North Korea travelogue As for traveling, I'm usually a relaxed person realtiv. I have no fear of flying, let me not usually stay for 10-14 days and do not buy any extra vaccinations travel insurance. But this time everything is different. North Korea is on my itinerary and while I was so in the taxi to Beijing Capital Airport ride I must admit me, that I have a little queasy feeling - not nervous, but left everything else as.
North Korea is probably one of the countries of which we know nothing, though, or perhaps because it is so interesting to go there for one or the other there. While other as a dream destination Maldives and Thailand to call, we find on my list of desired destinations have always been cut off North Korea to first place After a semester of work and money I had, in effect the required change my choice for a vacation together. Originally it was planned a trip to Tibet, but due to the Xinjiang uprising and the resulting strengeren Einreisebestimmungen für Ausländer in die gesamte Westregion Chinas hatte sich dies erübrigt. Die Entscheidung war gefallen.
Reisen in Nordkorea ist anders, es ist kein Urlaub, sondern vielmehr eine Erfahrung – und was für eine! So ist zB individual reisen in Nordkorea unmöglich. Es wird nie geschehen, dass man als Tourist alleine durch die Straßen gehen kann. Man hat stets zwei Reisebegleiter dabei, offiziell um dem Touristen als Reiseführer zu dienen, inoffiziell aber ebenso um den Touristen zurechtzuweisen, auf ihn aufzupassen, ihm zu sagen was er fotografieren darf und was nicht, wann er sich vor welcher Statue zu verbeugen hat und wo er Blumen für welches Monument kaufen soll(t)e. Wer nach North Korea moves has to get used to the idea of \u200b\u200ba bombastic propaganda tour across the country participate. Criticism of communism, North Korea, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, the Juche ideology, or the like is totally out of place and may end in the worst case in a termination of the trip. "This is not about who's right and wrong, it's about meeting new prospects," it described to me my tour group during the pre-briefing, a day before leaving for Pyongyang.
There are few travel companies that can arrange tours with the approval of North Korea to North Korea. In my case it was a British travel company based in Beijing, only specializing in trips to North Korea. Our tour group consisted of 15 people, mostly British or Europeans. So it went in mid-August for less than a week to North Korea. When I traveled to Japan in January, I had to realize in hindsight that you are in Japan as 15 years occurring in the future. In North Korea, however, it behaved like a trip back 40 years in the past. Already the aircraft of the North Korean airline Air Koryo - one in the 60s by the Soviets built Tupolev Tu-204 - had at least by design to offer a lot of nostalgia, never mind the lack of noise control during the flight and the apparently leaky cabin roof, from the water all the time dripped down. At the 90 minute flight to Pyongyang, but the service was amazingly good, hot meal included. Interestingly, there was Coke on board do not keyword American product.
arrived at the airport on time Pyongyang said it first set clocks one hour forward time shift. Then off to the airport main building, the original estimated 20 meters deep. In these 20 meters are - only by about 1.80 m high glass walls separated - immigration control, baggage claim and customs housed and waiting hall (!!). Phones were collected at customs checks (cell phone ban for foreigners) and above cameras just as objective lenses from a gewissen Durchmesser in Nordkorea verboten sind (Stichwort Journalisten haben in Nordkorea Einreiseverbot). Danach ab in die Wartehalle unsere Tour Guides treffen und auf die restl. Gruppe warten. Zu dem Zeitpunkt war am Flughafen verhältnismäßg viel los, da kurz zuvor auch eine Maschine aus Vladivostock angekommen war – zusammen mit unserem Flug die einzigen zwei Flüge an diesem Tag.
Danach ging es mal gleich ab in den Tourbus Richtung Pyongyang. Bereits auf der Fahrt dorthin zeichnete sich das vermutete ab: absoluter Schock. Irgendwie konnte ich es nicht glauben wirklich in Nordkorea zu sein. Häuser, die bei uns max. als Bauruine durchgehen würden, werden hier bewohnt, Leute sind simpelst gekleidet und dürr, keine Autos far and wide, as no bikes, no street lights on every 3rd Corner of a propaganda painting, female traffic controller instead of traffic lights, I wanted to believe it. Everything felt so surreal. I was in North Korea! But in the midst of this surreal supposed time travel, people were even! What we know from North Korea, which images floating around in our heads? The only thing we associate with North Korea, we know from the evening news: in the sky shooting rockets, military parades, never smiling images of a slightly overweight leader, but what about the people? We have no idea, no picture in our head, from the normal People, the "foot soldiers". And now suddenly they are there and make me speechless, even though there are still only human! If you talk in the west of North Korea is even fast talking from villain, from the axis of evil terrorists. But the response "What? Are you crazy? There will be even kidnapped! "90% of my friends on the statement that I will soon go to North Korea, which Western thought is reflected on this country all too clear again. And now, in this context we see these poor people. People like you and me, people laugh, talk, not goose-step, but very comfortable strolling down the street. And suddenly you feel compassion and remorse.
While all these impressions become our guide tells about the history of the country, but almost no one does really listen anyway, everyone is too busy this flood of impressions and information that passes as outside the bus window at us to process. Interestingly, however, that no "North Korea" or "the North" is mentioned. It is every time the term "Korea" is used because "caused the division of Korea by an American aggressors artificially created state-building", so there is still only one true Korea, which said that now unite. In return, but never of "South Korea" the speech, rather it uses terms such as "the south" or even "the Americans".
arrived at the hotel you will be catapulted quickly once barren by the North Korean reality back to the west of Fun. At the hotel, are housed in the only all tourists traveling to Pyongyang, it is a world-class luxury hotel, on a specially built island in the middle of the Taedong River. Here you will find everything to make proposals the west consumer's heart. A variety of restaurants & cafes, souvenir shops, bookstores, bowling alley, casino, a private night club, sauna, spa, golf course, Swimming pool, driving range, tennis courts, BBQ grill, and even its own football field with extra zugebautem stadium (!) Can be found on this island, of course, available around the clock. My room is on the 27th of 47 storeys and the prospect of the evening Pyongyang is beautiful. As one TV station has a small selection of North Korean, Russian, Chinese and Japanese broadcasters, among which is also the only English language channel BBC World. The North Korean television turns out to be not as interesting as vl Adopted. During the week there is a transmitter that sends about 5 hours in the evening and morning. On weekends, there are two additional "entertainment channel". At the main channel running alongside the current news once a day (known in the west of news, if North Korea again something has hired) is almost entirely propaganda songs in karaoke version with beautiful nature scenes as a music video and subtitles to sing along. Also, the radio program differs only slightly.
During the night, switched off all over North Korea from the current budget reasons, but our hotel has its own generator and therefore also of eight electricity. Pyongyang is very dark, only the Juche Tower and the 20 meter high statue of Kim Il Sung are illuminated. The city is dead silent, you hear no cars, no people, no music, no shattering glass bottles. The Heavens is so clear that you can even see parts of the Milky Way. That night I do not sleep well. I'm too excited, it still can not take being here.
The next day, it means getting up at 6 in the morning, the program includes the trip to the demilitarized zone (DMZ, not knowledgeable please google) in the south of the country. The bus ride takes about 4 hours. The highway from Pyongyang to Kaesong (city near the DMZ) is relatively new, but is still currently being refurbished. Some sections are permanently locked, which forces us to shift to smaller federal or secondary roads - for the better. Because these roads lead directly through small rural Dörfer, für mich als 0815 Tourist gibt es wohl kaum etwas interessanteres. Trotz Verbots fotografiere ich ständig heimlich aus dem fahrenden Bus heraus. Man sieht Leute auf dem Feld oder am Rand der Straße arbeiten, Kinder baden derweil aufgrund des heißenWetters im örtlichen Bach und winken uns fröhlich zu, wenn wir an ihnen vorbei fahren. Zwischen dem ganzen Ortsgetummel immer wieder kleine Soldatentruppen, die der lokalen Bevölkerung offenbar bei der Landarbeit zur Hand gehen. Sie sind unbewaffnet, lediglich der Kommandant hat ein Gewehr (ähnlich einer Ak47) um den Rücken gehängt. Zwischen den einzelnen Ortschaften herrscht karge Einöde. Entlang der Schotterstraße windet sich eine Stromleitung, befestigt an about 3 feet high wooden poles for electricity - the high steel monsters from the West have not yet taken hold. In the fields you see anyone working during the midday heat. All are located in specifically for this purpose-built small thatched huts withdrawn, the term huts is exaggerated. Rather reminds the frame, open on 2 sides and covered with a thatched roof to a shelter. There they rested until the afternoon when the heat is bearable again. In most cases, the homes of farmers are so far away from their fields, it would not pay off to go home, it is for these shelters. And in fact, there are no mobile in the country means of transport. Public Traffic exists you anyway, cars and bicycles can not afford, oxen, very few, that is just left on foot. It's amazing how many people we see go from 2 villages in supposed wasteland.
Shortly after noon we will then finally arrived at the DMZ. After a short briefing with reference to an officer in the army begins already the lead. First, it brings us into a small building in which his time the armistice agreement was signed after the Korean War. Since then, the building is a museum about the Korean War. The officer told us proudly about the victory of the North Koreans against the "American aggressors". Here it is no secret done that you hate the Americans because "they have indeed brought about the separation of Korea," but we respect all the people who love the world piece "but then added more diplomatic. Furthermore - as further explained the Pffizier - we consider to be a winner of the Korean War as the North Korean army was only two years old at the time of the war. The Americans, however, would have a lasting experience for centuries in warfare. That is the North Korean army under these circumstances still managed a "tie" in the form of the armistice to win, be simple to see as a victory. Then it's on to the real boundary between North Korea, characterized by a line are on the ground. Left and right of each North or South Korean guard post, which stare at each other. We all know this scene from the television, but when you see them in a first-realitas is really aware of the perversity of the whole Korean War, with all its consequences. Thousands of families forever torn apart, separated by about 30cm wide exposed aggregate concrete line.
After it is goodbye to the DMZ, it goes further by bus to another village near the DMZ. The whole system is built in the middle of the secluded countryside on a hill and is reminiscent of a bunker gertarnt well. It is a single small cottage. Von dort aus lässt sich per Fernstecher eine Mauer in ca 2km Entfernung erkennen, genau an der innerkoreanischen Grenze. Diese Mauer wurde laut Auskunft des anwesenden nordkoreanischen Offiziers in den 70ern oder 80ern (hab das genaue Datum vergessen) seitens der Südkoreaner errichtet. Sie ist durschnittlich 3 - stellenweise sogar 6 - Meter hoch und ist im Querschnitt wie eine Stufe angelegt. Sprich die südkoreanische Seite ist erhöht und man kann locker in den Norden eindringen, allerdings nicht umgekehr. Dies soll nach Auskunft des Offiziers verhindern, dass Nordkoreaner in den Süden flüchten. Ich hatte noch nie zuvor von der Mauer gehört, aber grundsätzlich kann ich dieser Geschichte wenig Glauben schenken da aus dem Norden kommende Refugees in the south always very warmly welcomed and will be included. The whole thus had a slightly pale smack of propaganda. This wall is part of the North Koreans always the way, also cited as a major reason why you can not work Wiederverinigung the two countries. "As long as it is the wall, there will be no united Korea". This is especially important in the North Korean argument about the reunion. On one side it has assured us dozens of times, that was the reunification remains North Korea's main political goal, but all are still so frantic efforts on the part of the North for nothing when the south does not agree to a reunification is (!!).
Then it was back to Kaesong City to eat lunch. Noticeable in this context the first time was the much greater poverty compared to other large cities such as Pyongyang. Of course, the photographs again prohibited (on hold really has no one but anyway good ones) and the restaurant in the middle of the city was of course situated in a beautiful neighborhood. At least at first glance. For apart from both the outside from the inside, very beautifully decorated restaurant itself, is also all adjacent buildings were in a for North Korea surprisingly good condition. Something had to be lazy. And indeed. In a moment of inattention on the part of the tour guides I slipped quickly around the corner of one of those aforementioned beautiful homes and see: while the front of the house shone in the sky clear blue crumbled on the back of the clay already on the wall of color far and wide, no track - the whole rupture induced me very much of a film set, so of course you can also simulate an imaginary world.
The afternoon was then rather unspectacular. We visited a museum on ancient Korean history including Fünden of grave goods etc and then a grave hill of a long-dead king. Following back to Kaesong City to our hotel, far more modest as was the one in Pyongyang. No hot water, no electricity, then ate in the hotel dining room with flashlights, something different.
The third day of our journey has begun and with it one of the most important holidays in the country: the day of liberation from Japan. Occupation. Accordingly, many people are seen on the street, with few exceptions, everyone is free today. First, it is take a bus back towards Pyongyang, for hours on empty highways auto, unlit by Tunnell, past countless rural villages. Arriving in Pyongyang, we dedicate ourselves equal to the Liberation Museum, suitable for today's holiday. The museum, which is only the resistance against the Japanese and dedicated Americans, is incredibly big and really interesting, unfortunately we are chased by the museum guide like frightened chickens - after all, would the museum attendant free today, because if we were not tourists. This leaves little time, unfortunately, is all alone to see. Too bad. After that, it
on the Taedong River, where was the USS Pueblo, a "spy ship in the American," which end of the 60s captured by the North Koreans, is located. Pride leads us to the ship, which was designed for a crew of about 80 people. Furthermore, there is a spy torpedo to visit the American, who anno 2004 captured by the North Koreans was.
After lunch it first to a local park that is full of people. Most of them are dressed in traditional Korean costumes, playing with their children dance and sing together. Everyone seems to have fun and enjoy this day off as much as possible. Our presence here spoils the mood not a bit, quite the contrary, we will happily received, some people have the pleasure to dance with some Koreans. After going there on a hill in the park, from which you have a great view of Pyongyang, there is unfortunately on this day not a good view. Then it goes to a jump over to Kim Il Sung's birthplace, in Andren, a park about 10 minutes drive away. Admittedly this afternoon could have been more exciting, but that's what the evening my personal highlight of the whole tour on the program - the Arirang Mass Games, or simply mass gymnastics.
find this place at Mayday Stadium, with 150,000 seats in terms of capacity largest stadium in the world. And so gigantic as the stadium itself are the Arirang Mass Games. No fewer than 100,000 participants this is one spectacular 90-minute event, which is held annually from mid-August to mid September. Even 5 year olds are attending the event, and if you see how so many of these children in run their cute costumes incredible feats synchronously en masse, you do not know whether to laugh or cry. Trying to describe the Mass Games in words or summarize makes little sense, not even photos leave that impression that the live performance has left on me. I would therefore not respond further to the Arirang Games, I think the photos on my Facebook / StudiVZ page anyway speak volumes. All in all I can say is that the Mass Games - as expected - the absolute highlight was traveling. bathed in euphoria, we come back to the hotel late at night and still can not believe what has always just been played before our eyes.
The last day of our tour at the same time also marks the most important from a political standpoint day, because on the program include the Kim Il Sung and Kim Il Sung Maosuleum statue. Early in the morning it's already this Sunday by bus to Maosuleum, is prohibited in the photographs is strictly prohibited. In the mausoleum there is an incredible huge building complex, which is entered through an infinitely long wing appears. In the wings are horizontal conveyors - as in airports - which have to answer for it that we need about 15 minutes in the main building. For the mausoleum was inaugurated as his time, there were no belts, crowds marched the endless hallways. Result: lots of noise, which is not necessarily just a mausoleum, so since then to exercise the conveyor belts to rest in the hallowed halls. Finally you reach the main building in the first place in the dressing room all conceivable possible should be brought. Lighter, cell phone, camera, and even drugs. People who are not dressed appropriately (the mean for men shirt and tie, more elegant clothing for women and no flip flops or strapless tops), be asked to leave the building. Then it goes through a small office located on the ground with a rotating brush, the shoes of visitors to clean. Then you enter a (mostly empty) space, where you get an mp3 audio tour. Content of the nearly 5-minute guide is mainly Kim Il Sung's most important concern: the Befreieung Korea from the Japanese occupation. Accordingly, anti-Japanese, the whole leadership is held, the funnier that the mp3 reproducing voice recorders are calculated by Sony. Then it's one floor up by elevator direction "grave chamber." Just before entering the "sacred space" will be driven by more quickly by about one square foot and about two meters high "wind tunnel" in which, from all possible directions of strong winds from various Düsen in der Wand bläst. Der Grund dieser Kammer liegt darin, dass niemand dem großen Führer mit Staub o.ä. auf seinem Gewand gegenübertreten soll. Dann ist es letztendlich so weit. Wir betreten in Vierer Grüppchen den großen kühlen Raum, in der Mitte in einer gläsernen Vitrine ist Kim Il Sung aufgebahrt. Man selbst befindet sich ca 3 Meter von ihm enfernt, macht an jeweils 3 Seiten des Sarges eine Verbeugung und verlässt im Anschluss den Raum wieder. Das ganze Spektakel dauert nicht länger als 30 Sekunden, trotzdem gibt es Menschen, die aus den hintersten Provinzen des Landes extra dafür angereist sind. Nach dem Höhepunkt lässt die Spannungskurve eklatant nach. Es gibt einen Raum, in dem man alle Dienstreisen can of Kim Il Sung and his company car (Mercedes S 600), admire, and a space in which all national and international medals and awards for the great leader are on display. And you do not think so: Austria has once revered in the 70s the great leaders, specifically the University Inssbruck. For what exactly is but unfortunately was not well explained.
After this rather impressive overall impression we head military cemetery, a cemetery in which all the officers who were killed in the revolution against the Japanese occupation, are located. The whole complex is located on the edge of Pyongyang on a hill with great views of the city. Last but not least is still a bunch of flowers on behalf of the group bought and laid down before the War Memorial - accompanied by a common bow. After it goes even further to the 20 meter high statue of Kim Il Sung in the middle of the city. Also, there again is the usual procedure of buying flowers and bow. Here I would like to mention in passing that at no time were we forced to buy flowers or to bow to us. We were only accessible by saying "it would be nice if you pay respect to our great leader Kim Il Sung" encouraged. And more so, in principle, it is not simple courtesy. It does so also, from a courtesy, the head covering in church or pulls the shoes in a mosque, However there is so far a Christian or Muslim. The statue itself, I must honestly say that I would have presented me a bit more imposing, because in the 20 meters realitas then act but not as impressive as on some images. It is fascinating yet all.
After lunch is another personal highlight on the tour program. The ride on the subway. Built in 1968 Ubahnsystem of Pyongyang is expected to be turned out pretty simple. There is just two lines, like an X are arranged. With 100 meters depth, it is one of the lowest (if not the lowest?) Ubahnsysteme the world. A simple journey from A to B costs the equivalent of 5 Euro cents. The underground stations themselves out to be very ornate, decorated with huge chandeliers on the ceiling and numerous wall paintings. Generally I was very reminiscent of the interior design photos of the Moscow subway. In a short time retracts already a train that should bring us to the next station. All figures used trains are used clothings from the GDR, therefore, the simple equipment. Already is almost mandatory in the interior of the photo of Kim Il Waggoons Sund and Kim Jong Il and the wall. After a bumpy and noisy ride, we arrived too early as the second station, the first in terms of interior to about anything is. I would love to see more of Ubahnnetz, but unfortunately it is tourists only allowed to visit these two underground stations. This is among other things, the breeding ground for various rumors about the Pyongyang subway, which says in essence that the Ubahnsystem is in fact only two stations said. Honestly, I can give no credence to the much more plausible it seems to me that the remaining stations are just not so lavishly decorated accordingly and would leave a bad impression on tourists. Following
went there quickly in an International Book Shop where I had the opportunity to grab a copy of the English-Pyongyang Times. was from the usual propaganda articles marked above all a Section called "War Crimes" interesting. These dealt primarily with that of the occupation by the Japanese war crimes committed in Korea, including images of dead Korean civilians, scenes from a beheading and images of swords abrasive Japanese soldiers, caption: "Tha japanese monster prepares to kill another dozen innocent civilians".
Further Nachmittabg was then quite relaxed, yet focused on the program of the visit about 90 meters high Juche Tower (from which the prospect of poor distance vision, unfortunately, not as good as was expected) and a short detour to Party Foundation momument. Nice to watch, but after four days of propaganda tour through the Lad but then you already accustomed to such sights. The last evening in the country for the North Korean hotel bar with a few beers (not bad by the way) its conclusion.
The next morning, it means getting up early, from the station: The train ride back to China is imminent. Train rides in North Korea are certainly getting used to the Durchschnittwestler and exciting, but differ to those in China only marginal. Accordingly, not really exciting for me. Apart from the steam-powered trains have pretty much the same facilities as the Chinese, the most conspicuous difference in the interior are the obligatory Führerportrais on the wall each Waggoons. The main differences play on the railway line itself. Thus may be electrically controlled, at every switch sits in a small hut, a "point man", surrounded at the appropriate time of the switch in either direction. It is really interesting again with the stay on the North Korean-Chinese border, across which stretches over almost 3 hours. First, prior to various forms are dealt, Customs Declaration, etc. Then enter even the first North Korean soldiers Waggoon, check your passport and ticket. An hour passes. In a second control shaft, all bags are checked and searched. A weitere Stunde vergeht. Zu guter Letzte kommen wieder Soldaten an Bord und verlangen alle Kameras, danach werden alle Fotos gecheckt und ggf. gelöscht (sollten sie Nordkorea in irgendeiner Weise schlecht darstellen). Als dann nach einer weiteren Stunde auch das geschafft ist wird unser Waggoon schließlich an einen chinesischen Zug gekoppelt und die Fahrt über die Staatsgrenzen, den Yalu River, wird fortgesetzt. Am anderen Flussufer ragen bereits Chinas Wolkenkratzer in den Himmel, Werbungen prangern von den Hauswänden, mittlerweile befremdend viele Autos tummeln sich im Straßenverkehr. Gleichzeitig bekommen wir unsere Handys wieder zurück, im ganzen Waggoon ertönen unzählige SMS Klingeltöne – keine Frage die westliche Welt has caught up with us and with each meter that we move away from North Korea, I realize more and more what I have in the past four days actually experienced.
North Korea was not a holiday, it was an experience. I probably would not go a second time, but I can recommend it to anyone in this country to see, as long as it is still present in the insulation under the communist regime. For another similar destination certainly can not currently find in this world.
