- Northern Pacific Wanderings 2024 — here we go!
- Enjoying a few days in Hong Kong
- A day in Kaohsiung and Tainan, Taiwan
- A quick trip to the Penghu Islands
- Two Days in Taipei, Taiwan
- Naha, Okinawa
- Two days in Beijing
- Two days in Incheon and Seoul, South Korea
- Jeju Island, Korea
- Busan, Korea in a day!
- Nagasaki, Japan
- Arita, Japan
- Miyajima and Hiroshima, Japan
- Kyoto’s Bamboo Forest and Rock Garden
- Matsushima, Japan
- Hakadote, Japan
- Kushiro, Japan
- Dutch Harbor….er, Unalaska, Alaska
- Kodiak, AK
- Homer, AK
- Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, AK
- Sitka, AK
- Klawock and Craig, AK
- A Nanaimo, BC, Canada drive by
- Vancouver BC, end of trip, and final thoughts
Today we stopped in Busan for the day. It’s been nearly 50 years since I’ve been here and I have to say, I could barely recognize the place. Like so many other Asian cities, there has been a massive growth spurt over the past 20 years and it seems like there are high rises going up on any buildable land. So, we were off to see what was new and exciting in Busan!
We started the day at the Gamcheon Cultural Village. This is a true story of rebirth and redevelopment. In the 1950s and early 1960s, this area was a shanty town for Korean War refugees. As the city center became more expensive, even more people were pushed up int the hills, but shelter shifted from shanty to more permanent brick structures. By the 1970s, artists discovered the neighborhood and started to move there which attracted more artists. That’s probably when the bright colors and murals began to show up and craft shops started to open. Suddenly, Gamcheon Village became a serious tourist destination and, by 2009, the city of Busan decided to renovate it. Here, the village is called the “Machu Picchu of Busan” or “Lego City.” It reminds me of a smaller version of the hillside neighborhood of Valparaiso, Chile. Anyway, we took in the views of the city from there and “hammed it up” with some of the street art. Watching and listening to people, it seemed like we had a pretty international crowd there.
From there, we went to the Songdo Sky Walk. This was also new for me, given that it wasn’t built until 2015. It is an undulating walkway that is supposed to resemble a dragon. It extends over Songdo Beach (probably the best beach in town). Walking its length gives you a panoramic view not only of the city but also of the East Sea and some of the nearby islands. It ultimately ends up on Turtle Island (the rest is currently under construction). There you can see the statue of a mermaid and some guy (not a very helpful description, but I don’t know his backstory…). Anyway, the challenge is for a couple to stretch between the two statues and connect hands. I’m not exactly sure what the benefit was, but it was happiness in love, good luck for a year, or something good like that. We actually accomplished it, so we are waiting for our reward!
The next stop was at Yongdusan Park on the mountain of the same name. This was definitely one of the places I remember from my 1975 visit in that the Busan Tower that stands there was brand new when I was there last time. It is a lovely tree-laden park, filled with monuments to Korean heroes including Admiral Yi Sun-Shin who successfully beat the Japanese Navy (despite terrible odds) and ultimately lost his life in the process. Of course, there is plenty of retail therapy opportunities there, but the real plus is the view of Busan Port and other areas of the city.
We then went to a place I probably could have passed up on our tour — the Lotte Department Store complex the the Seomyeon part of the city. This is a massive, 3-tower (each with 13 floors) complex with something for everyone, including a massive food court and an observation tower that spans all three towers. We enjoyed a great lunch there and then walked around the top observation deck and admired not only the views, but also the dog park and people park that were embedded into the overall complex on the 12th floor. We probably spent too much time there, but it really was quite impressive.
Our last stop was at the Gukje Market, the biggest traditional market in Busan. While supermarkets and other “big box” retailers are starting to cut into their business model, the Gukje sells a myriad of products at an affordable price — many or which you wouldn’t find in retail stores. Each alley is devoted to a particular product (e.g., shoes, pots and pans, electronics, lighting). There are also lots of street food vendors and, by the number of people eating there, you can tell who is the best. Beyond the outdoor market was the Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest in Korea and one of the largest in the world! Inside the building there are whole floors devoted to dried fish and fresh fish/seafood. Outside the main building there are even more stalls selling a wild variety of seafood — a number of species of which I couldn’t identify. There are literally hundreds of stalls in and around the market. But, similar to Okinawa, this isn’t just a market selling to stores and restaurants — it’s mostly individuals who are buying the fish to take home or to have it cooked in front of your eyes. What is different is that in Okinawa, you would negotiate for the fish on the main floor and then it would be taken to one of the restaurants upstairs to be cooked. Here, you pick your fish, sit down at a table, and watch it be cooked, and then eat it right there. There were big groups (mostly men) having a great time there. It would be correct to say that there is a lot of beer involved!!
It was a whirlwind day, but we have now concluded our time in Korea and are off to Japan — tomorrow Nagasaki.
This entry was posted in Busan, Cruising, Korea, Travel
I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.
