Day 6: Mausoleum, Palace of the Sun, New Street tour, a wedding, amusement water park

Mausoleum
The last day would prove to be very different. Well we had to be dressed up. I had no formal clothes, A friend borrowed me a shirt (Thanks Otto). It was the day we would be going to visit the Mausoleum where the two great leaders lie in state. 

Yes the actual bodies of President Kim IL Sung and General Kim Jong IL, mummified bodies lay in state in a sealed glass coffin where Koreans go to pay their respects.  

No surprise they would not allow us to carry our cameras. It's a long process to get inside the palace where the leaders are. There are lots of security checks, spinning mats wiping our shoes, air blowing machines I suppose to clean us. There are lots of stairs and escalators. It's advisable no arms crossing, no funny poses, erratic laughs, an occasion to take very serious as there are countless guards at every turn watching your every move. 

We finally made it to the inside and I was astonished to see Kim IL Sung  body in front of me, then  kim Jong IL was a floor below. 


We surveyed the place and saw more of the awards given to the two men. Degrees, diploma and plaques lines the many rooms. 

After we were back outside, toured the gardens and then the Palace of the Sun. Picture seen below. Then tours outside the mausoleum a bit after going to the Kumsusan palace of the sun for a group photo.  

Traffic Lady

Finally I got the much sought after photo of a traffic lady. Traffic ladies are as korean as it gets. they have to be single, beautiful and can only work up to 25 years old. It is an amazing spectacle to see the display they put on but hard to capture on camera. It is said they are all personally chosen by Kim Jong Un  input.

Next we went to a very modern Part of pyongyang, call New street. I really enjoyed this part of the tour. It was a time to be outside walking the streets and be free to explore like I like to do when travelling, to see the locals close up. We moved in a group, there's never a point when you can wander away from the group. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it.

We made a stop at another Stamp shop then had lunch in a nearby hotel. 

Propaganda Stamps, Postcards and Posters are attraction for most tourist

One member of the group got an original ever first issues stamp by the DPRK for $80 eur

Moran hill and invading a wedding

The next stop was a walk up to Moran hill to catch a view of the city from on top. On the way we saw a wedding and asked to take pictures with the couple. They said yes.

And another traffic lady

Water Park

Last stop was a water park. This is a very popular place in Pyongyang. I have seen this place on many youtube videos before. It is big and pretty decent. I forgot my gopro and hence many videos  that I could produce. I did do some of the slides and spent the rest of the day swimming, sleeping, in the gym, sauna,  and more swimming.

We were heading back to the hotel to eat. It was our last night in the DPRK. On the bus one of our korean guides decided to sing us a good bye song, it actually made my eyes watery. The fact that I met these good people and will never see them again. Tomorrow our lives go separate ways and that would be it. Only the memory remains.

After dinner we met at the revolving roof top restaurant at the hotel to enjoy ourselves, one last time to see our korean guides and even to be together as the Victory day  YPT tour group 2017. Later, some people entertained themselves with bowling, karaoke and good conversation

Good Night. Tomorrow we must part ways. Off to China