Hiking over Hwangnyeongsan to Gwangalli beach
Last day in Busan, last hike in Busan.
I selected a small mountain, so small you can drive to the top via a toll road. It is called Hwangnyeongsan, and you can walk up it without using the road in about 90 minutes from Seomyeon station, then mess around on the top for a while, and go down the other side to Gwangalli beach. Don't all those place names just roll off the tongue?
Still grey, still cold, but the views were decent. This is a very popular little mountain, lots of people walk up and over the road, because it is a toll road there really isn't any traffic to worry about early on a Wednesday morning.
On the top there were cafes, they were closed, toilets, they were open, viewing decks, they were everywhere, and some smoke stacks. More on the smoke stacks below.
Because I was finished mountaining early, I decided to head down to the beach with the bridge, which I had been to last time I was here, but a cool bridge is worth seeing twice.
I saw some foreign backpackers here causing drama by deliberately standing in the middle of a busy road drinking beers at 11am, a group of 10 of them who mainly wanted to just stop traffic and be annoying. So I quickly went elsewhere!
I got off the subway at the main junction station of Seomyeon and headed up the hill in the direction of that small mountain and its beckoning antenna's.
It is steep before even getting to a hiking trail, but there is still a sporting field to enjoy on the side of the mountain.
The map I use said this was the way, through the temple, the sign translated said 'NO WAY, not a hiking trail'. Time to find a different way then.
Presumably due to the unfriendly attitude of the local temple this old persons outdoor gym has no old people. There was no one around anywhere.
I found a nice staircase trail to follow. Today's entire hike was.. manicured. Huge trees here...
It did not take long to get to the top, here is one of a few viewing platforms. You can get close to a 360 degree view from this peak. Down those stairs is a cafe, but it is not open at this early hour.
A bit of view.
Here is the old and the new. In the foreground are 5 smoke stacks, used to send signals to the city. They do not look that old to me, maybe they still relied on smoke signals until sometime last Thursday? Behind it, the new tower that replaced the smoke signals.
More view, more viewing deck.
I spotted the next peak over and decided to head towards it. The path between them was almost wheelchair accessible, you could also follow the road if you want.
However, the next peak over, you cannot go to the peak. Here is an old military bunker, I assume on the top there is new military gear as there was razor wire everywhere.
I found a nice path that circled around the military stuff. This looks like a plantation of some kind.
Then I got back to the road again, and found another cafe, this one only opens at noon. I really think most people looking for a coffee on a mountain would be looking before noon, but I am sure the cafe knows best.
The path down involved piles of rocks. I think they were cemented into place.
Not a lot of chance for a view on the way down, but when I saw the bridge I knew where to go next.
On the way I passed the local juvenile detention centre.
Then descended through a few more enormous trees.
As I descended down to the beach I passed the local Melbourne themed cafe. Coffee here is about $10 a cup.
Behold the beach. Recently the site of the qualifying for the Asian SUP championships. I though 'SUPping' was just for people who want to float on a thing and not move all day. So I wonder if the championships is a race or a stay still as long as you can contest.
It was pretty cold here on the beach today.
Korean school kids on excursions generally wear safety vests like this.
One end of the beach has this nice sunflower garden. Yes they are all real.
I wandered all the way around the bay thinking it would be the best spot to photograph the bridge. It was not. So instead I photographed the shore from afar.
And then, finally walked back to where I was earlier to get one last photo of the giant bridge. Off the left of screen it curves around about 60 degrees without hitting the shore and continues across another bay. Over to the right it joins another bridge across another bay and goes to the island I was on yesterday. So wherever you are in Busan enjoying a sea view, you see a bridge.
Busan Chinatown and Lotte store roof
I set myself 2 missions to complete in Busan during my previous diatribes and tonight I completed both.
1. Photograph the Hotel cat, completed. He was just sitting in the street, in front of the main door, watching everyone go buy.
2. Capture the view from the Lotte store roof, although it was not dark, but I think they shut it off at 8, so not much I can do about that. Great view though!
I also walked back to the main Busan station, which was really not as far as I thought, and then discovered Chinatown and Texas town over the road. That was quite an interesting combination.
I also did a tour of a few different markets, a sewer, everything.
There are a lot of photos for an evening post so lets get into it.
Hotel cat, in all his glory! AT LAST!
Now for some market shots, here is an alleyway full of neon lights.
And a food alley, looks good in the fading light.
Next up, Chinatown, quite a large one too.
This is one of those optical illusion things where if you take a photo in the right spot it looks very 3d. I photographed the photographer.
Korea has no concerns about educating Koreans about Chinese war heroes. I doubt there is a similar mural of Tojo.
LITERALLY across the street from Chinatown is Texas Street. Everything in Texas Street was closed.
I have no idea. Wait yes I do, they are all buoys.
The local sewer street. It smelled like a sewer.
Tonight's shot staring into the sun. Most of the cloud was gone now.
I had traditional Korean poor person food from the local market, gimbap and tofu stew. Very good.
Now for the Lotte Department Store roof. The roof garden is very large.
The deck above the garden is also enormous and I had it all to myself. I hung a moon.
More roof garden before we get into the view. That enclosed grass area is a dog park. There is a doggy day care / dog grooming salon alongside it.
Here is the view back towards my hotel and the fish markets.
That is the island I went to yesterday.
And finally, the view in the other direction back to where I was earlier today. I think I climbed all the mountains in the above 3 photos.
Tomorrow I go to Yeosu. I have not been there before. It is a small place, 5 hours away on the slow train.