Tall Tales From A Short Canadian

Bonjour,

Yesterday, Nicole stayed at home to write her exam, so I went into Busan to take some more photographs. I figured I had better get some of the main Busan postcard pictures while I am here. Unfortunately, the light was terribly flat and unflattering, and the Busan Tower, seen thrice below, lacks a bit of its usual majesty. This kind of lighting, created by a blend of fog, smog, and other toxic vapours, does capture something of the reality of living in Korea. Smells of dong (again, that’s Korean for poop) and garbage still linger in my big, German olfactory device. Below, a river of shit flows through Busan… and I’m being quite literal.

Apparently, not only couples don the ubiquitous matching pink shirts! Entire familes do it, too.

Chinese Checkers? Men playing this game are very commonly seen in parks throughout Korea . Korea has entire television channels dedicated to this game.

Many people in Korea, especially the men, have naps wherever and whenever they can. They are almost all overworked, and often hung-over as obligatory social events usually come with their jobs.

Busan harbour, seen above, is something like the seventh biggest container port in the world. If you drive a Kia, a Hyundai, or a Daewoo, it probably left this harbour.

The picture above is my favorite of the batch. The central lady had so much flair, and was really going at it with the belligerent old men. Koreans can be so kind and helpful, and sometimes even demure in the presence of foreigners, but when they have it out with one another, they make spectacles of themselves. These elders argued fiercely at length, and were still engaged in battle when I left the park. I have seen and heard so many street squabbles since being here. One of Korea’s national soccer slogans is “Fighting Korea”, which also fits their social and domestic ways of sorting out disagreements.

The above is a pretty standard tourist photograph. I’ve seen it many times online, but had to take my own. Walking from Yongdongsan Park to the subway station through a narrow alleyway brought me past a little Buddhist sanctuary, nestled in the midst of all the clamour and chaos of the surrounding markets.  

That’s all. Canadians, I urge you: don’t take Canada’s natural beauty for granted! We’re a lucky lot. There can be no price-tag for things like elbow room and breathable air.

Love,

Suteebun