In my birthday post, I shared a few pictures from Haedong Yonggungsa. As I've said before, temples in Korea all tend to look the same. They're all the same green and red color scheme and the construction of the buildings are exactly the same too. Whenever someone suggests going to a temple, I always pass. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. The only difference is probably the way you get there. I think this is why I fell in love with Yonggungsa. It still has the same temple structure you see everywhere else, but it's stunningly beautiful and very different from the others. On the way to temple, there is a different kind of feeling. I could feel the anticipation rising as we passed animal statues of the Chinese zodiac, walked down steps lined with bamboo trees and strolled across wooden bridges. As soon as the temple came into view, I was overwhelmed with how breathtaking it was. The temple is nestled on top of rocky cliffs and has the ocean as a backdrop. The place was overflowing with people and I've heard that it's always busy regardless of the time or season. I understand why it's so popular and always busy. It's a magnificent temple that is unique and beautiful and one that everyone in Korea should visit!
My birthday this year, I have to admit, was a really classy affair. Markus really outdid himself and I'm so thankful for him. As I've gotten older, I've realized that my birthdays have become more and more subdued. This year, Markus and I planned a very low key but exciting day.
The night before, Markus gave me a few presents to open. He created this personalized memo pad. He knows how much I love pandas and that I always say that they're my best friend. I'm also going through a bit of a fox phase, so that's why he drew a gentleman fox balloon. On the back, he drew a persimmon machine. Since moving to Korea, all I can do is eat these things. They are so delicious and have been one of my favorite fruits since I was a kid. I love that Markus always creates these little personalized gifts for me. They mean so much more than purchased gifts.
My other amazing presents were these amazing socks with mustaches, bow ties, top hats and astronauts. He also bought me this beautiful leather purse. I've been dying for a classic brown purse and this one is perfect. It's a beautiful tan color and big enough to fit all of my stuff in.
When I woke up, Markus made a delicious pancake breakfast. Then we went to Seomyeon for a mini-shopping spree. Almost everything I'm wearing in these pictures is a birthday present from Markus. Korea has great fashion and clothes. My closet is literally overflowing with clothes. It's one of the things I'm going to miss the most when we leave.
We both decided that on the day of my birthday we would go to Haedong Yonggungsa or as I affectionately like to call it, the water temple. This was definitely the best temple I've ever seen in Korea, because a lot of the temples tend to look the same. They have the same color scheme and structure, but this temple was breathtaking. It's right on the shoreline and the surrounding areas are just as beautiful. I'm glad that we saved this for my birthday because it was a nice way to stay in Busan but still see something new.
After Yonggungsa, Markus treated me to a yummy dinner at one of the nicest places I've been to in Busan, Taps and Tapas. It's more of a bar/bistro than restaurant and is located in Haeundae. I've been to a lot of bars in Busan, but none of them had the same feeling as Taps and Tapas. It was very stylish and chic. It felt a bit like a bar back home. The decor was really sophisticated and they had a full menu of cocktails and mixed drinks. The food was surprisingly delicious. Usually, when we go to a "western style" restaurant, there are still touches of Korean cuisine. Everything at Taps and Tapas tasted very good, not completely authentic, but still very good. Markus and I are already planning when we can go again. When we finished dinner, we headed back home and ended the evening with kimbap, Moscato and chocolate cake. It was a long day, but it was a great day. I spent it with the most important person in my life, doing the things I wanted to do and feeling loved and cherished. I couldn't have asked for a better day.
