Modern Tramp in Stilettos: ~ like meeting the North

Friday, February 17, 2012

~ like meeting the North

hmm.. I was really tired from yesterday's long dayyy.. Yet I was really excited about this! I wonder why? I am really curious with the northern part of Korea. Dangerously exciting in my taste! eh? Also, there was a dress code: no ripped jeans, no exercise clothes, no sleeveless shirts, no miniskirts, no casual sandals, no sandals without heel straps or slippers. Good thing it was winter we need not to worry about the dress code!

Early we go again to catch the early subway ride to avoid rush hour plus we need to grab something for breakfast. It's freezing in Seoul! We headed to Myeongdong to grab something to eat and found only McDonalds open at that time.

After grabbing something to eat we went up to the set meeting place indicated in the itinerary but first we needed to get our tickets and other details in PTC office (http://www.panmunjomtour.com/) located in Lotte Hotel, 6th Floor with our passports. It was also in the hotel's lobby where we waited for the tour bus. As I remembered, Joanne unni and I were really excited and couldn't stop checking the time and guessing who were the people joining us in the trip. We even thought if there would be young, hot oppadeul who'll be joining! And then we kept teasing each other.

It was just about time when we boarded the bus with few of those who are early waiting there. The two of us were seated almost together with the Japanese tourists and I think the Japanese tour guide thought at first that we belong to their group. The tour set up was like this, Japanese tourists have a separate tour guide and us English speaking tourists were in a separate group too but we are in the same bus. Imagine how the tour guides do their work; one explaining in Nihonggo and the other in English. Our tour guide was really nice and she really knows what she's talking about. Very accommodating and friendly I must say. She do keep us in check, always reminding us the dos and don'ts and because of that we really felt how dangerous it could be for us, especially the moment where we were asked to sign a waiver.

First stop was at the Unification Observatory at Odu.

More story telling on history. This helped me more to understand where is which and where the events took place since I'm not good with maps and locations this illustration of the North and South really made it clear.

Above was an example of a school classroom in the North. It was told that it was still the same at present.

We were lucky to have met a N. Korean defector. Her life story for me was really sad, yet it was something I admired her for. She is really something to have gone through everything she had. It is a plus that she is really pretty! How did she do that??? *envy* I really wish her well! She told us that she is to meet her husband and little girl this year, hope she really does. She deserves to be happy. Everybody does! ^_^

This is how the inside of their houses look like. It is mandatory to keep those two photos of their leaders. I bet it'll be three by now.

view from the observatory

Next stop was at Imjingak Park

The Bridge of No Return

Notes and wishes from the loved ones in Seoul for those in the North

DeMilitarized Zone

The Bell of Peace

On our way to lunch.
Do we look like starving and tired? I think our eyes looked a bit puffy. Back from the observatory, they let us watch a short documentary and it was really heartbreaking.. It stirred our emotions quite a lot. Yes it was sad and touching. I felt the pity and the want to sympathize but I feel more aggravated from what I saw. I know things could be unfair at times but after seeing that.. It hurts to know more and not do anything because of the fact you can't really do anything about it. I thought some things were really made broken for us to fix it and learn from it, I just wish the time to fix it and learn from it will be soon. It is really not fair to suffer without a cause and to die for nothing.

♥Hearty lunch!!! BULGOGI♥

Second half of our tour is in Panmunjom. We waited for a few minutes in the bus before we'd gained access inside. Our tour guide said that we needed to wait for our military escort. If we are lucky, we will just be waiting for a bit and if not, like the other batch from the other day, we won't be able to do our second half of the tour. The main reason is for our safety and security. We didn't thought it is this serious not until this moment while we waited. Rules were strictly implemented and taking photos were prohibited in some areas. We went to the Freedom House, Conference Room and 3rd post observatory.