Victory Day
Day 3 started much the the previous ones. After shower, I went to get breakfast . after breakfast, I was waiting in the hotel lobby for the team to gather. I managed to catch a photo with one of the hotel doormen. A pleasant man who always smiled and said hi to me as if begging for a conversation or maybe just being nice a shis job demands. In any event, I started a conversation with him.
It was July 27th, Victory day in the DPRK. The big day of celebration of victory they claim in the war with the japanese. This is why most of us chose this tour, to experience Victory day and the mass dancing that comes with it.
Unfortunately there was rain in forecast. Not long after we left the hotel, it begun to pour. We were not sure if there would be any mass dancing because of the rain. There was no word whether the dance would take place. Most of us were disappointed and wish for the rain to subside.
A change in itinerary took us to the subway. It was time to see the famous pyongyang metro system. A deep underground system that attracts many tourist. one of the deepest in the world. We stood on escalators for what seemed like forever, I would estimate over 7 minutes. It just kept going down and down.
We rode the subway to 5 stations then head to see the arch of triumph.
Built to commemorate the korean resistance to Japan from 1925 to 1945. The Arch of Triumph is another famous tourist attraction site and an iconic image of North Korea. It is possible to climb to the top . i will net you 2 euro but it rained that day so the view we saw at best very dismal.
War Museum
Next stop was the famous war museum. It one of the proudest places I would say North Korean like to show to tourist. A huge elaborate building so big it is claimed might need more than a few hours to fully explore it. Our guide walked us through the museum (not our YPT guide but a museum guide.) and who turns down a selfie with a cute North korean guide. I wouldn't I did not (what is Amanda thinking? seems deep in thought)
The tour consisted primarily of captured US artillery from the korean war. Our guide walked us through each piece of equipment and then escorted us to the most cherish "prize" by the North korean: the captured US ship. They claim it was sue as a spy ship. Lets check out the land and air machines before we visit the Pueblo ship.
The US pueblo was captured by the North Koreans on Jan 1968 with 83 man crew. 1 died during the capture. North Korea asserts the ship was a spy ship. The ship along with the crew was held for 11 months. As tension escalated back and forth between Pyongyang and washington the fate of the crew man was uncertain.
The North Koreans wanted two things, 1. admit that they were spying and 2. provide a written letter of apology from the president himself. According to the the North Korean guide, the crew men wrote the letters of apology but it took longer to get the apology letter from Washington. Be it known, I am not a historian on this issue and just simply reporting how the tour went four us. What we saw, and were told.
The crew was released once the letter of apology was received from the U.S. The deceased soldier's body was also sent back. On the ship, we walked around to get a tour of the ship then was showed a video. A 13 minute video clip of the entire episode involving the U.S. Pueblo.
We were able to see the remains of the clothes, shoes, books, supplies of the crew still preserved on the ship. It felt like I was walking in their shoes. The ship tour takes you back in time. We were in the sleeping quarters, the captain's cabin, the kitchen where their cooked, bathrooms and even control rooms.
The North koreans praised the capture of the ship as their strong will and force against the U.S. and not a minute went by without their reinforcing that idea to us.
We went inside the actual museum where no photos were allowed. I cannot find words to describe the museum. it is big, it has lots of war like recreated scenes, like a movie set. One scene detailed the korean war and it was strange feeling the way the dead bodies were made to look real.
We were showed another video this time about "who started the korean war? and you can easily guess who they told us started the korean war according to this video clip? geez yea I'm so surprise...
One of the highlights of the museum was a revolving theater which creates a 3D graphic scenes of the war. It revolves (360 degrees) taking you through different scenes of the war with animation that tries to mimic the real event. A lot of money was spent building that museum. In the DPRK such things are very important, places, monuments here the people can go to celebrate the past.
The tour came to an end and we made a quick stop a the book store inside the museum, then headed to the restaurant for lunch.
Lunch was good as always but the entertainment at this restaurant would be the best so far. It is usual to have singing after each meal, I am not sure if that is only done for the tourist or whether it is done as an extra from the respective restaurants, so even to the locals they would do it too. The point remains you eat, get filled and then rela to good music and dancing.
Whats interesting about it is after three days, you begin to know both the tune and the words to the songs. Not long after you catch yourself singing along and even singing while in the hotel away from the restaurant. On a given day you hear these same 4 song so many times, not just at the restaurant but sometimes on the loud public speakers or just everywhere you go. so it does not take long to find yourself singing korean songs.
Yes I do "know" 3 korean songs 1. Arirang 2. pangapsumnida and 3. Mount Paektu. Some of songs (pangapsumnida means welcome nice to meet you) are recorded by me in the restaurant but the acoustics are terrible so I thought I would upload cleaner clearer version of these songs.
I know these songs because they were taught to us by our great korean guides on the long bus rides we had going certain places to pass time. Mount Paektu song is the first we learn and sang most often but arirang is my favorite.
1. Arirang
2. Pangapsumnida
3. Mount Paektu
So yes you hear these songs many times a day for 7 days, in addition to singing it on the bus it sticks in your head. I find myself constantly singing The last one, we were going to Mount Paektu.
Shooting Range
Next stop was the shooting range. for 1 USD per bullet you get to fire some shots. I was cheapo paid for only 7 bullets. And yes guess right I missed my target on all 7. Its ok guns are are not my thing.
We were not allowed on our own to enter any local store and shop around since they accept only North Korean money and we had none and hardly most places will not exchange it to tourists with few exceptions.
This particular store was where they would exchange foreign cash to North Korean currency and we were allowed to shop but could not take pictures inside the department store. I have to say anywhere where we were told we could not take pictures just happen to be the best places I would have love to show.
It was a decent size store with groceries on the first floor, food court on the third and a few other things on the second floor but by no means as much options comparable to a Wal-Mart or Target but it had just about everything one needed. I never get excited to shop, I don't shop but this had me very excited.
We were told to change only 5 foreign money into local money. Whether it was USD or Euro. I changed 5 euro and in exchange for 5 euro I got about 55, 000 korean won. I spent the first 5 minutes just admiring it, it was like a souvenir to me, not everyday do you get to see North Korean money or even in one's lifetime.
5 euro can buy you a lot in a local department store in Pyongyang. I enjoyed this moment because I felt so rich with the equivalent of 5 euro, 55, 000 won. I bought so many items and still had 6000 korean left. If the item is imported, well it will quite expensive but if it is local it will cost you next to nothing. This is what I bought with 5 euro
Not showing are the many more bottles of water, juices, ice cream and more chocolate in the fridge.
Soon we were on our way to grab dinner and then head to the hotel when word finally came that a spontaneous mass dance was happening near by. What we've been hoping for all Day and looking forward to all week would finally happen. It's hard to always know what's going in North korea with no social media you just have to sit still and see what happens.
So when we got word of this dance we wasted no time to go. It was not going to be the massive dance we were expecting but at least we would get to see something. Here's a snapshot
Then it was time for dinner, as always it never disappoints. After dinner you guessed it, comes the singing.
The end of Day 3. So much happened today, a bank of memories to last a lifetime. Again I'm tired but sleep is overrated while on vacation, off to the basement for karaoke.
Day 3 started much the the previous ones. After shower, I went to get breakfast . after breakfast, I was waiting in the hotel lobby for the team to gather. I managed to catch a photo with one of the hotel doormen. A pleasant man who always smiled and said hi to me as if begging for a conversation or maybe just being nice a shis job demands. In any event, I started a conversation with him.
Unfortunately there was rain in forecast. Not long after we left the hotel, it begun to pour. We were not sure if there would be any mass dancing because of the rain. There was no word whether the dance would take place. Most of us were disappointed and wish for the rain to subside.
The train station is elaborately decorated with what appears to be chandeliers like lighting in the ceiling. The station lines itself is simple. There were just two train lines. At the station we were at two old trains waited to take off. The two subway line is has 20 stops combined i believe. While we waited a newer train arrived, so I was wrong to think the trains were mostly old trains with no AC, there are new trains with AC as well.
Built to commemorate the korean resistance to Japan from 1925 to 1945. The Arch of Triumph is another famous tourist attraction site and an iconic image of North Korea. It is possible to climb to the top . i will net you 2 euro but it rained that day so the view we saw at best very dismal.
Next stop was the famous war museum. It one of the proudest places I would say North Korean like to show to tourist. A huge elaborate building so big it is claimed might need more than a few hours to fully explore it. Our guide walked us through the museum (not our YPT guide but a museum guide.) and who turns down a selfie with a cute North korean guide. I wouldn't I did not (what is Amanda thinking? seems deep in thought)
The North Koreans wanted two things, 1. admit that they were spying and 2. provide a written letter of apology from the president himself. According to the the North Korean guide, the crew men wrote the letters of apology but it took longer to get the apology letter from Washington. Be it known, I am not a historian on this issue and just simply reporting how the tour went four us. What we saw, and were told.
The crew was released once the letter of apology was received from the U.S. The deceased soldier's body was also sent back. On the ship, we walked around to get a tour of the ship then was showed a video. A 13 minute video clip of the entire episode involving the U.S. Pueblo. We were able to see the remains of the clothes, shoes, books, supplies of the crew still preserved on the ship. It felt like I was walking in their shoes. The ship tour takes you back in time. We were in the sleeping quarters, the captain's cabin, the kitchen where their cooked, bathrooms and even control rooms.
The North koreans praised the capture of the ship as their strong will and force against the U.S. and not a minute went by without their reinforcing that idea to us.
We went inside the actual museum where no photos were allowed. I cannot find words to describe the museum. it is big, it has lots of war like recreated scenes, like a movie set. One scene detailed the korean war and it was strange feeling the way the dead bodies were made to look real.
We were showed another video this time about "who started the korean war? and you can easily guess who they told us started the korean war according to this video clip? geez yea I'm so surprise...
One of the highlights of the museum was a revolving theater which creates a 3D graphic scenes of the war. It revolves (360 degrees) taking you through different scenes of the war with animation that tries to mimic the real event. A lot of money was spent building that museum. In the DPRK such things are very important, places, monuments here the people can go to celebrate the past.
The tour came to an end and we made a quick stop a the book store inside the museum, then headed to the restaurant for lunch.
Whats interesting about it is after three days, you begin to know both the tune and the words to the songs. Not long after you catch yourself singing along and even singing while in the hotel away from the restaurant. On a given day you hear these same 4 song so many times, not just at the restaurant but sometimes on the loud public speakers or just everywhere you go. so it does not take long to find yourself singing korean songs.
Yes I do "know" 3 korean songs 1. Arirang 2. pangapsumnida and 3. Mount Paektu. Some of songs (pangapsumnida means welcome nice to meet you) are recorded by me in the restaurant but the acoustics are terrible so I thought I would upload cleaner clearer version of these songs.
I know these songs because they were taught to us by our great korean guides on the long bus rides we had going certain places to pass time. Mount Paektu song is the first we learn and sang most often but arirang is my favorite.
1. Arirang
2. Pangapsumnida
 |
| Traditional Korean dress |
Next stop was the shooting range. for 1 USD per bullet you get to fire some shots. I was cheapo paid for only 7 bullets. And yes guess right I missed my target on all 7. Its ok guns are are not my thing.
After the shooting range we went to the the local department store. A much awaited event. Finally we can shop around in a local North korean store and not the typical tourist ones we have been to. The tourist stores charges or accepts USD, euro or chinese money but it is not where as cheap as the local store.
We were not allowed on our own to enter any local store and shop around since they accept only North Korean money and we had none and hardly most places will not exchange it to tourists with few exceptions.
This particular store was where they would exchange foreign cash to North Korean currency and we were allowed to shop but could not take pictures inside the department store. I have to say anywhere where we were told we could not take pictures just happen to be the best places I would have love to show.
It was a decent size store with groceries on the first floor, food court on the third and a few other things on the second floor but by no means as much options comparable to a Wal-Mart or Target but it had just about everything one needed. I never get excited to shop, I don't shop but this had me very excited.
We were told to change only 5 foreign money into local money. Whether it was USD or Euro. I changed 5 euro and in exchange for 5 euro I got about 55, 000 korean won. I spent the first 5 minutes just admiring it, it was like a souvenir to me, not everyday do you get to see North Korean money or even in one's lifetime.
5 euro can buy you a lot in a local department store in Pyongyang. I enjoyed this moment because I felt so rich with the equivalent of 5 euro, 55, 000 won. I bought so many items and still had 6000 korean left. If the item is imported, well it will quite expensive but if it is local it will cost you next to nothing. This is what I bought with 5 euro
Soon we were on our way to grab dinner and then head to the hotel when word finally came that a spontaneous mass dance was happening near by. What we've been hoping for all Day and looking forward to all week would finally happen. It's hard to always know what's going in North korea with no social media you just have to sit still and see what happens.
So when we got word of this dance we wasted no time to go. It was not going to be the massive dance we were expecting but at least we would get to see something. Here's a snapshot
No comments:
Post a Comment