Blog XIII - With Andrew and Erin in Busan, S.K.

The magic of social media is impressive!

To set the scene: Linda and I were in San Diego, our neighbor Cathie, in Ottawa, her son Ryan, at Bishop's University, Andrew and Erin, in the Philippines.
The action: Andrew facebooks his news. Ryan, reads it, calls his mother, who emails Linda, who happened to be online emailing her.

The message: “Next to a beautiful jungle waterfall in the Philippines, I proposed to Erin. She accepted.” 
It took only minutes for us all to know.

We were going to Korea to see them anyway.  
This little surprise made our visit extra-special.

Andrew and Erin live in Busan, a port city, Korea's largest, situated in the south-east of the country. 


 The locals often like to remind us that Busan was the only city not taken during the North Korean attempted invasion.

A ride down from Seoul in the “Korean Bullet" – maximum speed that day, 270 km/h – gave us time to enjoy a countryside just waking up from winter. 


Once in Busan, Linda and I had the pleasure of witnessing yet another loud demonstration...no idea as to why, but they seem to be happening a lot lately.

Andrew and Erin were great hosts. 


Some pictures might help you get a glimpse of the lives they live here as well as a little of what Busan has to offer. 

To the right, their apartment block, that is, one of  these blocks is theirs.  

See the carp at the bottom of the picture?  


The beauty of this high density living is that the ocean or the forested mountain are always just minutes from one's door.  


It did remind me of the Black Forest up there, that is until we chanced upon some small Buddhist temples.

The interior of their apartment is cozy and comfortable.  You've probably noticed a third member in the household.  


Andrew and Erin are fostering a dog, a spirited Korean Jindo two-year-old, to whom they have given the very Korean name "Watson".  


If you have food, it really is quite "elementary, Watson", to get him to come.  


He brings a lot of joy, grief, and exercise to the lucky couple.

Our days were spent talking over fantastic Korean food, drinking coffee, walking, hiking, visiting and taking cheap taxis and subway trains to new adventures.  


Our most recent excursion was to a working Buddhist temple high in the mountains.  


It all somehow seemed somehow fitting that we walk up... way, way up!

The working temple turned out to be more of a "temple town".


Were it not for the many believers practicing their faith and all the monks going about their business, one could very well have believed to be on an exotic movie set.

Korean food is simply amazing.  It's unique fusion of fermented, spicy and sweet flavours leaves the mouth experiencing the harmony of yin and yang.  


In fact, Korean food is almost the perfect metaphor for the country, a land so full of contradictions that just seem to work.

The busy five days of our first visit only left us with an appetite for much more.  We would return.  


It's been such fun visiting Andrew and Erin in this, their new home-for-now.

Tomorrow, we're off for Jeju Island where new adventures await.


Andrew and Erin know the island well and have given us lots of tips.


We'll be back in a week to compare notes.

Busan, what a city....Korea, what a journey of discovery!

Until next time.