Daegu - Day 7
September 28, 2005
Today I didn't go for a walk. My feet are
pooped from all the walking recently and I've already been down
every side street in my immediate area. Any walking from here
on out would be considered a hike and that sounds too much like
exercise to me.
For lunch, I made what I thought were hot dogs I
bought recently. After adding ketchup and mustard (both come
in thin plastic containers like cake frosting) and using bread from
my 1/2 loaf (I've only seen 1/2 loaves here, no full loaves of
bread), I happily sunk my teeth into my yummy hot dog. That's
when i discovered they were small sausages encased in plastic and
not hot dogs. It didn't take me too long of eating plastic to
realize this mind you. I'm a smart cookie. I then had to
remove my newly found sausages from their plastic covering and put
the contents onto my slice of bread. It was pretty good, but I
still had the recent taste of plastic tainting my meal.
After work tonight I took a long walk to learn the
area around the school a little and to save some Won on a taxi ride.
I then hailed a cab and showed the driver my sticky note with Korean
directions. Once again, I was taken a different way home.
I started to get worried after this guy pulled over and asked
another taxi driver for directions. I can't believe they don't
use addresses here! So no one send me mail...I don't have an
address...I think.
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My taxi
driver's inspirational music. |
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The ride really got interesting once I realized the
driver was listening to Cyndi Lauper's She Bop on the radio.
He turned it way up and continued to drive like a maniac and try to
kill us both. Constant grinding of the gears going either 80
miles an hour or 800km...I can't tell from these weird gages.
Another interesting thing occurred in the cab. The driver
pointed to my goatee a few times and said the word "gentleman" in
English over and over. I think he was saying my facial hair
design signifies that I'm a gentleman...how cool is that!?
I started to recognize my area and told him to take a
left in the international language of tapping him on the shoulder
and pointing left over & over. He mumbled something in Korean,
went straight and did a u-turn trying to kill us both and most of
the other people on the road. Once he got onto my street, I
pointed to where I lived and he went past it, did another death
defying u-turn and we finally arrived at my place. So, I never
did save any Won from my walk. Mr. Crazy u-turn taxi driver
milked me for cash taking me home the scenic route!
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A center piece statue in my apartment
courtyard at night. |
What I learned
today about Korea: 1) Koreans greatly value first
impressions. 2) It's ok to burp at the table, but not
blow your nose. 3) Taxi drivers like Cyndi Lauper.
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