Firework Festival

Last weekend was the firework festival here in Busan. The most amazing fireworks I’ve ever seen in my life. Also the most densely populated place I’ve ever been in my life. There were 1.5 million people stuffed onto the beach and streets near the Gimhae Bridge. Angela and I got there early and staked out a spot on the beach for us to sit so we hung out until night fell for the hour-long show.

While we were waiting we made some drinks, which lead us to needing to find a washroom. Molly and I decided to brave the crowds and find a toilet…I mean an ally. So Molly finds this ally slash someone’s area where they store their bikes and she pops a squat. I was standing guard and then it was my turn. I’m undoing my belt and jeans when I hear Molly yelling “Sarah! Sarah! We gotta go!!” I frantically put myself back together and see a man yelling his face off at us. We sprinted into the crowds amongst the army troops and cops. We honestly thought we were going to be arrested! So I almost peed my pants by the time we got me Soju (super cheap Korean-like vodka ethanol mix) and beer…we found a courtyard and peed for at least 5 minutes then headed back to the insane beach. We pushed and shoved our way throw to area 5 then were crushed sardines for about 10 minutes. The army dudes weren’t letting anyone move and everyone was pushing and shoving trying to get onto the beach. I swear more than half of these people didn’t even have a spot staked out and honestly there was no way in hell that there were going to find one. So this walking dead man…around 80 years of age…comes from behind and starts pushing Molly and I around. One army dude yelled at him then started yelling at us in Korean. WTF mate. Then this old man grabs Molly’s curly locks and pulls as hard as he could! In retaliation I body checked him and yelled “Stop pushing”…Not the brightest moment of my life…He clearly would not have known English plus I could have broke his ribs. But common, pulling hair?! We finally get to our spot on the beach and I vowed I would never leave again. Those crowds were the sickest thing on Earth besides the mess of garbage that was left after the fireworks.

The fireworks finally started and they were the most amazing thing ever! I’ve never seen fireworks synchronized with music before and they lasted an hour. Amazing. Once in awhile I was thinking that we were being brainwashed by North Korea or something…You know on Zoolander? “Relax don’t do it, when you want to go to it, RELAX” “Kill the prime minister of Micronesia!” Then I would look around and see everyone’s face and jaw, possessed by the fireworks. Hilarious! But really, the fireworks coming off the gorgeous bridge and boats were great. It was super romantic and we were joking around that if anyone asked us to marry them right now we would all say YES. HAHA. But on the other had, honestly if a natural disaster or a terrorist attack happened that would be the time for it. So many people in one little area! After the show ended we hung out on the beach for the crowds to die down then went for some dinner then hung out for the rest of the night mingling around.