Just got back from the DPRK (North Korea)....
Discussion
So I just got back today from North Korea or to give it its proper name the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. I thought a few of you might be interested in seeing a few pics and whatnot. So heres a bit of a speel and some of the better pics.
First off me and my dad decided that it would be a good idea to go to the DPRK, and then decided to take the train there. So the train went a bit like this...
Montrose to London - one night
London to Belgium - 2.5 hours
Belgum to Colone - 2.5 hours
Colone to Warsaw - one night
Warsaw to Moscow.- one night
Two days in Moscow. Just time enough to see the Kremlin, Red Square, the Revolutionary Museum and some of the more spectacular tube stations and of course the Moscow state circus.
Then it was a 3 day train journey to Krasnoyarsk in a typical solviet era sleeper train, 4 to a compartment in second class. Not much to see out the windows apart from a LOT of birch trees for 3 whole days.
After a rest day in Krasnoyarsk it was off to Irkusk which took another 2 nights on the train. We had 3 days here, so we took a day to go on the Circumbikal Railway (yes another train
)
But it was totally worth it as Lake Biakal is a beautiful place. It is the largest fresh water lake in the world, it holds as much water as the 5 biggest of the great lakes combined. The railway is now mostly unused apart from the tourist train so you could get off and explore parts of the railway and have a bit of a wander around.
One of the funny things that they seem to do in Irkusk is when people get married they put a padlock with their names on it on the fence that runs along the river and throw the key into the river. A very romantic idea I think.
After Irkusk it was off on the train again to Mongolia, more specifically Ulanbator.
First off me and my dad decided that it would be a good idea to go to the DPRK, and then decided to take the train there. So the train went a bit like this...
Montrose to London - one night
London to Belgium - 2.5 hours
Belgum to Colone - 2.5 hours
Colone to Warsaw - one night
Warsaw to Moscow.- one night
Two days in Moscow. Just time enough to see the Kremlin, Red Square, the Revolutionary Museum and some of the more spectacular tube stations and of course the Moscow state circus.
Then it was a 3 day train journey to Krasnoyarsk in a typical solviet era sleeper train, 4 to a compartment in second class. Not much to see out the windows apart from a LOT of birch trees for 3 whole days.
After a rest day in Krasnoyarsk it was off to Irkusk which took another 2 nights on the train. We had 3 days here, so we took a day to go on the Circumbikal Railway (yes another train
)But it was totally worth it as Lake Biakal is a beautiful place. It is the largest fresh water lake in the world, it holds as much water as the 5 biggest of the great lakes combined. The railway is now mostly unused apart from the tourist train so you could get off and explore parts of the railway and have a bit of a wander around.
One of the funny things that they seem to do in Irkusk is when people get married they put a padlock with their names on it on the fence that runs along the river and throw the key into the river. A very romantic idea I think.
After Irkusk it was off on the train again to Mongolia, more specifically Ulanbator.
The Mongolian people were so very friendly and welcoming, much more so than the Russians that we had encountered on the way. We only had 3 nights in Ulanbator so we decided that we would do a short one night trip out to a ger camp to meet some of the people who live in the countryside and experience a night in a Ger. There really is not very much in the countryside at all...
After the far too brief stay in Mongolia it was time for our penultimate train to Bejing, the last stop before the DPRK.
We had one night in Bejing before flying out (boo hiss) to Pyongyang on an OLD Tupelov (sp?) TU154. Note the open window in the cockpit.
There is normally one flight per week from Bejing to Pyongyang, apart from this week. There were 4 on this one day, due to the number of journalists that had been 'invited' to cover the large military parade that was taking place on the Sunday. Unfortunately we tourists were not allowed to go and watch this spectacle
Apparently the journalists got to go on the 'new' Boeing whilst we were left with the Tupelov. Nice.
After the far too brief stay in Mongolia it was time for our penultimate train to Bejing, the last stop before the DPRK.
We had one night in Bejing before flying out (boo hiss) to Pyongyang on an OLD Tupelov (sp?) TU154. Note the open window in the cockpit.
There is normally one flight per week from Bejing to Pyongyang, apart from this week. There were 4 on this one day, due to the number of journalists that had been 'invited' to cover the large military parade that was taking place on the Sunday. Unfortunately we tourists were not allowed to go and watch this spectacle
Apparently the journalists got to go on the 'new' Boeing whilst we were left with the Tupelov. Nice.
So after an uneventful flight, thank god, we arrived at Pyongyang airport. It took an AGE to get through immigration and customs, although I think this was due to the fact that they were still processing the previous flight with all the journalists on it! Customs were surprisingly relaxed, although you had to hand your mobile phone into them, which they then wrapped up tight and put in a locker to be collected when you left.
The first day of sightseeing we were taken on the Underground which is amazing, but not quite as spectacular as the Moscow underground. Then to the Arc de Triumph. No we hadn't accidentally gone to Paris, they had just copied it and DPRKed it.
I was feeling ill by this point and went back to the hotel so missed out on seeing the classic Kim Il Sung statue, where the rest of the group had to lay flowers and bow. A bit disappointed about that but it meant that I was fit to go to the DMZ the next day.
The 2 hour bus journey to the DMZ was quite telling about the state of the country, we passed rice field after rice field. We were on a 4 lane motorway yet only saw about 5 other vehicles using the motorway in the 2 hour trip. Some of the bridges that we went over were quite scary as it seems that motorway maintenance is quite low down on their list of priorities.
Anyway, this is how the entrance to the DMZ looks from the North side.
We had to line up single file to be counted in.
Then once in and at the border we had a glimpse of South Korea. You can see there are many CCTV cameras on the large building watching the North, it is mirrored on the North side, albeit slightly more low tech and the building is proper 1970s brutalist architecture.
The huts in the middle of the photo straddle the border between North and South. We were allowed to go into the middle one which is where they hold peace talks.
Mum and dad in South Korea. Note the plaque in the background with all the flags of the countries that support South Korea, there is no plaque like this on the North side.
After being counted back out of the DMZ and back onto the bus we visited Casson (sp) where we had lunch and saw yet another statue of the Great Leader Kim Il Sung. Casson is much more run down than Pyongyang, but unlike Pyongyang it survived relatively unscathed from the Korean war, even though it is right next to the DMZ, so there are some older more traditional type buildings in amongst the concrete flats.
The first day of sightseeing we were taken on the Underground which is amazing, but not quite as spectacular as the Moscow underground. Then to the Arc de Triumph. No we hadn't accidentally gone to Paris, they had just copied it and DPRKed it.
I was feeling ill by this point and went back to the hotel so missed out on seeing the classic Kim Il Sung statue, where the rest of the group had to lay flowers and bow. A bit disappointed about that but it meant that I was fit to go to the DMZ the next day.
The 2 hour bus journey to the DMZ was quite telling about the state of the country, we passed rice field after rice field. We were on a 4 lane motorway yet only saw about 5 other vehicles using the motorway in the 2 hour trip. Some of the bridges that we went over were quite scary as it seems that motorway maintenance is quite low down on their list of priorities.
Anyway, this is how the entrance to the DMZ looks from the North side.
We had to line up single file to be counted in.
Then once in and at the border we had a glimpse of South Korea. You can see there are many CCTV cameras on the large building watching the North, it is mirrored on the North side, albeit slightly more low tech and the building is proper 1970s brutalist architecture.
The huts in the middle of the photo straddle the border between North and South. We were allowed to go into the middle one which is where they hold peace talks.
Mum and dad in South Korea. Note the plaque in the background with all the flags of the countries that support South Korea, there is no plaque like this on the North side.
After being counted back out of the DMZ and back onto the bus we visited Casson (sp) where we had lunch and saw yet another statue of the Great Leader Kim Il Sung. Casson is much more run down than Pyongyang, but unlike Pyongyang it survived relatively unscathed from the Korean war, even though it is right next to the DMZ, so there are some older more traditional type buildings in amongst the concrete flats.
On the way back to Pyongyang we stopped at a motorway service station, possibly the only one in the DPRK. It reminded me somewhat of some of the services on the M6, except there were no cars, no petrol stations, nothing actually inside the building, and no people apart from us our guides (guards) and about 2 people selling coffee and other random stuff for tourists. Including surprisingly enough Coca Cola. Note the complete lack of cars on the road in the first picture.
We also stopped at the 'Three Charters of Reunification' monument just as it was getting dark. This monument forms an arch over the motorway as you come into or leave Pyongyang.
The next day the first thing on the agenda was a trip to see Kim Il Sung in his rather large mausoleum. When I say rather large I mean MASSIVE. It was surrounded by a moat as well, as you do, and completely lined in marble, with jade inlaid floors and what not. There was also a large room full of all the medals and doctorates that the Great leader had been presented with throughout his life, from both the DPRK (natch) and from countries around the world. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed inside. Not that you would want to take a photo of a dead dictator anyway.
After that excitement we were taken to the Peoples Study Palace, which is basically the DPRKs version of the British Library. They also hold lectures here on various science and social science subjects, which anyone can turn up to for free, and various day and evening courses on the sciences and languages. All for free for anyone who can turn up.
The view from the peoples study palace, you may recognise the square from the news...
After showing off their library to us our guides then took us to the maternity hospital. The place was massive, they don't do things on a small scale here thats for sure.
We were told about how anyone who is under the age of 30 in Pyongyang was born here, and how they have excellent facilities. The facillities are so good infact that any woman who is going to have triplets or quadruplets, wherever she is in the country is transported here to have them. We were then told that all three or four of them are taken into an orphanage by the state. Not so cool. I think I would be a bit miffed to have given birth to 3 children only for them to be taken away immediately and for ever.
The facilities at the hospital were really basic, and I would think that this is all that the whole country has.
After all this excitement, i.e me asking the question "so what is the survival rate of triplets?", which wasn't answered, we had another long bus journey to a place north of Pyongyang called 'Mysterious Fragrance Mountain" (rough translation).
We also stopped at the 'Three Charters of Reunification' monument just as it was getting dark. This monument forms an arch over the motorway as you come into or leave Pyongyang.
The next day the first thing on the agenda was a trip to see Kim Il Sung in his rather large mausoleum. When I say rather large I mean MASSIVE. It was surrounded by a moat as well, as you do, and completely lined in marble, with jade inlaid floors and what not. There was also a large room full of all the medals and doctorates that the Great leader had been presented with throughout his life, from both the DPRK (natch) and from countries around the world. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed inside. Not that you would want to take a photo of a dead dictator anyway.
After that excitement we were taken to the Peoples Study Palace, which is basically the DPRKs version of the British Library. They also hold lectures here on various science and social science subjects, which anyone can turn up to for free, and various day and evening courses on the sciences and languages. All for free for anyone who can turn up.
The view from the peoples study palace, you may recognise the square from the news...
After showing off their library to us our guides then took us to the maternity hospital. The place was massive, they don't do things on a small scale here thats for sure.
We were told about how anyone who is under the age of 30 in Pyongyang was born here, and how they have excellent facilities. The facillities are so good infact that any woman who is going to have triplets or quadruplets, wherever she is in the country is transported here to have them. We were then told that all three or four of them are taken into an orphanage by the state. Not so cool. I think I would be a bit miffed to have given birth to 3 children only for them to be taken away immediately and for ever.
The facilities at the hospital were really basic, and I would think that this is all that the whole country has.
After all this excitement, i.e me asking the question "so what is the survival rate of triplets?", which wasn't answered, we had another long bus journey to a place north of Pyongyang called 'Mysterious Fragrance Mountain" (rough translation).
At our new hotel we were greeted by this as we walked through the door.
Lovely.
We were taken to a Buddhist temple the next day, which was nice and made a change from seeing the concrete and marble lined edifices of the previous few days.
Then it was off to the 'Friendship Exhibition' which is basically a nuclear bunker built into a hillside that holds all the gifts that Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Ill have been given by various people, countries and leaders over the years. There are over 200 HUGE rooms in Kim Il Sungs' bunker and over 50 rooms in Kim Jong Ills bunker. The doors each weigh over 4 tons and are solid metal although they are well hung (thats what she said) so easy to open. Again we were not allowed to take pictures inside.
After this excitement we were carted off back to Pyongyang to see the Army circus, which was amazing, before going to a hot spa place. For the night.
The next day we were taken to see the engineering marvel of the West sea barrage, whose construction had been guided by the Great Leader Kim Il Sung himself. Obviously
Then onwards to an orphanage on the way back to Pyongyang. This place was really heartbreaking. The children all looked a bit grubby and had been made to put on a 'show' for us. Also TWO sets of tripplets were wheeled out for us, probably to prove that there is a 100% survival rate, and that no child ever dies in the DPRK.
Also on the way back to Pyongyang we were taken to a water bottling plant. Hugely exciting. Honest.
This was all before lunch! The best was to come in the afternoon.
Lovely.
We were taken to a Buddhist temple the next day, which was nice and made a change from seeing the concrete and marble lined edifices of the previous few days.
Then it was off to the 'Friendship Exhibition' which is basically a nuclear bunker built into a hillside that holds all the gifts that Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Ill have been given by various people, countries and leaders over the years. There are over 200 HUGE rooms in Kim Il Sungs' bunker and over 50 rooms in Kim Jong Ills bunker. The doors each weigh over 4 tons and are solid metal although they are well hung (thats what she said) so easy to open. Again we were not allowed to take pictures inside.
After this excitement we were carted off back to Pyongyang to see the Army circus, which was amazing, before going to a hot spa place. For the night.
The next day we were taken to see the engineering marvel of the West sea barrage, whose construction had been guided by the Great Leader Kim Il Sung himself. Obviously
Then onwards to an orphanage on the way back to Pyongyang. This place was really heartbreaking. The children all looked a bit grubby and had been made to put on a 'show' for us. Also TWO sets of tripplets were wheeled out for us, probably to prove that there is a 100% survival rate, and that no child ever dies in the DPRK.
Also on the way back to Pyongyang we were taken to a water bottling plant. Hugely exciting. Honest.
This was all before lunch! The best was to come in the afternoon.
After lunch in one of Pyongyangs many revolving restaurants we were taken first to the 'Imperial War Museum of the Fatherland', which was really quite interesting.
We were shown a short video on how the USA started the Korean war, and then whisked around a few of the many rooms in the museum. Including an underground room with war planes in it, and a huge room full of captured stuff from the Americans.
Mig 15
Row of captured tanks
Then it was straight off to the 'Children's Palace' where we were shown around some of the classrooms. This place is where children can go after school to learn extra curricular activities, such as dance, art, music, gymnastics, etc etc etc. Of course each classroom we went into the children performed something for us. It was quite interesting. The place is HUGE. Although I am not sure how much of it is used all the time.
At the end of the tour we were treated to a proper variety performance put on by the children. It was spectacular, and the first time I had seen children enjoying performing.
After this spectacular the day just got even better. Although we didn't have time for supper, any hunger was soon forgotten as we were taken to the Mass Games at the May Day Stadium.
We were shown a short video on how the USA started the Korean war, and then whisked around a few of the many rooms in the museum. Including an underground room with war planes in it, and a huge room full of captured stuff from the Americans.
Mig 15
Row of captured tanks
Then it was straight off to the 'Children's Palace' where we were shown around some of the classrooms. This place is where children can go after school to learn extra curricular activities, such as dance, art, music, gymnastics, etc etc etc. Of course each classroom we went into the children performed something for us. It was quite interesting. The place is HUGE. Although I am not sure how much of it is used all the time.
At the end of the tour we were treated to a proper variety performance put on by the children. It was spectacular, and the first time I had seen children enjoying performing.
After this spectacular the day just got even better. Although we didn't have time for supper, any hunger was soon forgotten as we were taken to the Mass Games at the May Day Stadium.
Obviously this was one of the main reasons for coming to the DPRK so we were all very pleased to be seeing this spectacle for ourselves. And what a spectacle it is. It must be one of the most amazing things in the whole world. The May Day stadium itself is a wonder, it seats 150,000 people and is built in the shape of a Magnolia, the national flower of the DPRK.
The Mass games takes place for about 2 months of the year, and there are 100,000 performers in it. Not including the 20,000 school children who provide the backdrop to the games themselves. The screen at the back is a giant grandstand filled with these children all holding up a book full of coloured pages which they turn in time to create new pictures. It really is an amazing effect and it is basically using people as pixels.
People as pixels. Sorry about the blury pic, camera was on full 24x optical zoom and quite hard to hold still enough to get a sharp pic.
I think I took about 200 pictures and videos of the mass games as it just was so spectacular. I wont show you them all but here are a few of the better ones...
The Mass games takes place for about 2 months of the year, and there are 100,000 performers in it. Not including the 20,000 school children who provide the backdrop to the games themselves. The screen at the back is a giant grandstand filled with these children all holding up a book full of coloured pages which they turn in time to create new pictures. It really is an amazing effect and it is basically using people as pixels.
People as pixels. Sorry about the blury pic, camera was on full 24x optical zoom and quite hard to hold still enough to get a sharp pic.
I think I took about 200 pictures and videos of the mass games as it just was so spectacular. I wont show you them all but here are a few of the better ones...
The final full day in the DPRK we were taken to the national film studio, where Kim Jong Ill regularly visits, I think he has visited over 500 times.
Of course there is the obligitary statue.
There were lots of fake streets from around the world and we were also treated to about 10 mins of one of the films that they have made here. I think they only have about 5 story lines that they make again and again and again.
Then it was a quick visit to the 'Embroidery institute' where we saw some spectacular embroidery being created in dimly lit rooms, and what looked like a performance chart of some description.
Then it was off to the 'Tower of the Juche Idea' which is quite a spectacular monument. Unfortunately the lift was 'broken' so we could not go to the top.
Then the last big monument of the trip the 'Workers Party Founding Monument' built in the 1990s to commemerate the founding of the Workers Party of Korea. This monument really is MASSIVE.
Then finally a walk around the park after lunch to get some views of Pyongyang.
Finally the next day we were at the end of the trip and it was time to get on board the train to Bejing.
At the border between the DPRK and China our cameras were checked twice by customs officials to make sure that we hadn't taken any photos of things that we shouldn't have, but apart from that and a very quick check of one or two bags it was fairly quick and painless.
So that was the DPRK. If anyone wants any more info on part of the trip let me know and I will do my best to oblige with pics and info if I can.
Thanks for reading
Of course there is the obligitary statue.
There were lots of fake streets from around the world and we were also treated to about 10 mins of one of the films that they have made here. I think they only have about 5 story lines that they make again and again and again.
Then it was a quick visit to the 'Embroidery institute' where we saw some spectacular embroidery being created in dimly lit rooms, and what looked like a performance chart of some description.
Then it was off to the 'Tower of the Juche Idea' which is quite a spectacular monument. Unfortunately the lift was 'broken' so we could not go to the top.
Then the last big monument of the trip the 'Workers Party Founding Monument' built in the 1990s to commemerate the founding of the Workers Party of Korea. This monument really is MASSIVE.
Then finally a walk around the park after lunch to get some views of Pyongyang.
Finally the next day we were at the end of the trip and it was time to get on board the train to Bejing.
At the border between the DPRK and China our cameras were checked twice by customs officials to make sure that we hadn't taken any photos of things that we shouldn't have, but apart from that and a very quick check of one or two bags it was fairly quick and painless.
So that was the DPRK. If anyone wants any more info on part of the trip let me know and I will do my best to oblige with pics and info if I can.
Thanks for reading
badboyburt said:
did you count the padlocks ?
No v15ben said:
Very interesting to read and see the photos from the DPRK. I am heading to the DMZ from the other side in a few weeks and a group of us are seriously considering a trip to the DPRK proper in 2011. Which tour company did you use and how did you find their service?
We went with Regent travel, they are a UK based company and they were fantastic. Once you are in the DPRK you are taken round by the 'Korean International Travel Company' but I think that Regent have a say in the ittineary. Our group was only 10 people so it was really good as we all got on really well (thank god) and there was more time to speak with the guides and less people to get in the way of your photos etc. Also by the end of the week we had managed to get the guides to loosen up a little which was ace.
As said...seriously interesting stuff. The more I see of DPRK the more I want to visit. I know a disproportionate amount of their cash is flushed away making them, but the buildings and statues are just colossal.
I posted a thread a while back ( clicky) with a link to a video some American journalists made about their time there. I'm guessing it's still not that easy to get a Visa there, or is it a pot-luck at Beijing type affair?
Like the 'merkins on the video suggest, I got the impression that everything people get to see there is stage managed from start to finish so as to put on a good show and pretend everything is 'tickety-boo'. Doesn't half make you wonder what life is like beyond that which you're permitted to see.
I'd really love to do something like your trip, but I don't think I could handle such a long time spent on the train. I'd be complaining by the time it got to York after boarding in Durham
Thanks for sharing
I posted a thread a while back ( clicky) with a link to a video some American journalists made about their time there. I'm guessing it's still not that easy to get a Visa there, or is it a pot-luck at Beijing type affair?
Like the 'merkins on the video suggest, I got the impression that everything people get to see there is stage managed from start to finish so as to put on a good show and pretend everything is 'tickety-boo'. Doesn't half make you wonder what life is like beyond that which you're permitted to see.
I'd really love to do something like your trip, but I don't think I could handle such a long time spent on the train. I'd be complaining by the time it got to York after boarding in Durham
Thanks for sharing
Edited by Stu R on Wednesday 20th October 02:34
Thanks for the info about Regent Travel! The DPRK is definitely somewhere on the bucket list!
The padlocks are incredibly common here in South Korea too. The N-Seoul Tower is the place to go and watch the sunset/see the city and of course it is surrounded by fences covered in padlocks!
The padlocks are incredibly common here in South Korea too. The N-Seoul Tower is the place to go and watch the sunset/see the city and of course it is surrounded by fences covered in padlocks!
Thanks for taking the time to post up the pictures and information alfachick.
I would love to go to North Korea, I'm sure it would be a real adventure, especially by train. I'm actually in Moscow at the moment and have been thinking about taking a train journey east when I finish my job here.
I suppose, in some ways, Pyongyang is like Moscow was forty years ago.
I would love to go to North Korea, I'm sure it would be a real adventure, especially by train. I'm actually in Moscow at the moment and have been thinking about taking a train journey east when I finish my job here.
I suppose, in some ways, Pyongyang is like Moscow was forty years ago.
I had a weeks work in South Korea in various places on the new high speed railway lines in August. A VERY VERY amazing place. The "eating dogs" thing seemed to be quite a rarety and we were hard pressed to find a restaurant that served it.
The sheer density of the high rise apartments built on the scarce flat ground were a shock to the eyes after good old Sheffield.
The sheer density of the high rise apartments built on the scarce flat ground were a shock to the eyes after good old Sheffield.
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