Blog Entry XVI - Our return to Busan

                                                                               It was only mid-morning when our plane landed in Busan. We were excited about seeing "the kids" again.   Both, we knew, would be tired. Andrew had organized a 20-team rugby tournament for that week-end. Now let's be honest about rugby tournaments. Sure fields need to be readied, refs and scorers organized, and schedules prepared. But the real challenge was ensuring that the apres-rugby was well in hand. Thankfully the venue, a small bar, stood across from Busan's biggest beach.  |Needless to say that the "tournament" ended there at 4 a.m.

Black gold to the rescue

When the taxi dropped us off at the apartment, only Watson, their dog, didn't seem sleep deprived... that is until the coffee maker started pumping out its magic potion. For the next hour and a half, coffee was drunk and stories swapped...that is until the mention of The Water Temple

...a very unique temple just outside the city. It didn't matter that it was a Buddhist holiday and tens of thousands of believers would also be there.

Was Tom Cruise the first?

My fascination for traditional Korean and Japanese architecture dates way back to the late sixties when a made-for-TV movie called "Shogun" came out long before Tom Cruise's "The Last Samurai". Richard Chamberlain, already a T.V. star in "Dr. Kildare", today's "Grey's Anatomy", was suddenly wielding a sword in feudal Japan.  What could be better than exotic scenes of breathtaking beauty and a fascinating story of samurais and earthquakes? 

More importantly though, it planted the seed for my fascination with Asian culture and architecture.





Asian architecture: buddhalicious

Since then, Buddhist temples transfix me. I can't explain it but to see one is to love it. Korea's temples are different from the others, probably because of Buddhism's early arrival in Korea (372 A.D.) So for nearly two millenea, Korea's geographic and cultural isolation shaped both the religion and architecture of Korea, giving each some very distinctive Korean characteristics.    Today, Buddhist pagodas, shrines, and temples emphasize nature and separation. It's not unusual to be ambling over a mountain path and to stumble upon a shrine in stunning surroundings. No wonder Buddhist buildings hold a very special spot in Koreans' hearts. 

A Wonderful Seduction

There was no escaping the sweet, exotic smell of incense, that olfactory delight...that sweet, calming, aroma that drew us in. And yet it was only when we came upon a row of astrological statues, each embarrassed by believers leaving offerings and praying for better times that my sense of bewilderment struck. And then turning a corner, we were stunned. It was like a dream as we were transported to the "Water Temple" in the flow of a quiet, yet madding crowd.

From the fat Buddha statue, to the gorgeous temple, to the breathtaking setting... this temple, carved into the cliffs at the edge of the sea, was breathtaking... and such fun to share with Erin and Andrew, also there for the very first time. 

 It was...buddhalicious.

A day well lived..

To cap it off, we invited the kids to choose the restaurant of their choice so that we could celebrate a little more formally the news of their engagement. 

They chose well. We ate at a beautiful little restaurant by the beach. 

 Needless to say, celebratory cigars were offered to everyone in the party while we strolled on the boardwalk later, oddly only the two guys partook. 

Walking along the beach, it was easy to see why Busan was Erin and Andrew's favorite place.... for now. 

Monday and Tuesday saw the kids back to school. Linda and I chose to spend both days hiking with Watson up in the mountains behind their apartment.   I, too, began to re-evaluate. Was Seoul really my favourite city? 

We'd know in 10 days and have had the chance to see both cities back to back.

In the mean time, it's off to Japan and "Hello, Tokyo!" where we will meet James and Sally. 

Until next time.