cen@jkt
1918
Additional info
1. The reason our group didn't break rule #7 was not to trouble our guides. They would be in deep shit if we leave the hotel compund and wander by ourselves.
2. Everyday the guides must write report regarding our activities. Ignore it.
3. The guides spied on each others 
.
4. At the end of our trip, as we got to know them better, they opened up and allow us more freedom. Me and my friend 'got lost' in the mountain and dip our bodies in the nice clean pool created by cascading waterfall. One of the guides found us but didn't scold us, instead he also dip his foot into the water and allow us to take pictures with locals.
5. They may be naive, but they are not stupid. They know the situation of the country, but feel the need to protect it also from the barrage of criticism from the world.
6. The loyalty to the leader, especially to Kim Il Sung, is not fake. Many people, before going to work or school, will drop down to pay respect to Kim Il Sung giant statue. And I saw many volunteers cleaning up the place.
Our private pool in Myohyang mountain
This message has been edited by cen@jkt on 2010-08-21 01:43:28 This message has been edited by cen@jkt on 2010-08-21 01:45:22
Red Confucianism
Disclaimer: this post is about the trip to a hermit kingdom and I try to describe it as accurate as possible. To do so, I must gingerly touch on a delicate subject of politics and ideology. Although I promise to touch it as gently as I would touch my watc...
Fascinating so far....
Hello cen@jkt! This seems like a fascinating trip to N. Korea where many have not visited. Glad you got back in one piece and I'm very eagerly awaiting the rest of the pics! -MW
Part 2: The poor and the rich
Contrasting condition of the country. )" src="/img/watchprosite/timeout/16/scaled/timeout_image.1857416.jpg"> Casino in the basement of our hotel (where I won $80 ). Run by a Macao boss, staff by Chinese. Rich Poor Empty street in the middle of Pyongyang ...
Part 3: the slogan, propaganda, and ideology
It's all about Kims The community spirit. Street cleaning is done on the weekend by the community. Kim Jong Il's mother. Bow down! Kim Il Sung giant statue. Bow down! Kim Il Sung here, there, and everywhere. Notice the symmetry. Especially my books They a...
Thanks for Sharing. This is really a great insight to all the mystery.
Great pics too. cheers PAt
Part 4: The scenery
Enjoy. Arirang Mass Games. More than 100.000 performers, the backdrop consists of 10.800 school children. 100 meters deep Station 1 Station 2 DMZ Kim Il Sung Square facing Juche Tower. Notice people rollerblading Juche Tower. notice the symmetry. Juche To...
wow, absolutely amazing.
It remains me of my years growing up in communist Czechoslovakia, but our street were not that clean and empty. Excellent report, enjoyed and studied each picture. Thank you, something you don't see every day. Carl
The last frontier...
interesting & thought provoking. Empty highways,few cars,electric buses,no wireless connectivity,no crowds,(no MacDonalds) - can't be that bad. Thanks for the report. Fernando
Correction
There is a wireless communication and internet facility there, but only for the few 'selected' locals, like tour guides and officials. cen@jkt
excellent trip report...
... this country has been lot of negative and cold impression to people especially to those are westerns. recently TV news report also reported some tours started to this place, and people started changing their impression. although from your pics, the co...
Free n easy?
You only go in a group. You will be asigned tour guides. And you still have to bow down to Kim family cen@jkt
I don't mind being ...
your tour guide . Just pay my ticket, and my bag is packed. cen@jkt
Additional info
1. The reason our group didn't break rule #7 was not to trouble our guides. They would be in deep shit if we leave the hotel compund and wander by ourselves. 2. Everyday the guides must write report regarding our activities. Ignore it. 3. The guides spied...
My first glimpse of North Korea
I've never been to North Korea, and I haven't seen much other than what's on TV and in the news. Thanks for sharin your photos and experience of North Korea with us.
Very interesting report cen. Thanks!
First report I've seen from North Korea, so thanks for bringing us a glimpse of it. Cheers, Anthony
thks for sharing
excellent off the cuff report. like the photos of the metro and great title!!
Thank you for.....
The virtual voyage...... Very interesting..... Although I doubt that you could return, as I am certain that the regime does follow what is posted on the net for them.... Your photos are very interesting and are indicative of the suffering there... I am cu...
My reply
Although I doubt that you could return, as I am certain that the regime does follow what is posted on the net for them.... A: no problem, cen is not my legal name . No plan to go back there in a short time anyway. Your photos are very interesting and are ...
Thanks....
for your reply..... In the western media there are reports of food shortage etc... It is great to hear that they are not unhappy.... Cheers
Just extraordinary and amazing
You are indeed International man of Mystery cen my first "virtual" visit to N.Korea and what I can say afterwards is I want to go there although you are constantly under surveillance looks like you can have some decent rest there lacking all the goodies o...
3 additional reasons of why you should go there
Where the captured of American spy ship is glorified! A poor small country that dares to defy the mighty. Where the planned economy and the last glory of communism still exist! A nice hotel in the middle of nowhere, complete with revolving restaurant! I w...
great last pic!
Luckily the N. Koreans didn't catch you marking your territory in pic#3! -MW
LOL...
what great statement shot...awesome great photo journal...loved it...very interesting
hi Cen,
What a great post, i see that my repley is a bit late, but remember we talked about this country a while ago. many things you said, i see with other trips i made, to Myanmar, eastern europe about 1 year after the fall, or even China 15 years ago. I unders...
Not difficult
It's the guide that will make it difficult! And you don't want to provoke the guides, not inside their country . You should go now, for I think it will change fast. Myanmar under current regime or the next one, will be almost the same for us tourists. But...
Excellent post, Cen...
The rules don't sound that much different to when I first visited China in the late 80s...how things change.
In the 80's ...
There were guards on every floor of your hotel. If you received female guest, you must open the door. Now? There are escorts everywhere. They call my room at 2am in the morning........... and my wife was next to me cen@jkt
Great TO thread! Their sub station
reminds me a lot of the ones in Moscow... probably had the same engineering inspiration? Deep down for bunkering applications and more lavishly done up than most would imagine of a communist state still stuck in the 70s.. Thanks for this. Very good, inter...
Excellent thread Cen
A country I've wanted to visit for a while. Hopefully it will come to fruition in the near future.