Inside North Korea by an American Tourist - Part 2 of 4

An American tourist’s independent tour of North Korea in May 2010. This is 2 of 4 Videos total, for almost 5 hrs of footage. Bizarre North Korea allows a 21st Century visitor to time travel back to Mao’s China and Stalin’s Russia. The tour Company I used is Young Pioneer Tours. They are not very organized but do offer younger, smaller group sizes which I like. If you are more risk adverse and prefer a well-run, stress free tour company, and can live with an older, larger group size, Koyro Tours, a British owned tour company based in Beijing, is highly recommended and they do a great job. A big disclaimer with these videos: I went as a tourist and this is a propaganda tour. This is not representative of most of North Korea. This is their Disney World I saw: look for real hidden video that is smuggled out of the country before drawing any conclusions. And one more thing, Shame on South Koreans for allowing the North Korean regime to continue existing. South Korea knows exactly what is happening there and yet they allow Koreans to suffer and perish in silence. 4/29/2010 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. Americans have to fly into the capitol however (unless you have dual citizenship). 4/30/2010 Arrive in Pyongyang by train. Meet with Government Minders who serve as the tour guides (two of them) and who rarely leave your side. There is also a separate driver. 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 Mansudae Fountain Park Grand Monument on Mongu Hill May Day Celebration Rally - tug of war, Korean dancing The Arch of Triumph Lunch at Chongryu Restaurant -(Jongol Boiled Soup) The Monument to the Party Founding 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 Duck BBQ- great restaurant 5/2 Kumsusan Memorial Palace: Mausoleum of President Kim Il Song 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- good food Drive to Pyongyang: Monipyongdae Native Home of President Kim Sung- looks like it was built 20 years ago Dinner at Mangpyongdae restaurant: cold noodles Diplomats Club: 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- interesting drive to see the 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 supplement their diet. Wonsan Square Chosan Corporative 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 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 Stop in Dandong and continue to Beijing.