Korea 2007by David Black
The Yellow Sea, Sexy Haircuts, and Turpentine Soup!
You weren't honestly expecting a normal business trip now, were you?
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The Yellow Sea Tuesday, July 3
Thankfully, after 11 hours on the plane, we started our approach to Inchon Airport (pronounced Inch On). The view was spectacular - over a mass of broken islands in the yellow sea. The water was a paisley pattern of a beautiful turquoise-green with swirls of brown-red mud from the Han River - interspersed with thousands of small rock islands. I wish I had been smart enough to have my camera down from the overhead bin - so I could have a picture of that scene here. Oh well.
'Hello' is for Woosies!
Airports are the same pretty well everywhere - and this was no different. One thing that struck me as odd, however, was that the immigration officials don't talk to anyone. I think I was the only person who said 'Hello' when I went up to the counter, and I got a blank 'are you from another planet?' stare in response. The man just took my documents (passport, landing card, customs card, invitation letter ..) and stamped everything - about 50 different stamps in total. He never looked at me (except for the blank stare), never said anything, never looked anything up on the computer .. nothing. Weird! Don't they know that I look just like an Arab Terrorist?
We're not in Kansas Anymore ..
The first clue that I wasn't in Kansas anymore was when the automatic sliding doors opened letting me out of the customs area into the public terminal. Wow! An ocean of Korean people waiting for passengers. Must have been around 5000 people (and, yes, they all looked the same to me)! Along the front were a few hundred men men in dark suits holding up signs - drivers, here to pick up VIPs. I figured I must be a VIP :-) so I looked for one with my name on it. It took a full minute of standing still and scanning the signs to find it. Figured there couldn't be too many Mr Black's visiting today, so I went for it.
Mr Ji and his 'Celebrity'
My driver was a friendly little man named Mr. Ji (pronounced G). He took me to a beautiful car, A Hyundai 'Celebrity' (nicest car I've ever been in), and we were off to Seoul. It's a 60 KM drive from Inchon to Seoul - a toll road: 13,900 Korean Won (about $15 USD) each way!
It's the sights and sounds (and smells) along this drive which really sent home the message for me: I was definitely not in Kansas Anymore!
The picture to the right was taken along the Inchon-Seoul toll-road. Click on it for an enlargement. See how the road signs are subtly different than the ones in Canada?
There are over 10 Million people living in Seoul - 1/4 of South Korea's population. They mostly live in huge apartment complexes on the outskirts of the city. This next picture is of a typical complex - about 10 blocks wide by 20 blocks deep with over 150 buildings. You're looking at one little corner of the complex.
Next time: Take the Bus!
When we finally arrive at the hotel, the driver asks me to please sign the bill for the ride (will be charged to my room). I sign the paper: $150 USD for the ride! Ouch! I sure hope Honeywell will pay for that! I think, maybe, I should consider taking the train when it's time to go back.
It was around 5:30 PM when I finally got into my room. I was sooo tired (it's 1:30 AM in Vancouver - and I've been traveling for a long time). But .. I must not go to sleep. Somehow I have to stay awake till 10 or 11 - or I'll never sleep through the night. I've got to go to work the next day, after all.
Thankfully, after 11 hours on the plane, we started our approach to Inchon Airport (pronounced Inch On). The view was spectacular - over a mass of broken islands in the yellow sea. The water was a paisley pattern of a beautiful turquoise-green with swirls of brown-red mud from the Han River - interspersed with thousands of small rock islands. I wish I had been smart enough to have my camera down from the overhead bin - so I could have a picture of that scene here. Oh well.
'Hello' is for Woosies!
Airports are the same pretty well everywhere - and this was no different. One thing that struck me as odd, however, was that the immigration officials don't talk to anyone. I think I was the only person who said 'Hello' when I went up to the counter, and I got a blank 'are you from another planet?' stare in response. The man just took my documents (passport, landing card, customs card, invitation letter ..) and stamped everything - about 50 different stamps in total. He never looked at me (except for the blank stare), never said anything, never looked anything up on the computer .. nothing. Weird! Don't they know that I look just like an Arab Terrorist?
We're not in Kansas Anymore ..
The first clue that I wasn't in Kansas anymore was when the automatic sliding doors opened letting me out of the customs area into the public terminal. Wow! An ocean of Korean people waiting for passengers. Must have been around 5000 people (and, yes, they all looked the same to me)! Along the front were a few hundred men men in dark suits holding up signs - drivers, here to pick up VIPs. I figured I must be a VIP :-) so I looked for one with my name on it. It took a full minute of standing still and scanning the signs to find it. Figured there couldn't be too many Mr Black's visiting today, so I went for it.
Mr Ji and his 'Celebrity'
My driver was a friendly little man named Mr. Ji (pronounced G). He took me to a beautiful car, A Hyundai 'Celebrity' (nicest car I've ever been in), and we were off to Seoul. It's a 60 KM drive from Inchon to Seoul - a toll road: 13,900 Korean Won (about $15 USD) each way!
It's the sights and sounds (and smells) along this drive which really sent home the message for me: I was definitely not in Kansas Anymore!
The picture to the right was taken along the Inchon-Seoul toll-road. Click on it for an enlargement. See how the road signs are subtly different than the ones in Canada?
There are over 10 Million people living in Seoul - 1/4 of South Korea's population. They mostly live in huge apartment complexes on the outskirts of the city. This next picture is of a typical complex - about 10 blocks wide by 20 blocks deep with over 150 buildings. You're looking at one little corner of the complex.
Next time: Take the Bus!
When we finally arrive at the hotel, the driver asks me to please sign the bill for the ride (will be charged to my room). I sign the paper: $150 USD for the ride! Ouch! I sure hope Honeywell will pay for that! I think, maybe, I should consider taking the train when it's time to go back.
It was around 5:30 PM when I finally got into my room. I was sooo tired (it's 1:30 AM in Vancouver - and I've been traveling for a long time). But .. I must not go to sleep. Somehow I have to stay awake till 10 or 11 - or I'll never sleep through the night. I've got to go to work the next day, after all.
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