We spent the weekend in Busan which is an hours (crazy) bus journey from Gimhae. The driving in Korea doesn't seem to be as bad as some other areas of Asia but at times it can still be pretty nerve-wracking- though at least the buses are pretty comfortable and they do provide seat belts. 
Saturday blessed us with torrential rain which was non-stop all day. It was the type of rain which is enjoyable though, if you can imagine it. By this we mean none of the fine, freezing cold horrible rain that frequently pays a visit in England (normally coupled with harsh winds that make my limbs go numb with cold.) This rain came in huge droplets as though the doors of the clouds had just been opened and there was no control over the amount of water that was being spilt. It gushed all day but stayed fairly warm so we didn't mind getting soaking wet.
After this we went to check out Busan's 'China Town' known as 'Shanghai Street.' This was a rather disappointing experience- it was really seedy and tacky. This is probably as it is located very close to 'Texas Street' which is basically a red-light district that caters for military men (there is a huge American army base in Busan) or men passing through on ships for one night only. There is a huge Russian population here, all the signs are in Russian and most of the businesses are run by Russians- its all a bit surreal.
We decided we needed to find somewhere a bit more pleasant after this, so we headed to Dongbaek Park near Haeundae where we took a walk along the coastal promenade. It was really beautiful with some excellent sea views and a nice bakery where we had a bite to eat. We headed back to Gimhae early evening and cycled to Jake's house where we had dinner waiting for us.
Busan seems like a really exciting city- there is so much to do! Parks, Buddhist temples, museums, a yacht centre, aquarium, huge shopping malls, night markets, traditional markets, theme parks, a ceramic and arts centre, mountains and beaches. As well as this it's possible to participate in an overnight temple stay in the mountains, learn Korean cooking and take part in a tea ceremony. We will definitely be going back to Busan!
Saturday blessed us with torrential rain which was non-stop all day. It was the type of rain which is enjoyable though, if you can imagine it. By this we mean none of the fine, freezing cold horrible rain that frequently pays a visit in England (normally coupled with harsh winds that make my limbs go numb with cold.) This rain came in huge droplets as though the doors of the clouds had just been opened and there was no control over the amount of water that was being spilt. It gushed all day but stayed fairly warm so we didn't mind getting soaking wet.
We took the highly efficient subway to Nampo-Dong which is one of the major shopping districts of Busan. It was a really cool little place- full of lots of famous high street stores selling all the big names, smaller independent shops selling quirky outfits and markets selling anything from badly spelt 'English' t-shirts to wigs and florescent lighting. As well as this were all the usual food markets- waffles, dried squid, fatty kebabs, Korean dumplings and stuff that was totally indistinguishable. We spent the afternoon and early evening doing a bit of shopping and wondering around the markets intrigued by all the wonderful things on display. After eating and a trip to 'DVD Bang' to dry off and find some comfort we checked into a 'Love Motel' for the night. Love Motels aren't as seedy as they may sound- they are basically an incredibly cheap no-frills place to stay the night (we're talking £15 for the room.) They are used frequently by travellers as they are so cheap but their name most definitely comes from their popularity with Korean businessmen and their many mistresses. It's a bit of a funny system because when you pay for a room you can't see the person you are talking to- just a sliding door with a pair of hands at the bottom waiting for the cash...
Sunday proved to be a beautiful summers day so we made the most of it by getting some spectacular views from the top of Busan Tower in Yandusan Park. The tower is 120 metres high and the views were really amazing, especially on such a clear day. We could see all across the city with it's towering skyscrapers to the huge port (the world's 5th busiest seaport,) to the islands of Oyugdo and the mountains beyond.
After this we went to check out Busan's 'China Town' known as 'Shanghai Street.' This was a rather disappointing experience- it was really seedy and tacky. This is probably as it is located very close to 'Texas Street' which is basically a red-light district that caters for military men (there is a huge American army base in Busan) or men passing through on ships for one night only. There is a huge Russian population here, all the signs are in Russian and most of the businesses are run by Russians- its all a bit surreal.
We decided we needed to find somewhere a bit more pleasant after this, so we headed to Dongbaek Park near Haeundae where we took a walk along the coastal promenade. It was really beautiful with some excellent sea views and a nice bakery where we had a bite to eat. We headed back to Gimhae early evening and cycled to Jake's house where we had dinner waiting for us. Busan seems like a really exciting city- there is so much to do! Parks, Buddhist temples, museums, a yacht centre, aquarium, huge shopping malls, night markets, traditional markets, theme parks, a ceramic and arts centre, mountains and beaches. As well as this it's possible to participate in an overnight temple stay in the mountains, learn Korean cooking and take part in a tea ceremony. We will definitely be going back to Busan!
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