Hey folks,
So its been a week since my trip to Busan and I'm just getting around to writing up my report but eh, a brutha has been busy, busy, busy. The other English teacher at my school went back to Canada to attend his brother's wedding so with him gone I've had to pick up all the advance classes, that means arriving to school before 7:40 a.m. (for those who really know me, ya'll know I'm not an early riser) and dealing with these knuckled, yet sweet kids! By say 11 am, I'm beat and ready for a nap.
Anyways. Busan.
Busan is home to 7.9 million Korean people, its situated in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do (경 상 남 도) Busan is a coastal city with a vast urban landscape; surrounded by mountain ranges on one side and the emerald green South Sea on the other (I could write for Frommers, don't ya think?). Numerous guidebooks state that Busan lacks a cosmopolitan feel and the people are "rough around the edges" but what do they know, I found Busan to be a great little hub filled with happy and smiling Korean faces, chic hotels, great restaurants and bars and some of the most breathe taking views I've seen since I've arrived in Korea.
My trip to Busan had been in the works since I arrived here a month or ago, twice a group from the social club I belong to Brothas & Sistahs on facebook attempted to arrange a trip to Busan, and twice it fell through. So this time I was determined not to not go, so I called upon my new tourist buddy Crystalyn and we hopped aboard the KTX bullet train and headed for Busan.
Its amazing how moving at roughly 198 mph feels like you're only going about 50 or 60 mph when you wanna really get somewhere. Three and a half hours later we were in Busan. Crystalyn nor I speak a lick of Korean so once we arrived, I had to call up my co-teacher and my newly appointed Korean "mouthpiece" Ji hyun to directed the taxi to our hotel on Haeundae Beach.
Haeundae Beach, Let the touring begin...
The Sangria Motel is an excellent "love motel" (I'll explain the love motel concept in a later blog, but if you think on it hard enough, I'm sure you already have an idea what they are) only a stone throw away from the beach. The rooms are cozy modern, and thanks to Ji hyun, who rang the hotel at least four times before our arrival, we made off with two rooms with amazing views of the beach!
We checked in awful late, and the ocean breeze placed a stiff chill in the air and Crystalyn and I were both both a little sleepy but eh, its was a new city and we only had the weekend to take in all the sights and sounds of Busan, so I immediately knocked on Crystalyn's door and persuaded her to come out so we could see Busan by night. We though we see the beach first but got completely turned around, and we end up in a night market.
The market was quiet and mostly all you could hear were the bubbling of the tanks which held the most exotic of sea creatures. Busan is know for having the freshest seafood in all of Korea -- and that's real and true. While walking through the market we past this one stall and the woman who ran the stall, pulled out of this bucket, what I took to be an eel and in a twinkle of an eye, this once had nailed the creature to a wooden board, chopped off its head and skinned.
CHOP! CHOP! And this was all while the eel was squirm -- talk about fresh!
We took our pictures, and we passed on the old woman's suggestion that we should have some and quickly exited the market still in search of the beach we stumbled upon this open air bar, Fuzzy Navel, that was quite reminiscence of a bar you would see in Miami, Cancun or any Caribbean country. It was a happening lil open air bar filled with foreigners, and foreign-friendly Koreans.
We pulled up a seat and order a round a drinks. A few beers, a few jacks and music, some nachos (which sucked) and after my second drink I noticed the bartender setting up this elaborate array of cups and shot glasses, so I inquired with the group beside me and was informed that the shot being made on a tower of highball glasses was called an Armageddon, with a name like Armageddon you know I had to try it! So the bartender began construction the tower of glasses and front of us and pouring the liquors into the shot glasses -- at 45% alcohol, the Armageddon contains, triple sec, grenadine, blue curacao - nothing but sweetness you say right? but wait there's more Bacardi 151 is leveled off at the top and the drink is set a fire, but wait there's more, the bartenders have a show accompanied with music and dancing to serve the shots -- and a warn to please remove yourself and your personal effects from the bar. Pyrotechnics at its greatest - the bartenders commence to dance, and we back away from the bar and swing and swoosh is all you hear. The bartenders take deep gulps of 151 and spew it onto the open flame in the shot glass! Everyone at the bar was screams with excitement and deep down worried if the bartenders are going to be able to extinguish the fire. When they finally do, shot still ablaze we gulped down Armageddon! (LINK TO ARMAGEDDON VIDEO)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=7020193#/video/video.php?v=515699133389&subj=506033346Fifteen minutes later, we were heading out the bar full of smiles and giggles, making our way finally to the beach. We happen on the beach, and what a sight dark moon, folks walking the beach, waves lapping the shore. And while on the beach we stumbled across this group of Korean 20-somethings singing a familiar hymn "Amazing Grace", they quickly notice we were American and we quickly noticed that they didn't know the hymn, so filled with the "spirit" I did my best two teach them a verse or two!
We walked the beach a bit more finally called it a night!
Saturday, who knew you could see so much in one day?
Finally rose up out of bed and met Crystalyn downstairs and we set out on a journey to find the Busan Aquarium (thirty minutes later we spot for directions and found out the aquarium was on the beach and we had walked directly pass it. And get this the sign for the aquarium is not in Korean but English!
Yet the walk was well worth it. If it had not had been for the walk we would not have built up an appetite and had brunch at the posh Westin Chosun which was quite tasty, nor would we have met the all girls school students who waved to us and blew kisses and more than likely we would not have learned about the Princess 21, a luxury cruise ship which we took for lunch on Sunday.
So eh, sometimes getting turn around pays off!
After our brunch we walked the beach, getting stares and giggles, for obviously men and women of our color, hair styles and size do not exist in Busan. But it was all good. Crystalyn had a few old men pinch in very familiar places a few times and I had an all boy band play a Korean tune for us ( I think they did it cuz I had on my stunner shades).
Busan's Sand Festival was also taking place so we walked the beach a bit more and snapped pictures of the sand sculptures on the beach and then on to the Aquarium. It was filled with some decent size exhibits yet the tour de force was the glass bottom boat ride over the shark exhibit!
After leaving the aquarium, we headed to Bemeo-sa Temple, an ancient temple that's been in the Busan area since 678 BC. It was an amazing sight set upon a winding hill. It was the first time since begin in Korea that I've actually heard and saw wildlife. The sounds of bugs and birds mixed in with the prayers and chants of monks and Buddhist followers was serene.
We left Bomeo-sa Temple and took the subway back to Hauendae, after a little rest we hailed a taxi and went to Chengposa, a small fishing cove eat fresh seafood at Noran Mahura (Yellow Scarf) open air restaurant and watch the sunset. The meal was a mishmash of seafood and Korean snack foods: a hot pot of scallops and calm soup, quails eggs, peanuts, fresh veggies, bug larvae (yes, I tried the larvae and its not too bad), Cass (Korean Beer) and chilled bean sprout soup which I enjoyed alone because I completely forgot that Crystalyn has a seafood allergy. So, we enjoyed the sunset and the surroundings, folks fishing off the cement pier and the views of Busan coastline.
Sunday, How much is that doggy in the window?
The sun was center stage on Sunday, and the sleepy town of Haeundae Beach was filled to the brim with people who had come to enjoy the beach, the sand sculptures and live music. We opted out of swimming because the water was way too cold and instead took the luncheon cruise on the Princess 21.
The cruise was splendid! The food was delicious and the views of Busan and the ocean were spectacular, it could not have been a more perfect day. I love the ocean and being aboard a boat is like tasty icing on a birthday cake to me!
I've always felt one with the sea. I can see and feel the magnificence and sheer creativity of God whenever I'm by the ocean! And being on the Princess 21 further heighten that experience.
I didn't want the cruise to end, but it did! And so we decided we take in a few more sights before we made our way back to Seoul.
First stop the UN Memorial Cemetery:
The UN Cemetery was build to memorialize the 45 countries who lost soldiers in the Busan area during the Korean War. Like cemeteries of olden days this place was used more as a place of enjoyment, to take in the beautifully landscaped gardens and the trees from the resting soldiers' homelands; it wasn't until the UN soldiers marched out to the flag post at 4 o'clock dressed in full regalia that I and all there remember we were in a solemn place.
We walked on after the ceremony to the Busan Museum, past the Busan Cultural Center, and a nice little park filled with families picnicking, ladies walking their dogs and old men chatting about who knows what (probably about us as we walked passed) we finally found the Busan Museum thanks to the direction of some passerbyers, and once in side the museum enlightened us on the rich history of the Busan area. If you're a history buff like myself is a must see spot if you're in Busan, because it puts the areas native cultural into perspective.
Next stop Gupo Market, the market were they sell dog meat!
Now let me preface by saying that ya'll who know me know that I had some what convinced myself that I was going to try dog meat before I let Korea -- play the guy from the tv show Bizarre Foods for awhile right. But hell to the NAWL!
* In my MLK JR voice* I'VE Gone to GUPO Market and I've SEEN the DOGS and THE DOG BUTCHER and I'LL NEVA TRY ANYBODY'S DOG MEAT!
I know it's all cultural, and we eat cows, pigs and chickens, etc., in the West and we have slaughter houses, blaaah, bllaaaah, blaaah however dogs are pets to me not food, and I guess the Hindu man feels the same about cows and he would be applaud and disgusted by our manner of treatment and usage of cows and he should. I aint saying its wrong, and I aint saying its right I'm just saying its NOT for M-E, ME!
You be the judge. (LINK TO DOG MARKET VISIT)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=7020193#/video/video.php?v=515699557539&subj=506033346Anyways seeing the dogs, almost put a slight damper on the weekend, and being chased by the butcheress for doing an undercover video (thanks, Crystalyn) didnt help either but we got out of dodge and hit it back to the KTX train.
The train was packed full of people, who enjoyed a great weekend in Busan. Its a must see stop and I'm glad I got to enjoy it.
Until next time people.. LOVE & BE LOVED!
Derek
