From Pyrenees to Pennines

Spa Land

Emily was quite clear about it. If we want to do as the Koreans do, we have to spend time at a spa.

Spa Land, she said. That’s biggest and best.

Once we’d arrived, we had to split for the bath house experience. Naked, you see. I got used to this in seconds. Spring water with various health-giving properties, and hot, cool, cold, very hot, bubbling, still, shallow, deep, indoor, outdoor: I relished the lot. Saunas – 60 degrees, 80 degrees. Then scrubbing and pampering with lotions and potions.

Dressed in soft loose shorts and top as issued, I went exploring, though I never found Malcolm. There were rooms, beautifully appointed, with hot steam, warm steam, dry heat, dry cold, changing lights, atmospheric relaxing sounds, as well as various cool relaxing areas. I loved trying them all out and felt no need to pay for extra treats such as a massage.

If this is how Koreans give themselves treats, I thoroughly approve.

No photos though. Not allowed. Instead, here’s a view we saw later in the day – once I’d found Malcolm – of the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, stretching 7.4 km across the ocean, linking two parts of Busan together. It’s quite a sight. And a moody one too, when there are warnings out that a typhoon is on its way.

The cat café

From the sublime to the ridiculous. After the temple …. tea break time. Back in town, Emily took us to a …. cat café. We thought it was a Korean thing, but it turns out there’s even one in Manchester. And New York. And Barcelona.

You order your drinks. You sit down. And there are some fifteen or so cats, playing, slumbering, climbing on shelves, cat climbing frames, boxes….

It’s quite relaxing and fun. Emily says there are dog cafés too. But as you’d expect, they’re really rather smelly.

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A very special temple – Beomeo-sa

Emily took us on a special journey today. On a bus which climbed steadily up increasingly wooded slopes, leaving Busan with its crowds and high-rise buildings far below. We got off at the Buddhist temple, Beomeo-sa

It’s been here since 678. There’s a golden well nearby in which a golden fish from Nirvana lives, so this site was perfect as headquarters for the Dyana sect.

The Japanese destroyed it in 1593. It was rebuilt.

This is a temple, a working monastery, a place of worship and pilgrimage. It shows. Those of us who visited as tourists felt something of what it offers as we absorbed the beauty, peace and serenity of this special site.

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Busan in the rain

Our high-speed train journey to Busan was effortless, and involved simply looking through the window at views which changed from high-rise cities and towns to glistening wet paddy fields to thickly wooded hillside.

And here we are in Busan. It’s raining, and how. It may do so for three more days. Never mind.

This time we’re not staying in a small old and traditional hanok, but in a hotel. A motel actually, as is common here. We think this one is fine, but you have to watch out. Another name for motels is ‘love hotel’ and it’s where you bring your – er – bit on the side. Very boringly, neither of us can find one.

But here’s a picture of Busan on this very wet evening. Roll on tomorrow and the chance to explore.

Two failures and a surprise hit

Yesterday, Dongdaemon Design Plaza and Park sounded good. Bits of it were. Most of it was shut.(Chuseok)

The French Quarter at Seorae sounded good. We found a French vet, but most of it was shut too (Chuseok)

Emily suggested lunch at a Department store, Shinsegae. We thought that sounded a really rubbish idea. But we were wrong. Up-market, varied, unusual and tasty foods from Korea and beyond were exquisitely and tastefully displayed. What to choose? It was a delicious dilemma.

After, Emily joined the queue – the long queue – for their famous cheese tarts (think creamy and delicate cheesecake). We were utterly converted.

After, Gangnam for Emily. Malcolm went home, and after I’d gazed at a few enormous sky-scrapers, so did I.

A good, but not at all as predicted day. And today we leave for Busan. There’s a monsoon hurling down out there. Never seen anything like it.

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Dancing for Chuseok

Yesterday was for dancing. Korean dancing. Which we saw at the very wonderful National Museum of Korea – of which more later, when I’m not pecking at a smartphone.

Here were wonderfully clad dancers in the national colours of white, red and green. The men got all the action. Tossing their heads made the ribbons on their heads swirl and circle. They strutted, marched, tapped intricate rhythms on drums, jumped and kicked as the women demurely circled round. The younger men created tottering towers of children above their heads. They thrilled us.

I wish I could post my videos. But I can’t.

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Happy Chuseok

It’s Chuseok today, the 15th September – and yesterday, and tomorrow. It’s a time when Koreans enjoy their families, honour their ancestors, and used to celebrate the harvest.

Come on girls, you’ll enjoy the chance to dress up and parade the streets in gorgeous traditional dress. Go on – you know you want to. Make your man dress up too. You know he doesn’t want to.

You’ll want to give gifts too. I know just the thing. Presentation boxes of tins of spam. They’re in every shop. The Americans introduced the stuff during the Korean war in the 1950s and the Koreans love it to this day.

Happy Chuseok!

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A moment of silent prayer

Emily’s here! Hooray, hooray.

But this afternoon she had jobs to do, and Malcolm still needs to rest.

I popped into Myeondong Catholic Cathedral, as it looked so – well – European.

I now know from the stained glass windows that Jesus and his twelve apostles are European, probably northern European.

I also saw an elderly woman at her prayers. She had a tasselled prayer card. But beside her was her smartphone. She was systematically tapping through it as she completed each prayer. Is this the 21st century version of the rosary?

Only in Korea……

By the way, this shot is of the cathedral by night, as it was when we first saw it.

Feeling rather proud…..

…… because this evening I went out all by myself to a spit-and-sawdust neighbourhood restaurant. I’d had to leave poor old Malcolm tucked up on his mattress to catch up on lost sleep. Food was of no interest to him.

No tourists here. No English menu. But I managed to order spiced octopus stew, and later to say it was delicious and ask for the bill. I tackled my six kinds of kimchee, sizzling fishy broth, a pot of rice and the octopus with no kind of panache and almost certainly appalling table manners. My fellow diners – and the waitress – cut me lots of slack.

Here’s a photo of my kimchee selection.

Tomorrow will be easier. Emily arrives. Hooray!

Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden.

Beloved of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty since the 14th century, this palace’s true treasure is its spacious, secret garden, where Nature has been enhanced yet left in charge.

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