About 6 months ago when I was teaching in Korea I often watched my students (both adults and children) eyes widen when I said I wanted to venture into North Korea. I booked my tour with Lupine travel months in advance to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK. As the date got closer I became ridiculously excited.
My trip began on the morning of the 7th of September. All rested after the day trip the day before; we marched off to the train station after getting our North Korean visas. This visa is not as stamp in your passport but a card with your picture and basic information written on it. Before getting on the train we had to pass border control as we were leaving China to go to North Korea. Once on the train (about 10.10) we passed over a railway bridge just beside the broken bridge I had seen the previous day.
My North Korean visa card
Immediately after we had crossed the bridge we were stopped. North Korean guards get on the train and we had to fill out customs and arrivals forms. Each bag was checked as was each device to see that you weren’t smuggling in contraband (Korean literature was a big no no) I had my kindle and smartphone checked. The process took an age as there was 6 people in each cabin and about 10-15 cabins per carriage. The whole process took almost two hours. After we started again we stopped as I think that the guards almost forgot our passports!
Ahead of us was a beautiful train ride through the North Korean countryside. It is really a step into the past as I watched how people worked. Cars are a rare sight to see and Oxen and carts are the preferred transport of choice. Korean propaganda litters the countryside. “Long live the leader Kim Jong un – in the glorious workers’ party of Korea!”
A midday nap!
We finally arrive in Pyongyang in time for dinner which was a mix of rice, chicken beef, kimchi and seaweed soup.After dinner we were going to see the Mass Games – a spectacle that North Korea is famed for. 100,000 people doing synchronised gymnastics together. Words can’t do it justice so pictures will have to do!
On a buzz after the games we headed to the Yanggakdo hotel to check in and have a sneaky drink before bed. The next day was to be jam packed day of sightseeing. First place to visit was Kumsusan palace of the sun AKA the mausoleum for Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. The building itself is a monstrosity and it took about an hour and a half to actually get to the rooms where the Kims are lying in state. Certain precautions are taken when going inside such as brushes to clean the underneath of your feet, antiseptic shoe wash (felt like it was a foot and mouth scare!) and huge wind machines to blow any dust or dirt off your body.
The building itself is a huge museum to the lives of the Great Leader (Kim Il Sung) and Dear Leader (Kim Jong Il) with rooms documenting their travels around the world and the gifts they were given by other nations. Pictures of the Kims line the wall which made me think of this tumblr page.
The most important rooms are the two rooms in which the past leaders are lying in state. Guarded inside and out both rooms are tinged with a red light which gives it the seedy air of a brothel. In groups of three people walk up to the front, left and right side of the body and give a deep bow. One must not bow facing the top of his head.
Outside the Kumsusan palace of the sun.
After this bizarre visit we had a quick stop at Kim Il Sung square before heading to lunch. Outside the restaurant we got to see people playing an intense game of volley ball as well as a little rehearsal of a dance for the next days celebrations.
After lunch we took a one stop trip on the Pyongyang metro, one of the deepest metros in the world. Its about 100 metres underground. Our trip began at Puhung station which is has a beautiful mosaic. The metro itself looks very out dated almost like the Moscow metro but it was beautiful none the less. Pictures of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il were at the top of every carriage looking over the passengers.
pictures of the Kims can be found everywhere!
Next was the Korean war Museum. I knew this was going to be interesting because of how much the North Koreans dislike the Americans. Cameras weren’t allowed in the museum to my disappointment. The museum itself is one of the most impressive museums I’ve ever been to. The exhibits and the interior is just mind blowing. The museum itself would have taken hours to wander around but we were taken to an exhibit on the battle of Daejeon and shown an amazing panoramic mural of the battle which was animated with a light show and sound effects.
marching in the grounds of the Korean war museum
The next stop was the statue of the two Kims, otherwise known as the The Mansudae Grand Monument. Due to the next day being a holiday the square itself was crowded with hundreds of people paying respects to the leaders by bowing and leaving flowers.
Flowers for the lads!
The Mansuade grand momument
A quick trip to the arc de triumph and the Juche idea monument concluded the days touring.
The next day (the 9th of September) was the 65th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK. It’s a pretty big celebration in the North Korean calendar. Not much information was available about the celebrations until the last minute. The big trip for the day was the DMZ (DeMilitarised Zone) which is the border between the two Koreas. I was really looking forward to this as I had been to the DMZ twice in South Korea. Not many people can say that they’ve been to both sides of the DMZ!
The tour to the DMZ from the North Side itself seemed to be more relaxed than a visit from the South Side. I had so many rules to follow in the South as to what I should wear and which directions we could face our cameras to take pictures.The trip around the DMZ took about an hour. We got a tour of the area where the armistice agreement was signed. This is the main reason that the Korean war ended (and it was also supposed to be declared null and void earlier in 2013 during North Korea’s little temper tantrum.)
On the other side of the DMZ
Myself and Shelly with a North Korean guard
On arrival to Pyongyang the city seemed quiter. Our driver took us to the monument of the Korean Workers party where a mass dance was about to begin. Hundreds of students from a local university were dressed up for this dance. Girls in tradtional Korean dress and boys in black slacks and a white shirt. There was about 5 different dances all beautiful in their own way. I did get in for a dance with a guy from the tour but once I made a few mistakes the North Koreans laughed at me so I retreated in embarrassment! The dance only lasted about an hour and after we were shuttled back to the hotel to relax and get ready for our departure the next morning.
A boozy night under my belt looking for the famous 5th floor which cannot be entered I felt awful the next morning for my train journey back to Dandong. I fell asleep an hour or two into the train ride and woke up to a stopped carriage. The train was waiting on another train to pass safely so we were stopped for about an hour and a half. All of our carriage hopped off for a look around and some prime photo opportunities arose!
Under the train
The only non blurry pic I have with the flag!
Due to the train stoppage many of the tour group missed their connecting train back to Beijing. The tour operators were hard at work from the time they got off the train organising busses and hotels so everyone could get back to Beijing without waiting too long. When that was finished a well deserved trip to KFC was in order after so much Chinese and Korean food over the few days!
Looking back on the trip I’m still in awe at some of the things I had seen. I would definitely love to go back again for another DPRK anniversary. Lupine travel did a great job on the tour and everything ran smoothly! Dylan joined us on the trip and he was wowed by some of the stuff he had seen even though he had been to North Korea a few times before!
Myself and Dylan the man with the DPRK plan!
Lupine Travel advertises “unique destinations at budget prices”. I don’t regret a single penny I paid for this trip. Some of the other destinations look pretty interesting too. I can’t recommend them enough!
TPtravels 
Oct 09, 2013 @ 20:36:19
wow, loved this story. first time reading about NK