South Korea Part 3

I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July full of fireworks and great food! Now that the long weekend is over it's time to jump back into my trip to Korea!

Right after Gyeongju we jumped back in the car and headed for Busan, way down at the southern tip of the country and the second largest city after Seoul. 

We met up again with Lydia's cousins from Daejon for dinner at a traditional restaurant- think sitting on the floor and taking your shoes off at the door. Busan is known for its special version of galbi, or spare ribs (again, made right at the table!). A bunch of side dishes are usually set out before, with everyone getting the same, and then you grab the meat as it cooks. When the meat is all gone they used the same grill to make potato noodles- the combination of the noodles and the flavor left from the meat is delicious. 

Each little doorway leads to a different private room within the restaurant.

On a beach in Korea with my best friend? This trip was insane. 

This is where the Busan International Film Festival is held.

The next morning we had breakfast at the Westin Chosun, and this was our view! One wall of the restaurant is completely glass and looks out over Hayeundae Beach. 

After breakfast we ventured down to the Jagalchi fish market, but first we had to stop for a little street food: hotteok is like a fat pancake stuffed with syrup and nuts. It's almost like a beignet but not quite as good (still pretty good!).

Jagalchi is the largest seafood market in South Korea and seemed to offer every kind of fish you could want. It's all caught in the morning and set out at both the outdoor and indoor portions of the market. I'm not gonna lie, I thought this would be a little gross or the smell would be overpowering. 

The smell? Not that bad, possibly because everything is fresh or that we were mostly outdoors. The market actually ended up being a lot of fun, and definitely something I would recommend for being visiting Korea for the first time- it's an experience!

Yep, that's a bucket of LIVE octopus. One of them tried to escape and decided to jump out of the bucket while we were taking a picture in front of it. Lydia and I both felt a splash on the back of our legs and turned around to find a pretty big one slithering towards us. Before we could freak out the woman at the stall had promptly thrown him back in with the others.

The rest of our day was spent shopping at Busan's outlet malls as well as Shinsegae, the largest department store in the world. 

This place never ends...

Just before sunset we headed out to these adorable twin lighthouses off of one of Busan's rocky beaches. It was such a strange view and I felt like suddenly we were in Newport or Nantucket, not Busan!

Busan's most famous spot is probably Haeundae Beach. It was pretty empty when we went, but during the summer it becomes a mile-long wall of people and umbrellas. The weather was perfect and reminded me of California during spring break!

We then jumped over to the Nurimaru APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) House, which houses conferences but mainly boasts incredible views of the coastline. The conference center is situated along a pathway full of runners and dog walkers that leads to a little observation deck where you can see a big part of Busan's skyline as well as, on a clear day, a few of the outlying islands. 

Then (getting tired of jumping from place to place? Imagine how we felt!) we went for dinner and more Busan-style galbi. The view wasn't too bad, either.

Speaking of views, after dinner we drove up to the top of one of the many mountains that surround Busan. After spiraling around the mountain for about 15 minutes we reached the top, and our reward was a complete 360 degree view of the entire city! If you have ever been up on Mulholland Drive in L.A., forget it. This view will blow your mind. At the top of the mountain there are also old fire pits used to warn other cities of coming attackers. 

Busan may have been my favorite city that we visited (but it is tied with Seoul), and I would love to go back and visit again. Busan has everything and is filled with so many sites to see and things to do (and delicious food). While I was sad to leave Busan, our next stop was Seoul, so stay tuned!

South Korea Part 2

Hope everyone enjoyed my little style post this morning, but now we're shifting back to travel for another post about my incredible trip to Korea! These are all going to be pretty photo-heavy so heads up!

Sunday morning we were up bright and early and off to Daejon, about an hour and a half from Suwon to visit Lydia's aunt and uncle. We spent the night and were off the next morning (starting to notice a theme here?) for Daegu. We didn't do anything too exciting in Daejon so I don't really have any pictures!

Daegu is the hottest city in Korea and it certainly lives up to the title. It is known for being the site of the March 1st movement for independence, one of the first acts of resistance during the Japanese occupations, as well as Cheongna Hill which houses several old missionary houses that combine Western and Korean styles. The missionaries helped to establish Keisung School, Sinmyeong School, Jejungwon Hospital, the American Missionary Center, and many others. 

A mural commemorating the March 1st movement. 

Steps leading up to Cheongna Hill, part of the trail the rebels took on March 1st. 

In Daegu we also went to the top of Daegu Tower which looks out over the entire city and is the tallest observation tower in Korea. Our visit was short, which was fine as I didn't love Daegu. A little too hot and humid, a little boring. Gyeongju was definitely more exciting. 

Gyeongju is situated along the sea on Korea's east coast, and is known for its historical sites. Our first stop was Bulguksa Temple, a working Buddhist temple built in the 8th century.

Since the temple is still in use it is updated regularly, meaning the colors are as vibrant as they were hundreds of years ago. 

I snuck a picture inside one of the temples, where a service was going on. I had never watched a Buddhist service but the smell of incense, sounds of drums, bells, and singing was incredible. 

Our next stop in Gyeongju was Seokguram Grotto. We drove up the mountain (on a very, very windy road) to the top, where you then hike along a winding path that leads to the grotto. Just be careful, because one side of the path leads to a drop-off and there's no railing! 

The hike takes about 20 minutes, and at the top you are greeted by a plateau covered in lanterns, many of them with prayer messages written by people from all over the world. 

Another quick hike up some stone steps leads you to a small cave where a giant Buddha has been carved into the side of the mountain. Unfortunately, since this is also still in use as a sacred site, photos were not allowed. But it was definitely worth the trek up! 

This observatory was built by Queen Seondeok in the 634, a highly educated ruler who had the tower constructed to study astronomy; the name means 'star-gazing tower.' While it only stands a little over 9 meters tall, it is the oldest observatory in East Asia. 

Those hills? They're tombs! People used to construct giant dirt mounds above graves, and the bigger the mound the more important the person. Most of these tombs belong to previous rulers of Korea. 

You comfy there, Lydia? 

More food! The big meat patties on the hot stones are like hamburger patties but served as a steak.

A big thank you to this incredible girl for taking me along! I never thought I would be able to go to Korea, let alone with one of my best friends in the whole world! Thank you for the opportunity to travel a beautiful country, eat amazing food, meet incredible people, and have an awesome trip of a lifetime! 

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we head farther south to Busan!

What to Wear: 4th of July

I can't believe it is already July, this summer is flying past! I guess that's what happens when you run off to Korea for two weeks but it is crazy to think I am over a month into my summer already. And as always, with July comes Independence Day and a chance to dress as ridiculously patriotic as possible without looking silly.

So, to celebrate the 4th, here are a few last-minute outfit inspirations, whether you're kicking back poolside or watching the fireworks from a rooftop lounge.

1. Backyard BBQ
Most celebrations on the 4th tend to lean towards more casual- every year I end up having a bathing suit under whatever I wear since we end up in the pool before the day is over. These firework-printed Lilly shorts are sure to match the night sky, and a breezy white tank ensures you won't be sweaty throughout the day. Add in a pair of jelly sandals and you're sure to survive the grass and poolside patio through the night.

2. On the Lake
If, like me, you will be spending the weekend at the lake (or the beach), you'll want to be comfortable and not too fussy. I always opt for denim shorts and a hat to keep the sun off my face- add in these super cute Jeffrey Campbell nautical-inspired espadrilles to dress it up just a tad.

3. Dress-Up
Every now and then there are more formal 4th events, so if you need to throw on your party dress make it something simple and summery! A fit and flare dress along with classic accessories (and a cute KJP bow bracelet) make for a 50s-inspired, easy 4th!