Weirdest Day Ever

Well, it all started on the train.  We had standing tickets because the all the seats were already purchased.  It was a rainy on again off again kind of day.  There were three of us trying to sit in a crammed area of the train, the part where you get on and off the train.  Yea, we sat there, because its legal in Korea.  So there's three of us.  Three foreigner girls.  We had a good time for the most part.  As good as we could.  Then two middle aged guys dressed as some sort of construction worker come over and almost sit on Breann.  She was sitting on the steps on the left while katie and i were on the steps on the right.  They were going to sit on her if she didn't move.  So she came over and was pretty much sitting in the isle.  The funny thing was the door to the car we were sitting on had a faulty door knob.  Which meant we got to watch people struggle to get in and out of the car.  And about half way through the train ride the men started smoking!  Really?!  On a train guys?!?!  After about 45 min we finally got to Busan so we could enjoy the 7th annual international fireworks festival!  I was quite excited, but horribly scared to brace the crowds.

We hopped on the subway, and with every stop more people got on until the subway was crowded.  Getting out of the subway was ok, but getting out of the subway station took a bit longer.  We didn't really know where we were going.  Thankfully, there was a large enough crowd to follow.

We made it!!  About 10 minutes later we made it to the beach and there was still room for us to set up our blanket and bring out all of our tasty goods.

the beach. the ridiculously crowded beach

there were 7 boats, 4 had giant screens on them. 

This is where they shot off all of the fireworks.

See the bridge in the background, they utilized it in the show, it was fantastic

kinda wish i was there instead

So we're at the beach enjoying our picnic, mean while Koreans are inching upon our blanket like its there's.  Except for the guys next to us.  There must have been about 4-6 guys who were maybe high school or college age.  They were real close, like really really close (with one another).  We are waiting for Garrett and Kyla.  However, they missed their train and then after awhile the police stopped letting people go onto the beach so, it took them awhile to get to us.    Eventually there was a nice cop who let them slip by.  By that time it started raining.  Oh joy!  We had our umbrellas, but that was about it.  We only had about 40 more minutes to stick it out.  The rain would be drizzy then drizzle a bit more, enough to annoy you but not really drench you right away.  More of a torturous rain.  Most of the people on the beach stuck it out, some people left.  I was actually impressed with the amount of Koreans that stayed on the beach.  

It was 8 PM and the fireworks were finally starting.  The lights on the bridge moved all around and then all of a sudden, "BOOM!"  and the sky was gold!  Let the show begin!  For the next hour our eyes were fixed upon the sky.  The musical selection was quite random but impressive, some scores from Pirates of the Carribean and Sherlock Holmes, and then Spice Girls?  and some K-pop (to remind us we are in Korea).  However, it was the best fireworks show I've ever seen.  Fourth of July will have nothing on this.  There was about half way through the show and they lit fireworks off the bridge so it look like a long waterfall.  They had fireworks that were like the normal big round ones, but then there were strings of light slowly falling from the sky.  It didn't disappear as quickly as the rest of them.  It was like it was hanging on a floating lantern.  And then, there were these birdlike things, either dragons or phoenixes that would fly about and then boom!  Their wings were spitting fire!  It was amazing!  The finale was amazing!  It was like a glimpse of Heaven, the entire sky was gold!  It was gorgeous.  All kinds of fireworks, but all gold!  For that hour i was the happiest little girl!  Full of awe and wonder.  Little did i know my worst nightmare was close at hand.  

GORGEOUS!!!!

Heaven, I'm in Heaven.

After it was over we debated if we should go back immediately or if we should wait.  We figured it it would suck either way.  So, we went off!  We grabbed our wet belongings, and made a chain and braced the crowds.  We had to cross the road, which had no cars, but it had people going in every direction.  It was like being stuck in Alice in Wonderland, nothing made sense.  So, there were a group of Ajimas (old ladies, and they get their way, always.), i thought it was best to follow them across the street.  But they made no sense either, so we fought our way across the street where we then had to wait.  It was ONE area where the police were actually doing something.  It was our time to go.  The five of us made a chain that could not be broken.  We were walking rather briskly through the crowd, until we found the subway station.  Oh dear Lord, the subway station.  My heart began to panic at this point.  There were so many people:

Might have even looked like this too, except that it was dark and rainy, so everything was wet and you had no idea what you were stepping on.  

We felt a bit like herded animals.  

Thankfully when we finally got to the stairs the police were there to sort of regulate things.  (I'm getting ridiculously tense just writing this.)  No one slipped down the stairs and you actually had a moment to  breathe without someone smashed up against your ribcage.  Luckily my friends and i have had some times to get to know each other, otherwise, we would have gotten to know each other real quick.  After we got down into the subway station all you saw was this:

Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it's what i felt.  I gripped my friend Breann's arm so tight, i may have bruised her.  All i could think about were natural disasters, which is the WORST thing to think about at such a time.  Like, in the movie Titanic and for some reason Jack and Rose are still stuck inside the Titanic and have little to no air to breathe, and are stuck behind iron bars.  Trapped to die forever.  However, they escape.  And so did i, but all i felt was this: 

All i wanted to do was this:

But i didn't.  I fought the crowd, i cursed, and i hated every moment i was down there.  I tried to fight my emotions and all the horrible things i was thinking about.  But, it was still a little traumatizing.  Finally, we made it through and it was bit more clear down below near the subway.  We all made it on the super packed subway car.  I'm still clutching my friend's arm and did so all the way to the train station, even though after every stop, people got off and it wasn't really crowded anymore.  But i still stood there hugging her arm, wishing all that didn't just happen.  

We got to the train station with plenty of time to spare and when our time came we packed in the train cars like a bunch of sardines.  I felt sick.  Thankfully we had one seat.  I sat in it most of the time.  I felt sick and feverish.  I honestly think it was all due to me almost having panic attack and being able to handle such a situation.

Was the fireworks festival worth it?  No.  But would i see it again? Yes.  I would just take a different route home next time.  I had no idea that crowds would do such a thing to me.  I finally found out my achilles heel.  I'd say crowds (entering small areas of limited space), but its not just any crowds.  Its crowds in Asia.   Asia has no sense of direction, no control and no order.  It the blind leading the blind, sometimes.  Thus making traveling and large groups of people one of the most scary things.  The entire night through the crowds and home i just kept telling myself, "Gold sky!  I just saw a gold sky!  Heaven!"  Even at one time during our way back my friend Garrett shouts, "Gold sky."  Thanks man.  Praise  God for Heaven.  I don't know what i'd do with out it.