Busan!

This weekend, we had the pleasure of visiting Busan.  The second largest city in South Korea on the southern tip of the peninsula.  Our incredible hosts were a family that Sam had met and befriended many years ago, when they lived in Maryland for a year and Dr. Jo worked for the NRC.  They made us feel so comfortable and loved on us so much, we had a great weekend with the Jo family!



Our first meal with them.  Freshly caught crab, bought right off the boat!  It was soooo good, the sweet meat melted in your mouth.  Poor Sam had to settle for a bite.  A bite.  Poor poor guy.  The Jos had bought some fresh fish for him to enjoy.  It was good, too.  Uh huh.



The kids and me with the Jo family.  Sam had seen the kids last when the daughter was Lindsay's age!



The view from outside their apartment. 



Sam really liked these buildings

Busan is a major port city, the largest in Korea and fifth largest in the world

This group of islands is called "Oh Ryuk Do" meaning five or six islands.  The configuration changes with the tide.  It was gorgeous here, with the sweet briny smell of the ocean.



Cheese!



Lindsay received a lot of love from Mrs. Jo.

 We had blowfish soup for a late lunch.  The puffer fish meat is very firm, and the skin is thick and chewy, almost like a gummy bear.  Yummy when dipped in 꼬추장!

Haeundae Beach! 

Last stop of the day, Shinsegae Department Store, the largest department store in the world, as certified by the Guinness world record folks.  It is bigger than the Mall of America and the Macy's flagship store in Manhattan.  It was hugee.

A picture of half the food court.  We were in the middle when I took this pic.  This picture doesn't do justice to how large this place is, and this is only one floor.  I felt like I was in an airport terminal turned food court. 



Late dinner - 청국장!  A stinky but delicious bean stew.  Sam couldn't eat, he was too full, but I couldn't resist.  I usually don't enjoy the stuff, but it was so good here!  It reminded me of my Halmuni's jjigae, mmmmm.  I long for my Halmuni's jjigaes.  Sam kept looking at me and saying, "You're really enjoying yourself, aren't you?"  Yes, I was, and I did.

Last day, we went for a quick trip to Beomeosa Temple.  Built in 678, it is a vibrant working temple, very different in feel from the ones we saw in Gyeongju, which were more like tourist attractions.  The monks are very industrious and offer many things for sale.  The monk food, which is supposed to be quite good, monk/nun made bean paste, the opportunity to spend the night at the temple, aka "temple stay", and the chance to personalize a roof tile that would later be part of the temple.  This doesn't include the many generous donations that they receive.  We have been told numerous times how well off many monks are.  At E-mart the other day, I did see a monk with some really nice North Face boots on...  but I digress, some final pics!

At the front gate.  You can't see it, but the main entrance was under construction from a fire about a month ago.  In the main entrances of temples, there are usually these large angry looking gargoyle-ish figures that stand guard.  Apparently, these figures made a drunk man really angry, and he set the figure and eventually the whole structure on fire with his cigarette.  Tsk tsk.

Monk-made bean curd cakes

I liked this tree.  Doesn't it look like it has a windswept updo? 

A big inscribed rock, it looked like it deserved a picture

Under big inscribed rock, were little rock wishing towers with little Buddhas scattered about

The kids were listening to the sound of the mountain spring water flowing under the grate



Final family pic before leaving.  I love Lindsay's transparency, we never have to guess how she's feeling. :O)  If you can't read her, she was cold and was nursing a skinned knee.