Busan

Typing this up on a very old pc, from my laptop as there's no wireless here, which may be set to Korean (and is therefore saying most of what I type is wrong...so forgive spelling mistakes)...

I haven't had a 'human kindness' story for a whle, my avowal to discontinue such acts disregarded, but today provides a good opportunity to give an example. Today I came to Busan. This was against my plan to the extent that just 30 minutes before I decided, I told Chi-He I'd be in Gyeongju for another night. However, the rain started, and a detailed weather forecast suggested it would only get worse. My only plan for the day was to go hiking, however hiking in the rain without a coat and with only one set of clean clothes in my bag did not appeal, not to mention the fact that the clouds were so low it would be dangerous and largely pointless. Thus, I got breakfast in the same place as yesterday - which made them smile - toast, jam, 'strained through my one day old underwear' coffee/water, and some free local bread which is a bit like 2 Scotch pancakes stuck together with red bean paste in the middle. Then I headed for the 1 hour, 1 every 10 minutes bus to Busan.

Leaving straight from the bus station to the hostel on the Busan subway I found my place easily enough, and was met outside the appartment building by the owner who took me to another building (she owns a few appartments) in a twin room for the first night and then a dorm for 2 more. My room mate is a Korean girl who teaches Korean in Seoul, but is here for one night visiting people and seeing Busan (for the first time). She invited me, and n American girl who was in the living room too, to join her and her friend for a day of sightseeing. It was thus that I had a taxi round Busan, to a very nice Korean restaurant, to a temple not in the guide (Haedongyonggungsa, on the coast - quite beautiful), to a nice coffee place overlooking a beach, up a mountain overlooking Busan by night, and then back to the hostel. Despite the fact me and the American girl kept insisting we pay for something (parking, petrol, cofee), the guy (he called himself John) refused each time and indeed paid for the coffee.

On the way up to the mountain we made a stop at a small fish market by the coast. At this place we had (I watched) fresh octopus - freshly cut in front of you and still wriggling as you eat it with seasame sauce...mmmmm.

A day which was going to be one of me sitting in a cafe drinking good coffee and reading my book instead turned into a full day of sightseeing with local knowledge, with the ease of a car, and with friendly companions along the way - excellent :). Now I'll explore the rest of Busan, and then on to wherever Chi-He and I end up this weekend :).