Montreal, Quebec, Canada

A shot of the Toronto skyline while lining up to take-off

So I finally found some time after working everyday consecutively for the past three months to have a short getaway outside of Toronto and use my travel benefits with Porter Airlines. Initially the plan was to go to New York City, but the holiday flight hours during the Easter weekend and still having to work that weekend made it difficult to plan. Therefore, the best alternative was to just visit Montreal, as Porter Airlines flies to that destination most often.

It was my first time flying stand-by, but we booked the earliest flight out, and the latest flight back on the same day- to save on cost because I didn't really wanted to spend too much money in Montreal- being there numerous times in the past, but the last time being in 2010 with my little cousins. Our plan was simple, purchase a metro day pass which is $8 and includes all buses and subways including the 747bus from the Montreal Airport to Downtown Montreal in around 30-45 minutes depending on traffic.

So the first stop was the L'Avenue Restaurant near Mont Royal Station for some of their highly acclaimed brunch menu, but unfortunately a long line up ensued, and had to give up on that dream. So we just proceeded to the farmer's market- Marche Jean Talon at the Jean Talon interchange metro station.

There was so much fresh fruits, meat, cheeses, wine, pastries, and even sea food in this market which is one of the more popular ones in Montreal. There we settled for a turkey quiche panini at the bakery, tried some apple cider ice wine, and ended the meal with a chocolate banana crepe at their famous creperie. We then ended our trip by making it back to Mont Royal for some Montreal bagels, and we passed by the L'Avenue again and still there was a long line up outside.

Anyways, it was nice being in Montreal again, but New York in 2 weeks time!

Jeonju, South Korea

Standing in front of Pungnammun

Jeonju is a city in South Korea known for its famous Jeonju bibimbap (비빔밥), historic buildings, Jeonju Hanok Village, and innovative festivals. The city has been included in UNESCO's Creative Cities Network which recognizes the city's traditional home cooking handed down through generations over thousands of years, its active public and private food research, a system of nurturing talented chefs, and its hosting of distinctive local food festivals.

Prior to visiting Korea, I never thought of visiting Jeonju, not knowing much about it as a city and what it offered. But on a holiday weekend, one of my Korean friends was going back to her hometown, Jeonju, and had told me a lot about it and it intrigued me to visit. So I booked my ticket for the Korail and made a plan for the weekend to visit Jeonju and Yeosu for its Expo.

Armed with my backpack with a change of clothes and my camera, I set off early in the morning to Yongsan Station to catch the Mugunghwa (connecting train) for 17,400KWN from Yongsan to Jeonju and 9,900KWN for the Jeonju to Yeosu Expo leg. The train ride being around 3hrs long on the Mugunghwa.

Jeonju Railway Station

Upon arrival at the Jeonju Railway Station, I was waiting to meet up with my friend to pick me up from the station. The first thing on the menu? get some food because I was starving. Making our way through the city on bus and a short walk thereafter, we made it to a traditional Korean restaurant selling the famous Jeonju Bibimbap.

Jeonju bibimbap 비빔밥

The Jeonju Bibimbap was slightly different in taste from the regular dolsot bibimbap I usually have. It included many different things like almonds, taro, corn, carrots, mushrooms. It was also served with many different side dishes, which unfortunately, I did not enjoy too much.

After lunch, we made our way to Pungnammun which is the south gate of Jeonju. Closeby is the Jeonju Hanok Village where traditional arts and crafts are available for purchase, unique cafe shops, and other festivals.

It was a tiring day, but I still had to catch the train for Yeosu for my next stop for the weekend.

Chicago, United States

Going on this trip was something of a different sort- a weekend getaway. The only other times I remember of going on these weekend trips was when I was younger and going on a family trip by car or bus. But this time, with Air Canada's 50% promotion to select eastern United States cities, I managed to snag a cheap airfare to Chicago with a friend. With the flight already booked, finding accommodations for that weekend, the civic long weekend in Ontario, proved difficult as it was also the Lolapalooza weekend in Chicago.

Through researching all sorts of different accommodations from Bed and Breakfast Inns, hotels, AirBnb.com, Priceline.com, Expeida, and hostels. But there were no vacancies available, so it did become a bit stressful. But we always had the backup cheaper option of staying at a hotel by the airport. Luckily, I found a sweet deal of 20% off from the Air Canada website for booking our flight at the Fairmont Chicago- Millennium Park. The location was ideal, just steps away from everything, shopping, Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago River.

Our plans were simple that weekend: See as much of Chicago as we could in the two days, be relaxed and enjoy our time there, and eat deep-dish stuffed pizza. To see the city, we walked around the downtown area along State Street for shopping as well as the 'Magnificent Mile' along Michigan Ave. We also took the train towards the former Sears Tower, now named the Willis Tower and walked back to the hotel from there. We also had the chance to take a river cruise that showcases the architecture of the city and concluded with a fireworks show by Navy Pier. The second day, we also took part on a biking tour which was also very informative and allowed us to explore the northern part of the city.

So the bike tour brought us to the northern part of the city where we rode past Streeterville, Near North Side, Old Town, and to Lincoln Park. Our guide had instructed us to rub Lincoln's shoe as a sign of good luck. We stopped by at a cathedral which was unique and beautiful. We then had a break at Lincoln Park, so we quickly walked around the free zoo in the city and it also had a nice view of the skyline in the back. We then rode along Lake Shore Drive with its beautiful beaches and skyline (shown as the first picture), most notably known as the world's third most beautiful skyline after New York City and Hong Kong respectively.



As our tour concluded, it was almost time to go home; but we had to just make one more stop on the way to the airport, and that was to Giordano's for their famous Chicago stuffed pizza. It was so much more delicious than expected, (we had it as a midnight snack the night before) but eating in and having it freshly baked, and in tropical Hawaiian (my favourite) was just so mouthwatering, also considering we didn't have much of a breakfast and after a 3hour bike tour.

I had a wonderful time at Chicago, truly amazed with its beautiful architecture, green parks, its river, and its food (stuffed pizza and Chicago hot dog). If we had one more day, it would have been perfect to just spend it at the beach or to explore the south side of the city.

Sindorim-dong, Seoul, South Korea

Sindorim-dong is located in Guro-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is primarily used as a transfer station between Line 1 and Line 2 in the southwest region of Seoul in Guro-gu. It makes this location highly convenient and accessible to live in and I was not disappointed with staying here for five nights for the first part of my trip in Seoul.

Connected to the subway station at Exit 2; is a large department store "Techno Mart" and a Korean supermarket "E-Mart" making purchasing goods and groceries very easy. Within the Techno Mart, there is a multiplex cinema showcasing Korean and foreign films, a floor with a wide range of restaurants, and each floor dedicated to a line of products like computers, cellphones, home furniture etc. On the roof is a Korean garden, it really was a place of tranquility and peacefulness. Also newly opened is the D-Cube Shopping Centre on the other side of the station at Exit 1. It was actually featured on an episode of Running Man which you can watch here. At this shopping centre, you can find the latest fashion trends, foods, art center, Pororo Park, and the Sheraton Hotel. The basement features a food court with many different Korean dishes and other Asian cuisines.

The place I stayed at was a 10-15minute walk or a 2minute bus ride from the subway station exit 2 and is a relatively safe neighbourhood. Just watch out for the cars and scooters who frequently drive through red lights when crossing the street. Even after moving out, I found myself visiting the area many times, whether to eat, or to buy groceries at the E-Mart. It really has everything you need and is now more than just a transfer station.