travel through my stomach: Story of My Life - World Expo in Yeosu, Korea

The annual world expo is a place for the gathering of all parts of the world to display their culture and educate. This year's expo was held in Korea, Yeosu to be specific which is down south. Bummed out that I missed the Shanghai expo and being that I am I'm Korea, I made countless numbers of attempt to visit the expo and it has finally happened! I am a bit bummed that it happened on the second to last week that the expo is ending because I would love to go back. For those who are in Korea and haven't visited the expo yet, I highly suggest going. There was a bunch of mixed reviews about the expo but because there is so much to see, it is practically a once in a lifetime event, making the long waits worth it.

This year's theme is the world, the sea, and the future of our ocean. The showcase involves the importance of the ocean to each country, their problem, and the plan for a better future. Many countries have exhibited wonderful presentations and was even able to incorporate their culture and various goods. The best part for me would be the shopping and cultural eats. Although some items are overpriced, you can still find many goodies without breaking your wallet.

The one problem is that many goods are starting to sell out because they were that much of a hot seller. On a good note, because the expo is ending soon, many items are being sold for a discounted price. In regards to food, a few recommendations for food is Tapa's Bar for delicious Spanish food. Everything was spot on, except for the flan because it was topped with chocolate syrup. I definitely recommend the arroz negro seafood paella though! For those of you who are bold enough, go for Australia's kangaroo meat. Singapore also has a delicious cheng tea that is a sweet dessert. They also specialize in a handful of finger foods which include a sweet Kaya toast. Because it is extremely hot out, a frozen mango is the best snack. This mango will literally melt in your mouth and it is indeed the whole mango fruit!

In regards to the expo, because there is so much to see and so easy to lose count, there is a passport book you can pick up and stamp for each location you visit. I suggest just bringing a travel book if you have and go crazy with the stamps. There are just so many highlights of the expo that it is just too much to list. A few recommendations to make is definitely visit Korea's pavilion because you are in Korea! Others include USA, China, Thailand, Russia, Spain, and Japan.

For those of you who cannot make it, I did record a few of the pavilions. Quality is not great, and it is not the whole part, but it should be enough to satisfy the curiosities :)

There is a huge outdoor area away from the cultural perimeters which is the big company pavilions. I am a bit bummed that I did not have the time to visit these pavilions because I am sure there is great things to see. This is another reason why one or two days just might not be enough for the expo so try to plan accordingly! Luckily for myself, the longest line I stood on was for a little less than an hour, I know many who stood on line for two hours. Once again, thank you to all the connections and generous people who allowed me to slip past the lines!

The last thing I want like to touch on is the night events. The two major event is the Big O show which is a water and light spectacular. With just three showings, it is recommended to watch this by the water instead of the main stage because lack of seats. You can clearly see and hear everything that is going on and the best thing is the free K-pop concert that occurs every night at 9. With different performers each night, I am sad I missed a few great performances, but I am excited to share with you the extreme fan fever and the proximity between the stage and me. I have to say it was a good experience and it felt good to be a groupie until we cleared out!

Nonetheless, there is just too many wonderful things to say about the World Expo in Korea. I suggest everyone to take a visit and try to spend as much time as possible there. Although some shows start to become a repeat, it is still worth the visit. A tip to the foreigners is to purchase your tickets at the door because you will get a discount price of $10, maybe even less now that the event is coming to and end. It was only $3 at one point, but that promotion is long over.

I'm definitely glad that I went and wish I was able to share this experience with my friends and family, but this is the best I can do! Please remember to help and preserve our water, save the animals, decrease the litter and give a day of your month to volunteer to make OUR world a better place!