Day 02: Busan Sights and Smells (Oct 2019)

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Saturday, 12th October 2019

I decided to have an early lunch before proceeding with my sight-seeing plans. A few blocks from Toyoko Inn lies Jejuga Korean Restaurant, a cosy little spot serving wholesome abalone porridge. It seemed rather popular among the local people so I guess this must be a legit place. Very often, the flavourful Korean appetisers also took centre stage in a meal. Having them together with the mains certainly helped to enhance the whole culinary experience.

Feeling wonderful from my satisfying lunch, I was soon on my way to the UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea. The Cemetery occupies a sprawling site in the heart of Busan and it honours the soldiers from the 16 UN countries who were killed during the Korean War between 1950 - 1953. I first made my way to the Memorial Hall where a short introductory video was played before proceeding to explore the peaceful grounds dotted by grave stones and flags. It was a clear and breezy afternoon to spend some quiet time alone at the Cemetery.

Next, I headed to the nearby National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilisation under Japanese Occupation. This is a unique building occupying on a hilly ground overlooking the city centre. Established in 2008, the museum served as an education facility about human rights and world peace - a familiar theme that was played out in many of the other WWII sites that I had visited.

On my way back to Toyoko Inn for check-in and freshen up, I stopped by a Korean dessert cafe for a huge serving of Patbingsu, red beans shaved ice topped with generous portion of nuts. This was a refreshing change after all the long walks in the afternoon.

In the evening feeling well-rested, I headed to the Busan Tower on top of Yongdusan Park for some night views of the city. For dinner, I decided to opt for a ginseng chicken dinner at one of the many restaurants in Nampo-dong. This is a colourful shopping and dining district come day or night. After dinner, it was time for some grocery shopping at the nearby Gwangbok Lotte Mall before heading back to the hotel for the night.

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