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Destination Dubai 1

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Posted on 5/18/11

I went to Dubai due to a business trip last week. I've been in Dubai Airport before but this I had a chance to look around the city. What are my impressions?... Let's start...


Since arriving at the airport, magnificent architecture welcomes us with an Arabic vanity. Dubai Airport is major aviation hub in Middle East region. They are still expanding their terminals. It has free wireless that makes people happy=)


Everything is new and very structured in the city. As it's impossible to walk outside during day or night time, people spend most of their times in great shopping malls or anywhere has air-conditioning. Taxis are relatively cheap.


I visited The Dubai Mall which is the downstairs of Burj Khalifa and Mall of Emirates. It is not different or cheaper than the shopping malls in Turkey or anywhere except very interesting section in Mall of Emirates. They built a "Mountain" inside of the shopping mall with charlifts etc. called Ski Dubai with its -4C degrees temperature.

The power of the money is trying to force the limits of architecture with creating projects such as 7 Stars Hotel(It's technically not 7 starts, anyway), the highest building in the world, artificial islands, building a Ski center on a desert.

Dubai reminded me people who are proud of the big projects is being done in Istanbul such as Sapphire, Kanyon etc. This projects don't make Turkey, more developed country as we suppose. I had the feeling of we are trying to look like more Middle Eastern countries such as UAE, Qatar etc.

If you like luxury, modern architecture or shopping malls Dubai could be interesting but I wouldn't be sorry if I didn't visit it.

I will publish a couple more posts about my experiences there...



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Destination South Korea

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Posted on 7/9/10


It hasn't been a long time after I wrote about North Korea and I had a chance to see South Korea while I was coming to Turkey on the way.
My flight with Korean Air stopped over South Korea and Korean Air provides 1 night accommodation in a hotel. It was the biggest incentive to choice Korean Air with the cheapest fare option among all airlines that fly to Turkey from New Zealand.


Korean Air is not the best airlines for long distance flights. At least both planes (Auckland - Seoul), (Seoul - Istanbul) that I took didn't have a screen in every seat that allows you watch movies or play games. Fortunately I bought an iPod just before I left Wellington from Cash Converter for NZD 120$ and I had something to entertain myself. Good shoot ha = ) Korean Air Cabin Crew is extremely helpful and nice. Food is ok.

After we landed in Seoul, I got my hotel voucher and meal vouchers from Korean Air information desk and headed to Hyatt Regency Incheon. I felt that I was in Asia when I went out the airport. I could feel the mixed of humidity, warm weather and smoking smell.


Incheon Airport is almost 1.5 hours away from Seoul city center. So, that's why the hotel was just 5 minutes away from airport but 1.5 hours far from Seoul city centre but anyway I wanted to go to Seoul city center to see around. I was in S.Korea first time and didn't want to miss this chance. However after I talked to lady in the reception I found out that cabs are the only way to get to the city center and takes about USD100$ one way. For this reason Korean Air tours was the only chance to visit the city center.

There were a couple of options to visit in Incheon city, Seoul city tour options takes at least 5 hours and I didn't have enough time. I wanted to take the Incheon downtown tour. However other attendees want to take the tour to a temple. So, it was the only chance and I said ok.

We passed through the 5th longest bridge in the world according to our tour guide. Even though it's the 5th longest bridge according to them it says 19th in Wikipedia. They should have different standards. Anyway tour takes almost 1.5 hour and coasts USD10$.


Impressions About South Korea
  • Korean people are very respectful and nice. Especially in the hotel when you add Korean hospitality to Hyatt Regency hospitality there were quite funny moments. Whenever I made an eye contact with any hotel stuff staff they were bowing till the ground. So, I was trying to not make any eye contact with anyone
  • The Hotel was very nice and all the stuff staff speak English well. We can't say it the same for the rest of Korea but everyone is nice and helpful even if they don't speak English.
  • It takes almost 20 minutes to drive on Incheon Bridge.
  • Maybe more than 70% of cars are Hyundai and Kia
  • Incheon Airport is very nice. It looks like the bigger version of Istanbul Ataturk Airport.
  • Korean Duty Free shop is cheaper than Istanbul. I bought a Tequila for USD20$ and Marlboro for USD18.$
  • According to our tour guide 1/4 of people are Buddhist, 1/4 are Christian and rest is atheist.
  • Incheon city looks like a huge construction area as its keep growing. Incheon Airport was opened in 2005 and the city is the 2nd biggest city in the country now.
  • If you stop over in Incheon Airport don't attend to the Temple 2 tour. There is basically nothing =)



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Destination North Korea

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Posted on 5/31/10


North Korea is one of the most interesting place in earth for lot’s of people as nobody knows what is in. The last Stalinist country is very mysterious place. While I was researching about it I had feeling to read George Orwel’s 1984′s again.

Korea was divided into Soviet and American occupied zones in 1945, following the end of World War II. Even though North and South Korea speak same language they have very different management style and lives in their countries. Regardless South Korea is 15th biggest economy North Korea economy is completely nationalized. North Korea led by dictator Jong-il since the 1994 death of his father, founding leader Kim Il-sung.

Some facts about North Korea

North Korea is one of the 5 states that managed by communist parties beside China, Cuba, Vietnam and Laos.
Full name is Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea(DPRK). DPRK is a democratic republic and “Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland” was voted 99,98% in last elections.
North Korean citizens can not freely travel around the country or go abroad.The only way to go abroad is escape from country.
Ordinary citizens do not have private telephone lines and internet connection. The only way to get information is watching the only TV channel that own by government.
Economy is completely nationalized, which means that food rations, housing, healthcare, and education is offered from the state for free. The payment of taxes has been abolished since 1974 but 3 million people die hunger related illness between 1995-1998
Military gets over a third of the state budget.
20% of men aged 17–54 in the regular armed forces
It’s almost impossible to obtain a visa for US, Japan and S.Korea citizen.
North Korea claims to have an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and possess nuclear weapons. North Korea also conduct uranium enrichment program.
World larges stadium is “Rungrado May Day Stadium” in the capital city Pyongyang with 150.000 seats capacity used for “Mass Gymnastic Arirang”
Almost all the statistics and informations are top secret in case enemy powers can capture these informations
According to “Official Webpage of DPRK” Korean Friendship Association and International Korean Business Centre are organizing tours in the certain times of the year.

Forexample Korean Friendship Association (KFA) organizes a trip to the DPR of Korea (North Korea) from 7th October to 16th October 2010 on the special occasion of the Anniversary of the Worker’s Party of Korea where special activities will be on display, including Mass Gymnastics show ARIRANG with more than 100.000 performers. All passports are invited to apply except Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Japan due to special protocol in bilateral relations.

The number of visitors is limited to 2o person each tour and price is 1850€ for KFA Card holder that coast 50€. Price include 1 night in a 3 stars hotel in Beijing, 9 nights in a 3 stars hotel in North Korea. It also include North Korea tour with a guide. (As we can’t travel by ourselves in the state following guide is mandatory)

It looks very attractive tour. I want to discover North Korea so bad. Who want to join?

You can watch the video about North Korea here







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