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.

Day 6 - c) Kim Il Sung Square, river cruise

Thursday September 9, 2010

From the Foreign Languages Bookshop it was a short walk to Kim Il Sung Square. This is an area in the heart of Pyongyang often shown in the western media as the scene of enormous military parades.

The square can accommodate rallies of up to 100000 people, and is overlooked by enormous portraits of Kim Il Sung, Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Important government buildings (e.g. Foreign Ministry) surround the square, with the Grand People's Study House acting as the imposing feature structure on the western side. The eastern side is the Taedong River, with a clear view of the Tower Of Juche Idea on the opposite side.

The walk around this area was refreshing as it was the central part of Pyongyang with many locals going about their business. The expansive square itself was even more impressive on the ground than the numerous times we saw it passing through on the bus.

Mr Lee, me, Miss Jong in her traditional dress, and Tim on the river side of Kim Il Sung Square.

Lunch was served on a restaurant boat on the Taedong River. It cruised for a short circuit around the central Pyongyang area. Many local folks were enjoying their public holiday on small rowboats:

Pyongyangers having a leisurely paddle on the Taedong River.

Unfortunately rain started falling during the cruise, and this had me worried for our next destination: Moranbong Park. I dearly hoped that the rain would stop soon so that not too many of the local people would leave their picnics.

Day 6 - b) Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery, Foreign Languages Bookshop

Thursday September 9, 2010

Our National Day continued at the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery where war veterans lay in rest. The memorial is located on Mt Daesong, so we enjoyed a spectacular view of Pyongyang from the site. Although the cemetery was established in the 19th century completion to its current state only took place in July.

On multiple terraces there were 130 veterans buried, with a bronze bust for each. In a theme conspicuously peppered throughout the tour the Korean guides explicitly pointed out that thirteen of the commemorated were women. One of the busts was of the younger brother of Kim Il Sung. We laid flowers on the bottom terrace and observed a moment of silence.

On the top level were a select group of especially revered veterans, with Kim Il Sung's first wife and Kim Jong Il's mother Kim Jong-suk's bronze bust featuring in the centre. We also laid flowers at her resting place and observed a moment of silence.

Kim Jong-suk's commemorative bust.

Again due to the public holiday there were many locals at the cemetery paying their respects. After taking in an obscured view of the Mt Daesong recreational area next door (noises emanated from the fun park) we hopped back on the bus to be taken to the Foreign Languages Bookshop.

The Foreign Languages Bookshop featured all sorts of North Korean publications translated into many western languages. Again our group bought many souvenirs here, but I found out later on the train to Beijing that the most popular was a book that detailed fables featuring Kim Il Sung - how he healed the sick, saved marriages, that sort of thing. I do regret not spotting that gem!

Day 6 - a) Kumsusan Memorial Palace (mausoleum of Kim Il Sung)

Thursday September 9, 2010

Thursday was a public holiday - National Foundation Day, to commemorate the founding of the nation of Democratic People's Republic of Korea. As such our group was anticipating seeing many locals out and about celebrating the occasion. All the local ladies (including Miss Jong) were dressed in traditional Korean dress (chosunbok as they call it in the north, hanbok in the south). Moreover we noticed that all of a sudden the previously quiet Yanggakdo Hotel was full of tourists - all the tours had aligned with the North Korean public holiday.

Kumsusan Memorial Palace was our first destination. This giant building was formerly the residence of the Great Leader Kim Il Sung, and is now his mausoleum. As a mark of respect we were required to dress up - blokes had to wear a collared shirt and tie, and the ladies had to choose "respectful" clothing. Fortunately I packed a tie and the business shirt I was wearing a week earlier when I left work to head to Sydney airport. Unfortunately I was wearing jeans and sneakers so I looked like Jerry Seinfeld. Tim sported a short sleeve shirt to resemble Dilbert:

A couple of mail boys at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace.

Due to National Day there were thousands of locals queued with us - it was a busy day for the Palace. Cameras were prohibited inside the building - the best way to describe it would be that it was like an airport, only the security was tighter. After checking in our bags and cameras at the cloak room, we went through x-ray machines, a shoe sole cleaner, a wind tunnel (to blow dust off us) and a body search. Then we rode stationary on moving walkways for what seemed like an eternity, was led through a maze of disorienting corridors, doors and elevators... Then we finally reached the queue to see Kim Il Sung resting.

At the final queue we had to form an orderly single line, then in groups of four we would approach the "feet" side of his glass casing, take a bow, move along to his right side, take a bow, move to his "head" side, take a bow, move to his right side, then you know what.

This was my first experience of a mausoleum and I thought the Great Leader looked pretty realistic. This opinion was affirmed eight days later when I visited Mao Zedong's mausoleum in Beijing - Mao looked very plastic compared to the Great Leader.

After viewing the resting place we were led to a small museum which displayed medals and honours bestowed upon Kim Il Sung by foreign dignitaries. Among the donors former second and third world nations obviously dominated, but there was an honorary degree from a United States university which caught our eye. I've forgotten the name of the institution but Tim did promise to look it up after the trip, so perhaps he can enlighten us. This museum was also enjoyed in an orderly single line.

After going through another maze to exit the building we retrieved our precious cameras and took some shots outside.

Group B at Kumsusan Memorial Palace.

Day 5 - c) ten pin bowling, restaurant, hotel microbrewery

Wednesday September 8, 2010

Late in the afternoon ten pin bowling North Korean style awaited us at the Pyongyang Gold Lane. The centre looked much the same as a dated western bowling venue - bar, 1990s arcade games, and pool tables featured behind and above the well maintained lanes.

Everyone paid for a game and collected their shoes. I offered to pay for Mr Lee and Miss Jong, but Mr Lee refused - he seemed more interested in the pool tables. When selecting balls for Miss Jong and me I noticed all of them were imported, marked with the "Brunswick" brand name.

Miss Jong and I enjoyed a game where despite her insistence that she had no co-ordination she beat me convincingly. We mustn't have the southerner win in a sporting stand-off in Pyongyang! Here's some footage of Tim and Miss Jong enjoying the facilities:

For dinner we patronised the Mangyongdae Restaurant for Korean cuisine. There was talk earlier in the tour that on this evening we may visit the only Italian restaurant in North Korea, but those plans fell through due to renovations. I was actually glad that we didn't go Italian as I had grave doubts about the quality of the food. We are rather spoilt with nice Italian cuisine in Australia.

At dinner many tourists were looking forward to bibimbap, a Korean dish that had become fashionable overseas. However this North Korean version was a disappointment to most as it was a mere filler dish rather than the sumptuous treat as served in the south and overseas.

During dinner we had a chance to purchase some North Korean cola (the label literally translates to "Cocoa Carbonated Sugar Water"):

I enjoyed the taste - it was similar to Schweppes Cola for Australians who remember that from the 1990s. It tasted more organic (sugary) and less bitter (chemical flavour) than its more famous western counterparts. I told Mr Lee I liked it, but he didn't believe me! (His palate had obviously been converted to Coca Cola)

After dinner we had a quick look at the souvenir shop adjacent to the restaurant, then enjoyed the drive back to the hotel as we witnessed Pyongyang buildings and neon signs all lit up. It was a far cry from the rural electricity shortages, although with the next day being National Day the city may have been illuminated more than usual.

We took advantage of our first night back at Pyongyang by trying the beer produced in the microbrewery at the hotel. It was a sweet brew, just the sort of stuff that would get me into trouble. I had a nice chat in Korean with the bartender. Working at the Yanggakdo Hotel meant he knew our likely itinerary pretty well, and he knew Hannah and the other Koryo Tours staff.

The drinks flowed well into the wee hours, with the tourists comforted by the Yanggakdo facilities after a hard few days in the remote parts of the country.

Day 5 - b) film studios, stamp shop, Henry Rollins

Wednesday September 8, 2010

We had a packed afternoon schedule so had just 45 minutes of rest at the hotel before we were due on the bus. However on the bus Tim was missing... A furious call up to his room revealed he had fallen asleep. He boarded the group B bus to a Bronx cheer.

Our first port of call was the Korean Film Studios. We inspected the outdoor sets, with streets dedicated to such themes as ancient Korea, Japan in the 1930s, South Korea in the 1930s, China, and the Korean countryside. On the ancient Korea set tourists had the opportunity to dress up in period costumes:

Tour members dressed in period costumes.

Walking onto the South Korean movie set.

After inspecting the sets we were led to an editing theatre to view some short North Korean films. From what I could ascertain one of them was an emotional 60th birthday party, and another espoused the benefits of potato production. Good stuff.

Just outside the stamp shop. Make of this what you will.

Next stop was the stamp shop. The 20 metres of footpath between our bus and the shop was our first experience of walking on the streets of Pyongyang. A visit to a stamp shop would be mundane in any other country, but the colourful North Korean propaganda made for good souvenir shopping. In fact the staff at the shop were overwhelmed and many people missed out on their purchases as we ran out of time. Posters and postcards were popular, as were the "See you in Pyongyang" t-shirts.

After shopping we were driven to the area near the Mansudae Grand Monument and the Chollima Statue for a short city walk. Unfortunately this part of the city was not all that busy (perhaps that was the plan) but nevertheless it was nice to walk amongst the locals.

It was during this walk that we had our first Henry Rollins sighting! Rollins was on a private trip arranged by Koryo Tours and steamed past us in an abrasive manner cursing and muttering something about running into other tourists. His Korean guides could hardly keep up with him as he marched past on some sort of a mission. I guess Rollins expected Pyongyang to be the one place in the world where he could be anonymous, so was bitterly disappointed to run into other westerners! This was not the last we would see of the American singer/songwriter/poet.

Day 5 - a) Chongjin to Pyongyang

Wednesday September 8, 2010

Our exhausting but exhilarating North Hamgyong road trip was almost at an end. In the morning we were to endure a two hour bus ride back to Orang to catch our charter flight to Pyongyang, where we would settle in for three consecutive nights.

On the way to the airport we stopped for some scenic coastal photos, and saw more of the gritty countryside. Upon arrival at Orang airport some of the MiG fighter jets we saw on Monday were actually taking off, flying around, and landing. I saw this as a rare treat as I read in the outside world that due to aviation fuel shortages North Korean air force pilots only receive twenty hours of flying time each year. Tim speculated that maybe they were training in front of tourists deliberately. Our Air Koryo 'plane took off after the fighter jets settled back down.

"Wildlife preservation area", on our way to Orang airport.

Back at Pyongyang we checked back into the Yanggakdo Hotel, and lunch was served at the revolving restaurant on the top floor (47th). The revolution did not actually begin until the meal was served, and did noticeably stop a couple of times, but the vista was amazing. We even had a chance to take in the sight of the southern part of the city, which was the "unglamorous" view not available from our hotel rooms.

Kim Il Sung square, people practising for something or other.

Our lunch at the Yanggakdo Hotel revolving restaurant.

Day 4 - c) Chongjin

Tuesday September 7, 2010

First on our itinerary at Chongjin was the Kim Il Sung statue at the town square. Flowers were laid and we lined up for a bow to the Great Leader. Ask Tim or me offline what the American did while laying down the flowers.

Our local guide at the town square, with a glimpse of Chongjin apartments in the background.

 (Photo courtesy of Tim)

There was a museum adjacent to the square featuring the usual Kim Jong Il exhibits, related specifically to anti-imperialist battles and the Great Leader's visits that took place locally in North Hamgyong province.

The final place of interest for the day was a recital at a kindergarten for steelworkers' children. The whole group was looking forward to this, our first chance to meet North Korean children.

By the time we arrived it was 7pm, but the corridors of the kindergarten were not lit presumably due to the electricity shortage. Despite the darkness some of the tour members did spot some posters which sent shivers down our spines:

A poster at the kindergarten. Ask me offline what the slogan says. (Photo courtesy of anonymous)

The recital itself turned out to be a different experience to what we anticipated. We saw kids singing, dancing, and playing various musical instruments. In any other country we would expect a kindergarten performance to be filled with adorable mistakes - kids forgetting what to do, wandering off, et cetera. However this was North Korea and every song, dance and musical performance was flawless. Ask Tim or me offline how we felt upon witnessing this.

The children after the recital.

At the end of the show the group presented the children with some gifts. One of the tourists asked a teacher how long they had practised to put on this show, and her response with a straight face was "One day".

We checked into the Chongjin Hotel whereupon we were again reminded not to take photos of the city - pictures could only be taken of the buildings within the hotel complex. The old rooms were comfortable but hot water was not available in our ensuites so showers would need to be taken at a communal bathroom building outside.

Dinner at the hotel was interrupted by one of the highlights of the trip. Unknown to us the hotel restaurant featured singing waitresses, and they began serenading us mid-meal. Everyone ceased dining and were enthralled by the performance. From memory the set included:

• Nice To Meet You - (North Korean)
• My Way - Frank Sinatra
• My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
• Danny Boy - (Irish)
• See You Again - (North Korean)

For a couple of songs the waitresses pulled some of the tour members up onto the floor for a dance. Peter, the irrepressible Canadian-lawyer-in-Beijing stole the show with his dance partner:

James, the young teacher from Seattle, also had a dance and in the end his partner asked him where he was from. Upon hearing the answer of "United States" the waitress apparently panicked and recoiled.

After the waitresses had finished our North Hamgyong local guide Mr Lee thanked us for our patronage and sung Edelweiss for us.

Chongjin Hotel waitresses singing the final song.

We would have to leave Chongjin early in the morning but many in the group thought it a shame that we couldn't spend more time here. It was refreshing to visit a city where it felt like real people lived as a contrast to the gaudy opulence of Pyongyang. Tim and I agreed that if ever the country was opened up for more liberal touring Chongjin would merit a return visit so we could explore the numerous alleyways we only saw glimpses of from the bus.

Before retiring to bed I took a peek outside our hotel room window, and despite a whole metropolis laid out in front of us it was pitch dark. Electricity is indeed a privilege outside of Pyongyang. All I could ascertain that night was that a railway was right outside our window.

Day 4 - b) Mt Chilbo to Chongjin

Tuesday September 7, 2010

The drive from Mt Chilbo to Chongjin would be 4.5 hours on the rough dirt roads. However Mr Lee had permitted us to take pictures of rural scenes (including people), which kept us amused and alert. But conversely we were under strict instructions not to take any photographs once we reached the industrial city of Chongjin.

The rural streetscape showed the locals packed onto trucks, military personnel carrying out civil works (or enjoying a cigarette break), many cyclists, many ox carts, children walking home, and ladies carrying something or other on their heads... We even saw a freight train leading a Hyundai container. I have much shaky video footage of the countryside so please feel free to ask me in the offline world if you know me.

Ox cart. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

There was plenty of goat herding in North Korea. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Being on the bus for long periods and craving local interaction, at every opportunity we waved to the people outside. And invariably a smile and a wave was returned. This habit would continue for the entire tour, and it took some restraint to stop waving to strangers after crossing into China!

A mother and son just outside the temple at Mt Chilbo. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Chongjin is North Korea's third largest city. As an industrial city in the far north-eastern corner of the country it was a world away from Pyongyang in aesthetics and quality of life for its residents. The streets were grimy, the air was hazy, and there was no plethora of grand monuments. Compared to Pyongyang this was much closer to the "real" North Korea our tour group had been waiting to see, and ironically for the very same reason our guides prevented us from taking pictures.

The excellent book Nothing To Envy by Barbara Demick was privately discussed frequently by my fellow tourists during this trip, and Demick encountered many interviewees who had come from Chongjin (as the city is close to China and Russia).

Day 4 - a) Mt Chilbo

Tuesday September 7, 2010

We awoke early at the home stay to watch a beautiful sunrise and to inspect the village scenery that we were not able to see in the darkness the previous night.

The sunrise as seen from our room at the home stay village. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

With no electricity in the morning hot water could not be provided so we had a cold wash from the vat of water in the bathroom. We bid farewell to our lovely hosts, and I presented them with a box of BBQ Shapes biscuits as a parting gesture.

Breakfast was back at the Outer Chilbo Hotel where we were reunited with the rest of the group. Speaking to the others it sounded like our interaction with the hosts was a unique experience, with the language barrier proving too difficult for the other home stayers.

After breakfast everyone was on the bus ready to begin a morning of sightseeing in Mt Chilbo. However German tourist Michael, who was on his fourth visit of North Korea, had failed to rise after a late night of partying. He had apparently skipped breakfast and was still asleep in his room with the door locked. There were many worried North Korean faces trying to reach Michael, and eventually the door was broken down to retrieve him. I suppose by the fourth visit one becomes pretty relaxed about any country, even if it is North Korea.

Amanda and the Korean guides trying to figure out how to get Michael out of his room.

The morning was spent driving to various lookouts in Mt Chilbo to take in the breathtaking scenery. Even in a country suffering from considerable environmental degradation due to the desperate energy shortage Mt Chilbo had been declared a preservation area by Kim Jong Il. Unfortunately videos and pictures can never do full justice but I hope this gives you some idea of the majesty:

Mt Chilbo.

As well as the natural features there was one "cultural" stop at a Buddhist temple where the monk also espoused the wisdom of the Great Leader and Dear Leader. Those who were interested had a look inside the temple while those who were not impressed with the facade waited outside.

We stopped at a beach for a picnic lunch. Fortunately this day was one of the rare ones during this trip blessed with bright sunshine - so many took this opportunity to have a swim in the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The waves made the surf look pretty cold but according to the swimmers the water was very warm:

The final stop before departing Mt Chilbo was back at the home stay village. This was to give those who slept at the hotel a chance to quickly inspect the home stay facilities and buy souvenirs.

Day 3 - c) home stay village

Monday September 6, 2010

By the time dinner was finished and we were driven to the home stay village it was quite late (about 10pm). Rural life in North Korea is tough, with the locals walking home in complete darkness. The only light they had was our mini-bus headlights momentarily passing by, and some of the luckier people had a torch to see where they were going.

Our home for the night was in a village built especially for western home stays. All the houses within the village were double storey, with the hosts staying downstairs and the guests staying upstairs. Quite obviously these houses are far nicer than actual rural homes in North Korea... However even considering that running water was scarce and the electricity supply was sketchy. The only way to heat water was via the kitchen stove - we were promised hot water for washing in the morning but it could not be fulfilled as the electricity was cut. Our hearts felt for the locals living in normal country housing.

"home stay village"

Tim, Raphael and I arrived at our home, which was hosted by a couple with a young child (an older daughter was at school). I spoke Korean straight away, and although they must have been curious why a tourist could speak the language they asked no questions and went straight back downstairs after welcoming us into our room upstairs.

Our home stay house and hosts. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

The three of us decided they were just being shy and made an approach downstairs with some gifts (I had a bottle of beer and Tim had chocolates) and a request for a photo. This broke the ice and our host couple became more comfortable and started asking questions... the conversation started flowing once I told them I was born in the south and had travelled here as an Australian.

We then had a wonderful 45 minutes of drinking beer, enjoying dried squid (local produce!) and talking about life in North Korea, Australia and Germany. I did plenty of translating for Raphael and Tim, so all five of us were in conversation. Tim and I even showed them our family photos, and the lady of the house had a go at filming with my camcorder. The hosts were very proud that their house was the one Kim Jong Il personally inspected a few years ago on a visit to the village. If you know me in real life ask me offline about other topics we talked about (it has all been captured on video), and Tim's observation of the man's arm.

Dear Leader visiting the home stay house, our host family on the left. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Having arrived in darkness one revelation that surprised us was that the village was located right on the beach! Fortunately we were able to appreciate this beautiful setting in the morning with a clear sunrise.

We went to bed (the floor) late that night satisfied that we took full advantage of our home stay experience. It was heart warming to finally have an extended chat with locals who were not our guides!

Day 3 - b) Orang to Mount Chilbo

Monday September 6, 2010

After lunch we took a short Air Koryo charter flight to Orang, on the east coast of Korea. Tim and I again managed to grab business class seats - we had been spoilt and could not travel any other way!

Upon landing at Orang airport we saw a whole array of MiG fighter jets lined up. We were not allowed to take pictures of military-related scenes, but I'll see if any fellow tour members managed to capture any images so please check back to this blog later.

From Orang we had a long 2.5 hour drive along the coast to visit Mount Chilbo. Many of us were due to sleep over at a home stay village that evening, but phone calls by Mr Lee* from the airport revealed that unfortunately not enough homes would be available to accommodate everyone. American citizens were already prohibited from participating in the home stay experience, so volunteers were sought to join them at the Outer Chilbo Hotel. If not enough volunteers were found a random draw of names would be held to choose the home stayers.

Although the bus ride was long and almost all of it was on bumpy dirt roads, Mount Chilbo was a pleasant surprise for everyone. It is not one of the more well known places in North Korea but the scenery was absolutely spectacular. The coast along the East Sea (Sea of Japan) was dotted with villages with the Chilbo rising up dramatically. We stopped several times for pictures and for the "natural bathroom" as Mr Park put it. There was also a short break at a waterfall on the way.

Our mini-bus in North Hamgyong province, which endured hundreds of kilometres of dirt roads.

The Mt Chilbo area featured dramatic coastal scenery.

We finally arrived at the Outer Chilbo Hotel for dinner. There Tim, Raphael and I volunteered to stay in one home stay house as a threesome so that more people could be accommodated for the village experience. A combination of this gesture, some last minute phone calls for extra home stay houses, and more volunteers for the hotel thankfully resulted in the group avoiding the dreaded "home stay lottery".

* - Our Korean guides are part of a privileged set of trusted people who are allowed to own mobile phones in the country.

Day 3 - a) Samjiyon

Monday September 6, 2010

Monday morning saw us explore the attractions within Samjiyon, the nearest city to Mt Baekdu. The Samjiyon Grand Monument, Mt Baekdu Museum, and the local Schoolchildren's Palace were on the agenda.

Before the touring day began the talk at breakfast was abuzz about Tim's shenanigans the night before. For those that know me in the real world feel free to ask me about it.

The Samjiyon Grand Monument consisted of a massive square with impressive statues dedicated to the Great Leader and the anti-Japanese struggle. The group lined up in front of the Kim Il Sung statue and bowed, a custom we would repeat several times during the trip. A very foggy morning made for eerie photographs.

Locals visiting the Grand Monument, in front of the massive Kim Il Sung statue.

Yours truly and the local guide at Samjiyon Grand Monument.

The museum at Samjiyon displayed models of Mt Baekdu and exhibited its revolutionary significance. The sites displayed were mostly places we had visited in person the prior day. The highlight of the museum visit was seeing a group of high school students on excursion in the car park. All the tour members were craving some local contact... I decided to break the ice by asking our guide whether I could have a picture taken in front of the building, right in the middle of where all the students were gathered. Once this permission was granted the other tourists gained enough courage to ask whether we could take a photo with the students. The green light was given and this caused quite a scene with the tourists all wanting a shot, and the students chuckling at the strange westerners wanting a piece of them. Unfortunately after only a couple of minutes the teenagers were instructed to move on by their teachers, leaving a couple of Americans disappointed that the crowd dispersed just as they were about to have their photographs taken.

Success! A photo with local students on excursion.

Photo fail! Students disperse.

The Samjiyon Schoolchildren's Palace was our final place of interest at the Mt Baekdu/Samjiyon area. In North Korea "Schoolchildren's Palace" refers to an after school facility where kids occupy themselves with sport, art, etc. Unfortunately there were no children to see during our visit, but some tour members (including Tim) did take up a chance to play volleyball in the gym:

Volleyball at the Samjiyon Schoolchildren's Palace (Tim on the far left).

After lunch back at the Paegaebong Hotel, we packed for the airport. Next stop: North Hamgyong province in the far north of the country.

Day 2 - c) Mt Baekdu and the Secret Camp

Sunday September 5, 2010

With the weather spoiling our intended picnic spot we drove a bit down from the peak of Mt Baekdu and found a nice dry patch of road to have lunch. Yes, we sat on the road to dine.

Our western guides Hannah and Amanda sitting on the pavement for lunch.

Our next stop was a quick visit to a lookout that showed off the beautiful canyon of the Yalu River (Amnok River in Korean). This river forms the boundary between Korea and China so we were able to see Chinese territory directory from this vantage point.

China on the left, North Korea on the right.

The major destination for the afternoon was the Mt Baekdu Secret Camp, which is obviously not so secret these days. This is where (according to the North Koreans) the Great Leader Kim Il Sung fought out anti-Japanese battles before Korean independence*, and where his son Dear Leader Kim Jong Il was supposedly born*. As well as the usual monuments there were a couple of log cabins which represented the battle command centre and the birthplace of Kim Jong Il. A local guide explained the significance of the sites, with Miss Jong translating. This tandem arrangement was followed for almost all of the rest of the tour when visiting sites that had a local guide.

The final stop for the day was at Rimyongsu Waterfalls. This scenic waterfall does not freeze over during the bitter winter months. The information sign there indicated that when Kim Il Sung observed this he referred the matter to his top scientists, who discovered that the reason for the phenomenon was the water was coming from underground.

After a long day in the wind and rain we checked into Paegaebong Hotel at Samjiyon. Here we encountered our first experience of life outside Pyongyang: Hot water would only be available for one thirty minute time slot in the evening and one thirty minute slot in the morning.

We had some spare time in the evening, a rare occurrence in the busy itinerary. The tour members therefore had a nice long dinner and beyond, chatting and drinking. If you're the type of person who is willing to visit North Korea you're the adventurous type, well-travelled, or likely both. I was mesmerised by the travel stories of my tour mates - North Pole, South Pole, Somalia, Liberia, all the former Soviet states... I don't think there were any countries that were not covered by someone or other. An amazing group of people.

Tim enjoying the local beer at dinner. (Photo courtesy of Tim)

Taking advantage of the spare evening some of the crew tucked into the cheap Soju, beer and vodka with glee. Tim's reputation that we all know and love in Australia was well publicised to the rest of the world that night.

Blueberry wine - with 40% alcohol content you can use it to clean toilets.

* - Click here to visit Wikipedia for the actual stories of Kim Il Sung's anti-Japanese guerilla activities and Kim Jong Il's birth.

Day 2 - b) Mt Baekdu and Heaven Lake

Sunday September 5, 2010

After a short flight (about an hour) we touched down at a very small airport in Samjiyon. We hopped onto three mini-buses - the only time when the two groups travelled mixed together - to begin a 2.5 hour drive to the cable car station near the top of Mount Baekdu.

Mount Baekdu is the highest peak in Korea (both south and north) and holds tremendous cultural/spiritual significance for the Korean people (similar to Mt Fuji for the Japanese). There is a crater lake named Heaven Lake (Chonji in Korean) which is a place of stunning beauty. This site was the one I was anticipating the most before the tour. The desire to visit Mt Baekdu and Heaven Lake had been aroused as a young boy - to be told of this important and beautiful mountain but never being able to visit seemed to be an awful tease - and it was one of the primary reasons for travelling to North Korea as an Australian. A lifelong ambition was about to be fulfilled.

We were not permitted to take pictures on the drive up. We passed many military checkpoints, soldiers, and military trucks, as well as students on patriotic excursions all dressed in brown revolutionary uniforms.

I also noticed a horrendous amount of deforestation which we have heard about in the outside world. Due to the energy shortages much of the forest on the western side of North Korea has been razed bare from logging, and this unfortunately causes regular flooding in that part of the country. So valuable crops are lost, and a vicious circle continues.

As we approached the cable car station near the peak it was apparent bad weather was imminent. The peak was starting to be enveloped in thick fog, the wind was picking up, and rain looked likely. Damn!

As foreigners we were able to jump the queue of curious Korean students at the cable car station. After a short ride we were finally on the top of Mt Baekdu - life ambition partly fulfilled!

However at the peak the fog was so heavy that we could not see any of the lake (For reference this is the sort of view we were supposed to have on a clear day). And what's worse due to the strong wind our planned cable car ride down to the shore of the lake was cancelled and we were not permitted to walk down either. My disappointment could not be understated. Nature had crushed my dreams!

We did plead with our guides to allow us to walk down to the lake, but in fairness to them the weather was pretty awful and the path down was fairly steep:

So these terrible conditions gave everyone plenty of time for a chat at the highest place on the Korean peninsula. It was at this point when I had my very first conversation in Korean with a Northerner: I introduced myself to our junior Korean guide Miss Jong who in response was very happy to meet a Korean-speaking person among the tour group. I explained that I was born in South Korea but moved to Australia as a young lad, and was able to visit the DPRK as an Australian citizen. Up until this point I had no idea how North Koreans would react to someone from the south... it was a special moment for me to find out that the response was very positive.

left to right: Jean-Francois (Canada), Miss Jong, Tim, Peter (Canada) at the peak of Mt Baekdu

From then on I gained enough confidence to try to speak to as many of the locals as possible in Korean, and this enhanced the trip in ways I could not imagine beforehand. You'll read examples of this in the later blog entries.

As the trip continued I was able to ascertain that I was the only Korean-speaking person in Group B. In Group A Justin was able to speak it - although born and raised in Canada he had improved his Korean speaking/reading skills later in life. Also in Group A James was able to read and speak a little - he was an American from Seattle who taught in Beijing at a South Korean international school. Considering all that I suppose I had the most "organic" speaking ability out of the three of us (and the only one to have actually lived in South Korea).

Day 2 - a) Pyongyang to Mt Baekdu

Sunday September 5, 2010

We returned late from the Mass Games on Saturday night but there was no time for a sleep in! We packed our bags, had breakfast and left the Yanggakdo Hotel at 7:15am on the Sunday morning to catch our Air Koryo charter flight to Mt Baekdu.

During that drive to the airport Mr Lee announced that taking pictures from the bus within Pyongyang was fine. I found out later that this was a privilege not granted to Group A. In fact it became apparent that Group A was on a shorter leash than us during the trip (they had all the Americans after all). Here is my first recording of Pyongyang streets, on a quiet Sunday morning:

At the airport we had some time to browse the souvenirs on sale at the departure lounge before boarding a flight that was exclusively chartered by our Koryo Tours group. As such we were permitted to sit anywhere so Tim and I grabbed a couple of business class seats to fly in comfort.

Day 1 - c) Arirang Festival (Mass Games)

Saturday September 4, 2010

The car park of the May Day Stadium was our first chance to walk amongst North Korean people. At this point all the tour members were so overstimulated we could not even remember our own names. There were thousands of performers waiting for their cue to enter the stadium, thousands of spectators also awaiting their entry, brightly lit fountains, Korean music, tourist buses, people on megaphones, and roars emanating from the stadium:

The Arirang Festival (commonly known in the west as Mass Games) is a spectacular music and dance show involving 100000 performers according to North Korean publicity. The actual number is probably be a bit lower (maybe 70000) but nevertheless it is truly a breathtaking sight. Just the students involved in the card stunt (creating murals with placards) in the opposite stand numbers in the tens of thousands, and the detail and the timing of the animation they produce is just extraordinary. Most tourists come to North Korea having seen photos and video clips of the Mass Games but until one witnesses it in person the scale of the performance is just something unimaginable to an outsider. Tim and I were left absolutely speechless.

The narrative is a chronological story of Korea and North Korea, divided into eight acts. Each act consists of multiple musical numbers. Each act emphasises a particular theme - e.g. anti-Japanese struggle, Korean reunification, friendship with China.

Second class entry gate for foreigners.

The tickets are not cheap though - EUR150 per seat for first class, which Tim and I enjoyed. Subsequently the Korean spectators there are part of the elite. As such the snacks available for sale at the stadium included many outside world treats like Coca Cola and South Korean Prawn Crackers, all imported from their only ally China.

I have video footage of the Mass Games but they're too cumbersome to publish here. If you know me in the real world please feel free to ask me to show you.

In lieu of videos please enjoy this gorgeous photo taken by my room mate Raphael:

Arirang Festival (courtesy of Raphael).

More Arirang photos taken by my camcorder:

Day 1 - b) checking into the Yanggakdo Hotel

Saturday September 4, 2010

As previously arranged our overall group of thirty four then split into Groups A and B upon arrival in Pyongyang. We would be travelling to the same places and be together for meals and accommodation - but otherwise we would travel on separate buses and our itineraries would be slightly out of synch' so that we're not overwhelming every place of interest with a huge crowd. Tim and I were both in Group B, which was dominated by Australians and continental Europeans.

During the bus ride from the airport into the city we were introduced to our Korean guides Mr Lee and Miss Jong. Mr Lee had been an English speaking guide for thirteen years while Miss Jong was less experienced, having only been two years out of tourism college.

Everyone stared out the bus windows in amazement as we caught our first glimpses of North Korea. During the drive we passed some of Pyongyang's massive monuments. The city was indeed built to impress.

The Yanggakdo Hotel would be our home in Pyongyang. It is on a recreational island named Yanggak on the Taedong River, which makes it easier to stop those pesky foreigners from running off into the city proper! There is also a film festival centre, a golf course, and a stadium on the island. With Atul dropping out and Tim having already paid the single supplement, for the duration of the trip my room mate was Raphael - a veteran traveller from Germany.

We settled into our rooms but the busy schedule had already begun - dinner was to begin in twenty minutes and we would be whisked off to the May Day Stadium for the Arirang Mass Games immediately following.

At dinner I was able to chat to some of the others in our tour group and there seemed to be more Americans than I expected, about half-a-dozen. While many restrictions on American tourists were lifted earlier this year they still had more conditions to put up with than the rest of us. For example American citizens are not allowed to stay longer than seven days, which meant that all of them would miss the last 3 days of our itinerary. We were to discover later that the Americans also could not participate in the home stay experience.

Day 1 - a) Beijing to Pyongyang

Saturday September 4, 2010

After checking in at Beijing Airport Tim and I decided to have our final meal in the outside world at the waiting lounge. Because requiring medical assistance in North Korea was a situation we wanted to avoid we were very careful about what we ate in Beijing... until then.

The curry we requested was cancelled as we were told there was insufficient time to prepare it before our flight. So with great reluctance hot dogs were ordered. Tim's frankfurter was cold in the middle as we began thinking about how we would die in a North Korean hospital. Good times.

Our first glimpse of North Korea was the Air Koryo 'plane seen in the waiting lounge. My heart was thumping in anticipation:

The 'plane ride was just over an hour (similar to a Sydney-to-Melbourne flight). I had a window seat and coincidentally sat next to Justin, the only other tour member with a Korean background (born in Canada), and Hannah, one of our western tour guides. One could feel the excitement among the tourists - we could scarcely believe we were finally physically entering the reclusive country. During the flight our other western guide Amanda collected our mobile telephones. This was the last we were to see of our precious devices until we exit the country ten days later.

The flight attendants were our first contact with actual North Koreans and the in-flight meal was our first taste of the fairly pedestrian food that we would have to tolerate for the next eleven days. Magazines (in Korean) were handed out, showing off glossy photos of Kim Jong Il's visit to China earlier in the year.

I asked for some water from the attendants as an attempt at my first interaction with a North Korean (and because I was thirsty). However despite asking three times no extra water was provided and I wondered whether this was hostility towards a southern accent... However it was apparent later this level of service seemed to be just socialist apathy, as my conversation with Tim during our first moments on North Korean soil reveals:

Upon alighting the 'plane everyone had their cameras out taking shots of Pyongyang Airport, featuring a massive portrait of Kim Il Sung overlooking the tarmac - the first of many we'd see in the coming days.

At the immigration desk the officer checked my paperwork and asked me whether I was Korean - I made it clear that I was an Australian national (phew). The luggage screening took a long time as our bags were thoroughly x-rayed and searched. The customs officer carefully checked my camera and Palm PDA to ensure they did not double as mobile communication devices. Huzzah, I had officially been allowed in to the country!

Day 0 - pre-tour

Friday September 3, 2010

I flew into Beijing early in the morning and the heat and the overwhelming humidity struck me with surprise. I was expecting the weather to be mild as September is meant to be autumn... But it is evident we have a stifling two weeks in front of us.

I meet my travel mate Tim at our hostel in the hutongs just south of Tianamen Square. Tim had flown into Beijing the night before.

We discuss what we need to prepare before beginning our North Korean tour (e.g. Tim needed to buy a tie*, I needed to buy toilet paper**), and how intense the trip will be. We were staying at a $25 a night hostel but after this chat (and thinking about the humidity) I decide it might be better to splash out and stay in a nice hotel for the post-Korean stay in Beijing. We then head to the shops and the Park Plaza.

The pretour meeting at the Koryo Tours office is set for 4pm but Tim and I are running late. We wanted to make a good first impression but that idea went out the window with our walking in seven minutes late - the briefing is well under way.

Among other topics our western guides Hannah and Amanda discussed some of the protocols we would need to adhere to in the country (e.g. avoid discussing politics, always ask before taking pictures).

The demographics at the pretour meeting surprised Tim and me - we were expecting a scruffy young group but Tim and I were definitely at the younger end of the spectrum. But upon reflection it made sense as trips to North Korea are expensive... There are many young adventurous types who would probably love to visit but it takes a lot of dish washing and bar tending to pay for one of these NK long tours. Already the irony has begun with only wealthy foreigners able to visit a country persistently criticising capitalism/consumerism and sticking to a strict socialist system.

Knowing that we have a packed schedule for the next eleven days Tim and I try to sleep as much as possible by going to bed at 9:30pm. The plan fails miserably as hostel air conditioning was clearly losing the battle against the stifling Beijing humidity.

* - We needed to wear a collared shirt and tie for our visit to the mausoleum of Kim Il Sung.
** - The hostel in Beijing didn't even have toilet paper, so I didn't want to be left short in North Korea! I bought an economic 15-pack.