Impressions of Busan after visiting Seoul

OK...  I hate to admit it, but after my first day in Seoul, I wasn't super happy about living in Busan.  The atmosphere in Seoul was just amazing, and there seemed to be so much to see and do in that city.  Busan felt small and boring in comparison.

But a few days later, I started to miss Busan.  And when I stepped off the train at Busan station, I felt the joy and relief I always feel when I come home after a trip.  It was the first time that I had felt this way about Busan, and it made me smile.

However, almost immediately, I thought of Ottawa, the city that has most often given me this feeling, and I was saddened by the thought that the people most dear to me are half a world away.

Two days later, I am over this sudden loneliness, and I see again all that Busan has to offer.  I have a great job here and the city is very cool.  And Busan, though smaller than Seoul, has a lot going for it.  Because there are so many mountains within the city, it is very green.  Its downtown core, Seomyeon, has been full of life every time I visited, and it has many good restaurants and coffee shops (though no Planet Coffee).  Also, my visit to Seoul has given me ideas of things to seek out in Busan (e.g. jazz clubs).  And finally, since my return from Seoul, I noticed something for the first time that I think is really cool...  From my apartment, on a clear day, I can see Japan!!!!

view of the Pacific from Busan:  Tsushima Island, Japan, is just visible