This weekend I had to go back to a travel agent in Busan to pickup my passport with China visa (a story for later). The travel agent is near the end of the green line two stops after haeundae beach. On the coast there is a famous temple on the rocks where people go to watch the sunrise and the first sunrise on new years, so I decided to check that out. Nearby is another beach Songjeong which is supposedly quieter than Busans other two main beaches Haeundae and Gwangalli.

I took the slow train to Busan this time to try another route. I was curious to check out the entertainment car that I'd seen before on other trains. Aside from snacks for sale they had video game terminals and internet pcs. I was also surprised when I saw private singing booths. They even had a private booth with a massage chair.

To get to the temple you have to go back to Haeundae subway stop two stations back instead of the end of the green line. From here bus 181 will head in the direction of Songjeong Beach and Haedung Yonggungsa Temple. The route map was all in korean and there wasnt a stop named after the temple so I was trying to figure out which stop.

There are three stops named Songjeong so I figured that was closeby on the beach. When we got there I started seeing road signs that said the temple was 2.1km so I waited a few more stops for the bus to travel that distance. Luckily the bus pretty much empties out at the stop for the temple so no guessing or getting off at the wrong stop.

To get to the temple you first walk uphill on a road for a few minutes to the carpark. As you approach the temple there is a line of vendors selling korean street food, religious goods, and other souvenirs. You then pass by twelve stone figures of the chinese zodiac. At the end was a giant pagoda and a golden gate with dragon heads leading down the steps to the temple.

Being in korea for almost a year now I've seen a lot of temples, including the main ones Haeinsa, Bulgoksa, Beomoesa, so I thougth it would be just another temple and nothing special anymore. But this one is different and felt like I was seeing something new again.

First you go down a long staircase with an arch gateway at the bottom, leading to an arched bridge crossing a sea inlet overlooking rocks. On the side facing the temple are some stone figures of buddhas and animals, laid out in a garden pond. People stand on the arch of the bridge and toss coins trying to reach as close to the buddha.

The temple is a large complex with traditional korean painted timber shrines. At the top of a peak behind was a giant female statue similar to the one we have in Daegu's Donghwasa temple. Along the edge of the temple complex along the sea wall were several giant stupas (upside down bells) made from small rocks.

In the centre courtyard are stairs leading down to an underground chamber where people light candles for prayers. Back in the main courtyard is a giant gold buddha statue beside the main shrine. To the side of the statue is another staircase leading up to the giant female statue overlooking the complex.

By the female statue is a terrace overlooking the entire complex. There were also smaller statues placed in the garden wall behind which were quite attractive with the flowers. Back down in the main courtyard beside the main shrine was a glass display of different ornamental carvings that would normally be part of the outside wood carvings below the temple roof.

Here is a blog entry from another blogger for TheKoreaBlog with more pictures, history, and a short video : http://blog.korea.net/?p=3419

Going back to the arched bride and long stairway leading back up, halfway up is another terrace and small outdoor temple. From here if you continue going around you reach a large open area on the rocks forming a terrace from which you have a vantage view looking back at the main temple complex. Here were many flags blowing in the wind making for scenic shots.

There is another red arched bridge here which will continue to lead you on a terrace further away from the temple. This infact takes you to the Fisheries Science Museum, a short walk from the temple and also worth a visit. I think most people goto the temple and overlook or dont know about the museum beside.

Entrance was 2000w and is two buildings, the main one, and a converted sea vessel as the second one. At first I thought it would be the same as the whale and fishing museum I had been to in Ulsan a few weeks back. Although there were some similarities, there were also a lot of differences.

Starting from the ground floor, there is a long walkway to the second floor with wall holograms of various sea creatures. Then there were many displays of traditional fishing live and fish processing. They had 3D cross sections showing the fishing going on at sea level and the marine life down below with the nets. In one place they had a futuristic undersea city with skyscrapers above sea level.

On the ground floor was another aquarium (I've seen quite a lot of them now). They had baby sharks but I can never get a clear shot of them as they are never stationary. The adjacent building was a converted sea vessel. The ground floor was an art exhibition of various fish and sea life. Above was a mock control room where you can pretend to control the vessel. Outside you can walk around the top deck.

The museum leads back to the main road and bus stop. A lot quicker and easier walk than if you had taken the long path from the temple. There was a long line at this bus stop for all the people returning from the temple. I had planned on going to Songjeong Beach nearby, but since I now knew it was 2.1km, and that was just to the tail end, I would have to walk further in, then back again to get back to the bus route which doesnt go into the beach.

I'll try that another time. Maybe on new years I'll get a motel in Songjeong Beach and walk back to the temple to see the first sunrise at the temple or on the beach, but I'll decide by christmas if I'm doing that or not.

The bus goes back to Haeundae metro, but also two metro stops further to Centum City if you want to goto a big shopping centre as well. Next few weeks am trying to lay low before the big trips in August. Have found a few museums in Daegu I didnt know about so will do some low budget exploring in town.