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.