Culture | Between Pakistan & Korea

Travel to Pakistan

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Pakistan has so much to offer. If you’re seeking the gateway to the Ancient World, then visit Pakistan. Pakistan was ranked in the top 25 percent of all tourist destinations just based on heritage sites, according to the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report. Pakistan has 5,000 year old city ruins to mangroves. The five top spots to visit include Lahore, Taxila, Karimabad, Lake Saiful Muluk and Taxilia. The country also has fairs, arts and craft shows, religious festivals, folk festivals, sporting events and various historical museums. Pakistan is a diverse country with a colorful history. It’s become a definite tourist hot spot for adventurers and foreign travelers alike.

The major attractions in Pakistan are ancient remnants of what once was. They are also categorized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Consider visiting the Indus Valley Civilization’s archeological ruins located in Moenjodaro. Head to the Buddhist ruins located at Takht-i-Bahi and other remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol. Check out Lahore’s Shalimar Gardens and Lahore Fort. Go to the historical monuments of the ancient city of Thatta. Head to Taxila’s ruins from the Gandhara Civilization.

Adventurers can challenge themselves at different spots, such as the Kunhar River, K2 or the mountain range surrounding around K2. Many mountaineers visit Pakistan to take a shot at climbing K2; however, the fatality rates are high. One out of four climbers dies when attempting the mountain.

Pakistan has so much to offer. From archeological ruins to adventures, there’s tons of places to go and explore. The tourism industry is the next best thing in Pakistan. With its diverse people, cultures and landscapes, Pakistan attracts curious travellers from around the world. When visiting Pakistan, make sure to seek out all of the country’s unique jewels and see things that you most likely can’t find anywhere else on the planet.

Filed Under: Culture, History, News Tagged With: Indus Valley Civilization, Lake Saiful Muluk, Pakistan, Shalimar Gardens

Visit South Korea

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So, you’ve decided that you want to visit South Korea. When’s a good time to visit, you may wonder? It actually depends what you want to do in Korea. Let’s learn more about the four seasons and what Korea has to offer during these times.

Spring
A great time of year to be in Korea is during the Spring time. This is when temperatures are warm and not smoldering hot. Keep in mind that yellow dust from China blows over South Korea making it a difficult time to breathe.

Summer
Avoid South Korea during the Summer, except if you just plan on visiting the beaches. Summer is rain season that begins in June and turns into a virtual steam bath from July to August. South Koreans have to deal with extreme humidity. Temperature can raise as high as 35 degrees Celsius.

Fall
With fall beginning in September, it’s quite possibly the best time of the year to be in the country. The humidity and temperatures are tolerable. Nice days are common and beautiful fall scenery becomes the backdrop of your vacation.

Winter
If you love to go skiing or want to visit the hot springs, then consider visiting Korea at this time. KOrea invented ondol which is known as floor heating. This actually helps melt any frozen floors outdoors. Keep in mind that January to February can be freezing cold because of the Siberian winds that blow from up north.

So, consider visiting Korea during the Fall if you’re just looking for decent weather to do moderate activities. If you’re into winter sports, you may want to visit during the winter time, but be well equipped to deal with the bone biting weather. Spring is a wonderful time of year, but you may want to stay indoors when the yellow dust blos over. Just avoid the summer, if possible.

Filed Under: Culture, History Tagged With: Asia, China, Korea, North Korea, South Korea

South Korean Nightlife

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Do you love going out at night? Then you may want to consider visiting South Korea, a country that has so much to offer, including a nice night life. You can find Western Bars in South Korea, but going to a Korean bar can be a unique experience. Visit a hof, or a typical beer place that serves beer, along with side dishes. The side dishes are customary. Many hofs now have high tech gadgets used for entertainment.

If you want to go to a night club, then visit a booking club. This is basically the Korean equivalent of a night club. The interesting custom at a booking club is the way to meet a new person is to be introduced by waiters. Booking clubs are known to be a little more expensive than hofs or normal bars, but can be a fun way of meeting new and exciting people. There is not only a cover charge, but also alcohol and side dishes that are expected to be ordered. Also, there’s other customary things that a booking club offers, such as creating a high status table by ordering expensive liquor and fruit plates. Items, like Scotch whisky, is marked up.

Locals go out to eat at Korean grillhouses throughout the city where mixing hard liquor and beer is encouraged. Bonding over food and liquor is a cultural norm in South Korea.

Karaoke is also very popular and available at places called noraebang. Larger spots also offer English, Japanese and Chinese songs.

When your in Korea, keep note of a few important etiquette points. You’re supposed to fill other people’s glasses and not your own. Keep your eye on other people’s glasses and fill them as soon as they become empty, rather than before they become empty. Also, use both hands when pouring drinks. Turn away from seniors when drinking as a sign of respect.

Filed Under: Culture, Entertainment Tagged With: Asia, Karaoke, Korea, North Korea, South Korea

Things to Do in South Korea

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Area you visiting South Korea for the first time? There are various sights that are popular to visit in South Korea. South Korea can be a beautiful and enchanting place that has so much to offer to travelers. From an exciting night life to natural parks, South Korea has various adventures for tourists to enjoy. There are numerous options on what you can do in South Korea.

Visit the beautiful Seoraksan National Park with its majestic mountain views located in Gangwon-do Inje-gun Buk-myeon. Consider Hallasan National Park at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Jeju-si Haean-dong. There are numerous historical, natural and cultural spots located in seemingly every corner of Korea.

There are the UNESCO designated sights which are composed of cultural world heritage sites, natural world heritage sites, memory of the world register and intangible cultural heritage spots. There’s also numerous historical spots that include palaces, fortresses, gates, museums, monuments, demilitarized zones and hanoks or traditional houses. If you’re interested in seeing the culture of Korea, visit folk villages, temples, holy sites and cultural districts. South Korea also has 20 national parks and various cultural highlights that include mountains, forests, botanical gardens, waterfalls, valleys, rivers and lakes and observatories. There are numerous coastal highlights, such as beaches, islands, fishing villages, ports and harbors and light houses. Natural wonders exist, including rare animals and plants, ecological tourist sites and caves.

South Korea also has themed travel, including eco-tourism, cruise tours, transit tours, walking tours, city tours, Taekwondo, temple stays and traditional cultural activities. If you want to go for a spa vacation, there’s also spots you can go for solely for beauty.

South Korea can cater to anyone’s preferences. Their traveling and tourism is very accommodating. Consider visiting to South Korea, especially if you want a diverse vacation with numerous options.

Filed Under: Culture, History, News Tagged With: Korea, North Korea, South Korea, Taekwondo, UNESCO

See the Seasons

Weather of any nation states its atmospheric condition. Such as dry, hot, windy cold, cloudy etc. It generally relates to the day to day temperatures of a state, or a city.
Korean weather is sub divided into 4 main types. It has continental type of climate in regards with temperature. The middle of the year in Korea experiences summer and monsoon characterised by hot and humid climatic conditions. Whereas the months from November to march experience cold season experiencing snow falls, chill, and snow games. An island named Jeju in south of the country is the wettest and warmest of all places in the country. The months of September to November are marked by autumn. It is also the best time to visit Korea because of the not so hot and not so cold weather. Spring comes in April till May is termed as the most beautiful of all other seasons for the reason that of its beautiful cherry blossoms.
Weather in Pakistan also, is characterised by great fluctuations because of its topography. This is one of the reasons that it plays a significant role in worldâ€™s weather analysis. The seasons in Pakistan are well dispersed. Starting from March, till April comes the spring season. From May to September, it has summer season. The months are dry, hot, and lazy. After these hot and dry months, autumn starts and continues till November, making the country more pleasant to survive in. The last season is the winter season marked by chilly air and fog. The temperature in the nation varies largely in these four seasons. Rains occur mainly in the months of July, August and September.
Due to the global warming, seasonal cycle all over the world has gone over a change and now they vary year to year and temperature to temperature.

Filed Under: Culture, Weather Tagged With: Climate, Korea, Pakistan, Temperature, Weather

An unexplored Area

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Pakistan is an unusual curiosity destination. The chief attractions being adventure, edifying plus archaeological tourism of Harrappa, Moenjodaro, Muslim as well as Mughal heritage. The creation of Karakoram Highway has given an opportunity to countryâ€™s international tourists to discover the untouched beauty of the nation.
Pakistan has beautiful glaciers and mountains. Valleys of Hunza, Gigot, and Skardu have snow dressed peaks. Travelers experience an memorable experience once they visit the country. The countryâ€™s major attraction is that from the 8000 peaks of the world, 14 lie in the region. These include peaks like K2, Broad Peak, Istoro Nal and many more. Not only peaks, Pakistan are also home to many glaciers like Siachen, Baltoro, Trich, etc.
It is a terrain of high exploration and scenery. Trekking, white river-rafting, jeep safaris, mountaineering, yak and camel safaris, wild boar hunting trout fishing, are some of the activities that attract tourists towards it. The country also has a rich flora with fauna. Worldâ€™s smallest mammal, the Mediterranean Pigmy shrew and the largest mammal, the blue whale, both are part of this rich flora and fauna.
Korea also offers a wide variety of rare plants and animals to the tourists. There are beaches, beautiful light houses, islands, mountains, valleys, waterfalls, lakes and observatories that offer a wide and unexplored experience to the people. There are around 20 national parks in the nation. Many holy sites, temples and districts are also there that represent the rich cultural heritage of the nation. Museums and palaces talk about the countryâ€™s rich past.
Among the national parks, two most famous parks are Hallasan National Park and Seoraksan National Park. Any countryâ€™s richness is depicted a lot by its heritage, people, traditions and culture. Both Pakistan and Korea excel in these regions in their own way and provide tourists a complete new experience.

Filed Under: Culture, News Tagged With: Broad Peak, Karakoram Highway, Pakistan, Skardu

Destination Pakistan and Korea

Neighbouring countries of Pakistan can come by road to Pakistan. Indians can come by the bus service between India and Pakistan namely samjhota express, Iranis can travel by Ttaftan-Zahidan and even Chinese can travel to Pakistan by road. Pakistan and the respective nations run buses between them which run at predetermined time. Anyone interested has to purchase a ticket for the same to travel via them. Pakistan also offers air travel to its tourists. There are around 25 airlines that fly to Pakistan from various nations across the world. Most of these airlines fly to Lahore, but there are some airlines that land at Islamabad. Further a bus or a local train can be taken to reach the required destinations. Pakistan does not have any sea routes for its tourists therefore land and air are the only mediums via which tourists can enter Pakistan.
Except from some specified nations all tourists require a visa to enter the nation. The visa is given for 30 days at the entry points. These are free of cost and would be given only when the tourist is found to be genuine. This facility is not offered to some nationals like Indians, Sri-lankans, etc.
In Korea also, obtaining a visa is a must to enter the nation. Here the visa has to be obtained before the arrival to Korea, from the Korean embassy in the respected nations. This visa is not required to be applied for by 99 countries whose names are listed in the travel site of the country.
Korea offers a variety of modes of transportation to be travelled to the country. There are 7 international airports in South Korea. They offer various destination flights to other countries. Travelling by train between north and South Korea is not on the cards yet but to some places they offer good rail link. By car, boat and bus are the other modes of transportation to Korea.

Filed Under: Culture, History, News Tagged With: Islamabad, Korea, Lahore, Pakistan

Government Structure

Pakistani government follows a parliamentary structure of government. In such a structure the prime minister is the government head and controls all activities of the nation and the president is the head of the state. The Pakistani parliament has two houses wherein the upper house is called the senate and the lower house is referred to as the Pakistan National Assembly (PNA).
The Supreme Court is the main judiciary body of the government and each province has a high court in it. These high courts handle criminal and civil matters.
The government of South Korea is divided into three broad categories. The national level branches are executive and judicial branches. Some of the functions at local levels are also handled by the executive category. The third category, which is the judicial branch, operates at both local and at national levels. The structure of the South Korean government is formed under the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. This is a document that has been revised many times since its first broadcast in 1948. Although, it has reserved many broad attributes, South Korean government has always followed a presidential government system. The judges of the courts are jointly appointed by legislative and executive branches of the nation.
Unlike South Korea, North Korea is a self-reliant country. Its only president was Kim Il-sung. After his death in 1994, his son, Kim Jong-il did not take over his position. Instead, he was elected as the Eternal President of the country. He is also the chairman of the national defence commission of the country. The legislative structure of the nation is called the supreme people’s assembly. Its structure is defined in its constitution. It has a single party system wherein the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, is the main governing body of the nation.

Filed Under: Culture, Entertainment Tagged With: Government of South Korea, Kim Jong-il, North Korea, South Korea

History of Currency

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The currency of North Korea and South Korea is called as won. One won is further divided into 100 Jeon. Although Jeon is not used anymore, it appears in the foreign exchange rates. The present value of one South Korean won is equal to 0.114364 North Korean won.Earlier, 15 South Korean won equalled to one us dollar, but due to continuous devaluation the value has fallen.
The Korean banknotes in 2006 were being forged. This led the government to issue new banknotes with a complete new design. Firstly 5000 won notes were redesigned followed by 1000 and 10000 won notes. In order to maintain security, the new banknotes featured minimum 10 security features. There are 21 features in the 10000 won notes and 17 features in 5000 notes. The security features included were holograms, watermarks, security threads etc. bank of Korea is the institution of south Korea that as a right to mint coins and print banknotes.
North Koreaâ€™s currency is North Korean won. It is issued under the central bank of democratic peopleâ€™s republic of Korea. The North Korean won is divided into chon. Today one won stands at 0.7 us cent. Inflation has eroded the value of won further that both North Korean won and south Korean won have nearly the same value when compared to the us dollar.The north Korean won also went under redesigning and new notes were published in 2009.
The currency of Pakistan is the rupee issuance of which is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan. The rupee is referred to as the “rupaya”,”rupees”, or “rupaye”. The Pakistan government also issued special banknotes for its pilgrims to Saudi Arabia whose issuance discontinued in 1978.These notes are called as â€™hajj notesâ€™. Pakistanâ€™s currency has improved in the 20th century inspite of its relations with other nations. Recently the value has improved due to injections from world bank, ADB, etc. currently, 85.84 Pakistani rupee equals one US Dollar.

Filed Under: Culture, International Affairs Tagged With: Korea, North Korea, South Korea, State Bank of Pakistan

ENRICHED CULTURE

Culture has numerous meanings of itself. It has arrived from the Latin word cultura which means to cultivate. It generally comprises of ideational, intangible and symbolic characteristics of different human societies around the world. It also includes common human pattern of interactions and behavior, emotional understanding, experiences, and trust on each other that is built through a learning process of socialization. These kinds of patterns classify and distinguish one group or culture from the other one.
The culture of Pakistan has a very diverse and detailed culture. It has its influence from the cultures of its surrounding countries namely the cultures of Indians, Afghans, Persians, Turkish and also middle and central Asia. It has also been influenced from many different communities such as the Arabs, Greeks, Mongols, Aryans, Greeks and Eurasians.
It has the influence of culture way back from 2800 BC. It is an Islamic nation and more than 90% of the population living are Muslims. Their architecture and food are the highlights presenting the glimpse of their rich culture. One can easily notice the variety and differences in different ethnic groups in aspects like food, religion, dress and even the customs and practices.
Thus Pakistan’s culture is quite fascinating and gives a glance of its rich and diverse heritage and culture.
The culture of Korea is one of the oldest cultures and is 5000 years old. It has grown with various events and traditions that influenced the culture. Primitive tribes and Mongolians inhabited Korea first. Korean culture is represented through their music, dance, art, paintings and different crafts style. Their culture possesses numerous distinctive characteristics and has their own exclusive style. They deeply and emotionally feel about the nature and respect it thoroughly. Their always value their ancestors and their customs and culture. Korean culture has a great influence on their homes, cuisine, dresses and even the festivals as they have a distinctive style.

Filed Under: Culture, Entertainment Tagged With: Central Asia, Culture of Korea, Greeks, Mongols