See playlist for North Korea Tour Videos 1 though 8
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7C1B74DD5DA38971
All footage is unedited. My videos will provide you with a better understanding of what life is like for the wealthier, more privileged segment of North Koreans (which is still a hard life). I welcome any feedback or questions. Let's help ensure their desperate situation improves soon.
4/30/2010
Set off from Beijing Train Station to Dandong, China. Train passage to North Korea is the best way to see the countryside and get to know some elite North Korean passengers, without your Govt. minders present. When the train is in China, the North Korean passengers (typically those who work for the NK Govt. in roles that require them to visit China) let their guard down and you can have deep conversations, discuss world events, and joke around with them. Once the train enters North Korea however, the black suits and red pins are donned, and it's all stoic without any friendly banter. Every North Korean is terrified of their government, even the elite few.
4/31/2010
Arrive in Pyongyang by train. Meet with Government Minders who serve as the tour guides (two of them) and who never leave your side. There is also a separate driver. Three people to tour me around is indeed excessive, yet the North Koreans believe in checks and balances- assuring the minder is minding the minder who is minding the other minder...etc.
Drive to Yanggakdo Hotel and discuss itinerary for the trip. This is a very large high-rise hotel on its own little island in Pyongyang. The hotel is one of about 3 that foreigners stay at in the city. It's nice, very quiet: and it's difficult to leave the hotel grounds without having a guard pointing you back.
5/1
9am Mansudae Fountain Park
9.:30 Grand Monument on Mongu Hill
10.:00 May Day Celebration Rally - tug of war, Korean dancing
11.:30 The Arch of Triumph
12.:30 Lunch at Chongryu Restaurant -(Jongol Boiled Soup_
14.:00 The Monument to the Party Founding
15.:00 Trekking on Moran Hill - meeting locals having picnics, some dancing Subway: two stops Rakwon Beer Bar- right next door took a tour of a shopping mall
18.:30 Duck BBQ- great restaurant
5/2
Kumsusan Memorial Palace: Mausoleum of President Kim Il Song: mind trip: lots of old generals attending
The Revolutionary Marty's Cemetery
Temple of Karangbop
Kim Song Square
Bookshop: purchased books and postcards: not very good
To Gaesong: Tomb of King Kong Min- pretty environment
Overnight at Gaesong Folklore House (hotel) - individuals courtyards
5/3
Walk from hotel to South Gate- big bell
Koryo Museum- not interesting
Kaesong Stamp Shop: great place!
Panmunjom - DMZ
Lunch at Gaesong Restaurant - lots of small plates
Drive to Pyongyang: Monipyongdae Native Home of President Kim Sung- looks like it was built 20 years ago
Dinner at Mangpyongdae restaurant: cold noodle- private room
Diplomats Club: yeah right- we went to the gate, told us it was closed. No luck
5/4
Tomb of King Tong Mysong- lots of these mounds, fairly interesting
Jongrung Temple: boring
Drive to Wonsan: Songdowon Hotel- great drive to see countryside and poverty
Wonsan Triumphal Museum- has a train on display that Kim Song once used: not interesting
Songdowon Interntional International Camping House: not International at all: was closed when we visited so very few kids around, aside from those refinishing the courtyard.
Songdowon Recreational Park: walk along beach- very nice place- saw lots of women picking wild plants and grass in the park to eat as food. Many had their child accompanying or baby strapped to their back- it was very sad to see their desperation.
Wonsan Square
Chosan Coorporative Farm: we had to miss this due to running out of time
Dinner at Wonsan Seabird Restaurant
5/5
Drive to Mr. Kympang - see the Garyong Falls: great hiking: just me and a Japanese traveler along with guides and some very few (and very wealthy) North Koreans- First time guides had ever seen this mountain- was closed to South Korea because of an earlier shooting death of a South Korean tourist.
Picnic Lunch near the stream
Drive back to Pyongyang: lots of rain: very bumpy ride- the highways are empty yet the roads are in terrible shape: felt like horseback riding at 60 mph.
Dinner at National Restaurant: which we did not get to because it had closed: instead took dinner at the hotel
5/6
Return by Train to china
Upon arrival in Dandong, a busy, dirty, outpost city, it felt like I was entering the 22nd Century compared to the Stalinist era North Korea. It was good to have cell phone and internet access again.
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1:10:49
North Korea Tour 2010 Part 8 of 8 (High Definition 720P)by peronk1776 views
@detric9508 Yes, I was accused of video taping: which was obviously a false accusation :)
peronk1 1 week ago
What happened at 43:00? Are you getting lectured
detric9508 1 week ago