Dynamic Busan!

On Friday afternoon Sang Kyu checked the internet and told us that there were no seats available on the super speed KTX train. We had arrived at school packed and ready to go so we decided to have no faith in the internet and go anyway. Worst comes to worse we'd take a slow train or go somewhere else. We were getting out of town one way or another.

We jumped on the bus and got into Seoul Station at approximately 8:20. We reached the ticket counter and held the printed first class (60,000 won) tickets in our hands at 8:25. And our train pulled out of the station at 8:30. I got stuck next to a damn baby and cursed my luck though I guess getting on the train at all was a lucky break. First class has lots of leg room and complimentary orange juice. But it still has crying babies.

My camera appeared to be broken, but I knocked it and it works again.

It was just after 11:00 when we arrived at Busan station and easily found the love motel as recommended in Lonely Planet. It was adorned with strip club adverts and the room came equipped with hair gel, shampoo, and toothpaste. All for the low, low price of 30,000 won (approx. 30 USD). We jaywalked and nearly got arrested in search of some food and found ourselves mysteriously in what looked like little Russia. Russian on all the storefronts and Russian people everywhere. What's that about? Anyone?

An early start today led us to sprawling Gukje market where we bought lots of cheap things. I got a purse made in India that'll knock your socks off. Yes, yours. We smelled the ocean so we headed in its direction to find ourselves in the "World Famous" Jagalchi fish market and beyond into the port where fishing boats were coming and going and we had to carefully watch our step. The fish and the vibrancy of the market was quite remarkable. I'll post pictures to prove it when I get home. Home.

We ended up boarding a small boat at the encouragement of some smiling man and found ourselves across the bay and unsure of our location, but after a bit of walking we located a bus stop and jumped on a bus headed for Haeundae beach. If the Marriot's prices were just a bit cheaper I wouldn't be typing this from my pink love hotel room with D'Arcy asleep on our circular bed to my left and a strange looking chair with stirrups tempting me to my right. The only thing missing is a mirror on the ceiling. The orange mood lighting that lines the ceiling and the closed garage (for modesty) are definitely nice touches. But I really would have gone swimming in the East Sea. It's warm down here compared to Seoul.

So that's where I'm at right now. It's ten after five and we're taking it easy before we hit up the town tonight. Pictures will surely follow tomorrow evening so fear not!