The Erawan Museum - Bangkok - Thailand

I'm always asked what places there are to visit that are not commonly known to tourist in Thailand and The Erawan Museum is always my reply. Honestly, living in Bangkok,  I've never really done the tourist thing, I've yet to visit Wat Pho, The Grand Palace and Wat Arun but as The Erawan Museum is quite near to where I live I've made a few visits there and I frequently pass the huge three-headed elephant on the highway, but seeing it up close is a must!

Even seeing this huge elephant from the highway doesn't quite prepare you for how huge it actually is up close, this massive sculpture is 29 metres high, 39 metres long and stands on a 15 meter high pedestal, so yeah... it's big! The Erawan Museum was created by a late Thai millionaire to house ancient artifacts from his collections for visitors to come see, he's also the one responsible for The Sanctuary of Truth and the nearby Ancient City which are places recommended visiting to.

Inside the elephant houses the museum which is decorated with antiques and statues that reflect the story of life and the cosmos, there's so much detail put into the staircase alone that will amaze you, you really need to take some time to look at it closely to appreciate it, it's such a beautiful and vibrant place.

As you journey through the elephant towards it's head you really realise just how huge it is, there's a window in the belly of the elephant which you can sit next to and look out of and then you realise just how tall it is. The head of the elephant contains antique Buddha statues and so peaceful and serene, it really is such a beautiful way to display these ancient relics.

Surrounding the three-headed elephant is a beautiful garden full of statues of mythical creatures and of course more elephants, it's a great place to just sit back and relax from the hustle and bustle of the city, there's also a cafe there where you can buy food and drinks should you need to cool down. So if you're looking for somewhere in Bangkok to visit that's slightly off the tourist track I really recommend The Erawan Musuem and maybe pairing it with a visit to The Ancient City to, it's easily accessible by Skytrain and taxi so be sure to check it out if you're in the city.

Love & Elephants

Cate

xoxo

Summer Shopping @ Zaful

I recently decided to clear out my wardrobe so decided to check out Zaful to pick up some new items to wear on my trip up to Northern Thailand. Zaful have a great selection of fashionable women dresses but as my summer style has been drifting away from the usual top fashionable dresses I decided to pick up some cute tees instead.

One of the things I love most about Zaful is just how diverse their selection is and as my style is gearing more towards the chic and sporty vibe there are some affordable sport items you can select for really great prices, which are so comfy not just for sports but for travelling to.

Zaful is one of my favoerite online stores and their service is always quick and excellent and they're always quick to respond to any problems you may have. Zaful unconditional refund with quality, non-received, size Issue within 24 hours which is great service should you need to get your problem resolved quickly, so I totally recommend them and if you're looking to place an order soon check out the discount codes at the bottom of this post.

Love & Adventure

Cate

xoxo

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The Elephant Retirement Park - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Elephants are one of my favourite creatures and I've been lucky enough to have some amazing experiences with them over the years. Elephants are very beloved in Thailand and there has been a big movement to help conserve them and end zoos which force them to beg and perform. I have definitely noticed over the recent year how there are a lot less elephants on the city streets and how the attitude towards animals has changed, a lot more people are aware of animal cruelty and less people are supporting this exploitative practice and just want elephants to live our their natural lives in the jungle, which is how it should be. That being said sadly there still are a lot of places where it is common practice to ride and see elephants perform and while I understand tourist come to Thailand to see elephants I ask that you please consider of the lives of these elephants, do a little research and only visit the places that support and conserve these beautiful creatures.

The Elephant Retirement Park is one of these places which does not offer any rides or force the elephants to do tricks or beg for treats, instead gives them a place where they can be free from chains and hard labour and enjoy their lives in harmony with the humans who take care of them by simply treating them with the kindness and compassion they deserve.

One of the major driving forces for my to return to Thailand and learn my native language was so I could help rescue, rehabilitate and educate people on animal welfare and how these animals should be respected. I try to highlight the smaller charities as much as I can as I know how much they need the recognition and support. The Elephant Retirement Park is funded entirely on donations, they don't ask much from you either and a day spent learning about and being next to these beautiful creatures is less than $80 which is such a small cost especially when you think of how much food alone is needed for these animals to live on. The price of a day with the elephants also includes transport to the park from Chiang Mai and a delicious so they really aren't making a lot of money and need as much support as we can give them so they can build a better environment and rescue more elephants from the tourist and agriculture trade.

Being this close to these beautiful creatures really is just a life changing experience, they're just so loving and gentle. It's not my first time being this close to them, I've been to zoos, I've seen them perform and sadly I've rode on them to but this is the first time being this close to them since I made a real conscious effort to never again support any cruelty against any creature and the atmosphere was completely different. I really felt the love and respect, seeing the elephants free to run about and play in the mud and just be themselves, there were no picks axes, no shouting, no stress, there was just an aura of awe and genuine happiness.

There are so many charities in Thailand dedicating their lives to preserving the world's creatures and giving them a better life and they need all our support, I had an absolutely magical day and it really warmed my heart. So if you do visit Thailand please be conscious of the places you visit and how they treat their animals and make more of an effort to support the charities that want to give these creatures a better life.

What is your favourite animal?

Love & Sugar Cane

Cate

xoxo

Goblin (도깨비) Filming Locations in Seoul and Incheon

I'm addicted to Korean dramas and one of my absolute favourites is Goblin so on my recent trip to South Korea I thought I would visit a few of the filming locations and re-create some of my favourite scenes. I didn't initially plan this KDrama tour but after randomly recognising an alley in Samcheong-dong and freaking out over the fact my favourite actors had walked these very same streets it became my new mission to visit as many other filming sites as I could, so this is my journey and a guide on how you can visit them to.

I'll be listing these places in chronological order of appearance although a lot do appear multiple times throughout the series, also this isn't a comprehensive list of every filming location you can visit in Korea just the places I visited.

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YONGDAP STATION BRIDGE

Yongdap Station Subway Line 2, Exit 2

(Exit up the staircase and it will lead you straight up to the bridge)

This is possibly one of the most iconic places in Goblin with many scenes being filmed here throughout the series, from the first scene with Eun-Tak's Mother to Sunny and the Grim Reaper meeting for the first time. This was actually our first successful visit to a Goblin filming location and we weren't the only ones taking shots on the bridge that day, there were several other people re-creating scenes to but we braved the cold and waited till the bridge was clear and after multiple fails finally got those iconic shots!

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DEOKSUGUNG PALACE WALL

City Hall Line 1, Exit 2 

(Turn right at the palace entrance and keep following the walls, turn right again at the "squashed statues" and it'll be down that road, the last right corner of the palace walls)

In the first episode this is where Goblin sees through the walls into Grim Reaper's "teahouse" and they interact for the first time. Our visit to this location was kinda a fail, it was near the American Embassy(?) and there were a lot of guards and police around that day also a valet parking business was running right on that corner of the walls so it was a bit too hectic for us to take any real clean shots. However, it's a really beautiful area of Seoul and although we didn't go into the actual palace the walk around it and seeing all the interesting art and tree lined streets were worth the trip.

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SAMCHEONG-DONG STONE WALL

Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 1

(walk straight then turn right at the intersection, it's the street directly across from Insadong)

This location is where Goblin and Eun-Tak see each other for the first time and Beautiful Life is played which never fails to get me emotional. Such an iconic scene and this is almost perfectly where our KDrama tour all started because I happened to recognise the walls, ask me what I did yesterday and I probably won't be able to tell you but things like this I have a weird memory for! As it was dark when we were first here I didn't manage to get any good shots but we visited Bukchon again in the daytime later in the week and managed to get a few clearer photos despite the crowds of people visiting that day and a random magic show happening in the middle of the street.

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STAIRS OVERLOOKING INCHEON

Dongincheon Station Line 1, Exit 1

(It's is not too far away from Hanmi Bookstore! Here's the LINK for the exact location on google maps)

This location is where Eun-tak escapes from her family in episode 2 then later summons the Goblin to tell him about her new job at the chicken shop. Our main reason for being in this area was to visit Hanmi Bookstore but as we had made the long journey from Seoul to Incheon already and were nearby we thought we might as well visit this place to and I'm glad we did as it's such an unique part of Incheon. To reach the top we went up the backstreet to the left of the second screenshot and there were some beautiful little hanbok houses with some really cute art painted on them in fact by the time I reached the top of the staircase I was so cold and exhausted from the steep climb up I didn't realise I was already sitting where Eun-tak is in that scene. Unfortunately with the sun setting I couldn't get any really clear photos but I still enjoyed the view of Incheon and would recommend a visit there regardless of whether you're a Goblin fan or not as it was just a really interesting part of the city and a stunning place to watch the sunset.

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HANMI BOOK STORE IN INCHEON
Dongincheon Station Line 1, Exit 1

(The store is about a 10 minute walk from the station past some traditional markets! You can find the exact location HERE!)

This is the bookshop that Goblin visits in episode 3 which is also featured in episode 6 where Goblin learns how to be affectionate with Eun-tak and again in episode 8 where Goblin confronts the Lady in Red. This bookshop was one of our main reasons for visiting Incheon, it's in a pretty cool area that has a lot of traditional markets selling Hanboks and the road itself is famous for second hand bookstores but Hanmi is easy to spot because of its bright yellow exterior. I absolutely adored this place it was floor to ceiling filled with books (some in English an Japanese to) and such a cosy place, the owner even gave me a chair to sit on when he saw me on my knees combing through the many children's books they had there which was a really sweet gesture and I did end up finding a beautiful Korean Children's book for just 500 won (less that 50 cents!) so I definitely would recommend a visit there for book shop lovers, it was honestly the bookshop of my dreams and it featuring in one of my favourite dramas was just a bonus!

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SEONGSU-DONG GRAFFITI ALLEY
Seongsu Station Line 2, Exit 4
(Roughly a 5 - 10 minute walk from the station! You can find the exact location HERE!)

In episode 3 Eun-tak accidentally summons the Goblin here when she's grilling squid, this scene actually takes place just after the first appearance of Hanmi book store. This was our final stop on our Goblin tour and probably one of my most favourite discoveries in Seoul. The whole area of Seongsu-dong is known as the Brooklyn of Seoul and it really does remind you of Brooklyn with all the hip designer cafes, vintage stores and street art. Cube Entertainment is also not too far from here and they have a cafe (20 Space) so if you're lucky maybe you could catch a glimpse of Sungjae (BTOB) on his way to the studio.

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SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE ILLUMINATIONS
Myeong-dong Station Line 4, Exit 5
(Alternatively you can stop at Hoehyeon station on the same line and take exit 7, this is one of the most popular department stores in Korea so should be easy to find) 

In episode 9 and 10 this is where Grim Reaper and Sunny meet for a date and also where she breaks up with him. This location has been featured in so many dramas and I have to admit it wasn't until I was googling pictures of Legend of the Blue Sea I saw it appeared in Goblin to, also I didn't purposely seek out this location I just happened to notice it whilst shopping in Myeong-dong and had to check it out, luckily it was Christmas at the time I was there so the illuminations were out and although you only really see the fountain in the drama the tree was really pretty to.

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SINCHON GRAFITI TUNNEL
Sinchon Station Gyeongui Line, Exit 2
(This station is a bit difficult to get to so you might want to get off at Ewha and walk, the exact location can be found HERE)

In episode 11 this is where Goblin and Grim Reaper re-create their cool slow-mo walking scene from episode 2 but get in the way of a delivery boy on a motorcycle, then wish him a happy new year! This is one of my favourite scenes from Goblin and this was by far the biggest disappointment for me. After attempting to visit the "Goblin House" and randomly finding a filming location in Samcheong-dong this became the first filming location we purposely looked up and decided to visit and we had big ideas on how to recreate the scene, we even dressed up! BUT unfortunately as you can see from the photo below not only was access to the tunnel closed on both sides but all the graffiti there was gone to... FAIL! Luckily after our fails we didn't give up the mission and thankfully we got to take some really amazing photos and visit some other really interesting places we wouldn't have even thought of going to had it not been for our love of Goblin.

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WHITEBIRCH STORY TEA HOUSE

Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 1

(It's not far from the Samcheong-dong stone walls so head there, walk up and it's down the first alley on the left)

In episode 11 this is a cafe which Eun-tak and Sunny visit. I won't go into too much detail about this location as you can read all about it in my previous blog post but we luckily got to sit in the exact same place as they did in this scene!

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Deoksung Women’s University
Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 4
(The entrance to the university is right next to Unhyeongung Royal Residence)

I had this area bookmarked from my previous trip to Seoul as I happened to pass by the palace while it was closing and it looked interesting and after a little bit of research found that it was also the location they used to film the exterior of Goblin's house. So as we were in Insadong we thought we would check it out as it was on our way to Bukchon but our access was denied by these "STOP" signs posted at the entrance which I'd also like to point out are written not only in Korean, but English, Chinese and Japanese and specifically state that they appreciate you're a fan of Goblin but it's a working university so go away.... I'm guessing they must have had some problems with fangirls in the past and although it was tempting to just ignore the signs we respected the universities wishes and went on our way. So if you're thinking of visiting here don't bother because you won't be allowed in! I was obviously a bit sad but it wasn't something I had specifically planned (unlike the graffiti tunnel) so it wasn't much of a loss but I thought I would include it just incase anyone else is planning to visit there.

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What filming locations would you love to visit? Don't forget to check out my Goblin giveaway!

Love & Lattes

Cate

xoxo

BIG thank you to these blogs for helping us find these locations and live out our KDrama dreams:

♥ Travel with Karla

♥ Flyhoneystars

♥ Memago

KPop Fangirling in Seoul - K-Star Road - SM - JYP & More

KPop has been one of guilty pleasures for the longest time and since moving to Thailand my passion for all things KPop seems to have been re-ignited because it's everywhere in fact I think KPop is more popular than actual Thai music! I decided on my recent trip to Seoul to stay in the Gangnam area and explore all the KPop hotspots, shops and cafes in the area, in fact the guesthouse where I stayed was decorated in all things KPop to so I was in fangirl heaven.

First stop in Seoul for any K-Pop fan is Hallyu K-Star Road which is a stretch of road between Apgujeong and Cheongdam where you can find "Gangnam Dolls" decorated to celebrate the various popular KPop groups and some are even signed by the artists themselves. It's a very cute Korean take on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and next to Apujeong Rodeo Station (exit 7) you can even find a little tourist information booth selling miniature versions and magnets of the dolls should you want to take one home, unfortunately they didn't have a mini VIXX one for me to buy though...

S.E.S. and BoA were probably my first encounters with KPop so SM Entertainment has a soft spot in my fangirl heart. SM has a couple places you can visit one in COEX  where you can see all the awards and costumes from their artists as well as shop and they have a cafe where I had that rather delicious Girls' Generation cupcake you see pictured above the second place is about 10 minutes walk up the road and has a shop, cafe and restaurant which I would've eaten at had I not just devoured a burger at Shake Shack in Gangnam...

Shake Shack has become very popular in Korea and although I had previously tried them in London I had to visit the Gangnam branch and try their mushroom burger and I know you're wondering what this has to do with Kpop right? Well... my main reason for this visit was because I saw GOT7 visit here in and episode of Hard Carry TV and GOT7 are one of my loved KPop groups EVER!! Luckily though I didn't have to queue to get in like they did so my appetite was satisfied quite quickly.

Being a big fan of GOT7, 2PM, Wonder Girls and most recently Day6 I had to pay a visit to JYP which is a lot smaller than I thought but they are moving to bigger offices very soon. There were lot's of teenage girls hanging around outside all waiting for a glimpse of their favourite idols so I didn't stop there for long I decided to explore around and see what cafes and restaurants were in the area that the idols might frequent, also I felt a little bit out of place surrounded by teenage girls considering I'm almost twice their age! Another thing I noticed about Seoul was that they have birthday signs dedicated to idols at almost every bus and train stop, when I first got to Seoul there was a sign for my GOT7 bias Jackson which made me overly excited and pretty much put me in that fangirl mode for the rest of my trip. There's so many more KPop destinations to visit in Seoul (I actually visited Jellyfish to because VIXX) but I might save them for my next visit, I'd also love to go to a KPop concert in Korea one day to because I bet that would be a crazy experience!

Do you like KPop? What are some of your favourite artists?

Love & Kimchi Fries

Cate

xoxo

Bongeunsa Temple (Seoul) - 봉은사 (서울)

Being in a big fast paced city with all people, traffic, noise and general busyness can be a bit overwhelming at times but thankfully Seoul has many places where you can just get away from it all and enjoy some quiet alone time, Bongeunsa Temple is definitely one of those places.

Bongeunsa Temple is not secluded by any means it's in Gangnam directly across the road from COEX which is one of the biggest and most popular shopping malls in South Korea but it's still surprisingly quiet and a lot of people visit there just to relax and enjoy the calming atmosphere. I visited there twice during my stay and although it's a popular tourist destination they're were no crowds and I was able to explore the temple grounds completely on my own.

One of the main attractions of Bongeunsa is the colourful rainbow lanterns that decorate the grounds of the temple, they're so pretty, one of the things I love most about temples in Asia is just how bright and colourful they can be. It was extremely calming to watch these lanterns gently blowing in the wind, the smell of incense in the air while the monks were chanting their daily prayers.

Bongeunsa also offers a temple stay program where you can stay overnight in the temple and enjoy a traditional monastic meal, tea ceremony, meditate, make prayer beads and learn all about the traditional Korean Buddhist monk way of life from the actual monks living there. I've stayed in temples in Thailand but I'm really interested to see how it differs in Korea so if I ever go back a temple stay is something I will definitely look into doing.

เวลาไปเที่ยวเกาหลีไปหาวัดบองอุนซา บองอุนซาอยู่ในกังนัมCOEXช้อปปิ้งมอลล์เพื่อง่ายต่อการเยี่ยมชม วัดเงียบดีเพราะว่าไม่มีคนเยอะและสวยมากมีสีสดใส นักท่องเที่ยวนอนอยู่ในวัดได้และไปทำสมาธิกินอาหารเจและคุยเกี่ยวกับศาสนา ถ้าอยากนั่งเฉยๆมีอารมณ์ดีไปหาวัดบองอุนซา

What are some places you like to visit for a break from city life?

Love & Incense

Cate

xoxo

When Anxiety Attacks & How I'm Dealing...

Honestly, I've not been in a good place mentally and it's been really difficult. To look at this another way this is the first time in a very long time I've felt this low but it's not the worst I've felt. Living with anxiety is something I know I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life and for the longest time I was never able to put a word to those feelings but now it has a name I'm better able to deal with the attacks when it happens.

Sometimes it doesn't have a trigger it just attacks and sometimes I feel so overwhelmed and stressed that "anxiety brain" takes over and recently I let it grab a hold of me which lead to some self-destructive behaviour. I'm not the type of person to ever discuss my problems with anyone even my closest family and friends, I tend to just deal on my own because the last thing I want is for those I care about to see me as a burden, worry them or be the cause of their stress and unhappiness but I'm learning to open up and it's one of the reasons I'm writing this.

Anxiety can be a bitch! Sometimes it's a struggle to get out of bed and walk out that door and on those days I deal with those feeling by meditating, drinking some tea and trying to quiet those nagging thoughts in my brain. Sometimes just the process of putting on my make-up and bringing some life to my face can be the healing factor, sometimes I put my headphones on, shut-out the world and those inner voices of doubt and just take myself for a walk amongst nature where I can appreciate the true beauty of the world and sometimes just taking a long shower can heal me. Even the smallest action I can do for myself can make the biggest difference and can stop an attack before it gets worse.

One of the things I've learnt recently is that it's not my fault. My anxiety was brought on by various factors of my past and those things were not my fault or a fault in myself. I am not to blame for these feelings. While these feeling are a part of me they do not define me. I am my own biggest critic but I am also unique and deserving of life. Sometimes I need to take care of myself before I can take care of others because I deserve as much happiness as everyone else.

It's an uphill struggle to get my life back on track but I'm getting there. Exercise helps, I've been doing it everyday or almost everyday, and it helps me sleep, gives me a sense of peace and accomplishment and it makes me strong both physically and mentally. I'm eating better because good food puts me in a good mood but I always make time for a coffee and cake date because treats are important to. I'm making an effort to talk more to friends online and off because they make me happy and as much as "anxiety brain" wants me to cut everyone out of my life so I won't fear getting hurt, I need them and I love them and I know I can't deal with this alone.

So what's the point of this post? It's to let everyone know I'm ok and I'm dealing and to let everyone else know you're not alone in your struggles, I understand, I've got your back and I'm here for you if you need me to be.

Love & Hugs

Cate

xoxo

Shopping in Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is one of my favourite cities to shop in because it's so diverse you can pretty much find anything, from traditional wet markets to luxurious spas to super kawaii toy shops to arty concept stores there's something for everyone. I tend to think of shopping Seoul like visiting an art gallery as you don't necessarily visit the stores with the intention to buy but more to enjoy the mood and atmosphere created by each brands.

Style Nanda is one of Korea's most popular clothing stores and their stores are always full of ladies checking out the 3CE make-up range and taking selfies. Each store seems to have a unique very Instagramable concept and I visited the 3rd flagship store called Pink Hotel in the the heart of Myeondong. The store was just so beautiful, pink and pretty and such a unique experience, I loved how each floor had a unique theme relating to the overall hotel concept and if you were tired from all the shopping there was also a beautiful rooftop area where you could sit, relax and enjoy some drinks from the Pink Pool Cafe downstairs.

Samcheong-dong and the Bukchon Hanok Village is such a unique area of Seoul and definitely one of my fave places to explore. The whole area has kept its traditional old-style Korean look with many of the buildings there built in the traditional style and even newer brands that have opened up stores there have made sure to maintain this traditional look, it's almost like travelling through times long gone. There's also so many unique boutiques, cafes and galleries here it's definitely worth spending at least a day exploring.

There are many other amazing places to shop in Seoul a few more I've visited are Ewha, Hongdae, Garosu-gil and Gangnam which are all full of amazing boutique stores and unique cafes that you can easily spend a day exploring each and even if shopping isn't your thing it's worth checking out the stores just to see the unique concepts as they really go all out with the aesthetics that it almost becomes less about shopping and more about an experience which I think is one of the best things about shopping in Seoul.

What are some of your favourite shopping destinations?

Love & Lipstick

Cate

xoxo