Snow In Busan Again

On Friday, it snowed in Busan for the 2nd time this year.

It wasn't a big fluffy snowfall like the first time it snowed this year.
It was a rain-laden snow, and in the morning of that day, the streets of my neighbourhood were really messy...

Rain falling on Busan, after a snowfall.

Rain falling on Busan, after a snowfall.

Wet snow on the street below my apartment.

Wet snow on the street in my neighbourhood.

Wet snow on the street in my neighbourhood.

Wet snow on a walkway in my neighbourhood.

Traffic congestion, probably caused by snowy roads.

The next day, it was very warm. 
In the morning, there was a low-lying fog in the city.
From my apartment, the city looked like this...

The sun shining down on a Busan, on a foggy winter day.

Fog in Busan, following the 2nd snowfall of the year.

Fog in Busan, following the 2nd snowfall of the year.

The cranes of the port of Busan, shrouded in fog.

Another view of the sun shining down on a foggy Busan.

Late December Charity, in Canada and Korea

In Canada, around Christmas time, Canadians are perhaps more charitable than usual.  Some may be motivated by religious sentiments, while others may simply empathize with their fellows in what is usually an expensive time of year, especially for parents of children.  But whatever the motive behind them, Christmas acts of kindness, often between strangers, are a refreshing reminder of the good in humanity.  Case in point, this story about a family in Ottawa who received support from strangers just before Christmas.

One notable aspect of Christmas charity in Canada is the presence of bell-ringing Santa's collecting donations for the Salvation Army in malls and other public areas.  In Korea, too, the Salvation Army has a Christmas charity drive.  For 2 years in a row now, someone has anonymously donated a chèque for KRW100,000,000 to the Salvation Army in Korea.  At today's exchange rate, KRW100,000,000 is about CAN$92,500.00.

추운 겨울

The winter in Korea has apparently been colder than usual this year.

The first snow fell on the peninsula about a week earlier this year than the last.

In early December, a cold spell gripped the country.  Cold temperatures not seen since the 1950's were recorded in Seoul.  Ice formed early on the Han river, and frost covered trees could be seen in the northern region of the country.

As the cold spell began to ease, rain or snow was predicted, and an unusually heavy snowfall occurred throughout the country.  Even in Busan, which does not usually get any snow at all, a heavy snowfall occurred.

The trees outside my office window, during the December snowstorm in Busan.

The cold temperatures resumed after the snowfall, and there was snow on the ground for a few days in the city.

A few days after the storm, the snow was mostly gone in the urban parts of Busan.   I decided to take a hike on BaekYang mountain (백양산), and was surprised to find snow still lingering on the mountain.

Snow lingering in a shady part of 백양산.

More snow on the lower section of 백양산.

Snow on a small bridge, on 백양산.

Hikers on a path, partially covered with snow.

Another patch of snow, on 백양산.

When I reached the crest of the mountain, the air was crisp and clean, and the view of Busan below was very clear.

Busan, seen from the summit of 백양산.

Busan, seen from the summit of 백양산.

But most surprising of all was that there was A LOT of snow on the top of the mountain.

Busan, beyond the snowy crest of 백양산.

A snow-covered path and grass on the crest of 백양산.

Snowy rocks on the crest of 백양산.

Another snowy landscape, on 백양산.

A part of 백양산 completely covered in snow.

The rocks at the summit of 백양산, unusually snowy.

A hiker, walking on a completely snow-covered section of 백양산.

A LOT of snow on 백양산.

A LOT of snow on 백양산.

Snow under the trees, on the crest of 백양산.

A slightly snowy section of the crest of 백양산.

On the way back down the mountain, I took a short detour to SeonAm temple (선암사).  There was not as much snow there as there was on the crest of 백양산.  But there was some snow, and it transformed the ambiance of the temple.

Snow on the roof of one of the buildings at 선암사.

One of the smaller shrines at 선암사, partially covered in snow.

A view of snowy 선암사, with Busan in the background.

The only negative side, at least that I could see, of the unusually cold December weather is that it led to a very high demand for electricity throughout Korea.  It was often reported in the news that Korea's electricity reserves have been under pressure during the winters that I've been in Korea.

Joyeux Noël

Joyeux Noël à tous!

Happy holidays to all!

A November Sunset Over the GwangAn Bridge

It was a chilly November afternoon, perhaps one of the chilliest this year.

In the last hours of daylight, the sun's rays illuminated the city with low-angled rays.

The sun cast a beautiful light upon the Oryuk islands (오륙도), which could be seen beyond Igidae park (이기대 공원) from Marine City.

오륙도 and the southern tip of 이기대 공원, seen from Marine City.

Slowly, the sun set over the GwangAn bridge (광안대교).

The sun going down over the 광안대교.

The sun going down over the 광안대교.

The sun going down over the 광안대교.

The 광안대교 shortly before sunset.

After the sun disappeared, a cold November night embraced the city.

An Eagle on BaekYang Mountain

A few weeks ago, while hiking on BaekYang mountain (백양산), I encountered a small eagle.

I was on the crest of the mountain, having hiked to its northernmost end from the south side.  As I was getting ready to descend back to the city, she landed on the pile of rocks in front of me.

She examined me for a while.  Then, having decided that I was no threat, stared out over the city towards the ocean.  Her arrival made me smile, though I noticed that she seemed to have tears on her face.

Having ascertained that all was well in her city, she flew off, heading to a lower part of the mountain.  And I continued on my way home.

Sun Shining Down on Busan

Rays of sunshine over central Busan.

De l'étymologie en français en Corée

L'automne, plus précisément le mois d'octobre, est la plus belle saison pour les coréens.  Il fait souvent soleil.  Le jour, la température est dans la basse vingtaine.  La nuit, il fait frais et l'on dort bien.

Le printemps aussi, il fait beau ici.  Au mois de mai, il y a des fleurs partout, notamment dans les cerisiers.  Au mois de juin, il fait beau et pas trop chaud et les champs ensemmencés sont jolis.

L'hiver, il peut faire très froid et les coréens n'aiment pas cela.  Je les comprends, en fait, puisque plusieurs des édifices sont mal isolés.  Il peut donc faire relativement froid même dans les lieux de travail.  Mais j'aime l'hiver ici.  À Séoul, elle peut être très froide mais à Busan, elle est douce.

Par contre, l'été c'est l'enfer en Corée.  Surtout au mois d'août.  Tout débute avec la saison des moussons, qui cette année a commencé tard en juillet.  Cette année, la mousson a été courte.  Par contre, elle dure souvent très longtemps et elle apporte des pluies torrentielles qui provoquent des sérieux dommages.  Puis vient la chaleur et l'humidité tropicale.  Cette année, une vague de chaleur a provoqué des dommages environnementaux et des pannes d'électricité.  Il a fait si chaud que plusieurs volailles ont été tuées.  Pour échapper autant que possible à cette chaleur intense, plusieurs familles coréennes campaient la nuit le long de la rivière Han, rivière qui circule à travers Séoul.

Busan par une journée estivale pluvieuse.

De l'humidité et du smog, par une chaude journée de fin d'été.

Un joli levé du soleil estival.

Anecdote intéressante...  Pour les coréens, la chaleur estivale doit se terminer vers la mi-août, durant les jours qu'ils nomment "mal bok" (말복).  À partir de la mal bok, la tradition veut que le temps commence à se refroidir et que l'été passe lentement à l'automne.  J'ai demandé à mon ami ce que voulait dire en anglais le mot mal bok.  En fouillant sur internet, il a conclut qu'il s'agit de la fin des "dog days", des "jours du chien".  Mais de quel chien?  D'après wikipedia, il s'agirait de la constellation canis major que connaissaient les romains.  Encore d'après wikipedia, les romains et les grecs croyaient que les fortes chaleurs estivales étaient le résultat du fait que l'étoile Sirius, la plus brillante étoile de la constellation du grand chien, était près du soleil.  En effet, les romains nommaient les plus chauds jours de l'été les "jours caniculaires".  Il s'agirait de l'origine du mot français "canicule".  Il fallait bien que je vienne en Corée pour apprendre cela.

가을의 비

I love the autumn rains in Busan.

This time of year, rainy days are few and far between, actually.
But when they come, they're opportunities for shifting gears.

Today, it rained the whole day, and there was even thunder and lightning.
I think it was the first time I saw lightning in Busan, and the 2nd time I heard thunder.

The clouds hung low over the city.
From my apartment, they shrouded the mountains and hid them from view.
Sometimes, they made frames around different parts of the city.

SeoMyeon (서면), framed by the clouds.

The clouds, barely clearing the mountains in south Busan.

The sound of the falling rain is also very soothing.
In my apartment, it sounded like this.

추석의 해질녘

Yesterday was Chuseok again.

As in the years before, the city was quiet, as Koreans spent the week-end visiting relatives and friends.

For me, Saturday had all the melancholy of a Christmas spent alone. 
But the joyful greetings I received from my Korean friends on Sunday brightened the mood.
And it was nice to slow down and have a break from the everyday...

The port of Busan, at sunset on Chuseok.

Looking over central Busan, at sunset on Chuseok.