My time in Busan was relaxing and nice mainly because of my wonderful host! Seo welcomed me into her family’s home and provided a tranquil environment in which to recover from the fridge temperatures of Seoul. I don’t have a lot to share about my time there. Busan is a beach resort and during warmer months many Koreans flock there to take in the sand and beautiful ocean views. I walked along the beach front for a bit and visited the city’s most famous temple. That pretty much comprises everything I did from a tourist perspective, but that was fine by me.
Haedong Yongkung Temple is a long bus ride out of the city, but it is beautiful. Take exit 7 from Haeundae Station and then take the 181 bus. The temple is perched over-looking the sea and if you are lucky you may be able to catch Buddhist monks meditating on the rocks absorbing the tranquility provided by the crystalline water. This temple is considered by some to be the most beautiful and significant Buddhist temple in South Korea. I met a group of women from Taiwan and like all extremely open and friendly Taiwanese people they were more than happy to jump with me.
Once back in town Indian food was consumed, a dog with painted eyebrows was seen, and a visit to a golden retriever petting café was attempted. I finished the day with a walk on the beach.
The next day I spent most of my time updating the blog and going out for udon noodles. The restaurant owner was a bit confused by my note written in Korean requesting my food not to have onions or meat, so he asked his 28 year old son to come out and speak with me. He was very friendly and inquired where I was from and told me he is planning a trip to New York this year. At the end of the meal, he offered for me to stay at his father’s home for free if I needed a place. They were worried that I may be paying a lot of money to stay in a hostel or hotel. I was a bit taken back by the kind offer. On the bus to Haedong Yongkung Temple a woman offered to hold my backpack since I was standing and she had a seat. On the metro a man approached me and asked if he could shake my hand. All he said was, “I love Americans. Thank you for coming here.” Again, I have never experienced this in another country. I had so many strangers offer me help in Korea that I was really impressed by their culture’s strong sense of generosity.
Before flying out to Osaka for round two of Japan, I spent a nice morning with Seo. She gave me two postcards of Busan, a traditional mask to paint, and helped me try on her traditional wedding gown. Her soft-spoken persona and thoughtfulness sent me on my way with a strong lasting impression of how special of a place Korea truly is. For more on Seo checkout my Couchsurfing tab.
Haedong Yongkung Temple is a long bus ride out of the city, but it is beautiful. Take exit 7 from Haeundae Station and then take the 181 bus. The temple is perched over-looking the sea and if you are lucky you may be able to catch Buddhist monks meditating on the rocks absorbing the tranquility provided by the crystalline water. This temple is considered by some to be the most beautiful and significant Buddhist temple in South Korea. I met a group of women from Taiwan and like all extremely open and friendly Taiwanese people they were more than happy to jump with me.
Once back in town Indian food was consumed, a dog with painted eyebrows was seen, and a visit to a golden retriever petting café was attempted. I finished the day with a walk on the beach.
The next day I spent most of my time updating the blog and going out for udon noodles. The restaurant owner was a bit confused by my note written in Korean requesting my food not to have onions or meat, so he asked his 28 year old son to come out and speak with me. He was very friendly and inquired where I was from and told me he is planning a trip to New York this year. At the end of the meal, he offered for me to stay at his father’s home for free if I needed a place. They were worried that I may be paying a lot of money to stay in a hostel or hotel. I was a bit taken back by the kind offer. On the bus to Haedong Yongkung Temple a woman offered to hold my backpack since I was standing and she had a seat. On the metro a man approached me and asked if he could shake my hand. All he said was, “I love Americans. Thank you for coming here.” Again, I have never experienced this in another country. I had so many strangers offer me help in Korea that I was really impressed by their culture’s strong sense of generosity.
Before flying out to Osaka for round two of Japan, I spent a nice morning with Seo. She gave me two postcards of Busan, a traditional mask to paint, and helped me try on her traditional wedding gown. Her soft-spoken persona and thoughtfulness sent me on my way with a strong lasting impression of how special of a place Korea truly is. For more on Seo checkout my Couchsurfing tab.