After an overnight sail across the Inland Sea, Kongo arrived in the port city of Busan, South Korea. Busan is the second largest city in South Korea with about four million residents. Kongo has visited here before during his navy days a couple of ages ago. The monkey’s memory is a bit foggy (navy liberty can cause this) but it seems that the city is all grown up now.

Between the busy waterfront, the bustling streets, and an over-the-top fish market there is plenty to see and do in Busan.

Kongo strolled an elevated walkway built over the ocean to take in some of the waterfront scenery. In Busan, there are plenty of places to makes wishes for long life and health and Mrs. Kongo never passes up an opportunity to take advantage of these sites. What’s to lose? Below she is paying homage to something or other for long life. She says she’s going to live to be 100.

There’s a great big tower in the middle of Busan (known as Busan Tower) in Yongdusan Park. It’s nearly 1000 feet tall.

The Busan Lantern Parade was scheduled to coincide with Kongo’s arrival (nice of the South Koreans to set this up) and the park below the tower was filled with people staging for the parade. Hundreds of people were decked out in traditional dress and happy to pose for wandering photographers.

Kongo made his way through crowded streets to visit the fish market. The monkey never passes up a good fish market and here’s a photo tip — it’s hard to take a bad photo of a dead fish.

The fish market is the largest in Korea. In the mornings it’s crowded with eager buyers vying for the best catch. Even when Kongo visited in early afternoon it was still a busy place.

The Lantern Parade is a colorful procession with hundreds of colorful costumes, blaring horns, dancing, and marching people.

In the evening, Kongo attended a native cultural show put on by the ship at the Korean Cultural Center near downtown.  There was percussion groups, drum dancers, a spectacular Korean fan dance and a Tae-kwon-do performance by a local university that has actually won Olympic gold medals.

Travel safe. Have fun!