Long time ago, we always have ginseng capsules, pasalubong of our Korean counterpart. Everytime they would come for a visit, they always gave my brother and Edmund a box or two of red ginseng capsules. When the business transaction stopped, our supply naturally stopped.
When one time I thought of buying a box, I discovered how expensive an authentic 6 year old ginseng was. I never attempted to buy again.
December 27, 2014
Our full day Seoul city tour included a visit to a ginseng center. The tour leaflet stated that it’s mandatory to join or else there’s a penalty of US$100 per person although we’re not required to make a purchase.
Aware of the expensive price of a real and authentic mature ginseng root, I went to the ginseng center with the tour group with absolutely no interest at all to make any purchase. And aside from that, I counted my pocket money and promised myself that I would limit my spending to what I already exchanged to won —US$300
There was a short introduction and background history of ginseng. Pero alam ko naman na ang ending eh bebentahan lang kami.
Edmund and I stayed at the back. My children were in front, curious about this thing. I made the mistake of moving closer to them. My daughter was inquiring about the products. We were also given free taste of the ginseng tea with honey.
Eto, nabentahan ako. Na sales talk ako when she said anti cancer, anti-cholesterol, anti-diabetes, wala na. Sold na agad ako.
The US$480 is for a box, plus one extra box. Buy one take one daw. Grabe they are making a killing. More than 300 tourists are brought there by tour operators each day depending on the season. That’s around a million customers a month.
Goodbye US$480.00. Edmund couldn’t believe that I was sales-talked. He thought I would be the last person na ma se-sales talk. I think gusto nyang pagalitan ako, pinigilan lang.
After that wala na akong binili. Na over budget na ako. Meron na naman akong utang sa credit card because I charged it to my mastercard.
An, try your very best to watch Nanta, a non-verbal comedy play. It is the longest running play in Korea. You will definitely enjoy it.
Thank you for the suggestion pero no time. Will watch next time.
“NANTA has been running since October 1997 and is the most popular show ever in Korea. It also has achieved outstanding international success having performed on Broadway and toured widely around the US and the rest of the world. It receives rave reviews wherever it performs and quickly sells out.
Without a dialogue, but through rhythmic banging of knives, pots and pans, NANTA (or Cookin’ as it was known in the States) tells the story of four crazy chefs who have been set the impossible task of making a wedding banquet in just one hour. What follows is pure musical mayhem, and they even manage to fit in a love story! The show is based on Korea’s traditional garak (rhythms) of Samulnori (traditional Korean percussion quartet), and can be enjoyed by all the family.”