Biking around Upo Wetland, strawberry picking, and experiencing my own funeral
Last Saturday, I embarked on a weekend trip to the southeast province of Gyeongsangnam-do to bike around a famous wetland, mingle with other travelers and teachers, pick fresh strawberries and visit a festival celebrating the Daegaya Kingdom. Once again, I traveled with Adventure Korea, a well-established tour company catered to foreigners and travelers in Korea....
Stinky Tofu and Sweet and Sour Soup: dinner in a Taiwanese night market
“Sarah must be used to living in Korea; she’s taking pictures of her food,” Olivia’s dad commented as we were eating snacks in the night market in Taichung. Olivia, a Taiwanese friend that I met in college, translated for me, and I laughed, setting my camera down and admitting that he was 100% correct. Ever...
![A traditional Taiwanese market in Taichung [pics]](http://www.mappingwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/market1-290x290.jpg "A traditional Taiwanese market in Taichung [pics]")
A traditional Taiwanese market in Taichung [pics]
I stayed with my friend Olivia and her family for five days in Taichung. One day, Olivia, her mom, and I strolled through a traditional market, where her mom would buy some ingredients for dinner. I love visiting markets and grocery stores throughout the world, because I am constantly intrigued by varying atmospheres and types...
Skipping along Daxi Old Street
Okay, I didn’t really skip–since my backpack, seemingly filled with bricks, was weighing me down, but my friend Alicia and I did stroll along the street. A few weeks ago, on spur of the moment, I booked a flight to Taiwan, taking advantage of some free time between ending my job and relocating to a...
Guest Post: Jace eats Osaka
Thanks to Jace from Lost in the ROK, Mapping Words is publishing its first guest post! Today, Jace exposes an array of Japanese food porn from his trip to Osaka and Kobe with the intention of making us all really hungry. Should we all travel to Japan with the mere intention of stuffing our faces?...
Tasting Central Asian flavors in downtown Seoul
As I walked along the narrow alleyways and side streets near Dongdaemun History and Culture Park station, I noticed more Cyrillic writing than Hangeul. I passed by small shops and cozy restaurants, and the faces began to change. Rather than the usual Korean crowd, the area was mostly populated by Russians, Mongolians, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz. This...
Asia / Destination Articles / Food and Beverages / Health + Lifestyle / Korea / Photography / Reviews
A Korean Farmstay: Cheongpung Farm and green tea fields
Beyond the seas of red crosses and florescent, artificial lights, there are rural patches throughout the South Korean peninsula where the stars glitter visibly overhead. One such place is Cheongpung Farm, located in Hwasoon, a rural area in Korea’s South Jeolla province. Over the weekend, I was invited by Adventure Korea, a budget travel company, to...
Dining in the dark
Have you ever dined in the dark? I’m not talking about a romantic, candle-lit dinner; I’m talking about eating in a pitch black room where you can’t distinguish your knife from your spoon, where you can’t see the outline of the person sitting across from you. My friend Mary chose to host her birthday party...
stuffing my face in Maine
In the last year and a half I’ve been working in Seoul and traversing throughout east Asia during my breaks. Time seems to tick faster in Asia, but bouts of homesickness for family, friends and food have recurred. Food. Yes, food. I have a deep everlasting love for Korean food, but my stomach has growled...
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