Lantern Show at Gwangalli Beach

It was almost nine in the evening when I decided to leave Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Square in the Nampo-dong area. I started walking away from an official UNIQLO counter at BIFF Gwangjang-ro and then continued down the main street, Gudeok-ro. One hundred and fifty meters ahead was Gate 7 of Jagalchi Station which was the target of my steps to immediately leave Jung District.

I was heading underground ten minutes later. In warm basement, I didn’t have to bother looking for ticketing vending machine because I still had a small piece of One Day Pass I bought this afternoon when I arrived in Busan. Walking past automatic fare collection gate, I waited for arrival of Humetro Line 1 (Orange Line) at station platform.

One Day Pass costs 4,500 Won.

The Humetro quickly arrived, opened its automatic doors and I quickly entered center carriage. Sitting on a seat, I kept an eye on the busyness of Busan residents after work. Humetro slowly crept through underground line, dropping me off at Seomyeon Station after passing through nine stations, then I changed to Humetro Line 2 (Green Line). And similarly, after passing through nine stations I arrived at Gwangan Station in Suyeong District. It felt that trip towards this station took quite a long time, forty-five minutes.

I rushed down the carriage and back to surface using escalator. Then took exit at Gate 5 of Gwangan Station which was directly opposite Gwangan-ro Avenue. The street’s air temperature was already at the level of one degree Celsius. I was forced to walk with an occasional shaking body for seven hundred meters towards beach. The presence of several groups of tourists heading in the same direction, made me a little calm, considering that it was almost ten o’clock at night.

I arrived at the beach twenty minutes later after walking nearly seven hundred meters. Standing on the beach as far as the eyes can see, the luminous stretch of the second longest bridge in “Ginseng Country” was truly stunning….Yup, that was Gwangandaegyo Bridge, a seven and a half kilometer long suspension bridge which connects Haeundae District and Suyeong District.

Gwangandaegyo Bridge.
Festive decorative lights.

Now I have mingled with tourists and other locals enjoying the festive atmosphere at Gwangalli Beach. I continued to observe the show by residents airing mini-sized lanterns. Parents, young people and small children were almost all immersed in the excitement of show.

While some others seemed to enjoy decorative lights in the form of various kinds of fauna which were pleasing to eyes. In the other hand, the beach looked crammed with multi-storey buildings which gave an impression that the beach area had been touched by technology. But everything looked clean with a well-maintained and organized environment.

Several hotel buildings on the beach.
Aqua Palace Hotel.

I was only able to withstand cold air for forty-five minutes. Surely the air would approach freezing point when night reached its peak. I hurried off the beach and headed back to station. Quickly stepping to escape growing cold, I arrived at station breathless, then rushed to platform and a few minutes later Humetro took me, to then drop me off at Seomyeon Station. Humetro then transferred me on Line 1 to Beomnaegol Station, a station where the hotel I was staying at was located….Yup, Kimchee Busan Guesthouse.

Now it was time to rest for next adventure tomorrow.

The Little One.…Busan Gimhae Light Rail Transit

Yes….Okay….

Yes….Okay…..

Only that 2 kinds of word which came out of my mouth, I didn’t really listen flight attendant explained security procedures at emergency exit. I exactly fascinated to her Korean beauty face. I still stunned to enjoy her beauty until he ended her explanation with a smile … Certainly, I gave her my smile as sweet as possible … hahaha.

1 hour 30 minutes flight became a thrilling journey because I had bad feeling for Busan immigration checking later.

And it finally true.… I was interrogated by immigration officer for 1 hour.

Scary interrogation at immigration counter made my tongue feel bitter when tasting piece by piece a pie which I got from Busan Air flight.

Later, this story would make me change 180 degrees when I prepared my documents for traveling. I became a very perfectionist person in preparation.

I got out from Gimhae International Airport with a disheveled face but that happiness was unable to deeply hidden. This was my first time in visiting South Korea.

2 degree Celcius weather made me rush to look for existence of LRT station. I quickly found it on right side of airport exit gate.

I touched all buttons in automatic machine to get Busan Gimhae Light Rail Transit token.

Waiting for LRT arrival with big curiosity about what will happen next in every second of my adventure in Busan.

Shortly waiting, LRT arrived.

Surely, My first destination was dormitory where I stayed in Busan. I would go to Kimchee Busan Guesthouse on Hwangnyeong-daero Street.

Stopped at Sasang station as LRT last station, I switched to using Humetro(the name for Busan Subway) green line.

In this Humetro. I saw a Indonesian face. Occasionally he saw me, so did I. Sometime he smiled, so did I.

I decided to approache him.

Conversation was unavoidable. It’s true, he is an Indonesian professionalis who working in Busan. From him, I got information that citizens of Busan isn’t open as Seoul. So I would understand what will occur with my interaction with local people in Busan.

Conversation stopped when I had to get off at Seomyeon Station for change to Humetro orange lane. It only took one station in distance then I got down at Beomnaegol station – station where my guesthouse located -.

It wasn’t easy to find this guesthouse location, I had strayed more than half an hour in midst of very cold temperature and it almost made me panic before finally I found it after ask to GS25 minimarket staff.

Finally I check-ed in to Kimchee Busan Guesthouse.