Encountering the Native Inhabitants

Like any trip overseas, you encounter the people first. And let me tell you, the Korean people did not disappoint. I cannot begin to tell you how kind and generous the Korean people we met were. There were also many opportunities for them to be wildly entertaining.

A few things I have learned (merely by observation, so fault the facts if you must) about Korean people:

After practicing their English on us, these
schoolgirls asked me to take their picture.

Koreans are really rooting for world peace. Doesn't matter what they are standing in front of or who they're with, when a picture is being taken everyone throws up their fingers to show the world that when they visited the golden buddha at the top of that mountain in Jeju, they were also wishing for world peace. Waterfalls? Oh yeah, bring on the world peace. Random statue? World peace! New husband taking a photo of you in a field of wildflowers? World peace.

If you pass a group of 650 school children in Korea, they will all say hi or hello to you in English giggling maniacally when you say it back.
EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.     ANYWHERE. YOU. SEE. THEM. 

This is a cliff hike directly along the sea. This girl is
wearing 3-in Louboutin shoes on volcanic rock. INSANE!

Looking good is more important than walking fast. The Chinese had footbinding, the Koreans have fashion. Nearly every woman under 30 wears dangerous looking heels. HUGE, spike heels with rows of buckles and zippers that are usually out of proportionally fancier than the rest of the outfit. And there doesn't seem to be a thought about the activities ahead when getting dressed in the morning. We have seen the fashion outfits with the huge heels on hikes and climbs and on non-work days tottering through the park and down cobblestone streets.

Over the age of approximately 30, looking the part is better than knowing what you're doing. People going hiking have "hiking outfits" complete with those ski pole type things to finish off the look. They have the North Face jackets and pants and shoes, the whole works. And I am unsure if they've ever hiked before. People biking have "biking outfits" complete with head to toe spandex and goggles. Again, unsure if they've ever biked before buying the whole outfit.

Next up, the adventure of using a Korean bathroom!