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Pusan, South Korea


HannibalACP82
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So I took a full time position with the company I have been contracting for over the last 4 years and already am getting sent on the road....4 weeks in Pusan South Korea. I am going with an experienced team but I wondered if any LPers were living down there or had traveled there on business? Would love to meet up or hear some of your recommendations on things to do and places to see!

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Ok, to start off. Let's get one of biggest confusion out of the way first. There are actually two pronunciations:

Busan and Pusan. A long time ago, it was called Pusan; some 20+years ago, it was changed to Busan and then a few years ago, it was changed back to Pusan again. So both pronunciation and spelling are valid (and you will see and hear both).

 

Are you flying into Seoul first or directly to Gimhae airport in Pusan? Seoul's Incheon airport is fairly big: signage and English skills are not the greatest so be prepare to take some time to find when you are going. (Or perhaps you speak some Korean due to the wife factor?) Your experienced team should be able to sort this out without challenge.

 

Pusan is an industrial and port city so it is not as colourful or culturally-rich as Seoul. You do get a beautiful waterfront view though. Development skyrocketed in the last 20years but with it comes the usual big-city problem --- huge traffic jam. Again, it's not a bad as Seoul (really bad) but it's enough to get you frustrated so plan ahead.

 

Casinos are legal in the city so many 4 & 5-stars hotels have casinos attached. And naturally, the bar scene can get interesting too. I don't know how well a drinker you are but I would not challenge a local unconditionally. Most Koreans can drink plenty of hard liquor. And like your typical salary-man of the Far East who are stressed out from their work, if and when they are drunk, hell can break loose and most of their subconscious-self are not pretty.

 

As Pusan has a vast coast line, their beaches are quite well-known. Haeundae is prettiest as the beach is shaped like a crescent moon and the government had done plenty to it to mimic Waikiki. Although it likely has the most tourists, it is worth a look. Go to a hotel nearby at night (such as the Westin Chosun, not the newest and fanciest but it's close to the beach), head to the bar on the top floor, order a drink and enjoy the view. Other beaches include Gwangalli and Songjeong beaches.

 

If history is your game, then Beomeosa and Haedong Yonggungsa temples are your destinations. Beomeosa was built during the Silla era of Korea and is about twice as old as the Haedong Yonggungsa. The latter one is built near the water which is unusual as most temples in Korea are usually built in the mountains. I should add that both temples suffered heavy damages during WWII and were partially reconstructed. So not everything you see is the original construction.

 

If you fancy nature, then Nakdonggang Estuary, Amnam Park and Yongdusan is your places to go. Although Yongdusan may not fit the bill realistically --- it's a just park up on a hill and you also get an observatory tower to see the city view of Pusan. The name in Nakdonggang says it all. Amnam is rather interesting; it was off-limits to the public to preserve the nature until around the mid-90's. Huge rock cliffs along the coasts cast a beautiful scenery and IIRC, you can do fishing there too. There is also Oryukdo Island --- this one is interesting and depends on your luck with the weather. It's a number of small uninhabited islands near the coast made entirely of stones. Fog & mists set in very rapidly in a short period of time so sometimes you can see all 5 islands; sometimes you see none. Other times, the fog divides one of the islands into 2 parts so it looks like 6 islands; and sometimes you see the island(s) "floating" above the sea due to low clouds.

 

For city life, there is the Jagalchi Fish market and Nampo-dong Street. The first one is self-explanatory. The second is like an entertainment district complete with a street that mimics the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There is also Choryang Street --- this is known as the "foreigners" area. Many Russians and Chinese have open businesses there selling "Western/Foreign" goods. Naturally, bars and restaurants are there as well. Not the classiest place to hang around; in fact, it can be a little sketchy. But not unlike any fringe part of a big city downtown. Nearby the downtown area, in Seomyeon, Jangjeon-dong and Gwangbok-dong and plenty of large department stores and boutiques around (surprise surprise). And famous European designer brands are all there as well. Seomyeon is particularly interesting: there is street there that's nicknamed "Make-over street" (some call it "Medical Street" instead) as its shops are almost all medical clinics. But it really isn't medical per se as most clinics are related to cosmetic surgeries as that has been and continues to be a trend for SK. Many locals and foreigners from nearby countries come here to "enhance their appearance" henceforth the "Make-over Street" moniker. The Centum City in Haeundae-gu is suppose to be the largest department store in the world but I have very strong doubts on that but it is big. Being a coastal city, you also get the usual maritime museum. There is a stadium that once held the World Cup Soccer and the Asian Games.

 

For nightlife, most clubs are swamped with kids and most play 95% K-pop music so I don't know if that is your cup of tea. I also dislike the fact that most of them are either located underground or several floors high above ground. Call me paranoid but if something goes wrong (and I had seen many close calls such as pyrotechnic failures), you are stuck in the place with little elsewhere to go. Most local bars don't speak English very well. There are places that you pay a flat fee and for 3hrs, you can drink as much as you can although the choice of drinks is fairly limited. And the cliche "good stuff don't come cheap and cheap stuff don't come good" certainly applies there. Fancy hotels' bars and lounges are your best bet: Hotel Park Hyatt, Lotte, Westin Chosun, Paradise and Commodore are some good examples. As afore-said, many fancy hotels also have casinos in them. They also offer Vegas-style shows; just don't expect them to be the same calibre as Vegas. They try and they are not bad, but definitely not grand. Some shows offer a quick history lessons of Korea complete with the usual ribbon-twirling hat dance and Korean drumming girls.

 

The above should cover enough grounds for you. Pusan is not a terribly exciting city but it is a busy city. It is also densely populated but it also has its oceans and mountains. Like most SE Asian cities, you might get a bit of a shock for the sheer amount of people at a particular time and/or place. And everyone looks like they are in a hurry to get from one place to another. A crowd can build-up in a blink of an eye and, at times, they are not the most orderly and polite bunch either. Though changing, English proficiency still has plenty of room for improvement and some Korean men can have a slightly short fuse. Lastly, due to the recent economy boom of SK, despite some hiccups, they have done quite well but the adverse side-effect is serious inflation. Things, especially fancy ones, can get quite expensive fairly easily.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck and congrats on a new page of your career!

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Ok, to start off. Let's get one of biggest confusion out of the way first. There are actually two pronunciations:

Busan and Pusan. A long time ago, it was called Pusan; some 20+years ago, it was changed to Busan and then a few years ago, it was changed back to Pusan again. So both pronunciation and spelling are valid (and you will see and hear both).

 

Are you flying into Seoul first or directly to Gimhae airport in Pusan? Seoul's Incheon airport is fairly big: signage and English skills are not the greatest so be prepare to take some time to find when you are going. (Or perhaps you speak some Korean due to the wife factor?) Your experienced team should be able to sort this out without challenge.

 

Pusan is an industrial and port city so it is not as colourful or culturally-rich as Seoul. You do get a beautiful waterfront view though. Development skyrocketed in the last 20years but with it comes the usual big-city problem --- huge traffic jam. Again, it's not a bad as Seoul (really bad) but it's enough to get you frustrated so plan ahead.

 

Casinos are legal in the city so many 4 & 5-stars hotels have casinos attached. And naturally, the bar scene can get interesting too. I don't know how well a drinker you are but I would not challenge a local unconditionally. Most Koreans can drink plenty of hard liquor. And like your typical salary-man of the Far East who are stressed out from their work, if and when they are drunk, hell can break loose and most of their subconscious-self are not pretty.

 

As Pusan has a vast coast line, their beaches are quite well-known. Haeundae is prettiest as the beach is shaped like a crescent moon and the government had done plenty to it to mimic Waikiki. Although it likely has the most tourists, it is worth a look. Go to a hotel nearby at night (such as the Westin Chosun, not the newest and fanciest but it's close to the beach), head to the bar on the top floor, order a drink and enjoy the view. Other beaches include Gwangalli and Songjeong beaches.

 

If history is your game, then Beomeosa and Haedong Yonggungsa temples are your destinations. Beomeosa was built during the Silla era of Korea and is about twice as old as the Haedong Yonggungsa. The latter one is built near the water which is unusual as most temples in Korea are usually built in the mountains. I should add that both temples suffered heavy damages during WWII and were partially reconstructed. So not everything you see is the original construction.

 

If you fancy nature, then Nakdonggang Estuary, Amnam Park and Yongdusan is your places to go. Although Yongdusan may not fit the bill realistically --- it's a just park up on a hill and you also get an observatory tower to see the city view of Pusan. The name in Nakdonggang says it all. Amnam is rather interesting; it was off-limits to the public to preserve the nature until around the mid-90's. Huge rock cliffs along the coasts cast a beautiful scenery and IIRC, you can do fishing there too. There is also Oryukdo Island --- this one is interesting and depends on your luck with the weather. It's a number of small uninhabited islands near the coast made entirely of stones. Fog & mists set in very rapidly in a short period of time so sometimes you can see all 5 islands; sometimes you see none. Other times, the fog divides one of the islands into 2 parts so it looks like 6 islands; and sometimes you see the island(s) "floating" above the sea due to low clouds.

 

For city life, there is the Jagalchi Fish market and Nampo-dong Street. The first one is self-explanatory. The second is like an entertainment district complete with a street that mimics the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There is also Choryang Street --- this is known as the "foreigners" area. Many Russians and Chinese have open businesses there selling "Western/Foreign" goods. Naturally, bars and restaurants are there as well. Not the classiest place to hang around; in fact, it can be a little sketchy. But not unlike any fringe part of a big city downtown. Nearby the downtown area, in Seomyeon, Jangjeon-dong and Gwangbok-dong and plenty of large department stores and boutiques around (surprise surprise). And famous European designer brands are all there as well. Seomyeon is particularly interesting: there is street there that's nicknamed "Make-over street" (some call it "Medical Street" instead) as its shops are almost all medical clinics. But it really isn't medical per se as most clinics are related to cosmetic surgeries as that has been and continues to be a trend for SK. Many locals and foreigners from nearby countries come here to "enhance their appearance" henceforth the "Make-over Street" moniker. The Centum City in Haeundae-gu is suppose to be the largest department store in the world but I have very strong doubts on that but it is big. Being a coastal city, you also get the usual maritime museum. There is a stadium that once held the World Cup Soccer and the Asian Games.

 

For nightlife, most clubs are swamped with kids and most play 95% K-pop music so I don't know if that is your cup of tea. I also dislike the fact that most of them are either located underground or several floors high above ground. Call me paranoid but if something goes wrong (and I had seen many close calls such as pyrotechnic failures), you are stuck in the place with little elsewhere to go. Most local bars don't speak English very well. There are places that you pay a flat fee and for 3hrs, you can drink as much as you can although the choice of drinks is fairly limited. And the cliche "good stuff don't come cheap and cheap stuff don't come good" certainly applies there. Fancy hotels' bars and lounges are your best bet: Hotel Park Hyatt, Lotte, Westin Chosun, Paradise and Commodore are some good examples. As afore-said, many fancy hotels also have casinos in them. They also offer Vegas-style shows; just don't expect them to be the same calibre as Vegas. They try and they are not bad, but definitely not grand. Some shows offer a quick history lessons of Korea complete with the usual ribbon-twirling hat dance and Korean drumming girls.

 

The above should cover enough grounds for you. Pusan is not a terribly exciting city but it is a busy city. It is also densely populated but it also has its oceans and mountains. Like most SE Asian cities, you might get a bit of a shock for the sheer amount of people at a particular time and/or place. And everyone looks like they are in a hurry to get from one place to another. A crowd can build-up in a blink of an eye and, at times, they are not the most orderly and polite bunch either. Though changing, English proficiency still has plenty of room for improvement and some Korean men can have a slightly short fuse. Lastly, due to the recent economy boom of SK, despite some hiccups, they have done quite well but the adverse side-effect is serious inflation. Things, especially fancy ones, can get quite expensive fairly easily.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck and congrats on a new page of your career!

 

Thanks for ALL of the info! Amazing info and so much to see and do. I am sure I will grab the occasional drink but my adventures typically lean more towards sightseeing. With a new camera (Sony RX100 iii) and a country I have never been to before I am going to be packing in the sights! I will keep you guys posted on my adventures.

 

Oh as of right now...flying in to Pusan/Busan. The team I am going with have been there a combined 7 times I think so I "should" be ok.

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Going to be in Seoul the evening of 10/25/2014. I am not sure if work has plans for me or not but I needed to spend the night because I couldn't get a flight to Busan until 10/26/2014. More than likely I will be dead tired and will just sleep but if any LPers are around and want to get together...hit me up.

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So it's likely safe to assume that you are landing in Incheon airport. But are you leaving from Incheon to Pusan? If so, do you really want to travel the distance from Incheon to Seoul and back again? Or has the company set up accommodation in Seoul already? Or are you in leaving for Pusan from Gimpo airport instead?

 

The distance isn't too long but the traffic jam from the outskirt of Seoul to downtown is just horrendous!

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So it's likely safe to assume that you are landing in Incheon airport. But are you leaving from Incheon to Pusan? If so, do you really want to travel the distance from Incheon to Seoul and back again? Or has the company set up accommodation in Seoul already? Or are you in leaving for Pusan from Gimpo airport instead?

 

The distance isn't too long but the traffic jam from the outskirt of Seoul to downtown is just horrendous!

 

I am flying in to ICN. Right now I am spending the night at the Grand Hyatt and then taking the hotel limo to Gimpo and flying to Pusan. I am looking into getting a hotel more centrally located and possibly taking the bullet train from Seoul to Pusan. Any suggestions?

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Ok, to start off. Let's get one of biggest confusion out of the way first. There are actually two pronunciations:

Busan and Pusan. A long time ago, it was called Pusan; some 20+years ago, it was changed to Busan and then a few years ago, it was changed back to Pusan again. So both pronunciation and spelling are valid (and you will see and hear both).

 

Are you flying into Seoul first or directly to Gimhae airport in Pusan? Seoul's Incheon airport is fairly big: signage and English skills are not the greatest so be prepare to take some time to find when you are going. (Or perhaps you speak some Korean due to the wife factor?) Your experienced team should be able to sort this out without challenge.

 

Pusan is an industrial and port city so it is not as colourful or culturally-rich as Seoul. You do get a beautiful waterfront view though. Development skyrocketed in the last 20years but with it comes the usual big-city problem --- huge traffic jam. Again, it's not a bad as Seoul (really bad) but it's enough to get you frustrated so plan ahead.

 

Casinos are legal in the city so many 4 & 5-stars hotels have casinos attached. And naturally, the bar scene can get interesting too. I don't know how well a drinker you are but I would not challenge a local unconditionally. Most Koreans can drink plenty of hard liquor. And like your typical salary-man of the Far East who are stressed out from their work, if and when they are drunk, hell can break loose and most of their subconscious-self are not pretty.

 

As Pusan has a vast coast line, their beaches are quite well-known. Haeundae is prettiest as the beach is shaped like a crescent moon and the government had done plenty to it to mimic Waikiki. Although it likely has the most tourists, it is worth a look. Go to a hotel nearby at night (such as the Westin Chosun, not the newest and fanciest but it's close to the beach), head to the bar on the top floor, order a drink and enjoy the view. Other beaches include Gwangalli and Songjeong beaches.

 

If history is your game, then Beomeosa and Haedong Yonggungsa temples are your destinations. Beomeosa was built during the Silla era of Korea and is about twice as old as the Haedong Yonggungsa. The latter one is built near the water which is unusual as most temples in Korea are usually built in the mountains. I should add that both temples suffered heavy damages during WWII and were partially reconstructed. So not everything you see is the original construction.

 

If you fancy nature, then Nakdonggang Estuary, Amnam Park and Yongdusan is your places to go. Although Yongdusan may not fit the bill realistically --- it's a just park up on a hill and you also get an observatory tower to see the city view of Pusan. The name in Nakdonggang says it all. Amnam is rather interesting; it was off-limits to the public to preserve the nature until around the mid-90's. Huge rock cliffs along the coasts cast a beautiful scenery and IIRC, you can do fishing there too. There is also Oryukdo Island --- this one is interesting and depends on your luck with the weather. It's a number of small uninhabited islands near the coast made entirely of stones. Fog & mists set in very rapidly in a short period of time so sometimes you can see all 5 islands; sometimes you see none. Other times, the fog divides one of the islands into 2 parts so it looks like 6 islands; and sometimes you see the island(s) "floating" above the sea due to low clouds.

 

For city life, there is the Jagalchi Fish market and Nampo-dong Street. The first one is self-explanatory. The second is like an entertainment district complete with a street that mimics the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There is also Choryang Street --- this is known as the "foreigners" area. Many Russians and Chinese have open businesses there selling "Western/Foreign" goods. Naturally, bars and restaurants are there as well. Not the classiest place to hang around; in fact, it can be a little sketchy. But not unlike any fringe part of a big city downtown. Nearby the downtown area, in Seomyeon, Jangjeon-dong and Gwangbok-dong and plenty of large department stores and boutiques around (surprise surprise). And famous European designer brands are all there as well. Seomyeon is particularly interesting: there is street there that's nicknamed "Make-over street" (some call it "Medical Street" instead) as its shops are almost all medical clinics. But it really isn't medical per se as most clinics are related to cosmetic surgeries as that has been and continues to be a trend for SK. Many locals and foreigners from nearby countries come here to "enhance their appearance" henceforth the "Make-over Street" moniker. The Centum City in Haeundae-gu is suppose to be the largest department store in the world but I have very strong doubts on that but it is big. Being a coastal city, you also get the usual maritime museum. There is a stadium that once held the World Cup Soccer and the Asian Games.

 

For nightlife, most clubs are swamped with kids and most play 95% K-pop music so I don't know if that is your cup of tea. I also dislike the fact that most of them are either located underground or several floors high above ground. Call me paranoid but if something goes wrong (and I had seen many close calls such as pyrotechnic failures), you are stuck in the place with little elsewhere to go. Most local bars don't speak English very well. There are places that you pay a flat fee and for 3hrs, you can drink as much as you can although the choice of drinks is fairly limited. And the cliche "good stuff don't come cheap and cheap stuff don't come good" certainly applies there. Fancy hotels' bars and lounges are your best bet: Hotel Park Hyatt, Lotte, Westin Chosun, Paradise and Commodore are some good examples. As afore-said, many fancy hotels also have casinos in them. They also offer Vegas-style shows; just don't expect them to be the same calibre as Vegas. They try and they are not bad, but definitely not grand. Some shows offer a quick history lessons of Korea complete with the usual ribbon-twirling hat dance and Korean drumming girls.

 

The above should cover enough grounds for you. Pusan is not a terribly exciting city but it is a busy city. It is also densely populated but it also has its oceans and mountains. Like most SE Asian cities, you might get a bit of a shock for the sheer amount of people at a particular time and/or place. And everyone looks like they are in a hurry to get from one place to another. A crowd can build-up in a blink of an eye and, at times, they are not the most orderly and polite bunch either. Though changing, English proficiency still has plenty of room for improvement and some Korean men can have a slightly short fuse. Lastly, due to the recent economy boom of SK, despite some hiccups, they have done quite well but the adverse side-effect is serious inflation. Things, especially fancy ones, can get quite expensive fairly easily.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck and congrats on a new page of your career!

 

Awesome post A! :turboalex:

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Lotte Hotel Seoul is likely as central as you can get. Exit the hotel, walk to the "Cityhall" subway station (around 10mins), take the Line1 route for 1 stop to Seoul Station. Or go to the Euljiro subway station (Line 2) which is a stone-throw from Hotel Lotte. Take Line 2 to "Cityhall" and change to Line 1, the rest is similar. Taxi's are readily available at Lotte Hotel to go to Seoul Station as well. Short distance but just factor in traffic jam.

 

By bullet train, you meant the KTX? The train runs from ICN to Seoul Station and then to Pusan. You might consider taking the KTX to Seoul Station and then hop on a taxi to Lotte Hotel. Much faster than ICN to Lotte by car for sure.

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Ended up booking a plane ticket from GMP to PUS. Ill save the train for a weekend visit.

 

Speaking of we are at T minus 3 hours...I better get my butt to the airport!

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Walked on one flight and walked right on to the next and I gotta say international business class is the shit!

 

Got my seat reclined, my fancy slippers on and a mimosa already.

 

post-24965-1414178341_thumb.jpg

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Not trying to be a downer but I just read that North Korea has closed the border to all tourists due to the ebola outbreak. You will no longer be able to fulfill Wheel's life long dream of visiting that enchanting neighboring land. What a shame.

 

Good luck and I hope everything goes smoothly. Take lots of food pics for me (along with other pics of course). With how tall you are I'm sure you will get some great reactions. Keep us updated!

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Im here! Walked off the flight in dtw and on to the flight to icn. 14 hours is a long time butbit wasnt bad. 4 movies and a 1 hour nap got me within 90 min of landing

 

Already started taking pics of food audibull style in business on the way out!!! I need some sleep now though!!!

 

 

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::yawn:: up after a night of what I would like to call sleep. My kept waking me up thinking i was late for work. Showered and going to go search out some breakfast before i have to catch thenlimo bus to GMP.

 

Random observation....my bed had a comforter and a fitter sheet and that was it. No regular sheet or blanket. Am I weird, is the hotel weird or is this how things are in Korea?

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Breakfast has arrived. My scrambled egg choices were light, medium and heavy whatever that means. I split the difference

 

post-24965-1414274994_thumb.jpg

 

 

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post-24965-1414278678_thumb.jpg

 

I am on the KAL limo bus between ICN amd PUS amd ive got to say it is sweet! Id ride it for the next 6 hours to PUS and skip the flight if i could.

 

 

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I dont think of 6'1" being tall but between that and the beard I am certainly not traveling incognito!

 

Flower Festival of some sort here at Gimpo airport.

 

post-24965-1414282816_thumb.jpg

 

post-24965-1414282872_thumb.jpg

 

Cool drum with a dragon on it!

 

post-24965-1414282938_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

Taste of home!

 

post-24965-1414282829_thumb.jpg

post-24965-1414283015_thumb.jpg

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Exciting to come along for the journey, keep the photos coming :icon_thumleft:

 

You asked and so you will receive! Maybe I should ask a mod to move this to the offtopic section for a bit.

 

It's because you are almost down-under :icon_mrgreen:

 

I saw thay coming! Want that dragon drum for the new place? ;)

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I am on the KAL limo bus between ICN amd PUS amd ive got to say it is sweet! Id ride it for the next 6 hours to PUS and skip the flight if i could.

 

You must be jetlag. You mean between ICN and GMP. I too wish they have a limousine bus service between ICN & PUS.

 

 

Flower Festival of some sort here at Gimpo airport.

 

There is a chrysanthemum flower festival held in mid-October in SK annually.

 

 

Taste of home!

 

20141026_091307.jpg

 

Actually, 7/11 in SK is owned by a Japanese company. They have plenty of weird food available in there which you would never find at home. E.g. they have (or at least had) a drink that goes by the name "Puke" (not kidding).

 

 

Sorry my place isn't dragon friendly :icon_mrgreen:

 

Damn, so much for the house-warming present! :icon_mrgreen:

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