Busan, Korea

While I was still an EFL teacher in Japan, I took a trip with a friend to Korea during the week-long break Golden Week. Although we stayed in both Seoul and Busan, I will highlight some places in Busan since I took the most pictures there.

The coastal city of Busan had beautiful natural scenery and was a breathe of fresh air from the big city of Seoul. My friend and I were lucky to have a friend drive us to some popular destinations, though taking a taxi would have still been pretty cheap (taxis are SO cheap in Korea: http://www.exploringkorea.com/taxis-in-seoul/). 

HAEUNDAE BEACH

We didn't spend too much time here, but the sunshine, blue skies and water, and coastal breeze were refreshing. 

The APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) conference hall was located nearby. Not a whole lot to see around here, though I bet the beach is a popular summer destination. 

For more information about the area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haeundae_District

YONGGUNGSA TEMPLE

Beautiful temple nestled among the rocks by the sea, the Yonggungsa attracted a good number of visitors. It was not a strenuous walk up the temple, but there were quite a few stone steps to conquer. Best not to wear heels (though some ladies somehow made it up with heels on). 

Stone statues of the 12 zodiac animals near the entrance

Golden Buddha from afar (pic above) and up close (pic below)

Lots of other interesting statues and figurines to see in this large temple by the sea.

 GUKJE MARKET

Lots to buy and eat at the Gukje Market. Don't miss the Hotteok (sweet Korean pancake)--they make it differently in Busan than in Seoul. The street food is cheap and good...

GAMCHEON ART VILLAGE

Probably my favorite place in Busan so far, the Gamcheon Art Village (or Korea's Santorini) is vibrantly colored and intriguing. Here is an interesting article from CNN about this unique town: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/10/travel/busan-gamcheon-village/index.html

Le Petite Prince and the fox

Busan Station at night: looks like the perfect setting for a Korean drama!

Kameido Tenjin's Wisteria Festival

It was an oddly cold and rainy Sunday when I visited Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo. It was the first day of the wisteria festival (April 20-May 6). My friend Lisa and I met up at Kameido station and walked about 15 minutes to the shrine, following the purple banners along the sidewalks that led us there.

There were quite a few visitors there, but the shrine had a very calm atmosphere. During the time we were there, we heard a koto performance along with other traditional Japanese music. Although the wisteria flowers weren't completely in full bloom, the trellises dangled gracefully on the wooden structures.

Most of the wisteria trellises were purple, but some were light pink and white.

View from the top of the red bridge

Paper cranes and many wooden charms written with wishes

 

 Tokyo Sky Tree in the background

This bird attracted a lot of attention. People were busy taking pictures of this bird, which seemed to enjoy the photoshoots.

Looking out into the pond, we saw many pond turtles swimming slowly and calmly through the tranquil waters. Looks kind of like a turtle party here.

Some performers on stage

Many thanks to Lisa for being a lovely model...!

...and thank you for the shots you took of me as well!

Azaleas at Rikugien Garden

While it's sad that all the cherry blossoms are gone by now, many other spring flowers now paint the world with their brilliant colors. Last week I paid a visit to Rikugien garden in Tokyo, where many pink and red azaleas were in bloom.

My friend C modeling for me~

There were many maple trees, all of which are green now. This garden must look amazing in the fall when the leaves turn fiery red and orange.

What brilliant reds and pinks!



It was a very sunny and calm Tuesday afternoon. Many elderly people sat with their easel and paints throughout the garden and painted the scene in front of them. Such talented artists there!

Many thanks to C for being a lovely model!


After Rikugien, we went to Aoyama Flower Market teahouse in Omotesando for some tea and french toast (more flowers..!). The place was in the back of the flower shop and was decorated like a greenhouse. Great atmosphere and decor, but the food and drinks were a bit on the pricey side.

Flowers galore!

Back to Aoba no Mori Park

Fallen pink sakura petals carpet the roads as many cherry trees have already reached their peak. However, some varieties of sakura are late bloomers, so I took another trip to Aoba no Mori Park in Chiba.

I didn't take good notes on the specific type of sakura I saw, but many of them were yaezakura, which are sakura with more than 5 petals. For more information on sakura varieties, check out Japan-Guide.

Many other colorful flowers bloomed beautifully around the park. It was a lively and sunny Friday morning. Many joggers huffed and puffed through the park, people strolled along the pathways admiring the sakura, and frighteningly large bees (?) lingered in the air. The park was teeming with life.

I noticed many groups of students at the park. Perhaps they were practicing for their school team or doing some club activities. There was also a large group of elderly people visiting the park that day (see picture above).

 It was interesting seeing this variety of sakura. They remind me of carnations, but smaller.

 

While it was a beautiful spring day, the combination of bees, flowers, and sunshine was a bit overwhelming. Allergy sufferers, beware!