What's better to kill some time than to blog about the recent family trip of mine on the eve of Blue Monday!
Picking up from where I left previously, we are now on day 5 of the trip and it is the day we flew back to Busan city with Jeju Air from Jeju island.
Busan Day 1 Itinerary (16/10/2014)
Gimhae International Airport - Airport Limousine to Haeundae
Busan Popcorn Haeundae Original (Blue House) Hostel
Gukbap Alley
Taejeongdae Park
Jagalchi Market
BIFF Square
Nampo-dong
Goodbye, Jeju-do!
Hello Busan!
Through the KTO website, you will gather that Busan is also known as Dynamic Busan because it really is dynamic. It is the second biggest city in South Korea after Seoul and this city hosted a lot of major events such as the Busan International Film Festival (quite prestigious in my opinion), and its port is one of the most busiest shipping ports in the world. It is also a very busy international/domestic travelling port too. You can get to China and Japan from Busan via ship/cruise.
When it comes to Busan, one could think of seafood and its saturi dialect. It is different than the proper Korean dialect in Seoul (which we are accustomed to, thanks to the dramas/variety shows). Seafood because of Jagalchi Market, the second biggest in the world after Tsujiki Market in Japan. For a good plate of fresh sashimi or sannakji (live octopus), do not miss it here!
Anyway, we boarded the airport limousine (no. 2 to Haeundae) from Gimhae International Airport (domestic terminal). It is KRW7,000 per person and direct to Haeundae non-stop. Our hostel is nearest to Novotel Ambassador Busan and so, we got off there. Do pretend that you've been dropped off at the wrong place to avoid the hotel's porter from welcoming you to the hotel (when technically, you are not!). The limousine ride was about 40 minutes and from Novotel Ambassador to the Marine Tower (where the hostel is) is about 300m walk. Dragging our bags to the hostel via walking is difficult but fortunately, the traffic was not busy as it was during lunch hour when we arrived.
Our room for the next 4 nights. 6 pax and ensuite with complimentary light breakfast.
I wouldn't say the staffs are friendly but their information/tips are accurate and in fact, effective.
After dropping off our bags, we headed out for lunch before moving to our first attraction. When in Busan, it is customary to have gukbap (literally translated to be "soup rice") at Haeundae. There is an alley dedicated to all restaurants selling only gukbap and you are right, it's called Gukbap Alley. From our hostel at Marine Tower, we used a short cut through towards Haeundae Traditional Market and Gukbap Alley is just beside a mini bus station or with subway, it is nearest to exit 7 of Haeundae Station.
Restaurant No. 48, Woncho Halmae Gukbap.
*looks like we're leaving eh? We did but after our meal of course*
Had I went a step further into my research, I would know that this restaurant only serves so-gogi gukbap (beef soup rice). It was after when I enquire whether there is any pork ones serve there that the halmeoni (grandma) or e-mo (aunty) told me that they only serve beef. I was about to turn myself and my family away from this famous eatery after hearing that until halmeoni stopped me and asked me to sit in. She will get us some pork ones. YAY!
Dwaeji gogi gukbap (Pork soup rice), halmeoni got it from a few doors down at another eatery serving only pork soup rice. HAH! How did I miss that. But anyway, the original gukbap is the beef one and my sister commented that it was delicious. Too bad, I couldn't try the original one in beef but pork instead. The pork version is still good. Both the pork and beef versions are KRW4,000. Notice the side dishes that came with it? You are not supposed to eat them as they are but to mix them into your pot of soup together with the rice.
Just like this! You may add as much or as little as you want. I learnt about this on youtube. Seems it is the proper way of having gukbap.
I do feel bad for writing so much in this post if compared to my earlier ones because I am at home when blogging about this. Earlier posts were created out of home and I am not going to reveal where is it that I blogged from. Haha..
After a lovely and warm meal to wake us up, we walked to the subway station and got our CashBee cards from CU, a local convenient store like 7-Eleven or GS25. It is KRW2,500 to purchase the card and you can add on as much value as you want with CU. It was during our last day that we got to know we could purchase pocket sized CashBee cards (with better appearances) for KRW6,000 at the subway station's machines! Gah! Anyway, we topped up KRW10,000 to start and as the days go, we will top up as and when we ran out of credit in the card. If you do not intend to spend more than 2D1N in Busan, then don't get the CashBee card because it is difficult to recover the refund back and at KRW4,500 for a day pass, it is worth it for all trips using the subway/local buses. However, with CashBee card, you get discounted rates when using the subway and/or changing/connecting to buses to your destination.
My CashBee. I still have it. Haha.. I have my T-Money card too from Seoul back in 2011.
Until the end of our trip, I always always double check whether we took the right subway heading towards the right direction. Somehow, we managed to take the wrong one at one point. Before you even tap your CashBee card at the exit/entrance to the subway platform, please double check whether you are at the right platform.
A very clean train and subway station all over Busan. And yes, like us, Busanites also enjoy "studying" with their smartphones and with their earphones on. That's commuting life, mate!
If you are wondering what to try or eat in South Korea, this nicely arranged cube photos can give you some ideas. Took this from an advert at Busan Station.
Busan Station where you can also take the KTX train to Seoul and other cities in South Korea.
We boarded the bus towards Taejeongdae Park from Busan Station. We have to stand for a bit because it was still a working day. So, bus was packed with students finished school.
Must have some drinks after the stroll at the park. Oh, you get off at the bus station which is exactly opposite of this coffee outlet.
On the same side as Angel-in-Us coffee, you walk straight ahead towards the restaurants. The park's entrance is just after this row of restaurants on both sides.
Follow the brown signboard and you're almost there!
Tada! The park at about 4pm when we arrived. Peaceful and quiet, not as busy or packed.
Keep walking upwards towards the Danubi tram platform. It is about 100m from the entrance when you started.
Highly recommended. Danubi train course at KRW2,000 for adults (hop on and hop off). Trust me, you wouldn't want to walk unless you are in for hiking and in a pair of good walking shoes. We were not.
The pricing for keen visitors and Danubi train riders.
Pretty tickets with the park's landmarks printed on.
We skipped the earlier 2 stops and got off here at the Observatory. You get a very nice sea view here, unobstructed and you get to visit Choi Jiwoo's gallery too at level 3.
You've been warned and should have not been thinking about it when you see the statue of a mother with two child. So, don't even attempt to jump off from the Observatory.
Lovely Choi Ji Woo-shi who is from Busan. In her gallery, she promoted the highlights of Busan. Visitors can get an idea of where to visit next after her gallery.
The Danubi train course
Actually, we only covered two locations in the park with the Danubi train. This is the second and the last stop for us, at the Yeongdo Lighthouse.
The marine office is here too
The lighthouse
Icon of Taejeongdae Park, the Marine Office's arch
Very nice for sunset
Or poses like this. :-D
The day began to get darker so, we didn't hang around that long. An hour or so. We wouldn't want to miss the bus as well because Taejeongdae is quite a distance from Busan station, around about 40 minutes by bus.
Before we leave, we stopped by Angel-in-Us for a cuppa and after that we took the bus back to Busan station where we took the subway and got off at Jagalchi station.
very nice art collaborative cup. i had hot chocolate in this.
The bus ride back to Busan station is fairly quicker than the afternoon one. So, in less than half an hour, we got to Busan station and immediately hop on to the subway for Jagalchi station. In big subway stations such as Jagalchi, Nampo and Seomyeon, there is an underground shopping centre.
We went out of the subway station and found ourselves within the vicinity of Jagalchi market. I wouldn't advise you guys to visit at night because the main market (on the outside, by the sea) is closed and what is left is the indoor one. So, best time to visit is in the morning or even in the afternoon ya.
When you see this, you are almost there at some parts of the market
See what I mean? These stalls are open in the early morning.
The indoor ones, where you find lots of people eating straight after work as they are still in their office wear.
catch of the day
treasures of the sea - sea urchins, clams, cockerels, abalone, etc etc. All fresh and alive!
Highlight of the night or of our visit to Jagalchi is this plate of sannakji - eating live octopus! Seriously, you need to eat it with care otherwise its tentacles will stick to your teeth or worst your tongue!
This plate (x2) and sannakji (x2) because there were 8 of us so the lady boss divided the catch into two portions so that four of us can share a plate each. KRW50,000.
After a light "snack", we walked to BIFF square which is just around the corner. Night is still young.
We missed the BIFF festival by a week! It ended by the time we landed in Busan but left immediately for Jeju after that.
Lotsa makeshift stalls all selling street food! Hotteok is a must when at BIFF square. But which one is the best?
We went for this one because the queue at this stall is longer.
Yummy, stuffed with sunflower seeds, cinnamon and sugar! Because it is warm, it served as a hot pack for my hands.
Finally, get to try sundae (held with chopsticks), odeng and tteok in spicy sauce.
Officially, the favourite shop of my sister! Artbox sells all things unique, cute, eccentric and innovative, too.
Koreans walk a lot and hence, the socks industry are doing well too. Who can resist such cute little things?
From BIFF square, we walked to Nampo-dong and we took the subway home to Haeundae. A very long walk through all the closed shops of Nampo station's underground shopping centre.
Back in Haeundae, we went through the traditional market.
And found our way back to our Popcorn! :) Good night!
Weather was better in Busan than in Jeju. At least it didn't rain. Sunny all the time since we landed.
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