An early start for me today. When I booked my ticket to the DMZ (De-militarised Zone/North Korean border) I chose the Viator package for its hotel pickup. But I'm not really staying at a hotel, apparently...my guesthouse doesn't qualify as a hotel.
I love how they even make the militant look cute
Anyhow, after much back and forward with the company it was agreed that I would meet the bus at Meongdong Station Exit 9 at 6.10am. As an act of kindness, they offered to pay for my taxi from the hotel to the meeting point (about 22 mins away) but damn if I could work out how to order a taxi here. Since I'm such a boss at public transport here, bus it was.
My original hotel pickup time was 7.30am but apparently the whole of Korea has booked a DMZ tour on this particular Tuesday and there are only so many tickets available each day. So they pushed up the pickup time so we could race all the other tour buses in order secure tickets for us.
Our tour bus
I was getting strong North Korea vibes already. I swear we spent most of time on our North Korea tour racing around only to have to wait. For those of you who don't know me well, in 2018 I took a 10 day tour to North Korea. It was amazing, but alas that is a story for another time!
A throw-back pic from North Korea (September 2018)
Our tour guide for the day was a delightful lady by the name of Dora. Her flag that she held up to distinguish herself from other tour guides was a picture of Dora the explorer. I think she rather looked the part as well.
Dora the Explorer
First stop was the peace pavilion and ticket booth. A far cry different from the North Korean side. Sooo many tourists. It is very touristic and commercial with pagoda rides across the DMZ and even a theme park on site. We were told not to take any photos across the border. Oops, I'd taken one before she'd said that. Funny thing is, we could take all the photos we wanted from the North Korea side.
Oops photo of the DMZ
I am not the biggest fan of organised tours, but sometimes requirement necessitates it. I'm definitely more of an intrepid sort. However, I do enjoy the stories and history that the guides share along the way. It was very interesting to hear how the South Koreans view the North. There is definitely no love lost for Kim Jung Un and his predecessors, something that the average North Korean I met would in no way understand.
Our North Korea tour group at the DMZ with guard
Due to the limited life of the metal used to make the barbed wire along the DMZ, they are currently in the process of replacing it all. You can buy limited edition barbed wire in a boxed set. That's capitalism for you, right?
Due to travel pack limitations, my souvenir was DMZ chocolate I could enjoy here
My tour included a visit to the 'third tunnel'. Apparently the North Koreans have dug several deep tunnels with the intention of launching a surprise attack on the South. So far they have found four of them. I wonder how many more lie undiscovered.
When we arrived there, we all shuffled into a little theatre where we were shown a rather dynamic and dramatic film about how we are moving towards unification through military might, eco-tourism and turning the DMZ into a beautiful nature preserve. I honestly thought I was watching a propaganda film from the Hunger Games movies. Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever...dystopia, much?
No pics in the theatre but this is a map of the third tunnel
This whole DMZ business is a tour company's Disneyland. When you actually think about what reunification might look like, how does a population of 50 million souls in one of the most advanced societies on the planet absorb 24 million of its fellow citizens that know nothing about living in the modern, democratic world.
Some locals in North Korea
Not to mention that the people that I did meet in North Korea genuinely love their leader. Not in fear, nor obligation but a genuine, heartfelt love for their Dear Leader. A bit like the Trump Supporters in the current USA. It doesn't matter what the leader does, what lies they may tell, they cannot do any wrong. An interesting juxtoposition.
A reunification bell - I wonder if it will ever be rung
Aside from ideology, I wonder how people who have now been separated 76 years feel about their lost family and kinsmen. There would be few people alive who were born when the war actually began. Not to mention the fact that directly preceding this, Korea had been occupied by Japan for 35 years. A truly singular Korean identity has not existed for generations now.
Just in case - what to do should the war start
The saddest part is that this story still continues today. The Koreas remain separated by ideologies that seem impossible to blend. I guess much like East and West Berlin back prior to 1989. Vladimir Putin doesn't seem the type to allow any part of what he considers the former communist bloc retreat any further than it has. Besides that, the North and South Koreas are still technically at war.
North Korea from the Tour Bus
South Korea from the Tour Bus
I managed to lose my boss title with regards to public transport on my way back to my guesthouse. We were dropped off at Seoul City Hall. I made my way to the metro station, hopped on a train and then discovered I was going completely in the wrong direction. No worries, I hopped off and using my google maps discovered I could now take a bus from where I was. However, the bus I jumped on went in the right direction but then veered off my homeward bound track so I had to jump off again and find another bus. Anyway, I did manage to find my way home. Footsore and quite tired, it was time for a rest.
Next stop on my tour of Asia is Brunei Darussalam, on the island of Borneo. I'm looking forward to visiting this mysterious country.
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