Sushi Bar, Lane Cove

I've been craving sushi since arriving in Sydney, and was finally free today to try Sushi Bar in Lane Cove. I wasn't expecting the best sushi in Sydney, but it was easy to get there for a quick lunch break, and I liked the understated look of the place, with just three tables alongside a sushi bar. I overheard the waitress tell the people at the next table that she was Korean; quite a few Japanese eateries in the region are Korean-run.

The medium sushi set (A$15, or £8) satisfied my cravings, though some of the fish was somehow a little bland, with the exception of the kingfish; and the mini-rolls were lovely. My friend's chilli pork with rice, salad and miso soup (A$12, or £6.50) left him still hungry, though happily he was able to buy a bottle of Cooper's Sparkling Ale from the bottle shop and drink it with the food, thanks to the BYO system. For me, perhaps the star of the show was a deliciously refreshing, slightly spicy seaweed salad for just A$3.50.

Our Korean waitress said they're thinking of trying to offer a few Korean dishes in the future... For now they offer a range of sushi, sashimi, gyoza, tempura, teriyaki etc, Monday to Saturday 11.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.
154 Longueville Road, Lane Cove

Dukbaegi - bibimbap in the 'burbs of Sydney, Australia

Chatswood wouldn't normally be my kind of place: a shopping centre in Sydney's suburbs. The mission was to buy clothes, my friend having recently returned from the wilderness and needing city garb. My reason for tagging along was purely gastronomic: a quick internet search showed half a dozen Korean restaurants.

On Victoria Avenue, you're surrounded by Asian eateries: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Malaysian. The streets smelled tantalizing. We chose at random, the second Korean place we came to: Dukbaegi, near the Westfield mall, between the railway station and Archer Street. I liked the funky soft benches.

The menu was simple, mostly Korean but with Chinese dishes too: Bibimbap, BBQ Hot Pot Rice, BBQ Noodle, Kalguksu (wheat noodles in soup) and a handful of other soups and hot pots, each available with a choice of meats or seafood or vegetarian, served with a couple of side dishes for a very reasonable A$12-A$15 (£7-8).

The food was excellent. As my friends know, I can never resist ordering bibimbap if I haven't had one for a while. I wasn't disappointed: mushrooms, beansprouts, greens and carrot - all prepared well to bring out their flavour; egg and rice freshly cooked and sprinkled with sesame seeds; and a hot sauce that was just spicy enough. My friend was happy that the portions were generous.

My quibbles with the place? We weren't able to order extra side dishes. We couldn't communicate very well with the waitress. And the toilet facilities were non-existent, the nearest being a public one somewhere across the street, near the library... But the food was great, and a bargain - we'd definitely go back.

366 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, 2067 (between the railway station and Archer Street, near Westfield mall). NB: According to other accounts, the place gets busy at peak times; we got served quickly mid-afternoon.

Free Transit Tours When You Fly With Korean & Asiana Airlines

Incheon International Airport is offering FREE transit tours for clients booked on Korean Air & Asiana Airlines and transiting through Incheon International Airport, Seoul - opportunities to catch a glimpse of Korean culture and to take away some great memories! Whether you're transiting for less than 2 hours or have more than 5 hours to wait, you can choose from exciting tour options, from temple tours to visiting Korea's dynamic capital both night and day... Tours include modern coaches with experienced guides and there is even the option to explore alone if you inform the tour guide. For further information please contact:                 Mr. Ramy Salameh Email: london@gokorea.co.uk

Temple in Ganghwado

We approach the temple through a glade of bamboo and pine, with little piles of rocks at the side of the path which represent Buddhist pagodas, a throwback to shamanistic times when people prayed to rocks and trees. 

The temple courtyard is bathed in sunlight. From the wooden pavilions comes the sound of a monk chanting slowly, the tocking of a wooden bell. The main hall was built in 1621, though the existence of a temple here dates back much further. So many temple buildings were burned down during invasions and have been rebuilt over and over. The great bell has survived longer, from 1097.

What I find breathtakingly beautiful, though, is the carving and painting of the wood just below the heavy roof tiles; the dragons and phoenix and lotus blossoms. 

Yuri points out the delightful wooden figure of an unfortunate naked woman crouching, holding up the roof. The story? The architect’s lover ran away during the years he was working on the building, so in revenge and as a warning against unfaithfulness, he consigned this figure of her to hold up the building for eternity.

Get Gangnam Style - Win a Trip to Korea

Follow In The Footsteps Of 'Gangnam Style' With KTO, BA & Travel Channel Competition
06 Dec 12

Travel channel is giving you the chance to win a luxury city-break to Korea's capital Seoul, courtesy of the Korea Tourism Organization and British Airways.

In celebration of British Airways' new six times a week service to Seoul which started on December 2, 2012 and a brand new 'Gangnam' Tour inspired by PSY's phenomenally popular song 'Gangnam Style', we are delighted to introduce one lucky winner to one of Asia's hottest capitals. The world has gone 'Gangnam Style' crazy and we would like to show one lucky winner and their partner the 'Gangnam District'.

Gangnam is a district which literally means 'South of the river' and is a young, trendy and affluent area where visitors are more than likely to spot a celebrity.  

To win a five-night B & B stay for two at one of Seoul's top 4* hotels plus the 'Gangnam Tour', including flights with British Airways, just visit www.travelchannel.co.uk and answer this question:

Which one of these is the national sport of Korea and a global martial art?
A) Judo
B) Taekwondo
C) Karate

The prize is valid between January 1 and June 30, 2013 only and travel must be booked and completed within this period.

For full terms & conditions, and how to enter the competition, log on to travelchannel.co.uk/competitions

Competition opens Saturday December 1, 2012 and closes midnight Monday December 31, 2012.

With apologies for a year's silence...

Hi there,
I've just finished reading Meeting Mr Kim by Jennifer Barclay and wanted to say how much I LOVED the book and want to go to South Korea one day... Books like these keep me inspired and keep my travel dreams alive. I learnt so much from her book and have some lovely quotes to keepsafe.

Thank you Mary for this heart-warming message, which reminded me that I haven't written much about Korea lately. A few days later, I heard that the episode of Grand Designs where Meeting Mr Kim is sitting face out on the window ledge as the camera pans out was shown again on Channel 4. I promise I had nothing to do with it... But the house featured is rather Zen, so maybe they liked the Buddha on the cover.

Oh, and another good thing happened. Jacob Lotinga, who writes books about climbing mountains in China and Korea, wrote to say he's been dipping into my book again, and 'enjoying your coverage of Mount Songni and Beopjusa Temple, and also relishing your reflections on exploring another culture and seeking authenticity in one's experience of life'. What a lovely way of putting it. He's working on an exciting new book about Korean nature and culture, so stay tuned.

With all this happening, I decided it was time to revive my Korea blog and post things here from time to time, even though I am no longer running the 'CoolstuffKorea' web presence with the Korea Tourism Organization. I wish I'd been running it when Gangnam Style came out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0 Love it. Makes me want to go back to Seoul...

I'm now living in Greece and have been focusing on getting my book about Greece finished. A woman I met in Rhodes a few days ago asked me about South Korea, and I said it was a bit like Greece really: lots of islands and coastline and mountains, a strong maritime culture, ancient roots and traditional culture and cuisine, and an amazingly welcoming, hospitable people.

Well, at least when I go back to London at Christmas I can have a Korean meal or two!

Kpop band JYJ starts European tour

Korean pop band JYJ is coming to Europe. First date of the tour is in Barcelona on 29 October, the second is on November 6th in Berlin.

Their previous tours in Asia and North America have been hugely successful. Junsu, Jejung and Yuchun, former members of TVXQ, formed JYJ in 2010, and in one year they managed to reach the highest positions of the Asian charts with their English-language global debut album "The Beginning", featuring the worldwide famous rapper Kanye West. Their new album was released on September 23rd this year.

For further information, video teasers and pictures, go to: http://www.openmusicinternational.com/eng/