It would make a great caption contest

[KoreaScouter]

We took a troop hike at Suwon, Korea today. Suwon's an ancient provincial capital that was originally surrounded by a fortress wall, complete with firing ports, observation towers, command posts, and so on. The city outgrew the fortress wall a long time ago, but to their credit, they've maintained it, with free public access for hiking, sightseeing, picnics, historical re-enactments, etc. This thing is a 5-mile hike if you go all the way around it.

 

A high point was when we came to a gigantic ancient-looking Korean bell, in a bell tower, that they originally used to transmit alarm signals all around the fortress. The bell is about 12 feet high and 10 feet in diameter. For a small fee, you can pull back the huge suspended log they use as a ringer, and let it strike that bell. The sound carries for miles (like it's supposed to, I guess), and the bell resonates or vibrates for a full minute after you do it. A small crowd of Koreans visiting the fortress gathered to watch this bunch of American Boy Scouts, paying their fee, ringing the bell, then doing a group hug around the bell so they could feel the vibrations -- some gathered were even taking pictures.

 

At lunch time, we flopped on a grassy area set aside for relaxing, and as Americans always do when we get away from our bases, we drew onlookers. Our Scouts are accustomed to the curiosity, not bothered by it, and proceeded to swap parts of their lunches with Koreans relaxing there, too. One older Korean gentleman ate his first Chee-tos today -- I hope he was okay 6 hours later!

 

Many aspects of BSA Scouting are more difficult here than in the U.S., but experiences like this make it worth it.

 

KS

[eisely]

An interesting story. I had the impression that the Koreans were becoming more anti American, but then that comes from US media. Any truth to this?

[KoreaScouter]

The anti-US types are a small but vocal minority. They don't really have a problem with us as individuals, but with some of our government policies. Any protests or demonstrations have to be licensed and preannounced, and there's notification systems to make sure we don't wander into them inadvertantly. There's a few random criminal events like anywhere, but by and large, you're safer here from crime than many places I've been. The traffic's another matter, though.

 

I know the news stories, especially if there's video with them, look pretty radical. It was worse the first time I was here in '87, when they were trying to democratize the government...tear gas in Seoul every day. Almost unheard of now...we have more riots at rock concerts in the US.

 

The typical Korean is friendly, open, and is curious about Americans and wants to get to know them...

 

KS