After eating breakfast in the revolving restaurant on the 47th floor of our hotel in Pyongyang, we travelled the 175 kilometres (110 miles) down Reunification Highway to visit the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) and the border with South Korea. The journey took about 3 hours, including a brief stop at a small service area selling souvenirs.
At the DMZ we were given a guided tour of the border area by the North Korean military, before visiting the building in Panmunjom where the 1953 Armistice Agreement was signed.
We had lunch in a restaurant in the DMZ itself, where our waitresses were female military personnel. Outside there were North Korean soldiers of both genders who offered to sketch our portraits. I took them up on their offer and asked one of the artists to draw me with our guide Song.
We then visited the Koryo Museum housing old Korean relics, before beginning our second trip to the border, which was a stop at a military post overlooking the so-called Concrete Wall. This could be seen several kilometres away by looking through binoculars. Our guide was an amiable high-ranking military officer who explained the history of the wall before singing to us during the bus ride to the nearby city of Kaesong.
After arriving at Kaesong, we were taken to see the huge statue of Kim Il-sung, before checking into our hotel, where a number of us opted to try the local delicacy, dog soup.
We finished the day with a very palatable North Korean beer, before turning in to prepare for the next day's agenda of the military parade in Pyongyang, followed by a visit to the Mass Games.
Our waitress in the revolving restaurant
Early morning entertainment
Even William & Kate make the news in the DPRK
The 110-mile Reunification Highway linking Pyongyang with Kaesong
Parking at the service station
Souvenir sellers with their wares
Pins are among the items on sale
The 38th parallel with the border between North and South Korea running through the middle of the huts.
Tourists at the border with our military guide
The room in Panmunjom where the Armistice was signed in 1953
One table displays the original United Nations document
The other the document of the DPRK
Lunch in the DMZ
Our four waitresses
John showing off his photography skills to the ladies
A female soldier sketching one of the tourists in the DMZ
A male soldier drawing Song and me
Posing as a model with Song
Robert enjoying a joke with our DMZ guide
One of the many posters on sale in the gift shop
Any excuse to get close to the ladies....
Robert in front of the the border with South Korea near the Concrete Wall
A high-ranking official told us the history of the Concrete Wall
A view of Kaesong
The statue of Kim Il-sung from a distance
A group of local citizens paying their respects
Nick looking out on to the city
Our hotel in Kaesong
The large mural depicting Kim Il-sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-il in the hotel reception area
Robert in playful mode in our hotel room
The local delicacy, dog soup
After dinner entertainment at the hotel bar
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