Busan

A couple weeks ago I was given a 5 day weekend by my gracious principal.  I decided to go down to Busan, the second largest city in South Korea.  I rode the fastest Korean train, KTX, from Seoul down to Busan.  

Busan is located in Southeastern Korea, and is famous for its beaches.  I would say it's the San Diego of South Korea, minus the warm water.  I hear it gets very crowded during the summer, so I guess I went at the perfect time.  When we arrived at the beach, there was some Korean wedding festival taking place.  As to what it symbolizes, your guess is as good as mine.

Apparently the guy on the wave runner wears the thong all the time and takes people for rides.  I'm not sure if it is good for business or bad.  All I know is that I was pretty freaked out when he decided to play soccer right next to us a few minutes later.
Our swanky "suite" next to the beach.
After an hour searching for this bar, I finally met up with my friend Bryon.  Still a little confused at this point.
The local market.  The blue sign on the right advertises kimchi, fyi.  Although I'm getting used to the stuff, we settled on some bagels.

Busan station

On the way back, we had to get "standing room only" seating.  I made a huge scene over the price of the ticket and they locked me in this little dungeon.  Next time I think I will pay the extra 5,000 won  ($5.00) for a regular seat.  It was the worst three hours of my life.
?

Pumba Festival and Mt. Worak

View of Seoul over the Han River at 6:00 am.

Pumba was the word repeated by beggars and street singers a long time ago.  Many performers dress up as these beggars at the Pumba Festival, held in Eumseong.  I happened to be one of them.
Apparently foreigners who dress up like Korean street bums attract alot of attention.  There are about 30 Korean photographers taking pictures of Laura smashing food just to the left of me.  
Me and Tyfany trying to look like beggars.  I think we failed.
The aptly named Mr. Bean and Soju boy posing for the photographers.

No comment.
Another failed attempt.  The guy behind me passed out right after the picture was taken.
Big Buddha taken at 50mph.
After the Pumba festival we headed to Mt. Worak for some serious hiking the next day.  It's the tallest peak in the middle, with the right side slanted.


The first/ easiest leg of the trek.  Not everyone made it....
Rest stop.  While coming back down, a Korean hiker had fallen and was bleeding badly.  He had to be taken out on a helicopter.
Almost there.  Well, not really.  We had to go down and around and then up some stairs before we reached the top.
Made it.
The first ones at the top.
The chalet we stayed in is somewhere down there.

More proof.
Watch out for falling bears?
A batting cage at a rest area on the trip home.  Very Korean.

Cherry Blossom Festival

They've finally arrived!  The advent of the cherry blossom season also signals the spring season in Korea.  Apparently, after about 2 weeks or so, the blossoms will disappear, so I had to act fast and take as many pictures as I could before they're gone.  Here are some pics from Incheon Grand Park.

                                                                 

Korean breakdancers. 

Temple at the top of the mountain.

My guides.  I asked them for directions to the park and they told me to follow them.  Apparently they wanted to go the scenic route.  After trekking through the forest and a half an hour later, we finally reached the park.

Lately

After two months of stealing wireless internet from my apartment, my most reliable connection died.  I had to bite the bullet and pay for my own internet. I'm finally connected once again.  Here are some pictures since my last post.  

This is the view from Seoul Tower.  I assume it's the tallest tower in Seoul.  The view is really breathtaking.  There are lights as far as the eye can see.

This is the scene from bar golf.  The rules are quite simple.  Teams of two. Each gulp counts as a stroke.  One gulp= hole in one. Three gulps= par. Each bar is a different hole.  We played nine holes.  I missed a crucial putt to put our team out of contention.  The winners shot perfect rounds of 9, all holes in one.  Not everyone finished.  

Here are some of my co-teachers and the principal who took us out for some sushi.  I've never been served so many courses of food in my life.  Delicious octopus, salmon, eel, tuna, and God knows what else.  It just kept coming.  Oh yeah, we got a little tipsy too.  Every time the principal drinks, we're supposed to follow suit.  I like the idea.  The principal is awesome. Everything he says sounds really wise and deep when translated.  

Clockwise from the left:  Me, the Prince, Padrica, Terry, and Tim

Bupyeong Underground Market:  

I decided to look for a nice heavy coat to get me through the winter when I first arrived.  My one from home wasn't cutting it.  The Bupyeong market has hundreds of clothing stores next to the Bupyeong subway station for very cheap prices.  The only problem was that nothing fit.  Apparently I am an extra large in Korea.  Every coat I tried on, I couldn't move my arms easily.  I must've gone to ten different stores, all of which were too small in the same area.  I needed more "stretchy."  I had to settle for one from outside the Market.  It turned out to be a great purchase.  

I got lost many times trying to get back to the subway.  Every direction I tried to go looked the same.  The exit signs were misleading too.  They did not lead to an exit.  I think this place was designed for people to get lost, so they are forced to walk around long enough to see something they want to buy.