Two years ago I was in need of a reprieve of Korean city life. I found it in the mountains next to Busan via Geumgang Park’s (금강공원) cablecar.

Posted on August 11th, 2015 under Korea. Tags: busan, Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED Telephoto Lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Escape from the city

Geumgang Park (금강공원) cablecar (Busan, South Korea)

I know, “cable car” is two words. For some reason, though, every place on the internet that references this cable car/tram/ropeway refers to it as a cablecar.

Today’s photo reminds me that I have no plans this summer. For the past 10 years or so I had some adventures planned by this time of the year, usually overseas. Although South Korea isn’t my first (or second, or third…) choice of places I’d like to go to, there were some fun moments and unusual experiences a couple summers ago when I went to Korea.

Rather than merely take this cablecar up and down like most people, I went for a rather brutal hike from the top to this amazing location (Seokbulsa or 석불사) in the middle of nowhere.

Posted on May 17th, 2015 under Korea. Tags: busan, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D nikkor lens, Nikon D600, seokbulsa. Comments Off on Cablecar from Geumgang Park

Temple of the Nirvana Fish (범어사)

@beomeosa

Posted on January 27th, 2015 under Korea. Tags: beomeosa, buddhist, busan, Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED Telephoto Lens, Nikon D600, temples. Comments Off on Beomeosa

I just tried to figure out the name of this place, but I couldn’t. It has been more than a year since my visit to Busan. However, this was a memorable evening in Busan.

I chose a Japanese place to eat as I hadn’t spoken (in any language) in a while and was hoping I could at least find someone to speak to in Japanese. This place worked for that. The signs were all in Japanese so I ordered in Japanese. A Korean customer heard me and came over. We spent the rest of the night conversing in Japanese. The owner/chef also spoke Japanese, having been born and raised in Kokura (near Fukuoka) before moving back to Korea decades ago. We figured out that he was born just before my dad served in the military in Kokura. Perhaps my dad saw him wandering the streets when he was a child. I told my dad this story before he died earlier this year. It’s a small world, and life is short.

Posted on December 6th, 2014 under Korea. Tags: busan, food, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D nikkor lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Japanese restaurant in Busan

United Nations National Cemetery (Busan, South Korea)

On July 27, 1953 the Korean War came to an end. The Wall of Remembrance (around a reflecting pool) was constructed in 2006 of black granite and contains the names of the 40,895 fallen soldiers who fought and died for the South.

Posted on July 27th, 2014 under Korea. Tags: busan, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D nikkor lens, Nikon D600, photomerge, UN Memorial Cemetery. Comments Off on UNMCK Wall of Remembrance and reflecting pool