Busan

Today it was time to get up early, pack everything, and get ready for checkout.

For the first time in Seoul, we actually had a classic breakfast. It was just paninis, but hey – it was a real breakfast and not an improvised coffee snack or onigiri from 7-Eleven.

After that, we checked out and headed straight to the train station because today was the day we continued our journey: by train to Busan. Of course, we arrived at the station way too early, so we had to wait for a bit.

But better too early than too late – and the train ride itself went surprisingly fast. And it was especially quiet, as the trains request silence and hardly anyone spoke. And not even three hours later, we were already at the station in Busan.

As evening approached, we went straight to the hotel and had only one thing planned for the moment: dinner. We decided on Bibimbap – a Korean rice dish with various vegetables, meat, a fried egg, and spicy Gochujang sauce – along with kimchi and daikon as sides. Exactly what we needed after a day of traveling.

After that, we didn't really have anything specific planned. But since we wouldn't be staying in Busan long and the following day was already well planned, we still wanted to take the time to see some of the city.

Following a recommendation, we decided to visit the beach. The beach?! In winter?! But okay, why not. And that turned out to be by far the best decision of the day.

Following a recommendation, we decided to visit the beach. Yes, the beach. And yes, in winter. It was a bit odd, but ultimately it was by far the best decision of the day.

Even the road to the beach was an experience in itself: a straight road adorned with ornaments and lights. A sight that was worth the trip on its own.

At the beach itself, entire sculptures and installations were set up with string lights and other lighting elements, bathing the beach in colorful light and creating a very special atmosphere. There were stars, planets, an astronaut, and other smaller setups. It was clear why so many people were posing for photos and wanted to capture this view.

And just about a hundred meters further, we stood at the sea for quite a while, enjoying the tranquility, interrupted only by the sound of the waves. It's no wonder that this beach is amongst the most visited beaches in South Korea during the summer.

On the way back, we walked through an alley filled with countless street food stalls. However, most of them consisted of fish, eel, or octopus – not really my cup of tea. But that worked out well since I was still more than full from dinner.

Fun fact to end:

Today was the first day of this holiday that we didn't visit a café to have coffee. And I think I can almost feel the caffeine withdrawal...