14 March 2015
The docks
The fishing boat harbour of Busan
This evening I decided to head down the docks for a while, see if I could find passage on a Russian tralwer to Kamchatka, where I hear they have excellent mountains. No such luck.
There was however plenty of activity going on, and I saw everything the ocean has to offer once its been swept clean by huge nets.
There was a large array of crabs, many different kinds, still alive, huge. I didnt take any photos as I didnt want to take my hands out of my pockets, everyone working there had serious gloves on.
Also, I was getting wet, angry eels were splashing me.
Outside on the dock itself, there were many boats tied up unloading stuff, but I think they could only be local boats, as theres no customs area, and I assume Korea doesnt just want anyone coming ashore.
There were even a few guys getting around in Korean navy uniforms.
All in all, it was a fairly clean area, nothing untoward was observed.
So I headed back to the neon world, but resisted taking photos, probably should have because I didnt take enough this evening.
Highlights from the busy shopping area included mobile crazy person karaoke. A woman had a large delivery trolley rigged up with loudspeakers, screens, a computer, microphone gaffa taped to her face and car batteries powering it all, whilst making her way through the crowds in a filthy clown outfit belting out Justin Bieber. People were generally getting the hell out the way.
Then later in the evening, I went to the local 24 hour supermarket, and saw a guy in his wives pyjamas, well I am assuming as they were white fluffy pants with teddy bears and pink hearts. He had combined this with a camo jacket, and was buying nothing except a cheap business shirt. I think he should buy some new pants.
View looking out to sea, except theres more land over there, and islands and whatever, and a huge bridge. Very confusing geography.
The other direction also had land and housing. If I didnt check google maps, I would assume it was a lake.
Inside the multilevel wet market that goes as far as the eye can see. Everything is alive, and leaping out of those tanks and plastic buckets.
Go up a level and its EAT EVERYTHING RAW super food court. Seriously, they were eating everything raw, prawns, crabs, things out of shells, gnawing into a still moving fish scales and all.
You also have to sit Asian style, on the floor with your shoes off. I wasnt about to take my shoes off in case a crab wandered off someones plate and got my toe.
Further along, and you get to the people that cant afford a spot indoors, and just set up outdoors, with dead things rather than live things.
It goes forever, yet theres hardly anyone here. A lot of these people looked like seasoned fishermen though, not a lot of teeth.
And then for dinner, I decided to go with fast good again! Coco curry, only it was not like it should be. They added tomato sauce and sour cream to the curry, this was not in the picture on the menu, and its never had a tomato sauce flavour when I have had it in other countries.
Still, I tried for omurice the other night in Daegu, and got a fried egg on top of rice, at least this time they got that right.
Probably best I go back to Korean food tomorrow.