WORLD'S BEST, BIGGEST, WEIRDEST

Haven't we all had a fascination with the Guinness Book of World Records? Admit it, you've spent (wasted) time looking through an old book or reading something about "Man who can juggle the most objects", or "Woman who has given birth to the most children", or "Longest fingernail". These superbly superlative facts can be instantly impressive (longest time skipping rope while keeping a soccer ball in the air), unbelievably unconscionable (longest time spent in a tree), or they can be largely ludicrous (longest kiss)!

Surprise! Busan, South Korea, holds four Guinness World Records.

SHINSEGAE

Shinsegae in Busan will be registered as the world's largest department store in the Guinness Book of Records. Before the Busan store, Macy's in New York had been the world's largest. A Shinsegae press release said according to the measurement by Guinness the floor size is 293,905 square meters, 95,405 square meters larger than Macy's. Inside there are movie theatres, an ice skating rink, many restaurants, and a spa.

We haven't totally checked it out yet...but we have stood across the street and taken a picture!

WORLD'S LARGEST CANTILEVER ROOF

The Busan Cinema Center, hosting the annual Busan International Film Festival, is a building whose architecture defies rationale. The 163 meter long cantilever is supported by a "double cone" construction - from far away looks like criss-cross straws, but close up they are steel beams. 

The architecture in this city is pretty amazing. We were invited by some of our English Class friends to go to a restaurant which was located on the little walkway that takes off from the cone.

At night there are "light shows" on the underside of the roof, which is supposed to look like an ocean wave. The reflection in the water is beautiful.

HAEUNDAE BEACH UMBRELLAS (beach parasols)

Haeundae beach has the most beach umbrellas (called parasols here) on a single beach in the world. The fourth world record I will divulge after visiting.