My Trip to the DMZ

Ask almost any tourist/foreigner/visiter to Korea and they will name the DMZ as one of the must-see things to do.  Tell any Korean that you are going to the DMZ and they will give you a blank stare.  "The what?"  they will ask. Once you explain what it is (they do know what it is of course; they just don't call it the DMZ) they will ask you why you would ever want to go there.  It's baffling to many people why someone would want do that, but I find it fascinating. 

We started our tour at ImjinGak where you can easily look at the start of North Korea and walk a little bit on the "Freedom Bridge." 

Here I am with the Freedom Bridge and North Korea in the background.  

 

Many people buy ribbons to show their support of peace between N. & S. Korea

South Korean kimchi pots in the foreground and North Korea in the background.  

After lunch we went to the 3rd Tunnel.   The third tunnel was discovered in 1978 by a North Korean defector.  There have been 4 tunnels found, the last one discovered in 1990.  It is thought that there could be as many as 20 tunnels still to be discovered.  

You can't take pictures inside the tunnel so I can't show that to you.  I can show you a cheesy tourist picture though.

After the 3rd Tunnel we went to the Dora Observatory.  This is where you actually get to look in telescopes and see a North Korean city, and by that I mean a fake city.  There's a line you have to take pictures behind so it's rather difficult to get a good picture.  I managed.  Yay super zoom.  

 Thou shall not cross [with camera]! 

The tallest flagpole in the world!  

 North Korea ---> 

 

Lastly, we went to the Dorasan train station.  Although it's not in service right now, South Korea hopes that one day the train will go into Peongyang and reunite the two sides of the country.  The station is so eerie because it looks like any other train station in Korea.  You buy a ticket, there is an electronic time table and there is a seat with a waiting area.  I have been to stations at the end of the line but this one is different.  It feels different.  It feels sad and hopeful and strange.  

 

Train is coming.  

The military guy is telling me to move back.  

I do.  

Then I get on the train to NoKo.

Just kidding.  

You can ride this train but you have to get special permission and it just goes back to Paju (SoKo)

Maybe one day... 

Until then, this station will sit still and wait.