Mind-boggling Busan

Dear Coco

After our late night last night we all woke up rather late this morning, but after a delicious cup of coffee, we set off down the road behind our hotel which was full of Christmas trees, lights and golden statues, like this little Teddy Bear.

I spotted another Dachshund in this shop.

Busan is the second largest city in Korea and one of the things it is famous for is an international film festival that is held each year and it seems that this area is the centre because there are a lot of references to it around.

Another thing it is famous for is its fish market - the Jagachi Fish Market -which was close to our hotel. This is an enormous fish market that goes on and on, outdoors and in a huge building on the docks, where there is a market downstairs and restaurants above.

We had an early lunch on the first floor - which was amazing! On the menu was sashimi or raw fish - which we tried - all of it freshly sourced from downstairs.

We then wandered round the docks to walk off some calories. This is the Jagachi Fish Market building from the water front. Everything is on such an enormous scale here.

Looking west from in front of the Fish Market. 

Hundreds of crates of squid. I am amazed that there are any more left in the sea!

Simon hailed us a taxi - which are plentiful and relatively inexpensive - and we drove through the city to Taejongdae - which has a national park on one of the hills (Busan is also quite a hilly city like Deagu) that is a good place for a walk and some views.

There were a few people out walking there including some dogs. This one caught my eye!

Looking down the cliffs of Taejongdae over ships and some islands It was really hazy, but on some days you can apparently see Japan.

The Alph making friends with one of the resident cats.

Walking down the tree, and camellia and rhododendron-lined road; there are no cars but an occasional tram ferries people up and down.

Very beautiful!

We then hailed another taxi which took us over the most amazing bridge - the Busan Harbour Bridge - which was quite thrilling.

The taxi dropped us at a beach with a view of another amazing bridge called the Gwangan Bridge. We walked along the beach and saw quite a few dogs,

and some rather sad cycads far from home.

As we walked it got darker (which happens at about 4 thirty) and lights started to come on.

As you can see, Busan goes on and on!

When we got back the bridge was all lit up, and the lights shimmer and move, and change cycles. Luckily it was a really mild night.

We went in search of a pub that Simon wanted to take us to, past some fun signs and

and through a tunnel ushering in the new year

till we found the pub.

Then we took the number 41 bus back to our hotel where Simon found us another Korean barbecue restaurant for supper. Myummm.

We wandered back along the lit up street which was belting out Christmas carols. I felt like I was in a movie!

Some of the lights were jellyfish-shaped which reminded us of our experience in the fish market this morning.

Then I spotted some bags in a window that made me think of you my Coco! Hope you are not missing us but judging by all the photos of you that Phil and Kerryn send us, you are having a great time!

lots of love

The Food Lady