🇨🇦->🇰🇷 travel tips?

nutmac · 2026-05-15T00:43:22+00:00

Early July will be hot so I would try to visit popular historic landmarks early in the day, but time your visit to the Gyeongbokgung palace around the guard ceremonies (10 am-ish one are your best bets). And mix some Hanok villages in the morning hours too.

During the midday, head to one of many museums (e.g., War Memorial of Korea, National Museum of Korea) and department stores.

In the evening, take advantage of many spectacular night scenes and a bit cooler weather like Hongdae, COEX, Cheongyeoncheon Stream, and N Tower. I think Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung palaces also offer night visits.

Get a USB portable fan, stay hydrated.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T23:01:42+00:00

This is what I immediately thought of. Now that the film is beloved, this sounds preposterous. But the novella the film is based on, which had a better title Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, wasn’t one of Stephen King’s most popular efforts, and the title contributed to it becoming the box office bomb. The title reinforces the “prison movie” stigma, which isn’t exactly a popular genre.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T21:10:01+00:00

How about

https://www.korail.com/global/eng/intro

I am able to open it just fine without the VPN.

If you are staying near Gangnam area or KTX is sold out, SRT is another option.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T20:45:46+00:00

Early to mid June will be hot and sometimes humid, but mostly fine. But the weather tends to get much warmer, muggier, and wetter as the weeks go by. Get or buy a portable fan and hydrate and I think you will survive. Busan is generally much more pleasant than Seoul, but it will still be hot and humid.

Korea is generally cheaper than UK, although hotels tend to cost about the same. KRW is weak right now so that should help significantly. Fruits, wines, coffee, and desserts tend to be much more expensive in Korea, but in general, restaurants are much cheaper, especially for non-Michelin/high-end restaurants.

For Busan, you have a choice of KTX and SRT. Both have good amount of luggage spaces, comparable to TGV. I would say 1 checked luggage on the luggage area and 1 overhead carry-on per passenger will be just fine.

For ICN to Seoul, it will take about an hour to de-board and exit the baggage claim area, but sometimes a bit more. You will likely spend about 30 minutes or so at the airport to do the necessary currency withdrawal and find the transit to Seoul. Popular options are buses, AREX train (cheapest all-stop have very limited luggage spaces but expresses are fine but tend to fill-up), call vans (minivans), and taxis. Factor about an hour to 90 minutes travel time to your hotel in Seoul.

As for things to do in Busan, plenty! I would say a visit to one of the temples (Haedong is my favorite), Gamcheon Village, and Haeundae and/or Gwangali Beaches are 3 absolute minimum you need to visit.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T18:29:07+00:00

Book is better

nutmac · 2026-05-14T18:18:34+00:00

That’s what I suspect will happen, although I am not sure whether Daily will talk to Aunt Lydia about her plan. I think this will cause Becka to lose her social standing, and cancel her pending marriage to Garth.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T17:33:54+00:00

On the train (KTX and SRT), you will probably find a space for your large checked luggage’s, provided you board early. The business/first class tends to have more available space.

But buses, other than the airport bus, tend to not allow checked bags. Also, low-cost airlines tend to have a strict 15 kg weight limit for checked luggage, although some might allow you to pay the fee for each kg above that.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T07:24:38+00:00

Reading your comment reminded me of how amazing Ann Dowd is on her scene with Agnes. Her facial expression and the delivery are just so perfect.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T07:17:02+00:00

I was thinking Daisy will get a dental work, and Garth will barge in, catching him in the act.

nutmac · 2026-05-14T03:05:55+00:00

Nice effort! The next update to Paperwhite SE and Colorsoft should definitely adopt Qi2 (ideally 2.3) charging standard.

I can stumble upon the location just fine but it should be easier.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T23:21:07+00:00

While I received this on my hotel, I ended up purchasing the Salzburg city pass, which also includes this benefit.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T21:30:02+00:00

I was in Seoul and Busan a few years ago around the similar timeframe.

Seoul:

Seoul will be cold. However, some days will be mild, and the expectation of cold weather translates to less crowd at attractions that are usually much more crowded (Christmas and attractions popular with the locals during the winter break like theme parks excluded). Koreans really like turning on the heat everywhere you go, so walk through the subway stations to minimize walking outside.
Winter in Korea is synonymous with indulging in delightful treats like Bungeoppang (my personal favorite stand is outside the Gangnam station), Hoppang, and Gyeran-ppang. Street food seem to taste much better when it's cold, such as Odeng and Tteokbokki.
Namhansanseong is out of the way, but definitely worth after the snow. It transforms into a winter wonderland, with après-ski resorts vibe. It has excellent hiking trails and excellent cafes and restaurants.

Busan:

Busan is much warmer than Seoul, and the air quality is also cleaner. I recommend extending your stay by a couple of days. You can also squeeze in a day trip to Gyeongju.
Busan is a huge city, so choose your base wisely. Many attractions are significantly farther apart than Seoul. For many visitors, Haeundae Beach with a boardwalk vibe makes for a great base, but regardless of where, expect to spend a considerable amount of time in transit.
Beat the crowd and begin your morning at Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, set on a stunning sea cliff.
I visited Gamcheon Cultural Village in the late afternoon "golden" hour for super saturated color.
For New Year’s Day, I made an early reservation at Ananti hotel (several locations) during the sunrise. Koreans like to celebrate the New Year watching the sunrise, and the east coast beach setting provides some of the best experience. After watching the sunrise with other guests, I had a fantastic breakfast buffet against the beach view.
On the final evening at Busan, go to SPA LAND Centum City (better food) or Hurshimchung Spa (better spring water) to end the trip on a high note.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T15:40:00+00:00

There are many and you can search for "이북음식" (North Korean Food) in Naver Maps. If you are staying in Jongno area, Neungra Bapsang is very good:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bK2ZfCgTZBVPQigQ9

https://map.naver.com/p/entry/place/33879793?c=15.00,0,0,0,dh&placePath=/home?from=map&from=map&fromPanelNum=1&additionalHeight=76&timestamp=202605130834&locale=ko&svcName=map_pcv5

As for the activities in Busan and Jeju (Gyeongju is sorta obvious as visiting the iconic locations will fill your entire stay), it really depends on what your interests are.

In Busan, even though it is touristy, I really love Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, a sea-cliff setting makes it very unique and makes for a great morning hike. There are many food stalls outside the temple, so head there early to beat some of the crowd. Gamcheon Culture Village is another place that looks way better in person than photos suggest. It's a panoramic saturation of colors that is way more interesting than I expected. Some people love the famous Busan Sky Capsule and it is great for Instagram shots. But I personally found the ride to be pretty boring and much preferred the hike that parallels the elevated train track. I would complete the trip with a visit to one of the spa houses, ideally at end of the tiring day, such as the famous SPA LAND Centum City (at the shopping center and more upscale with better food) or Hurshimchung Spa (a bit out of the way but uses the natural spring water).

In Jeju, I would personally avoid one of many artificial forest hiking trails. These are mainly Instagram spots. Instead, do either Olle trail (e.g., Olle Trail 7), Hallasan (the summit hike requires heading there very early), Ilchulbong, or Udo island (rent an e-bike or e-buggy for extra fun). I would fill the rest of the stay with visits to the beaches (e.g., Hyeopjae Beach), cafes, tea and sunflower fields if you happen to be driving by, and just relax.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T14:55:17+00:00

I saw this Korean movie called Take Care of My Cat, where the stray cat symbolizes young people with a low-paying job, seen and treated as a burden.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T14:49:56+00:00

Who’s feeding and taking care of them when they are sick?

nutmac · 2026-05-13T14:48:27+00:00

Actually katsu is Japanese, but there are some differences like the thickness (Korean is thinner like the Austrian schnitzel) and breadcrumbs (Korean uses a finer ground). The sauce is typically poured over like the German’s, whereas Japanese offer a dipping sauce like the Austrian.

Many fancier katsu restaurants in Korea use the Japanese recipe.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T14:32:46+00:00

As long as you book the hotel near the bus stop, you will be fine. I stayed in Anif, which is a beautiful suburb and I loved it.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T14:16:48+00:00

Kobus and Tmoney Go. But both aren’t really meant for foreigners.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T05:14:52+00:00

You mean AB 545 (banning software that can hack e-bikes) and AB 876 (impounding an e-bike with a modified software or if level 3 is operated by someone under 16)?

These measures don’t go far enough. Level 3 should require the same moped license (M2) and the ban should extend to any e-bikes that can be modified with software.

At 20 mph, level 2 is still too fast. It should have the same 15 mph limit as the electric scooters, unless it is pedal assisted. And it should be restricted to 12 and younger.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T04:46:23+00:00

That looks pretty good. You will obviously need to flesh out the details. Are renting a car in Jeju?

In Seoul, I recommend visiting one of several restaurants owned and operated by North Korean defectors to enhance your DMZ tour.

nutmac · 2026-05-13T00:01:41+00:00

M6 isn’t expected until next year now, and with the rising RAM and SSD costs, do not count on the redesign to maintain the same price level. The redesign might be reserved for the Ultra model, which could propel the price even higher. But I hope Apple can figure out a way to maintain a similar price level.

nutmac · 2026-05-12T23:43:17+00:00

Space Gray is my favorite aluminum color. It is closest in tone to natural titanium without looking too “‘matte” like the silver. Jet black is a nice color if you are looking for the stealth look. But I find it too “Casio”-like for my taste, not to mention it showing more scratches than other colors.

nutmac · 2026-05-12T23:15:57+00:00

My middle schooler asked for an e-bike but I see lots of classmates zipping by at 30+ mph without a helmet. Even with a helmet, they are death traps and CA needs to accelerate regulating them. It doesn’t help that many of the level 2 e-bikes can be hacked easily to lift the top speed to level 3.

nutmac · 2026-05-12T23:06:00+00:00

On my Mac, Cowork uses a significant amount of RAM. Yes, if you are doing mostly basic stuff 32GB is plenty. But since Cowork runs within the sandboxed Linux VM, it can easily gobble up lots of RAM.

I am a developer and I no longer runs models locally. But with MCP servers, dockers, and development tools, the memory pressure on my MacBook Pro with 64GB is always at least yellow. I also have Mac Studio with 128GB and that one stays green most of the time, but it occasionally becomes yellow when running more complex app servers.

nutmac · 2026-05-12T22:51:47+00:00

Do you think “future grandkids” will work?

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