Busan

We had to take a super early train at 5:57 am from Seoul to Busan on Saturday b/c we waited too long to reserve our tickets. The journey takes about 2.5 hours via high speed train. Upon arrival, we dropped off our things at our hotel and then headed to Jalgachi Market, the largest fish market in the country. We saw so many different types of seafood, including some that I've only seen in Korea. We saw octopuses trying to escape on the ground as the vendor showed a customer the different options and then rip their ink sacs off as soon as she had selected two and throw them into a plastic bag. Another vendor was skinning eels alive, and their bodies were still wriggling afterwards. It was very unsettling, and I don't blame Acadian for losing his appetite. I told Kyusik I didn't want to eat any octopus. We settled on one vendor, from whom we bought a whole fish, abalone, shrimp, and some other creatures. There are different businesses upstairs that run the restaurants that prepare the food for you and charge you per person and for everything they serve you. They turned the fish and shrimp into sashimi and used the remainder of the fish to make a soup for us. I didn't like the other things because they were too chewy. Later on my FIL learned that they had charged him double and then were refusing to refund him unless he or Kyusik came back in person. This is one way they try to trick older people here. The next day, the taxi driver "accidentally" forgot to turn on his meter to try to charge my FIL an exorbitant amount. Luckily Kyusik and I were following behind in a 2nd cab and could tell him the exact fare to pay. 

After lunch, we walked around some markets and bought the boys matching Shin Ramen and 50,000 won socks for less than a dollar a pair. We then headed to a Gamcheon Village, a former slum that was revitalized by artists by painting the homes different colors. We were pretty exhausted from waking up so early so after we were able to check into our hotel, we rested and showered before venturing out a bit too late for dinner. We finally found a pork and rice soup, a Busan specialty, place that was decent. To top things off, we went to a Korean dessert cafe where we ordered oreo and red bean bing su (shaved ice). 

The next morning, we packed up to drop off our things at the Paradise Hotel where Bryce and I are staying for 3 nights. It was about an hour metro ride away from the middle of town to Haeundae Beach, which is the most famous beach in Busan. It is a fine beach but not nearly as beautiful as some of the beaches I've seen elsewhere. We had a yummy kalbi lunch at a place where Kyusik had to put our name down and the wait was about 1.5 hours. After lunch, we took a bus to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, which is supposed to be lovely as it’s right next to the ocean. It was a bit disappointing and not worth the 30 minute bus ride there. Afterwards, we took taxis to a fancy dessert place with a view of the water. We walked back to the hotel, and then it was time for Kyusik's parents to head back to Seoul with Acadian, who had camp on Monday. Kyusik and I went with Bryce to a nearby night market for green onion seafood pajeon (or pancakes). We ended the night by seeing a street performer who twirled flaming sticks and chains around.