Day 243: Train to Busan & Gamcheon

No, we didn’t ride the train to Busan to recreate the Korean zombie horror film; it was just time to actually visit Busan and the south coast. The train was 5 hours so we picked up McDonalds fast food equivalent Lotteria at the station: pot stickers, squid burger, and bacon egg and cheese.

A bit worried for our first major train outside Europe, but Seoul Station was easy to navigate and we found our track no problem. The train ride through the mountains and towns was scenic, and the smog lessened as we neared Busan. Our hotel is in the Nampo district and faces the harbor; we are on the 10th floor and it’s an amazing view

Busan is the second largest city and in the Korean War, held off the North until United Nation forces could land in Incheon. With our little daytime left, we visited the Gamcheon Culture Village which originally hosted Korean War refugees. The village struggled with poverty and poor living conditions so in 2009 the government invested in an art renovation to maintain, repair, and decorate the village.

We started on Ami-ro road and trekked up the steep hillsides through the Ami Tombstone Village. Older people would sit outside in the fresh, wind blown air and enjoy the evening’s air conditioning. Reaching the Village at sunset, the colors were breathtaking and many tourists had left for the day. While visiting, we tried green grape beer and bought dried strawberries.

For dinner we walked around BIFF Square and grabbed skewer chicken at a food stall. We found a shabu-shabu restaurant among the crazy colorful signs and young people out for the evening.

Hotel: K-Guest House

Food:
Pot stickers
Squid Burger
Bacon egg and cheese
Chicken skewer
Green grape beer
Shabu-ShabuRead more