Busan Week

This week, being a vacation week around much of Asia, saw many people travelling and enjoying the warm weather. My friend Stephanie, who I have known since my days at SFU and who has been teaching in Dalian, China for the last four years, was on holiday in Korea. Last time she was here, in 2011, I was in Taiwan and so missed her. We did catch up in Vancouver that year but only facebook and skype since.

I was planning to meet Mike on Thursday in Busan, so suggested that she come to Daegu/Busan on Wednesday. We ended up going straight to Busan and did much of the obligatory tourist stuff (Busan Tower/Yongdusan Park, Jagalchi market and Nampo). We started off in Chinatown and then walked to Nampo, grabbed a coffee and went for a sashimi lunch and quick fish market tour, then it was off to Yongdusan to enjoy the sea view and go up Busan tower, one of the few "towers" built that is really worth going up. Then she went off to see friends and I went back to Daegu.

A Few pics:

Busan Station

Chinatown

Crabs in the market

Lotte Department Store

Yongdusan Park

Busan Tower

looking south from Busan Tower

On Thursday I went back down to Busan to meet Mike and relax. We opted to get a motel and cab to Gwangalli beach. We ended up sitting on a patio enjoying a few beers and food until around 10pm. Then it was a quick dinner in Nampo and bed.

Pics:

The beach around 430.

Happy Monk

The bridge, same time

Towards sunset

again

Unfortunately, we were both hit with a bit of a stomach issue. I think something was wrong with the food, poorly handled fish etc. I didn't get much sleep and although Mike did, he was feeling rough the next morning. I still managed to get up and meet Steph at Nampo Starbucks for breakfast. Mike joined us and we went up Lotte Department Store to the rooftop garden to see the city until she had to go get the train to Seoul.

view from Lotte Department Store looking south

Looking north

After Steph left Mike and I decided to tough out our rough stomachs and go to Busan's famed Sea Temple Haedong Yonggugsa. The official website has some great info in Konglish here.

I had previously been in 2012 but it is a top sight in Korea and well worth the trek out there. The weekend before Buddha's birthday it was packed but still well worth it:

Oh Hai Siddhartha

The pagoda......

.......of traffic safety

Sea Temple

again

Buddha

Sea Temple

Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy)

from across the channel

out to sea

The temple is amazing and the surrounding areas are well worth taking an hour or so to explore. After that we headed back to Haeundae, an area which I normally despise. It is a small beach which the local insist on covering with umbrella's. The area is also surrounded by upscale restaurants and coffee shops. The entire thing was built twenty years ago as a tourist trap. Other beaches (including much more accessible Gwangalli), are much nicer and actually relaxing. However, I had never been during the week before. With the umbrellas put away and the shops not blasting K-pop it was actually very nice. I decided then and there I will never go back, as this is a great way to remember Haeundae.

This is how Haeundae usually looks on a normal weekend:

very relaxing

This is how it looks midweek:

After Haeundae we went back to Nampo. We wanted to try the new brewery (they've been popping up in Seoul and Busan since the brewing laws were liberalised last year) but being that neither of us were feeling amazing stomachewise we opted for a fruit platter with and IPA and a Pilsner. Both were quite good and we sat outside chatting until it got too cold. 

Out Front of Three Monkeys

Friday night

The IPA was great and not too strong

the Pilsner was alright too.

By 11 we were both feeling tired so called it very early and went back to Ace Motel to crash (at $55USD for two rooms in Nampo you can imagine how classy it was). The next morning I got up and went to grab a quick breakfast before we hopped on the KTX to Daegu/Seoul.

I always love Busan, in fact I like it more than Seoul. Another great weekend.