Busan City; The sights, the lights, The beach....the beach....

I am WAAAAAYYYYY behind on my posts, so I'm going to start with the latest, and work my way back through the states.

JUST got back from Busan, and today is my School's 20th anniversary celebration. I got a free towel as a gift, and half the day off. This weekend we went to Busan, South Korea's second largest city. It's very beautiful, right on the ocean, so there's plenty of breeze always coming off the water. We arrived just before 5am to a shore overlooking the water. most of the group stayed up on the main land face, but I started walking and so i just kept going. I wanted to sit on a rock surrounded by water. and so I did. As I was climbing in the dusty pre-dawn light, I hear a voice to my right,

"How come it's always me and you out here?" I see a figure silhouetted on the rocky jetty, and know for sure that even though i hadn't seen him on the bus, that Rob McManus was definitely right there, climbing around nearby.

I sat on the rocks and sang to myself, hoping Rob couldn't hear me, but not really caring either way. I sang 'barges,' and that tune about the river from 'Oh brother where art though?' and hummed a bit and let the morning take me up, Up, Up. Awake. Rob and I tried our hand at a few Synchronized Yoga moves, and climbed around a bit as the day kept on dawning. I saw purple shore crabs and mossy chiton, and Rob found an old abandoned motorcycle helmet.

We mailed postcards in a giant mailbox, then we went to Dragon-something-temple.

I really should remember the name. it was by far my favorite temple in Korea. and I've got to say, I have seen A LOT of temples in the past two years. this one was overlooking the water, there were many different tributes and two giant gold pigs (this means good luck) there was a wishing bowl that you could toss coins into from the bridge, and below the bowl were two people digging the coins out of the riverbed. they must have had a few bucks in there! I couldn't help but think of the Goonies, and how each one of those represents somebody's wishes, and how wrone it was to take those away. Also, looking at those river-rusted coins, I couldn't help but wonder how all the Goonies coins were still so gleaming and shiny?

Hae un Dae beach was big and beautiful. We arrived so early, so we got really good umbrella spots right in the center of all beachy things. We swam, played Frisbee, took naps, and had a general good time.

We rented out an entire Yeogwan (love motel) for our group, and the four of us girls got this room with a giant, circular bed. We were all so excited, we goofed off and took pictures before even unpacking or showering!

Dinner at the fish market was interesting. it was HUGE, and right on the bay, so you know the fish was fresh. As we walked down the street, the women selling their restaurants were more aggressive that I've ever seen before. they stuffed business cards in you hand, blocked your way physically pushing you backwards, until you reached the next one, and there was ALWAYS a next one. I imagined the same as if you're walking along a neighborhood street lined with dogs in fences. and each one barks at you in turn. Well we got made our decision and got a good deal. sashimi and grilled clams! then we all walked up to Busan's Tower, where we'd meet our bus driver.

the next day was blustery and chilly. still it was beautiful, and we spent most of the morning sitting at 'Twosome' coffeehouse relaxing and chatting and looking out over the ocean. At lunch I met a man with a yellow lab. A HUGE, bumbling 4 month old yellow lab, who was being trained as a seeing eye dog, he told me. We chatted while I waited for the toilet, and As I left he ran up and gave me a CD of Korean folk music, then a Korean traditional flute. I don't know how to play it, but it's pretty, and Nina played it for a bit on the way home.

ah! home! I'm glad to be home! as much as I loved Busan, Seoul is my city. at least for now.