Jeff Spotting: Busan, ROK

After Maizuru, we jetted across the sea of Japan to Korea (again), this time in the lively city of Busan (also called Pusan - both names are correct). All of the action (for the crew of the PAUL HAMILTON, at least) started on Texas Street, supposedly named for a comparison to the Wild West. Not so much Wild West anymore as full of Russians: it's curious to look at all the Korean signs and realize that they all look foreign, and then see some Russian writing and think, "I know what that says" but then looking again, the letters are familiar, but the words no-so-much.

We ate dumplings and calamari and kimchee at little Philipino/Korean/American place before wandering through a variety of little shops. Eventually the smells of the poor sewage system drove us to the International Market (where the picture of the above shrine was taken) looking for souvenirs and gifts and knock off purses. We found all these things, but since I'm not much into fashion (as opposed to a strong ethical stance against purchasing knock offs), I neglected to buy a purse or twelve, as did some of my cohorts (sorry Jess and Mom...). We did run into a free beer giveaway on a street corner, though, right across the way from a lady selling tiny bunnies. Free beer and bunnies! Though the thought of purchasing a bunny crossed my mind, there wasn't really much to do with it; the ship environment isn't well suited to small fuzzy animals.

-Jeff