Just one full day left and you know what’s funny? After three whole months, it feels like we’ve only just arrived.
A lot of people tend to focus on Seoul when it comes to Korea but I’m telling you man, you’re missing out if you don’t give Busan a try, especially in winter.
From the clear blue skies to the mix of evergreen and bare trees dotting the landscape, interrupted by inviting mountains, surrounded by the vast sea.
Look at the beauty. LOOK AT IT.
I’ve heard that the locals in Seoul can be as cold as the weather there, but here in Busan, they are incredibly friendly and helpful and kind.
Yesterday we said our goodbyes to Haeundae Beach.
I am going to miss strolling on the beach under the bright sun and not sweating from, like, everywhere.
And all around us, the first signs of spring.
Leaves have begun to grow, and here and there flowers are starting to make a comeback, as well as birds I hadn’t seen during the coldest months in December and January.
Tomorrow we leave early in the morning, well before the Littlest Dictator usually wakes up. It’s going to be a very long flight.
And it just hit me. We have our own family tradition. Every year we visit Korea and my wife’s mom in winter. And now the Littlest Dictator is a part of that. I never did have something like this as a kid. It’s pretty cool. I think.
Here we are, at the tail-end of our epic three-month stay. And you know what? I miss Busan already!
I’m especially going to miss waking up to this view after an afternoon nap:
It’s been almost surreal. Living by the sea, with ever-changing breathtaking scenery beckoning to me just outside the window each morning.
Now sure, there are some things that I miss about Singapore. But you know what I don’t? The freakin’ heat!
What the hell, Singapore? Even at 3am? COME ON.
It’ll be like waking up from a dream once we’re back. I’ll get a regular job again, and adjust to the standard weekday schedule most people in my line of work have.
And that’s OK. It’ll be good to stretch my legs again, you know?
Oh and I’ve got a bit in the way of motivation. Looks like my mother-in-law is delaying the move to France by one more year.
That’s right, one last trip to Busan at the end of the year, baby!
13 days left before we return to Singapore, and I’m already missing Busan!
I’ll especially miss the peacefulness of Haeundae, along with the pleasant strolls we’d take in the cool weather.
Finally got round to walking the entire stretch of Dalmagi Hill, which is touted as the best place to view the moon. And we did it with a stroller.
Great for when hiking up the side of a mountain isn’t tiring enough for you.
It was very nice, but just be aware that near the middle, you’d have to cross the road because for some insane reason, the smooth path stops, and gets replaced by dirt paths with flat stones. Not stroller-friendly.
There’s several ways to go through, but we decided on the boardwalk for convenience.
And if you decide to check it out, you’ll be greeted with incredible views.
There’s also a lot of cafes along the way which makes it a fantastic place to take pictures for Instagram to make your friends jealous like the annoying hipster that they know and love.
Even the public restrooms are nice.
Keep going and you’ll finally hit the bridge that was only recently completed.
As we made our descent, the first drops of rain began to fall.
Have you ever tried running down a mountain with a stroller in the cold of winter? IT’S FUN. TRY IT.
Lungs burning and legs screaming, we arrived home just in time!
I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Busan and am quite lucky to be able to stay in Haeundae, near the beach.
One sad thing I’ve noticed is dying and recently-closed businesses. Not big ones, but small, family-run stores.
Like this bakery:
Last year I bought something from them, but they kept trying to get me to buy more stuff. It was a little annoying but I think they were desperate.
It makes me a little sad to think of their hopes and dreams when they first made that big leap. The fear and excitement when they finally opened the bakery. And how depressing the end must’ve been.
Then there’s the dying cluster of shops nearby:
The furniture places are probably going to be fine, but everyone else… probably not.
I see this a lot. New, small businesses opening up near larger, more established competitors… selling the same damn things. Is it a lack of planning? Unscrupulous landlords who don’t reveal the truth about the area? Probably a combination of those things and more.
I still love it here, but this aspect of the area does get me down from time to time.
Got up a little bit earlier today (OK fine I actually had to go to the bathroom and then couldn’t sleep afterwards) and went for a walk. A leisurely stroll, if you will.
Here’s the thing though. Without a downpadded coat in minus two degrees Celsius, the ‘leisurely’ bit tends to get left behind. Too lazy to head back up, I kept going.
Beautiful view while freezing my little kimchi off.
The cold has not yet lost its novelty for me. In fact, I’ll probably miss it (and not sweating like, everywhere all the damn time) once I’m back in Singapore.
The moment I finished that last sentence, my brother-in-law came out of the room and told me “It’s snowing!”
I rushed back out like my life depended on it along with a stupid grin on my face. And I made it! It was the first time I ever stood outside while it snowed.
It’s gearing up to be a really good day. I’m definitely going to miss this.
Woke up a bit more late than usual, and still feeling groggy and considering a return to whatever dream I had… turned my head and saw… SNOW!!
Just ah, trust me. There’s snow there.
At first there were only a few snowflakes dancing across the window… and I was slightly annoyed, mistaking them for joss paper ash, which is not that uncommon in Singapore.
What’s even more amazing (to me only, apparently) is that it’s not even below minus.
And then it hit me. I literally ran to the hall, even forgetting to greet the mother-in-law.
Seeing it snow for the first time. Quite a sight to behold. Just incredible.
The wind is still blowing strongly and it’s like someone’s playing with the tap in the sky, with the snow getting turned on and off and on again.
I’m really glad I finally got to see snow here in Busan.
After my failed attempt to find snow last night (well technically it was really early) I woke up early (OK fine, at 9am) and decided to head out while it was still cold.
In Singapore at this time, you’d be sweating buckets
I’ve explored most of the area, so I wanted to try something different and walk along the river. You know, being the trailblazing hellraiser that I am.
I’m so badass
About halfway through though, I was distracted by the Haeundae Cultural Centre. Because apart from being a badass, I also apparently have the attention span of a toddler.
Oooh big shiny building!
A couple of weird things about this place on a Sunday morning:
It’s neither open nor closed. The doors were open… but there was no one inside. Not security, nothing.
It’s a cultural centre and… it’s apparently closed… ON A SUNDAY. Like, are people supposed to take a day off of work and school for the kids to take them here? Yeah… I totally seeing that happening.
Anyway, after sitting around for a while I began heading back via different route.
Stopped by a Starbucks along the way.
You can travel through time and space and when you arrive on the other side… you’ll probably find a Starbucks waiting to serve you overpriced Cappucino
Aaaand that’s about it. Hopefully there’ll be snow tomorrow!
Edit: This is like, my 3rd attempt to post it due to a weird problem with the app basically saying “Hey, hey, you want to post this? It’s interesting right? Yeah? NO. SCREW YOU, HUMAN! KISS MY DIGITAL RECTUM! SKYNET 4 LYFE!”
Baby’s down for her nap, and my laptop needs recharging (like, 20 mins into the series finale of Rectify) so there’s time for another post!
We went skiing! Or, as I should call it, ‘That Time My Ass Kissed the Icy Floor Over and Over Again.’
More detailed information on the resort and how to get there can be found at the bottom of this post.
I had no idea what was to come
We went to the Eden Valley Ski Resort in Yangsan. At night. For the first time. So yea, we got a little lost.
I don’t know man, this looks just a wee bit off than what I expected a ski resort to look like
We finally found the proper route and you can tell it is (you know, besides looking at the signs) by the increasing number of ski/snowboard gear shops the further you go.
We settled on getting equipment from here:
There was a guy in hockey mask and a bloodied machete who was pretty nice and spoke with high-pitched British accent
The place was fine, but just bear in mind that they are an independent shop.
Be very specific about what you need to rent and for how long, and remember that they do not have any say regarding the admission cost. My brother-in-law told me that the guy spoke as if he were connected to the resort. I’m hoping it was a communication issue. Yeah. Communication issue.
Anyway, I’d recommend renting directly at the resort. Easier to drop off the items and stuff.
We finally arrived:
Getting the tickets
One important thing to bear in mind, especially if you’ve never skiied before: There is no beginner -level slope. I mean, they have one, but you’ll get what I mean further down.
First, the view from the bottom:
The one on the left is supposedly the one for beginners. LIES, ALL LIES
For starters, we had to take a goddamn ski lift to get to the top of the beginner-level slope.
For beginners. That is, for you to begin crapping yourself
Aaaand here’s the view from the top of the slope:
Notice how it looks deceptively flat… that’s because there’s a super-steep decline that connects to the slope on the rightThought I’d take one last picture of my being alive
Being the genius that I so clearly am, I’d decided to sit in the snow for a moment to rest. In non-waterproof pants. It’s amazing what a freezing ass and the threat of hypothermia can do to motivate you to speed down a death slope.
My last fall was when I’d decided to just go for it… and was speeding downwards when I realized I couldn’t stop. Because of the speed, I actually bounced off the damn ice. Oh yea, and I’d also neglected to wear safety gear. You know, all part of being a goddamn genius.
Luckily I got away only with slight cuts on the elbow which I legit thought was bleeding heavily at the time (shut up).
Would I do it again? With safety equipment, I’d say yes.
Would I recommend it to beginners?
HELL NO ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND??
Overall, an… enlightening experience.
Getting There:
We drove there at night (night skiing is from 9pm-1am), and the road conditions were pretty good.
One Weird Dude's Busan Blog 