GAMCHEON CULTURAL VILLAGE
Nestled on the side of the mountain, Gamcheon was one of the poorer regions in Busan. In the 1940s there were only around 20 over houses on the hillside. The numbers increased dramatically at the beginning of the Korean War in 1950 as there was a influx of war refugees to Busan which is the only area in the peninisula that was free from fighting and the population leaped to 1.4 million people living in shanty homes built with scrap iron, wood and rocks. In 2009, the Government began the "Dreaming of Machu Pincchu in Busan" Project. Artists were hired to paint art murals and artworks were installed. In 2010 the Miro Miro (meaning "maze") project further promote more artworks, alley paintings and path markers set up.
Fish swimming through the Alley.
We first went to the Tourist Information Centre and bought the stamp map for 2000won. The profits from the sale of these stamp maps provides various communities and welfare service to the local residents eg school support programs and to the old residents. Here are a few of the art works and installation that we came across.
Before proceeding further, we went into this cafe for our brunch.
Gimbap
Just the right food for the hot weather a bowl of kong-guksu...noddles in cold soybean soup - so refreshing and appetising... yummy.
Pork Cutlet Rice
our delicious brunch
Continuing with our walk...
Look up, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's superman...
the mural on the left is call Gifts from the Sky.
People and Birds.... sometimes want to fly like bird, forgetting about all mundane things.
yes, these are birds with human face...
everyone must have imagine flying in the sky once...
Meet the Little Prince and the Fennec Fox...
There was a long queue to take photos with him, so we decided not to wait in the hot sun.
you can see the queue from the Haneul Maru Observation Deck.
Esther is a professional dog groomer (freelance) found her House with Puppies where puppies express affection in the family and communal unity.
the 12 zodiac signs.. all in Korean.
DIY markers
we found another "angel"
Message of Hope
installation of 2016 wooden fish markers expressing the message of dreams and hope by resident and visitors.
my nose is leading me to this shop.. the aromatic sesame oil! The Gamcheon Village is not just a tourist attraction but there are around 10,000 residents still living around the area and there is also a traditional market here as well.
The model of public baths at the Gamnae Eoulteo (Community Center)
Don't worry I did not trespassed into the men's bath.... this is just a dummy!
Gamcheon Sound
you can easily get lost, there are so many small alleys and we are like walking past the residential houses.
Stairs to see Stars..
French-style cafe...tea-time...
no coffee but ice-cold fresh watermelon juice, indeed it was a hot day
more quirky and artsy houses...
Gamcheon Moonlight donut... it was closed on the day of our visit.
this is actually a vintage dolls museum
Modern Man- expresses modern people's repetitive busy life
... suddenly these mechanical hands start to type as we pass the sensor....
We managed to get 2 free postcards and missed 2 stamps of art installation before we call it a day!
There are numerous arts to look out and you must be prepare to spend at least half day to visit them all and on a cool day preferable.
We took a taxi back to Nampodong...
So many beautiful book covers but the books mostly in Korean
the hangul language ...
the long reading table...
when you see all these bookish cafe, you know it leading to....
the Bosu-Dong aka Book Street.
yes an alley occupied by numerous small bookshops...
judging by these books, the reading habit must be good here
This area has a history that dates back more than 70 years. Following the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonization in 1945, Bosu-dong was established as a residential area. It was here that locals began selling books left behind by the Japanese. In the early 1950s, when Busan became the provisional capital during the Korean War, impoverished refugees flocked to the city and without money to buy food, they were forced to sell their beloved possessions, including their books. As more and more people flocked to Bosu-dong to sell their books, the street began to grow. Books available for purchase covered just about every topic and genre, while many were written in Japanese, Chinese and English, as well as Korean..
so many stacks, wonder if they can recall each books in their stock...
Dictionaries
Besides the Japanese and immigrant refugees, there are also magazines and books discarded by American soldiers stationed in the area. This attract the students and professors to visit the district with opportunities to buy and sell books at affordable prices. In fact, by the 1960s, some 70 stores had been established for this purpose.
of course, most of these books are in Korean...
teatime at Angel-in-us Cafe - Korean Souffle Pancake.
walking off those calories ...
walking up the road towards the Yongdusan Park..
The park’s name literally means, “dragon’s head mountain” (“Yongdu” means, “dragon head” and “san” means, “mountain”).
a dual colour gingko leave
The Busan tower comprises of the 120 meters tall tower and the Octagonal Pavillion (Palgakjeong). This pavillion actually is the Twosome Place Cafe.
We purchased the tickets + beers promotion
Panoramic sunset view of Busan city...
I found the light .....at Level 2 of the exhibition hall of the tower.
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Sakura time..
Enjoyed playing with the changing seasons since we were the only one here
"Angel" in the sky?
what a beautiful sunset.
the Bell Pavilion
The statue of Great Admiral Yi Sun-sin, a naval hero with the Busan tower in the background
Another "angel"
this is another entrance/exit to the park with the elevators
Starry night..
Dinnertime: Korean Fried Chicken with Korean black bean sauce noodles (Jajangmyeon, 자장면 or Jjajangmyeon, 짜장면).
satisfied all our cravings and with full stomach, back to hotel for sweet dreams.
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