Days 10 to 11 - Pyongyang to Beijing

Monday September 13 to Tuesday September 14, 2010

A domestic carriage carrying local passengers. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

We departed Pyongyang station on time at 10:10am. The first class carriages we were in were fairly modern with air conditioning. However twenty minutes out of Pyongyang it was switched off, and with the sealed windows the temperature was well in the high thirties for most of the journey. Were they saving power perhaps? I'm not sure.

On the way to the dining car we walked through the domestic carriages that the locals were using, and the second class sleeper cars that were packed with Chinese tourists. We did indeed have the best carriage, but the patrons on those carriages could open their windows for relief from the heat!

A rural scene on the way to Sinuiju (Photo courtesy of Tim).

The train passed through hundreds of kilometres of the western countryside. From what we read in the outside world these are the parts of the country which suffer greatly from floods. In fact just before our trip in late August the Yalu (Amnok) River flooded heavily causing damage both in China and North Korea.

Although we were now liberated from our guides there was one final hurdle expected at the border: camera inspectors. As well as bag inspectors officials specialising in camera technology would review our photos and delete any that portray the country in a negative light. I read beforehand that images taken from the train and of train stations is frowned upon - so deliberately did not use my camera during the long ride.

Domestic train passengers waving back at us. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Several stops were made at country towns and often a domestic train heading to Pyongyang was stopped on the opposite platforms. The foreigners took advantage of these last chances for contact by waving at everyone outside. Indeed the locals on the other trains were responsive, smiling and waving back at us. At one stage the other tour members got me to write "Hello!" in Korean on a sheet of paper so we could display it through the window.

North Korean military personnel. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

At the border city of Sinuiju customs officers boarded to check our paperwork, then the bag and camera inspectors performed their duties. If you know me in real life ask me which photos and videos they deleted.

After a stifling two hour stop (we were not allowed to alight) for inspections and separation of domestic carriages we were finally headed to China!

The Sino-Korea Friendship Bridge connects Sinuiju and Dandong over the Yalu (Amnok) River. There is a second bridge about 100m next to it which was broken by the United States during the Korean War to cut the supply line from China. The remnant reaches about halfway from the Chinese side, and acts as an eerie reminder of "American imperialist aggression".

On the Sinuiju side of the river there is a large fake ferris wheel which is a prop to make it seem like North Koreans are always having fun. On the Chinese side there are speedboat operators who take tourists out to the river to take a peek into North Korea. Tourists can also walk to the end of the broken bridge to peer into the reclusive country.

As we crossed the river into China our mobile phones were returned to us, and a chorus of ringtones was heard through the carriage as everyone checked back into the "free world". You know you have just been to a truly bizzarre place when you call China liberal. In fact a few of us joked during thr train ride that we would not know what to do in Beijing: How will we know what time to wake up, have breakfast, and be on the bus by without someone telling us? We will not know what to do with ourselves.

At Dandong station there was another one hour stoppage to allow the North Korean carriages to join the Chinese train. Some of the tour members had an overnight side-trip at Dandong arranged, so we said goodbye to them.

After a lovely dinner in the Chinese dining car I hardly slept Monday night as our carriage was still without air conditioning. While on the top bunk I noticed Hannah walking by the corridor so asked:

me: Hannah, can you please ask the attendant to turn on the air conditioning?
Hannah: I tried before, but I'll ask again for you. How do you say "cold air" in Korean?
me: "chahn bahrahm", literally it means "cold wind".
Hannah: "chahn bahrahm" - okay, I shall go and ask for some cold wind!

The train zoomed through eastern China over Monday night, and by sunrise the rapid development of the country was on full display (I'd never seen so much construction in progress). Scenes like those reminded us of the tragic situation that North Korea is in - such advancement could easily be implemented there, if only the powerful few showed some initiative.

Early Tuesday morning what remained of the tour group bid our last farewell at Beijing railway station to complete an experience that would stay with us forever.

Day 10 - a) Pyongyang railway station

Monday September 13, 2010

We packed our bags in the morning to experience something that almost all North Koreans cannot - exiting the country. We were to catch a train from Pyongyang to Beijing, a ride that takes one full day.

As we rode the coach to the railway station Miss Jong bid us farewell with a song:

Pyongyang station was busier than I expected. We said our goodbyes to the Korean guides and the tourists who were staying in the country for an extension.

Pyongyang railway station. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

"Pyongyang to Beijing" (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Our train was a mixture of local and international carriages - they separate from each other at the border city of Sinuiju. The latter continues onto the Chinese border city of Dandong where they join a Chinese train for the journey to Beijing. We were in the first class sleeper carriage, with four bunks per cabin.

Timetable for the Pyongyang to Beijing train.

The trip to Sinuiju would take something like six hours even though the distance is not that great - a result of the rundown infrastructure forcing the train to travel not much faster than 40km/hour. Once we enter China all that would change and the train would zoom to Beijing at express speed.

Day 9 - e) Diplomatic Club, final night dinner and karaoke

Sunday September 12, 2010

Just before dinner both groups visited the Taedonggang Diplomatic Club. This is an entertainment and leisure facility where foreign diplomats and the very privileged members of the Korean Workers' Party come to have fun.

Segregated bathrooms! (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Even at a place like this careful segregation of locals from potential outside influence was apparent. Some of the tour members brought swimming gear to have a dip in the indoor pool, but upon arrival they were rejected as it was a "Koreans only" day at the pool. And there were separate bathrooms for foreigners and locals, as Justin liked to point out - see picture.

As we enjoyed a drink at the bar the "official" tour DVD was shown to us. A cameraman had followed both groups for the entire tour recording us and yes, it is remarkable that the final edited product would be available for viewing on the last evening. Although the preview at the Diplomatic Club suggested the footage was squeezed onto a very rigid template - complete with corny music and stock footage of the places of interest. Purchase of the DVD was optional.

Our final dinner in North Korea was at a specialist duck BBQ restaurant. Sadly it started to sink in for all the tourists that the trip of a lifetime was drawing to an end, and Hannah thanked the Korean guides on our behalf. A combined group photo was taken at the restaurant, with the Americans missing (as they were forced to depart the country two days earlier):

Both groups on the final night at the duck restaurant. (Photo courtesy of Amanda)

Hannah, Amanda and Maria at final night karaoke. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Upon our return to the Yanggakdo Hotel all the tourists and the western guides headed to the basement karaoke bar for end-of-trip celebrations. Our local guides had worked restlessly for ten consecutive days, and we asked them to come down and socialise with us. However by 11pm none had shown up so we conceded that they needed their rest after what is, after all, work for them.

Peter and karaoke attendants. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Michael and Brian singing in German. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

But our mood turned around at 11:30pm when Mr Lee and Miss Jong presented themselves at the karaoke bar! They entered to applause and cheers, and we were glad that they would let down their hair with us.

The karaoke facility itself was not automatic as we know it in the outside world but rather we had to tell an attendant which song we wanted and she entered the selection into a computer. And amusingly the English song book only contained tracks beginning with A to I... so if your favourite song was in the second half of the alphabet it was tough luck!

Michael and Mr Lee smoking cigars. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Michael shared cigars with Mr Lee, who was used to enjoying such fine things having spent time overseas and guiding foreigners in Korea for many years. I managed to have a lengthy chat with Miss Jong - she told me about her family, her aspirations, and her dreams.

Before the trip most of the tourists would have seen the the local guides as a burden placed on us by a paranoid government, and while that is functionally true they're still people, not robots. As such we warmed to them over the days as the North Koreans we had the most exposure to.

Justin, Miss Jong and me at final night karaoke. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Day 9 - d) Arch Of Reunification, Moran Hill Park encore

Sunday September 12, 2010

Almost every tourist had a snooze on the long bus ride back into Pyongyang from Kaesong. Many tour members had spent the previous night drinking and singing until the wee hours at the heritage hotel. Even those who didn't were feeling the effects of a grueling ten days in North Korea.

As we entered Pyongyang on the Reunification Highway we stopped at the Arch Of Reunification, which serves as the wallpaper of this blog! The massive arch consists of two symmetrical female figures holding up a unified map of Korea over the highway. If you look at the right hand base of the arch you can see me as a reference point to give you an idea of how large the monument is.

By the time we arrived in central Pyongyang it was late in the afternoon, but both groups headed to Moran Hill Park. After Thursday's satisfying experience I requested that Group B return on the Sunday so that those who chose the circus could have a chance to interact with the locals. After hearing about this members of Group A demanded the same... so an intimidating combined group of 34 foreigners (plus guides) roamed Moran Hill Park.

Sunday is the only day off work for North Koreans so Moran Hill Park would have been well patronised earlier in the day, but by the time we had arrived it was well past 5pm and there was not a lot to see. However we ended up at the pavilion with the traditional music/dancing, where the hardiest souls were still partying the afternoon away. I was glad to see those absent on our first visit have fun there dancing with the locals:

Traditional music pavilion, on our second visit to Moran Hill Park. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Day 9 - c) Kaesong and Koryo Museum

Sunday September 12, 2010

Driving back from the DMZ we had a chance to look over Kaesong. As previously mentioned the city is set in an aesthetically pleasing valley. Terrific photo opportunities were available on the hill where the obligatory Kim Il Sung statue was situated:

Main boulevard of Kaesong.

Being an ancient capital the view out to the old town was absorbing, with thousands of traditional style houses laid out over an endless network of narrow streets:

The view over old town in Kaesong.

Koryo Museum in Kaesong was our next destination. This facility exhibited ancient cultural relics with a focus on the Koryo dynasty obviously. The museum itself is physically located in an old Confucian school from that period. The local museum guide here seemed decidedly uninterested, just mechanically reciting her memorised explanations of artifacts and impatiently waiting for the translation to finish.

Our time in this historical city was rounded out at a traditional Kaesong-style lunch, featuring numerous tiny golden bowls of dishes crowding the table - yum:

Lunch at Kaesong.

Day 9 - b) Panmunjom and Joint Security Area

Sunday September 12, 2010

The irony of the term Korean Demilitarised Zone is that it is the most heavily militarised border in the world. The Joint Security Area is the only area of the DMZ where troops from each side stand face-to-face. It is the one place in the world where visitors can still truly feel the tension of the cold war first hand.

Panmunjom is a name often mistakenly used to refer to the JSA. It is actually the former village where negotiations between the United Nations and North Korea took place during the Korean War, and is about 800m north of the JSA. The village no longer exists but the North Korea Peace Museum is now on that site.

As we entered the car park of Panmunjom/JSA the guide pointed out a road sign that indicated "Seoul 70km" - a sad reminder of a divided nation. As it was only about 100m outside the gates after we hopped off the bus I asked Miss Jong permission to take a photo of it. She told me to do it quickly so I ran out of the car park, snapped a picture, then waddled back.

Seoul 70km.

It was then I realised the other tourists had seen me and wanted to do the same, but was stopped by the other guides. Military personnel then stormed in and demanded I show them the photos I took. The patrol soldier was satisfied that the only shot I took was the road sign (and not of rural scenes or people), but nevertheless he still reprimanded Miss Jong for allowing one of her guests to walk out of the complex unaccompanied. Of course I could understand what he was saying to her in Korean without him knowing.

One wonders what may have happened if the military knew I had a southern background. Mr Park explained that because the DMZ is such a sensitive area for the military the tour guides are powerless and we must adhere to the army instructions.

It was fair to say I was a bit shaken up by that incident, although I was also worried for Miss Jong for getting her into trouble. She was worried for me, and kept checking that I was okay and reassured me that all was well.

A very articulate young male soldier was our local guide for the Panmunjom and Joint Security Area. For the first time on this trip Miss Jong was taken off translation duties and the female guide from Group A, Ms Han, took the reins.

Me and the military guide in front of the North Korea Peace Museum.

 The North Korea Peace Museum on the actual site of Panmunjom displayed the armistice agreement to cease fighting in the Korean War. The original United Nations flag from sixty years ago was still there. The axe from the "Axe Murder Incident" is also exhibited in this building.

The Joint Security Area is a small "truce village" where conferences and meetings between the two sides are held. There are a series of buildings which straddle the military demarcation line - i.e. the border between South and North Korea. Being within these meeting buildings is the only way anyone can freely travel back and forth between the two Koreas. The atmosphere here is tense, with military personnel from both sides standing completely still on guard.

The military demarcation line is the concrete hump which the buildings are straddling (picture courtesy of Tim).

I had already toured the Joint Security Area from the south in 2003, so visiting it from the northern side this time was extra special. I managed to take some pictures from the opposite angle to the previous visit:

2003: On the southern side with my mother and sister, taken on the Freedom House Pagoda.

2010: On the northern side, with the Freedom House Pagoda in the background.

Day 9 - a) Tomb of King Kongmin

Sunday September 12, 2010

Just outside Kaesong is the tomb of King Kongmin and his Mongolian wife Queen Noguk, built in the mid-14th century. It is probably the royal burial site best maintained in its original state in North Korea, having avoided modern "renovations" by the Communist regime.

Unfortunately the relics inside the large mausoleum were looted by the Japanese just over a hundred years ago. However visitors can still appreciate the exterior of the tomb and the accompanying sculptures. The setting of the tomb itself is gorgeous, situated on a steep hill overlooking a mountain.

The Japanese used dynamite to raid the tombs, but Hannah pointed out to us that the door is a stone block on the footpath directly in front of the mausoleum.

Day 8 - f) dog meat and blackout

Saturday September 11, 2010

Our accommodation in Kaesong was at the Minsok Hotel, which literally means heritage hotel. Similar to the home stay, it was traditional Korean housing - sleeping on the floor with a mosquito net. The buildings were quite run down with many cracks and holes in the interior wall, although to my great relief there was air conditioning. Again hot water was only available at certain times, although in retrospect we didn't actually get any in the morning during the promised timeslot.

The dinner was also within the heritage complex. The dining room was in the old Korean style with everyone having to sit on the floor (with the exception of a couple of the older tour members who I had to request chairs for in Korean).

This Kaesong dinner was the meal for which dog meat could be pre-ordered. Tim took up this offer, although he had previously tasted a canine dish in China. It was in a spicy soup form, which is called bosingtang in the south, although the North Koreans may have called it by a different name.

In the middle of dinner we experienced an electrical outage. The tour company did warn us to bring torches on this trip, but I was surprised to see the majority had brought theirs to dinner! Very well prepared.

Tim "woofs" down his dog soup.

Day 8 - e) Concrete Wall

Saturday September 11, 2010

North Korea alleges that in the 1970s following an order from the United States the South Korean government built a concrete barrier along the length of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). In the outside world the existence of such a wall is denied by the United States and South Korea, who insist the Northern military is merely seeing cliffs.

The North takes tourists to a lookout to view the wall, and asserts that this structure is a physical symbol of American resistance to the reunification of Korea. We were guided by a vivacious army Colonel whose showmanship indicated he frequently serves foreign tourist groups. While delivering a spiel about the history of the wall and the imperialist motivations of the United States he charmed and joked with the tourists - praising us for our courage and promising that he would shield us from any stray bullets from the south.

Many people took the chance to shake hands with the Colonel and have a photo taken with him. When I introduced myself in Korean he was absolutely delighted to meet a southerner, as these photos attest:

He knew our western guide Hannah from her many previous visits, and from memory she called him the "Karaoke Colonel" for his extroverted nature and penchant for singing:

After intently viewing through the provided binoculars trying to figure out whether the wall is real we made our way back to the bus. It was here just before boarding that Tim witnessed a distressing scene - please ask me or Tim if you know us in real life.

After the visit the Colonel got a lift back on our bus, and took the opportunity to sit next to me to have a chat in Korean. He was very interested in my bio' and how I became an Australian to visit North Korea, and he pleaded with me to tell the outside world about the Concrete Wall upon returning home. "I have no reason to lie to you", I distinctly remember him saying.

Day 8 - d) Pyongyang to Kaesong

Saturday September 11, 2010

In the afternoon we headed to Kaesong for an overnight trip. Kaesong is a city close to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the buffer zone between the two Koreas. It is a city with historical significance, as it served as the capital of Koryo in ancient times. In modern times it was in the unique situation of switching hands from the South to the North as a consequence of the Korean War. Kaesong would serve as our base for visiting all the DMZ places of interest.

The bus ride from Pyongyang took several hours on the Reunification Highway. This is a six lane motorway but traffic was sparse - most of the other vehicles we saw were other tourist coaches:

Reunification Highway, not very busy.

For entertainment on the road Miss Jong and Mr Lee spoke about North Korean history and culture, including past reunification proposals and traditional marriage customs. Miss Jong also beautifully sang the folk song Arirang to the delight of group B. Other tour members then sang songs from their own countries, less beautifully.

As we headed closer to Kaesong and the DMZ the military checkpoints became more frequent. It was evident the military was much more sensitive in this area, as I personally experienced the next day (see Day 9!). We were instructed by our guides to have our cameras securely packed away as we passed each checkpoint, to ensure there would be no misunderstanding.

Arriving in Kaesong the scene was spectacular - the city is set in a bowl-shaped valley, surrounded by mountains and hills. The main boulevard is a huge dipper going right through the middle of the bowl, reminding me of the New Zealand city of Dunedin somewhat. There were many ordinary folk going about their business, and the older infrastructure again made us feel the same way as we did a week earlier when we first saw life outside of Pyongyang. Not very many cars, crumbling streets, decaying buildings, many bicycles, and even more pedestrians.

Day 8 - c) USS Pueblo

Saturday September 11, 2010

USS Pueblo is a Navy intelligence ship of the United States which was captured by North Korea in 1968, a cold war event now known as the Pueblo Incident.

Although caught on the eastern side of the country in 1999 it was towed to the western side (through international waters) to be brought into Pyongyang, where it now rests and acts as a tourist/educational site.

Bullet marks on the USS Pueblo.

The local military guide showed us the internal rooms of the ship and described how the United States navy was caught red handed spying by the heroic North Korean military.

The ship is still in commission as far as the US Navy is concerned. Check out the reaction from Miss Jong when asked if the Pueblo will ever be repatriated:

Day 8 - b) Pyongyang Metro (subway)

Saturday September 11, 2010

Almost every visit to Pyongyang includes a ride on the metro, and our tour was no exception. Stations are not named after geographical locations but have a revolutionary word assigned as their moniker. All foreign tourists are taken to the Revitalisation station and ride for just one stop, alighting at Glory station.

Pyongyang metro system electronic guide: Pressing one of the destination buttons (bottom) lights up a route on the map.

Like all other socialist countries the Pyongyang metro stations have been elaborately decorated with mosaics, murals, and fancy lighting. Although considering that foreigners are only allowed to see two specific stations one wonders what the other locations are like.

Glory metro station.

The subway is the deepest in the world - 110m underground, which provides for a very long escalator ride from street level. This is intentional so that the underground system can act a bomb shelter in an emergency.

There were plenty of locals using the trains while we visited. Curiously in a city where everything is meticulously ordered and cleaned the windows of the carriages had foreign graffiti scratched into it - the carriages were imported second hand from former Soviet nations.

The very long escalators at Glory station.

Day 8 - a) Mangyongdae Native House (birthplace of Kim Il Sung)

Saturday September 11, 2010

First on our agenda on a rare clear morning in Pyongyang was the Mangyongdae Native House, on the outskirts of the city. This is the reputed birthplace of Kim Il Sung, now set in serene parkland.

The native house exhibited old farm equipment and household wares of Kim Il Sung's childhood. The local guide's emphasis clearly was that Kim Il Sung was raised in a very poor farming background, with the entire extended family living in the one small house. We were also taught that from at four years old Kim Il Sung had mastered the written word and wrote his vision for an independent Korea.

After drinking from the well as relief from the hot sun we headed back to the city.

Group B at the Mangyongdae Native House.

Day 7 - e) Kaeson Fun Park

Friday September 10, 2010

Friday evening was to be spent at the Kaeson fun park in Pyongyang. This park hadn't been open for long, with the rides and facilities looking very modern and new.

"Kaeson Youth Park"

Before entry we were given a choice to stay with the group and enjoy some of the rides or break away from the group (and the guides!) to wander freely - within the boundaries of the park, of course. I and a couple of others chose the latter option to see if we could get some interaction going with the locals.

The park was filled with local visitors - many families but also large school/university groups and lots of military uniforms were seen in the crowd. It was apparent that the fun park is an absolute luxury affordable only for the Workers' Party elite, with many local patrons possessing digital cameras and camcorders.

We managed some interaction with locals wanting photos with the Caucasian tourists, although it was nothing close to the chaotic scenes at the Moran Hill Park the previous day.

One of the food outlets even accepted Euros so some of the others tasted North Korean ice cream and waffles. But the shop did not have any small change in Euros so the tourists were given some croquettes in lieu!

Peter and I attempted a brief chat with a group of students, who seemed keen to try their English once we spoke to them. Although we did embarrass ourselves by asking if they were a middle school group, but being told they were in fact first year university students!

Like Moran Hill park it was wonderful to see North Koreans having genuine fun, not participating in a staged and forced activity. However it was also painfully obvious that the crowd there was part of the privileged set, with the rest of the population never being able to enjoy such facilities.

Day 7 - d) Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and War Victory Monuments

Friday September 10, 2010

After lunch we headed to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum. Fatherland Liberation War is what North Koreans call the Korean War. The South call it 6/25, named after the date (in a similar way Americans refer to 9/11) of the invasion by the northern military.

North Korea's propaganda stance is that the war was started by the United States under the guise of the United Nations, in order to colonise the entire peninsula. Therefore the Northern military was trying to "liberate" its southern brothers from its oppressors. To this day North Korea considers South Korea as effectively a colony of the United States.

The first part took visitors through each of the stages of the war, with rooms filled with battle exhibits as well as citizens and newspapers celebrating liberation of their region. Obviously the North Korean narrative differs greatly from what the outside world knows as facts, for example:

• The United States started the war by invading the North. (In fact Kim Il Sung invaded the south to begin the conflict after finally receiving the green light from Joseph Stalin, after three years of rejection.)
• The counter-attack by the North Korean army back to the 38th parallel after almost being repelled to China was due to the great military genius of Kim Il Sung. (In fact the Chinese army took over operations.)

After the historical displays we were taken to the basement levels where captured enemy hardware were on shown off as trophies (and evidence of US aggression). It included many United States airplanes, arms, military uniforms, and signed admissions of guilt.

Museum guide showing us some of the American arms captured during the war.

 The third dimension of the museum were "panorama" exhibits, which were models and recreations of battle scenes accompanied by lighting, sound effects, and commentary. The major one we were shown at the end of the tour was particularly impressive - it was a 360 degree circular display with the visitors on a rotating platform in the middle.

Museum guide at the 360 degree panorama, created by the best North Korean artists.

Many of the tour members seemed to be enamoured with the museum guide, who spoke fluent English. She was a genuine member of the military and had only been in this guide job for a couple of months. Michael even bought her a box of chocolates at the end of the tour.

After the museum we took a short drive to the outdoor War Victory Monuments site, where there were massive statues dedicated to the Fatherland Liberation War.

Me in front of one of the War Victory Monuments.

Day 7 - c) Tower Of Juche Idea, Korean barbecue lunch

Friday September 10, 2010

One of the most famous landmarks in Pyongyang is the Tower Of Juche Idea. This structure commemorates the North Korean political doctrine of Juche, which emphasises national self-sufficiency.

The observation level in the tower was closed for some reason so we had to make do looking around the base. At ground level was a wall of plaques celebrating Juche sent from socialist groups around the world. The weather was wet and windy so the photos we took were not optimal, but this should give you an idea how enormous the tower is - I'm the tiny figure to the left of the statue:

Tower Of Juche Idea, with me on the left.

Barbecue is the form of Korean cuisine most familiar to foreigners, and we experienced it Northern style for lunch at Mount Ryonggak. Originally a picnic was planned at the mountain but the inclement weather forced us to a restaurant.

In the South and overseas duck and lamb would never be served in Korean food. So I was surprised to see both brought out as prominent features of this charcoal barbecue. After Mr Lee described the meats I actually did a double take and asked him in Korean "Is this really lamb? Is that what you said?"

The lamb and duck can be attributed to the Chinese influence on North Korean cuisine. Also reflecting the Chinese influence the "fillers" were brought out after the meat was served: A choice between Korean curry rice or Raengmyeon (Naengmyeon in the south), the cold noodles originating from Pyongyang but now served all over the peninsula. Similar to the bibimbap on Wednesday night both were clearly fillers and were nowhere near as good as what you'd get overseas.

Korean barbecue, yum!

Day 7 - b) The Grand People's Study House

Friday September 10, 2010

The centrepiece of Kim Il Sung Square is a magnificent building which is the The Grand People's Study House. This institution is simlar to what Australians would call a State Library - a place of study where lectures and tutorials are held as well as offering the more conventional library services like self-serve fiction, non-fiction, and reference material.

It felt a little bit strange barging in on quiet (but full) reading rooms to take flash photography and gawk at local students. Of course all the rooms had portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il*, and the former was even credited with inventing the adjustable height study desks used in the reading rooms.

The computer rooms were seen briefly. North Koreans do not  have access to the Internet and the government only runs its own Intranet for the viewing of its citizens. Some of the tour members hopped onto the computers and tried to navigate to sites like Google to test it out. And the situation was thus verified, the browser was only there for the Intranet.

Computer room, and the North Korean Intranet.

The highlight of the visit was the English tutorial. When group A visited it was empty but my group B was fortunate enough to see the multimedia classroom packed with students upon our arrival. There was tutorial audio (British accent, of course) playing on the speakers which the students were mimicking.

As the lesson neared the end our guides encouraged us to have a chat with the locals so they could try out their English. As this was happening I couldn't help but think "Who would possibly be learning English in North Korea? Surely we're speaking to spies in training!".

The guides also asked if anyone wanted to go up to the front and speak to the entire class. I wanted to take up this offer but was reluctant because I didn't know whether I would be faced with awkward and potentially dangerous questions/situations... but our group extrovert Peter confidently took the chance. He represented us very well, introducing himself and endearing himself to the students by talking about his place of origin (Ottawa), wher he lives now (Beijing), how much he enjoyed visiting North Korea and how he'd like to return one day after learning how to speak some Korean.

Peter also opened the floor to questions, and one very confident student asked two questions in relatively articulate English. The first question was harmless enough:

However his second question took Peter (and the other foreigners) aback:

The question was obviously loaded and begged the answer "The best way is to go overseas and live amongst the people who speak that language". But of course North Koreans do not have such opportunities... and speaking to Peter afterwards he was acutely aware of this at the time and had to think of a diplomatic response instantly. I reckon he did well.

After seeing Peter handle the situation so ably I desperately wanted to have a go myself but unfortunately our time was up and we were pulled out of there. Just imagine all the questions had I revealed my background to the class! It is a regret that I didn't speak alongside Peter.

The music room was the next stop and the guide showed off how hip and happening North Korea is by playing The Beatles and telling us about the extensive range of western music they have on offer there.

Being such a grand building in a prime location the top floor balcony offered great vistas of Kim Il Sung Square and central Pyongyang. In the shop on the same floor we also spotted the souvenir "See you in Pyongyang" t-shirts that were in hot demand among the tour group - I'm pretty sure we bought out the entire stock. If you know me in real life ask me to wear it for you, ha ha ha ha! 

* - At the border a few days later one of the tour members was forced to delete a photo of the reading room by a camera inspector because Kim Jong Il's picture was not entirely within shot.

Day 7 - a) Mansudae Grand Monument and Revolution Museum

Friday September 10, 2010

Another showery day greeted us as we made our way to the Mansudae Grand Monument on Friday morning. Mansudae is the massive statue of Kim Il Sung that is an obligatory tourist stop in Pyongyang. Upon arrival the presence of military personnel was conspicuous, but we were explicitly told not to photograph them. I'm not 100% sure what they were all doing there, but it seemed like many worked there performing odd maintenance jobs - throwing out old flowers, sweeping footpaths, etc.

Flowers were laid and the group lined up to bow in front of the statue. After a short spiel from Miss Jong we took the obligatory touristy photos, including a group shot. However photography was only permitted as long as the statue of Kim Il Sung was not partially depicted. All photos must have the entire statue included!

Our group at the Mansudae Grand Monument (with the entire statue within shot).

Flanking the main statue were two enormous revolutionary monuments. The northern version had the slogan "Let's kick out the American imperialists and reunify the country!" with a large group of civilians and soldiers cast in bronze looking defiantly ahead (into battle?). Hannah pointed out to us that you could see one of the soldiers trampling on an United States army helmet and flag.

"Let's kick out the American imperialists and reunify our country!"

Our next stop was the Museum Of Korean Revolution, located within the Mansudae complex. Photography was prohibited within this museum and the content sent many of the tour members to sleep. But my boredom was rudely interrupted midway through by the local guide referring to Americans in the museum exhibits as "American bastards". Initially I thought I had misheard this so I started paying close attention and indeed the museum guide was using those words in Korean anytime she mentioned United States nationals - and Miss Jong was cleaning up the language in her translation. I took great delight in revealing this nugget to the tour group, especially our Yankee mates.

Day 6 - f) Arirang Festival and Pyolmuri Cafe

Thursday September 9, 2010

For dinner we visited the embassy district of Pyongyang for a hot pot restaurant. After a long touring day everyone enjoyed the meal, despite the heat and humidity.

Our National Day was to be rounded out after dinner with a choice between a second attendance at the Arirang Mass Games or a cafe visit. I chose the former to enjoy the Mass Games without worrying about taking pictures/videos, and Tim selected the latter.

Despite being blown away on Saturday night I didn't think a second viewing of the Arirang Festival would be as impressive. But I was completely wrong. The sheer scale and skill of the performances had me floored again, and it was even better to experience the show without taking the camera out. We arrived early so had the chance to see the card stunt participants warming up:

The Pyolmuri Cafe is located near Koryo Hotel, an opulent twin-tower building used for diplomatic visitors to Pyongyang. Tim tells me the tour members were able to order western style food and drinks at the cafe - they bought Mr Lee and Miss Jong their first ever gin and tonic. The review of the drink from Miss Jong later was mixed.

Pyolmuri Cafe, with the Koryo Hotel in the background. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Inside the cafe. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Day 6 - e) Mass Dance

Thursday September 9, 2010

As we left Moran Hill Park we walked past Kim Il Sung Stadium, the premier soccer venue in North Korea. When we reached the adjacent square on the main road thousands of young ladies and gentlemen were arriving in their Sunday best (ladies in traditional dress and the blokes in shirts and ties) for a mass dance.

Enquiries were made as to what time the dance would begin, and with the circus attendees now reunited we all drove to the Tower Of Juche Idea to witness the dance from high above.

Unfortunately when we arrived there was no dance at the Tower, so the buses then hurried to the Workers Party Of Korea Monument.

The Workers Party Of Korea Monument consists of 50 metre high hammer, sickle, and writing brush components representing the workers, the farmers, and the intellectuals. In this setting we saw thousands of men and women participating in a National Day mass dance:

Mass dance at the Workers Party Of Korea Monument.

Despite the precise choreography a few of the tour members were slipped into the fray. Tim and James backed up their boogieing at the park earlier:

Miss Jong explained that the participants were university students, and pointed out how none of the ladies had hair longer than jaw length. This was mandatory for all female university attendees.

It was raining persistently throughout the dance, but the show continued on. Perhaps it was the weather but the students did not particularly seem like they were enjoying themselves. Ask me and Tim offline about the atmosphere at the mass dance.

Day 6 - d) Moran Hill Park

Thursday September 9, 2010

For the afternoon we were given two options: The Military Circus or a walk in Moran Hill (Moranbong) Park. Tim and I chose the latter with high hopes for genuine interaction with North Korean people.

With the majority choosing the circus we had an extraordinary guide-to-tourist ratio, even by North Korean standards. From memory we had five members of the tour staff (Mr Park, Mr Han (trainee), Hannah, Amanda and the bus driver) accompany six tourists (Tim, me, Alexander, Emil, James, and my memory is letting me down on the sixth person)! Despite this the park was to become one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Anticipating local contact Tim and I borrowed Russell's digital Polaroid camera. James was also armed with a conventional Polaroid camera of his own. We were hoping to delight the locals by giving them a Polaroid as a gift in return for a photo with them.

We saw the park packed with people driving past earlier in the day. Unfortunately with the rain falling by the time we started our afternoon walk many people (especially families with young kids) had gone home. However there were still some hardy souls still enjoying their day off.

Initially Tim spotted a couple of off-duty traffic control ladies on the street and I attempted to ask for a photo from them. However the request was declined as they were trying to catch a ride to go home. Rejected on our first go... oh well. We prepared ourselves for more rejections, but our spirits were still high.

In the park proper we saw some groups singing - one notable group of young blokes had had a few drinks and were very rowdy. What types of songs do North Koreans sing in their leisure time? Propaganda and patriotic ones, of course! There were no syrupy love ballads here, even when inebriated the chants of choice for the locals were ones praising the Great Leader, the Dear Leader, or the latest government industrial campaign. Check out this song about CNC (Computer Numerical Control):

Despite the singing there weren't very many people in the park... and it was difficult to break the ice to have significant interaction with the ones who were present. However just when we felt a bit down, we began hearing drums - the real fun was about to begin.

Mr Park had led us to an area where hundreds of locals were packed in and around an open pavilion dancing and singing to traditional Korean music (played by a live band). Many elderly folk were there, along with some children and younger adults. We climbed onto the pavilion and it wasn't long before the conspicuous foreigners were pulled in for a dance.

While Tim, James, Alexander, Hannah and Amanda all enjoyed a dance I spoke to some of the crowd sitting around the perimeter. When I revealed to one gentleman that I was from the south I received a round of applause from all the folks nearby... it was a heartwarming moment, and made me feel slightly guilty that these days southerners do not crave reunification as desperately as the average North Korean.

Hannah (far left), Tim, Alexander (tall fellow in the background), and James dancing.

After a half hour of dancing the tourists were well known to the crowd and the two Polaroid cameras were put to excellent use. It felt great being able to give the locals the actual photos as gifts, and it was a big hit - as we took Polaroids with some people others, especially kids, requested a photo of their own with the strangers from abroad. It was a chaotic scene as children and drunk adults all wanted a piece of Tim and James. One inebriated middle aged lady was particularly exuberant, insisting on multiple photos. Good times.

Polaroid time with Tim, with locals looking on.

With all the dancing and Polaroid taking we had run behind schedule, but the guides did not seem to mind as we were genuinely having a great time. Despite the short time spent there the Moran Hill Park visit was one that we would not ever forget, and all six tourists felt vindicated in choosing it over the circus.