We were in Linjiang having just rode a boat along the border. A friend’s uncle had offered to take us out to dinner since he lives in the area. Our plan was to join him for dinner and then go on to Ji’an.
Travel
Stories of my travels around the world.
Linjiang: A Boat Ride Along the Border
The next stop on our tour along the Sino-Korean border was Linjiang. This is another city that lights up like Vegas at night. Only the Chinese built this one across from a small North Korean farming community.
Huanren: A night in a castle
Road Trip
After finishing our DPRK tour, we decided to go on a road trip along the border. We decided to go to Huanren, Linjiang, Ji’an and then come back to Dandong for a beer festival.
We had breakfast in Dandong and sorted ourselves out with a driver.
Dandong and the Chinese People’s War Museum
The train from Pyongyang took us back to Dandong. The first order of business was to find a hotel.
Settling In
We ended up staying at the last true Communist hotel in China. The staff ran it as a commune, with no one staff member being the manager.
Koryo Museum and the Road to Dandong
Before returning to Pyongyang we visited the Koryo Museum in Kaesong. This museum houses many relics from the Koryo period. At that time Kaesong was the capital of Korea (the whole peninsula).
Dog Soup
After leaving the DMZ our guides took us to Kaesong to have lunch. On our way their our guide explained how the culture of side dishes worked in the DPRK.
Panmunjom: Demilitarised Zone
On our second day in North Korea we travelled to Panmunjom, the heart of the Demilitarised Zone. This would be the second time that I’d been here, the last time being from the South.
Road to Panmunjom
We had to set off early to get to Panmunjom.
Kaeson Youth Park
In North Korea they have a saying: Pyongyang isn’t a city with many parks. It is a city inside a big park. So after a day of looking at monuments and statues we went to Kaeson Youth Park.
Kaeson Youth Park is a popular amusement park in Pyongyang.
Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum
The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum is a memoir of the Korean War. It houses various war relics, captured UN vehicles and the USS Pueblo. It is an impressive museum that unfortunately contains a fair amount local propaganda.
Grand People’s Study House
My favourite part of the our Pyongyang tour has to be the Grand People’s Study House. This impressive building houses a library of books, computer archives and music. It is open to all North Koreans for study, as the state encourages constant improvement throughout their lives.