06 July 2008

The Third Wave


Bad news first: I lost my camera. I have no idea where or how, but it is gone. I don't know when I will be able to get another.

Anywho, this has been a great weekend. Yesterday (Sat.) I spent the day by myself touring. I rode the subway down to Bujeon Market (see the day's pictures, which, thank Buddha, I got off the camera before I lost it). This is the biggest food market in Busan and it was pretty cool, there are labels on the pics, so I won't go on about it. If you have questions, please mail.

Next I got back on the subway and went on down the line to Nampodong. This is an older neighborhood down by the port. I meant to go to another market there, but I got sidetracked by the sea. I walked down to the international ferry terminal in an attempt to find some literature in English but struck out. I walked down past piers and harbors and all kinds of stuff and ended up eating lunch on Shanghai Street. I went to a Chinese restaurant and had steamed pork dumplins and shrimp fried rice.

I walked on to Busan Station and got on a Busan City tour bus. There are two different routes and I got on the south. We went back the way I had come, toward Nampodong. After going to Busan tower we went over the bridge to Yeongdo, a neighborhood on an island south of Busan proper. There is a really cool observation area there called Taejongdae but when I was there it was fogged in. I sat in a little shop and had a delicious libation. On the way back they were playing Korean tunes on the intercom and all of a sudden "Take Me Home Country Road" came on. I had drunk just enough Soju that hearing this caused me to bawl in front of an entire bus full of Koreans. The old lady next to me sat there patting my leg all the way back to the station. I kept thinking: of all the songs....

Tired out, I got home and ended up going out with friends. I lost my camera. I ate some soup. I forgot a lot of stuff.

Today I went to Haeundae beach. I didn't remember sunblock and am fried like lobster. I rented a parasol and a chair for 10000 won. I have been to the Atlantic but this was my first time swimming in the ocean. I was surprised by how salty it was. It burnt my eyes. The waves were huge. A girl we met from New York was a boogie boarder and she taught us about the sets of waves. There is a rhythm to it. She said that the third wave is always the best for surfing. I started watching and she was right. The first two are bigger but the third breaks more evenly. Who knew. There were sailboats everywhere and they were hauling ass. I wish I had my boat. I bought fried chicken and beer from a roving vendor. I met girls from US, Canada, Denmark, Russia. After a bit Sarah and Stuart showed up and when we couldn't take the sun any more we went to their hotel, which overlooks the beach (I am so jealous) we sat in the waterfall jacuzzi, swam in the rooftop pool, drank some maekju (beer), and generally ponked out. Tonight we ate at a restaurant that Roa Ju (a Korean teacher at work) told Clayton served the hottest food in Korea. It was pretty hot, but not unbearable. I rode home at night with a little buzz and had two near death experiences on the scooter (don't tell ma). Clayton rides like an idiot and I have to take even more chances trying to keep up with him. Riding between the lanes of oncoming traffic through a red light intersection. Not good.

Well. I am really tired. This weekend has really flown by. I am actually looking forward to getting back to school tomorrow. I miss my kids.

I wonder where I left my camera.

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