Trip to Busan - 25 Sep 2010

Chuseok (추석) is the Korean equivalent of harvest festival and occurred this year between Tuesday 21st and Thursday 23rd September 2010 (in line with the lunar calendar). In Hongseong many of the public schools closed for the whole week so we took the opportunity to travel to the south eastern point of SK to visit Busan (밧안).

The cheapest area to stay overnight in Busan is in Jung Gu. This may be because the area is known to be a bit smelly due to its famous, massive and fantastical fish market known as Jagalchi Market (자갈치). We paid 17,000 won a night (about 9 quid) for a double room with air con and private bathroom.

Our impression of Busan is 100% excellent. Whilst people may love Miami for the beaches, Shanghi for the shopping, London for the culture and Wellington for the access to the countryside - we feel that Busan has it all! Yes - I should be the new tour guide!!!

We photographed the illuminated Grand Gwangang bridge at night and climbed to Busan tower through a lovely little hillside park. Twice, we wondered the endless stream of fish stalls at Jagalchi market and watched the defenceless octupus, squid, fish, anemones and slugs wiggling around in their shallow tanks before they where whipped up and unceremoniously skinned, sliced or simply boiled in spicy sauce.

Using the efficient and tremendously cheap underground Metro system we were able to visit two of the six sand beaches (Haeundae and Gwang alli), two of the beautiful anchient temples (Beomeosa and Seokbulsa) set within lushous untouched mountain scenary, as well as the largest department store in the world which is next door to a massive mall.

I can't recommend Busan enough and we shall certainly be visiting again as four days was nowhere near enough to see everything that this exciting city has to offer. Some of the photographs that we took here will soon be making up part of a Korean Cuisine blog that shall shortly be posted.