North Korea - Part 3

Poyhon Buddhist Temple

We headed two hours northeast of Pyongyang to Mt. Myohyang located in the idyllic mountain areas that remain virtually untouched. North Korea easily could be a nature lover's paradise with infinite possibilities for hiking, skiing, climbing, etc. Perhaps in the future this could be a lucrative venture that would help build a stable and growing economy (of a new government, no less).

The hotel was freezing yet again, but only in the public areas. The rooms were toasty warm and the hot water was turned on in anticipation of our arrival (though only for one hour that night and one hour in the morning). The shower was in a raised bathtub that one must be pretty limber to get up into and was quite impossible to stand up straight in. There was a handheld shower nozzle because one must sit down in the bath, being careful to prevent water from soaking the tile floor below since there was no shower curtain. Dinner was satisfying as we sat close to the heaters, drinking our way into the evening and chatting about what had been seen so far and what was to come. It was a most delightful evening since there was nothing else to do and no other guests in the hotel. 

Common man must suffer

The next morning started with a trip to the International Friendship Exhibition - a massive subterranean complex that stores and displays all the [crap] gifts that the Kims have received from foreign diplomats, governments, and ordinary citizens. There are several things to bear in mind here: first, most North Koreans never see this place; second, it was built in 1978 by Kim Il Sung for his [crap] stuff to be shown to his [people] - not sure exactly who - except maybe suckers like us; third, once again, it was floor to ceiling marble in most of the areas, with a calming mint paint throughout the vast 20 ft. high corridors.

As we entered each room (we only went to a handful apparently) the power would come on; after 3-5 minutes in the room, the power went right back off as we exited; this applied to corridors as well. The gifts were from everywhere, but the kicker is that there was nothing special about any of them - they're basically gifts similar to Obama's iPod Mini he gave the Queen of England, or the Bowl of Hops given to the U.S. by the Irish Prime Minister. It's just crap that is formal in nature, but in reality, no thought goes into it. In the west, this stuff just gets stored in archives and is almost never displayed. Yet here, they flaunt it as to say, "Look at how much the world loves Dear Leaders!" I understand being naive or ignorant, but this takes it to a whole new level. 

Poyhon Buddhist Temple

After a pleasant stroll through the Friendship Exhibition, we headed to the Pohyon Buddhist Temple, which was destroyed during Korean War but later rebuilt. Korean buddhist monks still reside here and overall it was quite a lovely setting. The most interesting attraction was the archive that contains some really "old" documents that are "the best" preserved in the world. Our guides told us that other countries actually look to North Korea - this archive in particular - for its "revolutionary technique" for preserving old documents so wonderfully. Call me crazy, but I find it difficult to properly maintain a low-oxygen pressurized sensitive room with equipment that (a) pre-dates the 80's with (b) an unstable and unreliable power supply. 

"Our technology is the Mightiest
 in…the…UNIVERSE!!"

We were heading back to Pyongyang when we got the news - the third nuclear test was a success. The guides informed us that the state-run media had just announced the triumphant victory of the DPRK's scientific and technological advancement. Of course this ignited quite the dialogue between us and the guides, especially with the undercover Belgian journalist and former UN operations coordinator from Australia; both were engaging one of the guides on how North Korean people justify the nuclear program. Being from the gentile south, I was OBLIGED to offer (Vivien Leigh voice, please)…"My sincere congratulations" to the guides for this wonderful accomplishment and subsequent harsher sanctions and life to come as a result. They were not amused at all.

"Blah Blah NUCLEAR ANNIHILATION!
blah blah blah
AMERICAN IMPERIALIST, BOOM!!!"

Back at our hotel in Pyongyang, the biggest news on the BBC was of course - Pope Benedict XVI was resigning. I was elated. 

Our final day rounded out the city with a few last ditch efforts to show us outsiders how great North Korea really is. We first went to the Railway Museum, which is not what is sounds like. Walking inside and the first thing you see is a huge floor to ceiling marble hall (coincidence?) with a 70 ft, wide by 20 ft. tall mural of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at the opening of a Railway station. HOLY COW, BATMAN!!! The museum is not about railways, but about Kim Il Sung's involvement with them, from his many railway trips to the importance of how he used them to [single handedly] defeat the Japanese occupiers. The train cars displayed included the one Kim Il Sung rode to China in and the one that his mother died in. It is truly a MUST see. 

Following that, we went to what can best be described as the Industrial Museum, which was a warehouse with a few models displaying different (obsolete) technologies, mineral mines, etc. There were of course no pictures or videos of how these worked or contributed to North Korea, rather, there were pictures of …guess who…. looking at these machines admiring their [efficiency]. 

Outside the People's Study House

Next came The People's Study House, the main library in Pyongyang. Freezing cold and floor to ceiling marble. It has some 11 million volumes (so it claims, but at least they admit that it doesn't mean 11 million 'different' volumes). The head librarian was actually a pretty cool guy who travels around the world for his work and knows quite a lot about libraries; surprisingly, we found out he is quite respected in his field throughout the international community. Who knew! 

We visited a classroom during an English lesson - it was alright, and amusing when the drunk Irish guy from our group got up on the podium and started talking to the students. Following that we were shown the computer lab where people can actually access the internet - the internet here is only one page: that of the library. But it's THE internet, and the people think this is what all they hype around the world is about. 

The Magnificent Kim Jong Il

We visited the Mandusae Art Studio, where only the BEST artists are allowed to work and produce masterpieces honoring the Kims. Interestingly I noticed that there were armed guards in the corridors whose job I was told was to protect people from entering the areas where artists are working on incomplete portraits, images, etc of the Kims; and people say the US has an obsession with assault rifles… 

Kim Il Sung Square

We were able to walk down one of the main streets for several blocks so we could get a closer look at the locals and visit the foreign language bookshop. We stopped in Kim Il Sung square to take pictures. There I noticed all the markings on the ground where people stand and hold signs, flowers or whatever during the many "We Love Kims" parades and rallies as seen in the west on TV (you know, showing their missile trucks, troops, etc.) Foreigners are not allowed to go into regular stores, but the UN guy attempted to do this anyway; the guides flipped out. For once it was not me who was causing trouble - I am sure many of you don't believe that. 

Afterwards we headed to the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery on a high hill overlooking the city. It contains hundreds of bronze busts of the many heroes who died fighting the Japanese occupiers, including (at the center, top) Kim Il Sung's wife, and a bunch of other very important people. This was probably the only thing in North Korea that westerners could agree on - resisting the ruthlessness of the Japanese in the early 20th century.

Kim Il Sung birth house

Kim Il Sung's birthplace and childhood home was a dingy little hut. We couldn't go in because it was closed so instead we walked around the park and saw some murals depicting major events during his childhood. One shows him sitting on hilltop overlooking the Taedong River and the city of Pyongyang, day-dreaming of a Korea free from the Japanese occupiers; another depicts him leaving his home to go to China.

Our last stop was the Golden Lane Bowling Center, one of the only places where "fun" is allowed. People come here on dates and bowl. There were some pretty obsolete arcade games on the second floor, and the place was ever freezing still. To the right of the entrance was a memorial to Kim Il Sung adorned with flowers and all the bells and whistles. In the center was a blown up picture of … you guessed it….. Kim Il Sung visiting the bowling alley (a few weeks/months before he died).

When we returned to the hotel, all I could manage to do was take a warm shower and go to sleep. Sadly the other American and I would be flying back to Beijing the next morning while the non-Americans would board an overnight train to China; Americans are only allowed to enter and exit North Korea by air. 

Kim Il Sung visit the bowling alley