Summer in Korea (Part 3) - BUSAN

August started for Alice and I with a 2 day trip to Busan, the second largest city in South Korea.  Busan is right on the south-east corner of Korea, and is a large port city (one of the busiest in the world!!).

We caught the KTX, Korea's high-speed train - the best and fastest way to travel from one end of the country to the other.  Our friend, Kwancho Song, met us and proceeded to be the best tour guide we could have hoped for.... what he didn't know, I'm sure he made up without missing a beat.  THANK YOU KWANCHO!!!

The Jagalchi fish market was fascinating - both outdoors and indoors.   This is Korea's largest seafood market, and incredibly well organised!!  You can buy your fish and they will send it to one of the restaurants upstairs to be cooked for you!!!

The stall holders had everything SO neat!!!!  Imagine arranging fish for a living!!!???

Outside the fish market, looking across the harbour.

I loved this statue!! (the man in green is real!.....)

Kwancho and his lovely girlfriend, Ella, took us out to our very first (ever!!) baseball game - It rained for the first 20 minutes, then was fine.  We got to experience, first hand, the enthusiasm of the Lotte Giants, Busan's team in the Korean Baseball League.... and they have a reputation among Korean fans as being the MOST enthusiastic!!  So much fun!!

The 'star' pitchers get driven on to the field in a custom Mini Cooper!!!

During the 8th innings of every game, the Busan fans tie orange shopping bags (inflated.... of course!!) to their heads, and we figured "When in Rome.......".

We visited the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, right on the coast - it was very touristy, but beautiful even so!

Kwancho introduced Alice to the wonders of eating beondegi (silkworm lavae - a common and popular snack available at sidewalk stalls)

The face never lies.... she had ONE!!!  I should have taken a photo after she put it in her mouth!!!

On the walk down to the temple, we saw this "Traffic Safety Prayer Pagoda" - this may be why the Koreans are such wild drivers, but we don't see many accidents! 

Almost had to bribe Alice to stand in front of the "Statue of Buddha for Academic Achievement" - she claimed she didn't need to put money in the tin!!!

Drinking 'healing' water.

Beautiful view!!

This really had to be the BEST way to finish Alice's Summer Vacation from school!!!  Hopefully we'll get back to Busan with Russell in the near future.

Summer in Korea (Part 2)

Summer has been extra nice because of all the visitors we've had.  Alice's Summer break from school started in early June, and we had a quiet couple of weeks before she headed to Australia for a holiday -by herself.

After leaving Alice at the airport, we had a drive around the island that Incheon Airport is on - actually, the airport is actually built on an artificially created piece of land between two islands, about 48 km west of Seoul. We drove around one of the islands (Yongyu Island) and a bit of the other (Yeongjong Island).  It was an interesting to see Yongyu Island, which is very different from the new, sleek, polished Korea we often see.....

Public toilets!!

Caravan park??

I love this sign, warning us not to drive into the ocean!!

Mitch and Peta-Erin arrived a week later.....

Well.... we packed a lot of things into the next two weeks, and Mitch and Peta-Erin had a great time. 

First Korean BBQ was a hit!!!

Mitch trying the local soju.

On the east coast of Korea - the water was freezing!!! Japan is behind us!

Swinging chairs on the beach - have seen this in a few places.

Having a chat on Mum and Dad's bed at the cute 'pension' we stayed at.

Russ checking out the rice (of course)

... he wanted to bring this home.....

At the Trick Eye Museum.

...and another.....

Cute paintings in Hongdae, Seoul.

This was a must!!!!

I mentioned in my last post that Cathy, Matt and Ellen Dando came to visit - had a great few days with them, although I'm sure they are not convinced that we know a lot about Korea yet..... we lost our way a bit, but had lots of fun!!!

I tried to take the Dandos to a palace, but we ended up at a shrine (none of us noticed till we were on the tour!!)

"Mr Toilet House" in Suwon was a hit!!!

For some reason Ellie didn't want to be in this photo....

Lunch in Insadong, Seoul - yum!!!

We farewelled the Dandos.... and then Alice and Hayden arrived!!!

Hayden and I were going to go to the top of the 63 Building, but were there on one of 3 days it was closed for maintenance!!! So, we wandered along the Han River at Yeouido

Bundang Central Park (10 minutes from our place) is beautiful any time of year!!

Along the waterfront at Oido, south-west of Seoul.

One of the beaches at Daebu Island, on the West coast - not very nice beaches, but a great day trip!!

In the creek near our place - Hayden skipping stones, Alice being a model!

Russ and I cooling our feet!!!

Looking downstream in the creek near our home.

Looking upstream.  Our apartment is in the building closest to the creek on the right side of the picture.

My 50th Birthday!!!

After celebrating early with Mitch, Peta, Russ, the Freemans and the Dandos, the party continued on my birthday....

Brunch at Butterfingers (Pancake cafe) at Jeongja - Yum!!

We went walking at Namhansanseong Fortress - surrounded by a beautiful national park,  about half an hour to the north-west of us.

Finished the day with a Baskin Robbins icecream cake!!

The night before Hayden left to go back to Australia, we tried another of the many restaurants near our home - this one specialises in home-made noodles, and we will go back!! This meal, including drinks, cost less than $40!!