An introduction to Gamcheon Culture Village, South Korea

Gamcheon Culture Village, popularly known as South Korea’s Lego Village, is famed for its art, culture and creative residents. With its maze of winding streets, it’s easy to lose track of where you’re going – but in our opinion, this is no bad thing.

A brief history of Gamcheon Village

Before the 1950’s, Gamcheon was a small village of around 20 houses. By 1951, the small hilltop town had expanded to accommodate over half a million residents – many of whom were refugees fleeing from the Korean war. Soon, the place was burgeoning with shanties made from corrugated tin and planks of wood.

Taegukdo influences

At around the same time, an obscure religion founded by Cho Ch’ŏlje was on the rise. Taegukdo is an amalgamation of several South Korean belief systems, but omits the patriarchal and hierarchical undertones of major religions.

The way houses are scattered along the hill is no accident. Though there appears to be little order to the madness, the houses are situated in such a manner that no one house is blocking any of the others. The planning philosophy is reflected in the one of Taegukdo’s core tenets: that permitting each other to flourish is beneficial to everyone.

Why is Gamcheon so colourful?

One day, Gamcheon’s creative residents launched a public art project and the whole village was drenched in a kaleidoscope of colours. At first, the reception to the village’s bold new look was mixed. Some loved it straight from the get go. Other residents felt self-conscious about what little they had to show off, but soon saw the positives of meeting the curious tourists who wanted to see the village for themselves.

Gamcheon now stands as a hopeful testament to the beauty that comes from diversity. Had the original villagers not welcomed hundreds of thousands of war-torn refugees, the village would look very different to the labyrinthine maze of colours it is today.

See more: Visit Busan, the biggest coastal city in Korea

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How to pronounce Phuket correctly

Often mispronounced, Phuket is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Phuket is made up of the large Island of Phuket plus 32 other small islands and is a very popular destination for beach-goers.

The Right Way to Say Phuket

It may sound like profanity, but many people mistakingly pronounce Phuket as "Fuket." Although this makes sense since in English the letters "p" and "h" next to each other make an "f" sound, this is not the case in the language of Thai. In Thai, when a "p" is followed by an "h" the "h" is silent, so you simply pronounce the "p." Therefore, Phuket is read as "Poo-ket."

Pronouncing Other Thai Words

This same rule applies across the board, so Koh Phi Phi (another island in Thailand) is pronounced "pee pee," not "fee fee." Koh Pha Ngan (the Thai island known for its full moon party) is pronounced "pang gan," not "fang gan."

Other Thai pronunciations are not intuitive for Americans. When you pronounce the letter “r” in the Thai language, you should slightly roll your tongue. The “ng” sound is pronounced the same way in Thai as it is in English, but the difference is that in Thai, it can be used at the beginning of words.

What to Do in Phuket

Now that you know how to say it, you may want to take a trip to Phuket. And it is well worth it. There is a lot more to do on Phuket Island (and those surrounding) than just relax on the sand. The top things to do in Phuket include exploring the greenery of Phuket via the zip line tours the Flying Hanuman company offers and strolling around the Portuguese colonial-style Phuket Town's museums, boutiques, and coffee shops.

Phuket is lush and green. Your list of things to do will include visiting the dense, jungle interior's amazing waterfalls. Phuket is home to too many waterfalls to count, but its most famous include Bang Pae, Ton Sai, and Kathu. You could combine these waterfalls with the Flying Hanuman zip line adventure, or hire a taxi driver for the day in order to try and see as many as possible.

You can't miss "Big Buddha Phuket," seated high atop a hill in the southwestern corner of the island. In addition to the 150-foot tall marble statue itself, the viewpoint offers one of the island's most astounding panoramas, whether you come during the day or stay until sunset.

See more: Discover interesting spots from Phuket, Thailand

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Top must-visit destinations in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh is a beautiful Southeast Asian city and the capital of Cambodia. Once the capital of the French colony of Cambodia and Manchuria, Phnom Penh has an interesting pre and post-colonial history, giving rise to a plethora of things to do in Phnom Penh.

Its great boulevards are still lined with old colonial French villas and buildings but the country’s Buddhist heritage endures in the many gorgeous monasteries and pagodas located here. As a busy capital and major economic and cultural center, Phnom Penh gets a lot of visitors. So, become one of them and witness a culture trip to experience Combodia like never before.

National Museum of Cambodia

Located next to the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia is home to more than 5,000 artefacts dating back to the ancient Angkorian period. Various rooms display a range of rare statues, lingas and other items, including the Leper King from Siem Reap and a giant 11thcentury bronze Vishnu. It equips visitors with some great knowledge ahead of a trip to Angkor Wat Archaeological Park.

Killing Fields

If you are looking for some unusual things to do in Phnom Penh, this is where you must head to. S-21 prison was the most brutal of Khmer Rouge extermination camps. It is the site of the mass killing burial of over 15,000 people.

After its discovery, a Buddhist monument called the Choeung Ek was built as a mark of respect for their souls. You can get half-day tours of the Killing Fields where you are provided with informative audio guides as well as tours of the prison facility that housed the victims. This is a must on your Phnom Penh itinerary.

The Royal Palace

Built in the 1860’s, this opulent palace has since served as the royal residence in Phnom Penh, discounting a brief point of abandonment during the Khmer Rouge.On site, there are multiple golden temples and quarters, each more beautiful than the next. The entire complex sits riverside where you can watch motorboats and paddle boats floating on by and capture some great photos of daily river life in Phnom Penh.

You will get a chance to learn about the history of the royal family in Cambodia and the history of Phnom Penh with the help of informational plaques and guide available on site.

The Old Market

The Old Market, also known as Phsar Chas, is an authentic Cambodian market known to the locals as the best produce shopping spot. If you want to taste truly fresh and organic mangoes or jackfruit- this is the place.

Located in the Old French Quarter next to the river, this market is the perfect place to start your morning. Sit on a bench with your fresh finds and watch morning traffic zooming motorbikes and food stalls feeding workers on their way to work.

Koh Dach

Also known as Silk Island, Koh Dach is approximately an hour’s journey from the capital, including a short ferry ride to the island that sits in the middle of the Mekong River. Guests can learn about Cambodian silk weaving by visiting the weaving villages dotted across the islands, where they can watch workers use handlooms to spin silk while others dye materials to create stunning designs. The quiet island is also home to pristine countryside and a great way to escape the city for the day without going too far.

Sisowath Quay Boardwalk

Visit the boardwalk in the evening and you will be rewarded with beautiful views of the orange sun setting over the city. The boardwalk is lined with comfy benches where you can rest as vendors, both adult and adolescent, come up to you selling peanuts, popcorn, beer, coconuts, and more. Keep you beer or soda cans to give to can-collecting kids passing by.

On the main street across from the boardwalk, you will find both Khmer and Western restaurants, as well as bars serving ice-cold Ankor beer. There are shops to get your shoes repaired, keys made, passport photos taken, hair cut- the whole lot.

Read more: 10 best signature dishes in Cambodia

The Vibe Café

Enjoy a dinner at The Vibe Cafe. This is the only totally vegan restaurant in the Cambodian capital. There are plenty of homemade recipes that are a rage here. At dirt cheap prices, this is your destination for the great and the healthy. The restaurant is located in a trendy locale with chic interiors and terrace seating as well, so it is a great place to have dinner if you are staying in Phnom Penh city.

Source Internet