Days Eleven and Twelve: Busan

Oh, Busan. Our trip did you dirty. Even before the travel hiccups in getting there, our stay in South Korea was already planned to be the shortest of the tour and as you can see, I’m doubling down on that mistreatment by giving it just one entry in this here travel blog (I do have to wrap this thing up at some point). In any case, by the time we finally arrived at our hotel, three days had turned into two. What’s more, unlike our previous two stops, our hotel in Busan was a full-fledged resort featuring amenities like a casino, shopping mall, movie theater, pools, restaurants, saunas and, you guessed it, a spa! So when we woke up the next day to a full-on downpour, was it really a surprise that we spent the entirety of our second day indoors? I do absolutely regret that we spent any of our time abroad seeing Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but other than that, it was a much-needed day of rest and relaxation after two weeks of non-stop exploration.

Alas, that left us with just one full day to see everything we could of South Korea before embarking on the lengthy trip home. No pressure! All kidding aside, I’m happy to report that we rose to that occasion. Obviously, we could only scratch the surface of what Busan has to offer, but by the end of the day, our takeaway from South Korea was not that it was the least impactful stay on our trips, but rather, the one we would be most anxious to do again (maybe next time as stop #1).

So what does one do with just a day to explore a foreign city? Our answer was to walk around and eat (and I mean really eat). Luckily, Busan is the perfect city to do just that. Located on South Korea’s southeastern coast, Busan is a port city nestled between mountains featuring hilly terrain, stunning views, and some of the world’s freshest seafood. Even better for us was that after two days of rain and fog, the weather on our final day could not have been any more beautiful. And so, on a sunny, clear, spring day, we set out first to grab some breakfast and then explore Busan’s film district neighborhood, both of which garnered five stars in my book.

After taking in the sights and exploring some movie shops, it was time to climb as we were determined to get a view of the city’s Gamcheon Culture Village, a historic neighborhood noted for its twisting and hilly terrain as well as its delightfully colorful houses.

From the Gamcheon Culture Village, we slowly descended down the narrow and winding alleys back to sea level, making our way toward the Jagalchi Fish Market and, perhaps, our most memorable meal of the trip. For my family, it has certainly been the most entertaining story of the trip! But before diving straight into the food, we worked our appetite back up by strolling through rows and rows of stalls featuring the day’s latest catches.

Finally, after taking in the scenery from the top of the Fish Market building, we made our way to the dining area of the complex in which dozens of vendors stand prepared to make the seafood meal of your life. For me, this was easy. While I did have some hesitation based on the 30ish hours of travel ahead of me, I couldn’t turn down the spicy seafood stew featuring clams, mussels, and prawns served in a mouth-numbing broth. Not only was it spectacular, but I am happy to report that I had no digestive issues on any of the flights home the next day! A true blessing.

Gioia’s choices were a bit more…raw. First, she ordered the Marinated Snow Crab, a dish in which a raw snow crab is marinated in soy sauce and served. I shared in this dish and can attest that it was fantastic. The next delicacy, however, was hard for me to watch let alone stomach. This was San-nakji, a dish in which a live octopus is cut up and served so fresh that its tentacles, cut up into bite-size portions, still move as you eat it. Served with Sesame Oil, this octopus is not only a local delicacy but something of a choking hazard if eaten incorrectly as the tentacles are still writhing as you eat them. I’d like to think I am an adventurous eater but even after insistence from both Gioia and the shop owner that I try it, I could not rise to the task. Maybe next time.

For anyone who has been lucky enough to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you’re likely all too familiar with that sobering realization that your final day is coming to a close and with it, your vacation will come to an end. Despite taking as many detours as we could on the walk back to our hotel, it was soon time for us to turn in and pack for the long journey back to Chicago.

Day Ten: Tokyo to Seoul to Busan