Busan by High Speed Rail

by Pa Rock
World Traveler


Me and my two traveling companions left Seoul before daylight this morning on a high-speed train heading to the coastal city of Busan.  I haven't checked the stats on Busan, but it's big - really big - with high rise apartments everywhere and lots of housing built onto the sides of the hills.  It is somewhat reminiscent of San Francisco, but without the cable cars and Rice-a-Roni!

We took a bus tour of Busan, and departed the tour at one point to grab a taxi and go to the Hae Dong Yong Gung Temple, a Buddhist sanctuary carved into the sides of bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  The temple is a beautiful and serene place of peace.  There will be pictures on my other blog, hopefully tomorrow:  www.okinawanodyssey.blogspot.com 


Korea's high-speed rail is awesome, and it was packed going and coming on our trip today.  At some point the United States has to move into the future with its own fast rail system, but that probably won't happen until the last gallon of oil has been sold, consumed, and eaten aaway a little more of the ozone layer.  A good infrastructure is essential for a sound economy and an effective defense - but we will undoubtedly have to learn that the hard way.

Things are still very calm in Korea.  The government is doing a lot of saber-rattling and talking about buying more arms on the international market, but the people seem to have completely tuned the controversy out.  The arms merchants can sleep well tonight, knowing that they have good customers on both sides of the DMZ.

Tomorrow Kelly and I are going to climb the Seoul Tower.  She is then going to backtrack and do some shopping, and I plan on visiting the Korean War Museum.  Our third musketeer is sick and needs to spend the day recuperating.