Welcome to the first world tour of a vehicle powered only by solar energy!
SOLAR TAXI IN SEOUL06.06.2008
Comments: 0
Louis Palmer struggles through Seoul's gridlocked streets and demonstrations against US beef. A trip in the city's Metro reveals the city's huge size - and how absurd regulations can be. he Solar Taxi is caught in the clutches of the South Korean authorities and I think it'll be there for a while. Although sceptical, Frank and I go down to the harbour to pick up our vehicle.
SEOUL:: FASCINATING AND UNIQUE
A trip on the Metro through Seoul's suburbs takes over an hour - enough time to see how gigantic the city is. More than ten million people live in Seoul and even the locals have trouble finding their way around in the Metro, with its more than 263 stations. Signs in every carriage ensure that the 6.3 million passengers travelling on the Metro daily have a pleasant journey. Kissing and cuddling, for example, is strictly forbidden.
We arrive at the harbour and a couple of dockworkers open our container. I ask them whether they want to see the papers and they gaze at me blankly. A miracle has occurred! We're going to be allowed to drive. Better not to ask any questions, I think, and take off fast. I'll probably never find out who organised all the permits for us.
The centre of Seoul is a fortress at the moment. Dozens of police buses block the streets. South Korea's new president has decided to allow beef imports from the USA. The people don't like this at all because American cows are infected with BSE, according to the 100,000 demonstrators who, brandishing candles and banners, march through the city almost daily demanding that the president resign.
Sand from China
A storm from China carrying sand on its winds is also unpleasant. On such days many people wear masks or don't leave their houses. "Chinese sand is contaminated with poisons", they assure me. Having just arrived from China, I have to wonder.
South Korea plans to get its energy from the sea in future. We visit what will be the world's biggest tidal power station, with ten turbines. It's still a building site now, but in two years South Korea should be producing green electricity here.
Driving through the city is not fun. It takes at least two hours to drive 20 kilometres. Seoul's streets are gridlocked, especially since the police blocked off the city centre.
Just a few decades ago, South Korea's economic power was about the same as that of poor African countries, but now this comparatively small country is an economic force almost on a par with giants like Brazil and Russia.