Respect and the art of motorcycling

Cars are symbols of status in many cultures and Korea is no different. Though there are a lot of motorcycles in Korea (and popularity is growing), they are generally not really regarded as status symbols - or so I thought. Korean friends have told me that motorcycle riders are generally looked down upon. While I think that's true to an extent, I find there's a big difference in how I am treated by traffic when out on my scooter compared to when I am out on my sports bike.

When I ride the scooter, people tend to ignore the fact that I am on the road. I generally ride it on short trips (to visit friends or to do my shopping), but other drivers are reluctant to let me merge and don't generally give me a lot of respect. It's completely different when I am on the big bike (possibly because it sounds like a low-flying aircraft). Drivers are extremely courteous, even to the point of waving me across into their lanes for merging. I've had smiles and waves from kids in the back of cars and even from a woman in a car beside me in traffic.

I've come to the conclusion that unlike in most western cultures, where a big motorcycle is either a sign of living a little outside the mainstream or a midlife crisis, here a big bike of any kind is a significant status symbol. I've been noticing more and more Harley Davidsons and customised choppers getting about the city, and even the occasional sports bike like my Aprilia. There are even HOG rallies:

Here are a few shots of a rather interesting customised paint-job (hand painted) on a Harley recently spotted in Toegyero.

Wildlife

I don't know why, but I never really thought of Korea as having much in the way of a wildlife population. Perhaps it's because of the high population density. Apparently there are lots of small forest creatures like chipmunks, and squirrels, to complement the bird and insect populations. I was out hiking a few weeks ago and came across this little one scurrying around.

Korea is also host to the Moon bear (otherwise known as the Asiatic black bear), though there are currently very few known bears in the wild in Korea. The bears were declared a protected species in 1982 by the Korean Government, but sadly, poaching has brought them to near-extinction. The bears themselves are largely docile, preferring nuts, berries and insects to larger prey and it'd be fantastic to see one in the wild.

Alphorns

I was out a few weeks ago in Sinchon, a lively area nestled in between two universities on the north-western side of Seoul. It's packed full of bars, shopping areas and restaurants and is always a lot of fun to wander around. I was there with a few friends for galbi (see this post if you're curious about galbi) and noticed three Korean street performers playing alphorns on a corner. They were good at it, but I couldn't help but be struck by how out of place it seemed...

Don't hassle the hof

In Korea, you see signs for "hof" everywhere, which initially perplexed me greatly. I asked a Korean friend of mine and he said it was because Koreans thought "hof" was German for "beer". When I pointed out that "beer" in German is actually "bier", and that "hof" means "courtyard", he merely shrugged and said something must have been lost in translation.

More Style

I've posted previously about the Korean trend of hotting up scooters, but I saw a real eye-catcher this week. It was parked in Hannam-dong (where the motorbike shop that looks after me is based, actually) and the owner came out to chat to me while I was snapping these pics on my mobile phone.

He was particularly proud of the customised sound-system that he had installed in it and even offered to show me how loud it could go. As it was 7 in the morning at the time, I declined...

Lost in Translation

In Korea, you see a lot of T-shirts, signs, hats, and things written in English that doesn't make a whole lot of sense (to be fair, this is not limited to Korea and is actually prevalent in a great number of countries). My favourite is some of the hats that you see around the place. I was out and about a few weeks ago and I saw this one. If anyone knows what "Donkey Joyful - The Lord Needs it" is in reference to, I'd be really happy to know.