We arrived into Busan to sunshine and blue skies. The seas have been exceptionally flat so far so no complaints here. As this port was an addition to our itinerary due to the super Typhoon Nepartak we did not have any private tours booked so decided it was easier to take a Princess tour. We decided to go to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple as it was by the seaside and also went to a market and was just a 4 hour tour which would give us some free time to explore the city on our own.
So after a face to face interview with the Korean immigration officials we set off on our tour.
We drove through the countryside to the coast and the beautiful Haedong Yonggungsa Temple which is one of the most striking landmarks in Busan thanks to its unusual location by the sea.
Next stop was to Dongbaekseom Island and the stunning APEC House which was built for the 2005 APEC Economic Leader's Meeting which our Prime Minister at the time, John Howard attended.
Our tour finished with a visit to Gukje International Market for shopping and to try the local cuisine. Shopping in Korea in general seems to be quite cheap and good quality and the food delicious…. we had dumplings!
After browsing through the market we headed for the Lotte Shopping Centre which is the largest in the area. After taking in the view from the rooftop which was quite spectacular we headed for a cold drink before making our way to the shuttle to go back to the ship via the underground shopping malls. There is a maze of shops down there!
Another successful day on shore and another country to tick off the list.
Next port is Vladivostok.
Quick Facts:
Population: 3.6 million (in 2012)
Climate: Sub-tropical
Language: Korean
Currency: South Korean Won (KRW)
Arriving into the port of Busan
National Maritime Museum at the port
Peter and Gaz at the entrance to the Temple
Coiled cooked apple
Food stalls in the market near the Temple
A row of the zodiac animals
Buddha meets Buddha
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Doors into the Temple
More local delicacies
Walking to APEC House
The Mermaid statue in the gardens
The view from APEC House across the bay to the impressive 24,000 foot Gwangan Grand Bridge,the longest suspension bridge in Korea.
Inside APEC House and the seat for the Australian Prime Minister
Self explanatory
Gukje Market
Yummy dumplings
The view from the top of the Lotte Shopping Centre
Interesting iceblocks
These girls put on a fabulous sailaway show
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