Busan, South Korea
Magic and comfort
After rediscovering the spa, our first stop had to be Jjim Jil Bang. (See Daejeon for reference) I couldn’t believe it; it was even grander than the last! If you have read Harry Potter, it felt like the fourth book where harry is in the teacher’s bath. It had twenty different hot pools with small fountains of green, purple, blue, and more colored water! Many more saunas, steam baths, and water massage areas. It was grand; we spent more time in the gender-divided section than in common. After a fantastic bath, we returned to our hotel, scrubbed down, and got ready for a long night’s rest.
Fish, Food, and Fortune
The next day we visited the fish market; it was huge, with many different species, squids, shrimps, mussels, and more. Inside it was huge tanks, just like an aquarium. Outside you could buy them cleaned and on ice because of the many tourists; there were also many restaurants with the same menu, but it was amazing how you could choose the fish (or other) you wanted to try. Afterward, we went on the walking streets filled with small stalls serving different food and sweets; we tried some gyoza and marshmallow ice cream. Then, David led us up a labyrinth of stairs and hidden ally ways. After the adventurist walk, we came to an opening where a café lay. It had the most spectacular view from there. You could see most of the city down to the bay; we sat here for a while, enjoying the scenery and catching our breath. Then on we went.
The old quarters
Arriving in the old quarter, you were met with artistry shops and a brick road leading you into the most colorful district imaginable. A tiny museum showed how the community had changed from the old wooden houses to what it was. Then a walking tour was laid out that you could follow, bringing you around to see all the different viewpoints and beautiful homes. Here there were many places where we just stood and enjoyed ourselves. It was pretty touristy, so I would go out of season if you have the chance.
One last time
Last but not least, we had heard about another Jjim Jil Bang in town that was a must-visit. The Jjim Jil Bang was more modern, with the same setup as the old ones. One added was an outdoor foot bath area, where you could sit and chat while bathing your feet in different hot spring pools. We were there on a Sunday, so it was crowded, even though it was amicable, and the common area had many more saunas. I still had the magical feeling from the last, so it didn’t feel as grand. But honestly, it was still an excellent spa, and we were there for around 6 hours, so it had done a lot right.
After our short visit of 3 nights, we are on to our next destination; here we come, Hanoi, Vietnam.
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