Our fourth day in the DPRK was practically the only time that it poured with rain.
Our first visit was to the Mansudae Grand monument, originally a 65 foot (20 metre) high bronze statue of the Great Leader Kim Il-sung unveiled on his 60th birthday in 1972. A second statue of Kim Jong-il was added in 2012 shortly after his death to commemorate Kim Il-sung's 100th birthday. It remains a tradition that visitors lay flowers and bow as a mark of respect. The statues are flanked by two monuments entitled 'Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Struggle' and 'Socialist Revolution and Socialist Construction', each of which is 165 feet (50 metres) in length.
Next on our itinerary was the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery, a memorial to the North Korean soldiers of the Homeland Liberation War. It is home to several hundred graves and interment is not limited to those whose deaths occurred during the war itself.
We then headed to the large Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia Flower Exhibition Hall to see an enormous display of two kinds of flowers dedicated to the Great and Dear Leaders. Over the course of the next 30 minutes we watched as civilians posed for family photos in front of flower assortments incorporating portraits, as well as images of soldiers, tanks, rockets and nuclear missiles.
Our final stop before reaching our hotel in Nampo was Chonsamri cooperative farm, where we were grateful to take refuge from the rain in a private house.
Plastic flowers on sale near the Mansudae Grand Monument
Flowers at the base of the 20-metre high statue
The 65-foot tall statues themselves
The Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Struggle monument
The Socialist Revolution and Socialist Construction monument situated directly opposite
A view of Pyongyang from the large square in front of the statues
Billboards on Sungri Street close to the statues
The Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery
The entrance of the Flower Exhibition Hall
Posing for a family portrait
Many of the ladies were wearing traditional dresses
Kimjongilia (left) and Kimilsungia (right) flowers
The exhibition was a further celebration of the Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War
The Dear Leader pictured with the flowers created and named in his honour
Robert was especially fascinated by the juxtaposition of flowers and nuclear missiles
Felicia with one of the local children visiting the exhibition
A selection of the shoes on sale in one of the shops we visited after lunch
Kim Il-sung statue at Chonsamri cooperative farm to commemorate the Great Leader's 85 visits
Inside a private house at the cooperative
Inside a private house at the cooperative
Inside a private house at the cooperative
Inside a private house at the cooperative
The reception area of our hotel in Nampo
Robert relaxing after our arrival
as he prepares to indulge in some light reading
Excerpts from a wall display in the hotel lobby
Excerpts from a wall display in the hotel lobby
Excerpts from a wall display in the hotel lobby
Our beds in the hotel room were the hardest I've ever slept on
All rooms in the hotel were equipped with a hot spa
Scenes from the calendar hanging on our wall
Scenes from the calendar hanging on our wall
Scenes from the calendar hanging on our wall
Scenes from the calendar hanging on our wall
Scenes from the calendar hanging on our wall
Scenes from the calendar hanging on our wall
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