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Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon Hanok Village is home to over 900 traditional Korean houses and it is one of the recommended places to visit while on holiday in Seoul. The location didn’t disappoint me at all, but many tourists dressed up in hanbok and spent ages taking multiple shots and some were even doing a live feed on the street. They do have a number of tourist officials to control the crowds and make sure they don’t invade the local people’s privacy, especially around the hilltop. I still think it is not easy to enjoy the architecture of the buildings. All we did was try to avoid photobombing other people’s photos or videos. It was not easy to take any nice shots.

Bukchon Hanok Village

Italian Village and Petite France

We had booked this trip to visit Italian Village and Petite France, along with Nami Island and Gangchon Rail Bike. If I was given the choice again, I probably would not have added these two places as part of our day trip. It felt a bit too too rushed and it was an extremely hot summer’s day.

Italian Village and Petite France

Nami Island, South Korea

My sister-in-law recommended we visit Nami Island via public transport from Seoul (over 1.5 hours to 2 hours or more to travel). As we had two teenagers travelling with us, we decided to take the easy route by booking a day tour instead (around £50 each person, along with these two other locations: Gangchon Rail Bike and Italian Village & Petite France). Therefore, we didn’t need to look out for trains, platforms, exits and walking in the hot sun!

Nami Island entrance

We ate at a Korean BBQ!

If you are visiting South Korea for the first time, besides eating their delicious street foods and kimchi, you have to try out their barbecue at least once! Depending on what you order, it can be quite expensive, but it’s a great experience!

Korean BBQ

Gangchon Rail Bike, South Korea

When we first researched South Korea, a biking activity never came across my mind. Someone even suggested to me to go biking at the Han River which is definitely not my cup of tea!

Anyway, I decided to take on the Gangchon rail bike only after I came across the day trip for Nami Island offers on the Klook app. As the Nami Island day trip offers add-on activities, I decided to book it along with Petite France and Italian Village. I was so glad we went for it as both my children loved this activity!

Gangchon Rail Bike

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Tour, South Korea

On day 3 in South Korea, we went to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Peace Tour with Seoul City Tour which we booked via the Klook app. It was a half-day morning trip and we were back by 3pm, which gave us time to do other activities. For this trip, we were all required to bring our passports for checking as we were entering the military area. If you don’t have any ID, you will be refused entry.

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Tour, South Korea

National Folk Museum of Korea, Seoul

The National Folk Museum of Korea originally began as the National Museum of Anthropology, which was founded in 1945 and opened in Namsan in 1946. It is an educational venue where visitors learn about the daily lives of Koreans in the past and present. There are many artefacts on display, educational photographs, films and videos of the sites of various folk events.

National Folk Museum of Korea

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul

On day two of our trip to South Korea, we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace but it was raining cats and dogs! We may have been soaking wet but it didn’t dampen our spirits for this delightful place. It was built in 1395 as the main palace and is commonly referred to as the Northern Palace because its location is furthest north compared to the neighbouring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeonghuigung (Western Palace).

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul

Meerkat Friends

Meerkat Friends was the second pet cafe we went to as it was near Samoyed Cafe ‘Winters Village’. This place has a range of animals, meerkats, foxes, wallabies, genets, cats, dogs, and raccoons. They do have an Instagram account, which you should check out!

Meerkat Friends

Samoyed Cafe Winters Village, Seoul

One of the things we wanted to do for my daughter was to visit a raccoon cafe and a dog cafe. Samoyed Cafe ‘Winters Village’ is one of the more established dog cafes in Seoul we found reviews on various websites. They have an Instagram account and it is easy to find them via Google Maps.

Samoyed Cafe Winters Village

We went to South Korea

After five long years of not having a family holiday, we finally packed and headed off to South Korea for eight days. It has always been my dream place to visit because I love watching K-dramas and wanted to experience their life there.

We went to South Korea

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, Singapore

Whenever I visit Singapore with friends, I will often take them to Chinatown. Not only to get a feel for the vibe but also to visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

TaiWan Night Markets, Cineleisure Singapore

Last month, I went back to Singapore and one of the first things I wanted to try was this food court style TaiWan Night Markets at Cineleisure Orchard. This is a Taiwanese street food concept that opened on the 28th July 2023. I hoped to bring back memories of visiting Taiwan (2016) 7 years ago and trying out their street foods.

TaiWan Night Markets, Cineleisure Singapore

The Top Travel Destinations for 2023

Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie seeking thrilling adventures or a peace seeker looking for a serene retreat, the right information can significantly enhance your travel experience.

In this guide, we’ll explore the top travel destinations in 2023, delve into the hottest travel trends, and discuss how to optimize your journey with flight support services.

The Top Travel Destinations for 2023

VICTA Spring Family Weekend 2022

This is a very long overdue post that I keep putting aside to write. Last year, we went to our first Spring family weekend with VICTA at Kingswood, Dearne Valley with our buddy dog, Mabel.

VICTA Spring Family Weekend 2022 - Dearne Valley

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Hello!

Welcome to ET Speaks From Home!

Hi, I’m Eileen — a mum of two teenagers, aged 18 and 17, and a passionate lifestyle blogger sharing snippets of family life, creativity, and culture since May 2012. My daughter lives with visual impairment, and our journey together has shaped much of the heart behind this blog.

What started as a small space to document family memories has grown into a vibrant corner of the internet where I share my love for cooking, crafting, DIY projects, Chinese culture, parenting, and honest product and YouTube reviews. Whether I’m creating festive crafts, exploring Chinese traditions, or trying out new recipes, I hope to inspire others through everyday moments from home.

Over the years, ET Speaks From Home has been recognised by several parenting and blogging communities, including:

* Top 20 UK Parent Blogs (2020)
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* Tots100 Top Mummy Vloggers (2015)
* Tots100 Top 20 Vloggers (2016)
* Shortlisted for the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging Awards (BiBs), Video Category (2014)

Thank you for stopping by and being part of our journey. I hope you’ll find inspiration, useful tips, cultural insights, and a little joy here at ET Speaks From Home. Read More…

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