Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is on the north-east side of Busan. The Buddhist temple was built on the rocky shore, which is quite unique as most temples are built in the mountains. The temple has a long history which dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty in 1376. The temple was destroyed during the Japanese Occupation of Korea, but was reconstructed in 1970 taking great care to use the original colors and designs.

Statue for Safe Travel
You come to this statue to pray for safe travels if you or your family is traveling.

The Dog

The Monkey

The Rabbit

The Oxen

Busan Aquarium

We started our first full day at the Busan Aquarium which was just across the street from our hotel.

It's been a long time since I've been to an aquarium in the States, but I must say, there are some crazy looking fish in Korean aquariums! 

The kids always enjoy the hands-on exhibits. 

Naomi holding her first starfish. 

Making their souveneirs. 

Them's some big teeth!

Like I said, crazy lookin' fish!

These are shrimp 

Sea dragons 

I really wanted crab for dinner... 

I believe they called this the finless porpoise as it doesn't have a dorsal fin. 

Grace was having a bad day...

being eated by a giant fish and a crab.

 

As expected, the aquarium did not disappoint.

Busan

Over the long Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend we headed down south to Busan.  We had promised Tristan we would take the bullet train before we left Korea, so that is how we traveled to get there.  It took us just under 2 hours to get there, travelling almost 300 mph!

At the Busan train station 

Building a new bridge 

Here's a couple things you don't see every day!

Gas masks and pay phones 

The view from our hotel room 

That would be a Mini Cooper hanging on the side of that building! 

Isn't that a nice robe the hotel provided for us? 

Dinner our first night.

If you've never been to a Mad for Garlic restaurant, the whole place is decorated with garlic and garlic shaped items.  And the food is pretty amazing. 

Funny Korean sayings.

It says: If you open mind to the world it would be a flower.

I have no idea what that means, but they have these funny random sayings like this on everything!