the Olimpic Games. (More of this series at el blog de chinochano.)

The almost-finished Shanghai World Financial Center on the left (492 m.) and the Jin Mao Tower on the right (421 m., although it looks taller becaouse of the perspective). Once finished, the first one will be the tallest building in the world (not including antennas).