will's last weekend

     This passed weekend, Will, Rachel (Will's friend), and I went to Busan to hangout for the last time before he left for America. A couple of weeks prior to this weekend we had thrown around the idea of going to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tsushima, or Tokyo but it just didn't seem to work out. So we ended up in Busan... again. While in Busan, we decided to go check out if there were any tickets to Fukuoka, Japan on the ferry. I honestly didn't think there would be any left because this was a prime weekend for Koreans to travel. Miraculously, there were tickets left, and that morning we left for Japan for two hundred bucks! 

Will and I in Busan posing in front of an image used by the kings of Korea for their throne room. 

A park in Fukuoka

When we arrived, I got hassled by the customs guy saying that I needed a specific address on my customs form. I told him that we were just going to find a hotel but he kept insisting that EVERY hotel in Fukuoka was going to be booked. Luckily, I spoke enough Japanese to whisk my way out of there. Right when we entered the city, I was determined to prove him wrong. How could EVERY hotel/motel/inn be booked?! And it turned out he was wrong. We easily found housing and spent the rest of the time enjoying Fukuoka. 

Fukuoka is known for its canal and ramen. Canals are nice and ramen is very good. They have "yatai" (street vendors) that serve delicious ramen and yakisoba. Would go back just for the food. 

One of Fukuoka's many canals.

Ubiquitous ramen shops of Fukuoka

      An older lady started talking to Rachel about something in Japanese but she had no idea. Around that same time, Will got in trouble for shooting a video of a Buddha statue and touching all the merchandise. Right then, she took us into the back and started talking to me. She was very warm-hearted and personable. We chatted for a while. We told her that we were tourists from Korea and she told me that she would be delighted to take us around for a bit. She bought us subway tickets, we talked some more, and she guided us to some ancient castle ruins and a beautiful park. And she told me that I spoke very good keigo (Japanese honorifics). It made my day.