This past weekend at Dadaepo beach, Busan held a kite festival. I love Dadaepo, it's one of my favorite beaches in Busan. First of all it's huge, and rarely busy, or at least it never seems busy because of its size. Also it's pretty far south so a bit off the radar for most people and a really great place to go camping (we went camping twice on Dadaepo, and I hope to go again this year).
The festival itself wasn't very big, or busy, but man was it windy. Which I guess is really great for a kite flying festival.
It was mostly families at the festival and it really was a nice place to bring the kids. There were a lot of vendors all selling the same type of peacock kites- the same kind of kites that Seema and I bought on one of our early adventures out of Busan.
Along with the families there were some older men competing in some sort of traditional kite flying competition. I accidentally walked in front of their unmarked wide open flying area to take some pictures and got yelled at.
It really is a great mix of beach and hiking and the fact that there are store and restaurants right across the street means you don't have to really rough it.
Anyway, I didn't need much convincing to head down south to Dadaepo and visit a bit of my old stomping grounds. The festival itself wasn't very big, or busy, but man was it windy. Which I guess is really great for a kite flying festival.
They kites were these cool paper squares and had these old traditional spools.
Part of me was hoping that they would try to take each other out and try to knock an opponents kite out of the sky, but that didn't happen. I'm not exactly sure the judging criteria, but the competition was very intense.
Part of me was hoping that they would try to take each other out and try to knock an opponents kite out of the sky, but that didn't happen. I'm not exactly sure the judging criteria, but the competition was very intense.
There was a stage and chairs, but no real performances that I saw. There were some really cool para-surfers, but I couldn't get any good pictures of them.
As usual, the parents are stuck with most of the kite flying logistics.
It was really cute to see so many families enjoying such a beautiful spring day on the beach, and totally worth getting the sand that found it's way to my apartment floor.
It was also surprisingly emotional to go back to the southern part of Busan. The bus I was on went by the Annie's old apartment building and I wanted so badly to get off and go visit my friends who I miss terribly. I kept recalling old memories of places, and wanting to call up people to go eat at the Duck and Pumpkin restaurant that looks like a Smurf's house.
I knew this year would be different, but I am reminded almost daily how my wonderful friends made my Korean adventures that much better.
From Busan With Love,
Jenna
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