Busan, Part 1

Ferry to Korea

We took the JR Beetle ferry from Fukuoka, Japan to Busan, Korea. The boat is a hydrofoil so it “flies” out of the water on little stilts. It took about 3 hours to cross the Tsushima Strait.

2013-10-05 11.09.36
The JR Beetle Ferry to Korea
Jalgachi Fish Market

One of our first stops in Busan was the Jalgachi Fish Market. It’s one of the largest fish markets in the country and there were neverending fish vendors with all kinds of fish, eels, clams, mussels, and some other very unusual looking sea creatures. We bought a fish from one vendor — he immediately crushed it’s neck with the back of a knife and threw it in a bucket. Then he told us to take the (now dead) fish upstairs where someone could cook it for us.

2013-10-06 11.30.51
Entrance to Jalgachi Fish Market
2013-10-06 11.38.10-1
Hanging Out at the Fish Market
2013-10-06 11.38.10
Various Fish Market Offerings
2013-10-06 11.39.51
More Fish Options
2013-10-06 11.40.25
...What ARE These?!
2013-10-06 12.26.26
They Killed the Fish in Front of Us, then Barbecued It
2013-10-06 12.42.13
Fish Head Soup
2013-10-06 11.49.09
Vendor Outside Jalgachi Fish Market
Gamcheon Culture Village

Gamcheon Culture Village is located in the hills of Busan. The multicolored houses seem to be hodgepodged together with bits of concrete, steel, and baling wire. Character and artistic wonder ooze from every crack in the sidewalk and walls of Gamcheon.

2013-10-06 14.26.59
Hanging Out in Beautiful Gamcheon
2013-10-06 14.30.30
Gamcheon Culture Village
2013-10-06 14.15.33
The Colorful Houses of Gamcheon
2013-10-06 14.06.46
Strolling Through Unique Alleyways
2013-10-06 14.09.36
Amongst the Street Art
2013-10-06 14.48.16
Big Fish, Little Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Beomeosa Temple

In the afternoon after Gamcheon, we headed further out of town and up into the mountains to visit Beomeosa Temple. The rain was beginning to fall and the surrounding mountain slopes were shrouded by some beautiful mist. Koreans LOVE to hike and they always seem to be wearing outdoor clothing. On the bus ride down from the mountain, we were crammed like sardines with the locals sporting their North Face, Patagonia, and other brand name gear.

2013-10-06 16.43.45
Beomeosa Temple
2013-10-06 17.06.25
Beomeosa Temple is High in the Misty Mountains
2013-10-06 16.36.37
Lin Amidst the Mist
2013-10-06 16.48.01
Beomeosa Temple Altar
2013-10-06 16.49.14
Giant Stone Slab at Beomeosa Temple
2013-10-06 16.35.52
Ceiling Detail
2013-10-06 16.54.30
Wandering Around the Temple Grounds

8 thoughts on “Busan, Part 1

  1. Annie

    This is captivating! Even the ride on the Beetle sounds like so much fun.
    Thrilled to be “tagging” along.

    PS I want the ceiling in the Beoseoma Temple!

  2. Pat

    Thanks for bringing us up to date on your travels. The soup looks delicious. Do the Koreans speak much English?

  3. K

    Your mystery animal at the fish market is a spoon worm aka fat inn keeper worm. I wouldn’t eat them, and I didn’t know you could. They live in association with other animals, like shrimp. They’ll live in a tunnel below the mud in the intertidal.

    I also saw some sea pineapples in there too, those are a type of tunicate.

  4. Anne Watt Massey

    Hello from Georgia! I have had a crazy busy week, so I am catching up on your blog this morning and am delighted that there is so much here to see. I absolutely LOVE the misty mountains! We’ll be heading up to South Carolina today to meet up with your mom, dad and K…can’t wait to see them! Wish we were meeting up with you and Lin too.

    Love you!
    Aunt Anne