Busan

Of the three days that we were in Busan, two were rainy. We did not have time to cover all that we wanted.

Later, Kim told me that she did consider spending more days in Busan, but thought I might not like to, because Busan is a port city somewhat similar to Singapore and Hong Kong, the other two port cities where I spend my time. On the contrary, it was easy for me to like Busan.

There is an energy about port cities. They never feel remote. Goods and people passed through ports, culture and customs get transmitted in the process, like osmosis. Port cities connect to anywhere in the world, and there is a life to this process. Being surrounded by water, they may not feel as grounded, but like water, they are deceptively powerful and often therapeutic. I imagine that people who live close to the sea will embrace the strength and grace of water and they know what it means to go with the flow.

Busan has something else which Singapore and Hong Kong lack. She has the space that Hong Kong does not have. She has mountains as back drop which Singapore does not have. She has great weather (like San Francisco, I was told) and air quality. She has ocean fresh seafood in abundance, for as little as US$5. She is international, but she is not congested or in a hurry. She has space and time for life.

Busan is well connected to other parts of Korea as well as within the region, by ferry, train or bus. It makes a good base from which to go to most cities in the country, especially the tourist destinations in the South such as Gyeongju, Jinhae and Jeju. It is 3 hours by train to Seoul. It is connected by ferry to various cities in Japan, Russia Far East and the east coast of China.

What is it like to live in Busan, I wonder.