Gone with the Wind

After finishing yesterday's blog post this morning, I took the bus to Haeundae Beach. It's basically a bay further than the beach I was at yesterday. The bus ride took a total of one hour and the bus was pleasantly empty. 

I just sat there and looked out the window, once again wondering how there could be so much writing in the cityscape. Are there so many signs in our country too? It feels like the facades are drowning in signs here.

Well, anyway, I arrived in Haeundae directly on the beach an hour later. What I expected: beautiful blue water, a nice sandy beach, pine trees, Koreans enjoying the shade. What I didn't expect: an art exhibition made of sand!

International artists had created actual artworks made of sand here, from Guernica (Picasso) to a reinterpretation of the Mona Lisa and an even creepier version of Munch's "The Scream". I took pictures of everything and will put them in the photo gallery!

Afterwards, I sat down in the shade with a snack to avoid the midday sun and write in my diary. 

At first, it was really nice. There were (once again) a few seniors around me, and a man was listening to Korean pop songs on his little radio and quietly singing along. Meanwhile, I had the best view of the four guys doing push-ups without shirts to warm up for surfing...uh...I mean, I had the best view of the sea. The sea! 😄 

Something I noticed right away: the weather forecast in Busan is not as reliable as in the other places I've been to. Maybe there's stronger wind here? In any case, the weather can change quickly here, and today it was so windy that I was actually cold at times. So, after about an hour, I had to leave the beach. It was just too cold. 

I took the bus to a department store and bought myself a jacket to put on (it was still on my wish list!). Then I took the subway a few stops further for lunch. I had udon noodles and vegetarian kimbap. 

And while eating, I spontaneously decided to make another trip to a skywalk, which is a glass observation platform by the sea that a classmate from Seoul recommended to me.

So, I took the bus for another 30 minutes to 오륙도 (O-riuk-do), where you can stand on a glass bridge 35 meters above the sea. Well, theoretically. In practice, the bridge was already closed. You could only go to the area in front of it... 😄 And it was so windy that I was completely frozen in no time. Luckily, I had at least brought the new jacket and could put it on right away.

It was beautiful there, but in the end, I spent a long time getting there just to spend 10 minutes there... But at least I managed to sprint and catch the bus back as it was pulling up. The journey to the Airbnb took another hour. 

Fun fact: Unlike Seoul, Busan is not compactly centered in one place, but extends over a large, very hilly area. This is because many people fled to the south after the Korean War and the city grew rapidly. Small satellite cities emerged everywhere in the hills, which have now merged into one big city. There are only two subway lines, which are not particularly well connected to each other, and while there are many buses, depending on the traffic situation, it can take a long time. Consequently, it takes much longer to get from A to B in Busan.

Once arrived in the train station district, I checked out 5 different shops in search of a salad. I just wanted a salad. Preferably without meat. But there wasn't any. So, I ended up buying a pack of cherries and almond banana milk instead. 

With that, I made a little detour to yesterday evening's park (the one outside my window), where I could admire the last red rays of the setting sun.

Then I went home to relax and put my feet up, and here I am, ready for bed. only 2 days left. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, and it's supposed to rain on Thursday. So now I have to carefully consider what I absolutely want to do and what can literally fall into the water. You'll find out the result of this deliberation tomorrow.

Best regards and good night!

PS: My Airbnb is in an officetel, a building with lots of small single-room apartments that are inhabited by single office workers. No tourists. It's so. nice. and. quiet. Wonderful.