Therefore, my co-worker Gomi and I decided to take a tour into North Korea. We found a tour company online and worked out the details. Not knowing what to expect. We had a incredible time.
The trip is the "Mt. Kumgang Tour" quoted to be "A Trip Your Heart Remembers"
This is located in the Southeast corner of North Korea above the town of Daejin in South Korea.
Started off from school with a Taxi ride to Sunae Station, took the Subway to Gangbyeon Station, then a bus from Dongseoul Terminal to Daejin. So...in about 6 hours we make it to our accommodation for the night....the Winter Sea Pension in Daejin. Nice place to spend the night on the shores of the East Sea, before heading into North Korea very early morning.
Morning came early. A driver picked us up and took us to the resting area where we would check in our mobile phones, pick up our North Korea special passports, and get onto the tour bus. They really restrict what you can bring into the country. Even battery chargers, hmmm.......
So.....here we go.....
A map of the Mt. Kumgang area we'll be touring around. Excited...mountainous looking with a seashore....
This is the second check point. Still in South Korea. They check out passports, our North Korean Tour Passports, luggage and we are assigned our tour bus.
We did get a nice view of the sunrise. Almost as far East as you can get, besides being in Japan.
The shoreline of the Sea of Japan (East side)
Ahh...there's the sun. It's going to be a beautiful day. Life is GOOD, eh!
Outside the check point. Donghae Highway Transit Office. We are almost ready to head out. Still not know what to expect.....
One of the buses and a photo of one of the hiking tours.....
Mt. Kumgang Tour, here we come!
Still waking up, feeling the need for a coffee. The badge around my neck is to be worn the hole time, even well sleeping.....just kidding. But seriously, they will fine you 1oo USD if you do not have it or lose it. Before leaving Bundang we made sure we brought USD. The preferred currency in North Korea.
It's on the rise....
I think Gomi looks a bit tired too! Must be all that English teaching......
The trail of buses headed North. Kinda looks like the western U.S., Colorado....perhaps.
Some Military barriers, still on South Korean soil...
more barriers.....
A S.Korean guard station.....getting closer!
Well, I am not supposed to take photo's until we get to our tour destination. So, these next shots are illegal. I'll see what I can capture......
The train tracks are over there by the cement barrier....
Blue skies....
North Korea's Flag......
OK, we just made it through the North Korean border crossing, no photos could be taken. Very different and systematic. We all have a number, lined up and followed through the check. They looked at our passports for awhile, a bit uneasy feeling, stern looks, checked out baggage again through the security similar to an airport, and we're in. Many military guards with guns littered around the area. Not sure of the building above, but it has the picture of.......
Kim Il-sung (15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the North Korean leader from its founding in early 1948 until his death, when he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-ila>. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death. He was also the General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea where he exercised autocratic power. As leader of North Korea, he ended up switching from a Marxist-Leninist ideology to his self-developed Juchea> idea and established a personality cult. North Korea officially refers to him as the "Great Leader" and he is designated in the constitution as the country's "Eternal President". His birthday and the day of his death are public holidays in North Korea.
Thought a bit of information from Wikipedia would be nice.....
Ahh.....Mountains.....beautiful bluebird day.....
Still sneaking in photos. A small village in the distance. You'll notice all the houses are the same and pretty run-down.
Military trucks ready to go, placed in a cement shelter. I even saw tanks placed on the hill sides.
Can't tell if they are just dump truck style or those boxes on the back of the trucks are filled with missiles...
Looks to be smooth granite boulder. Very similar to parts of Colorado and California. Check out the engraved writing on the rock. You'll notice this in many places. Unfortunately, or tour guide mainly speaks Korean, kinda a small mistake when booking the tour, so when I get time I will ask a friend to translate. I think it has something to do with Kim II-sung.
This is next to our hotel. It's the Okryukwan, a branch restaurant of one in Pyongyang, the capital of N.Korea.
View of some mountains and the tourist area. buses lined up and ready to go.....
Our accommodation...Hotel Oekumgang. Really nice place, except for the heat in the room, way too hot and no way to turn it down. Feeling bad about the N.Koreans across the way in there villages, probably with no heat.
Getting ready for the next part of the tour....the Hiking course of Kuryongyon waterfall...
Nice boulder with the map of Korea....North & South....
This says....Onjeonggak.....outside the restaurant and shopping touristy area.
The map of the hiking course. Doesn't look too hard. A few hours and some beautiful views, finished with a nice North Korean lunch. The white line is our course. Destination Kuryong Falls.....
Near the beginning and where we will eat lunch. Beautiful creekside restaurant called Mokrankwan. Serving North Korean traditional cuisine. Dishes include Naengmyeon (cold noodle), Bibimbap (steamed rice with assorted mixtures), fried mung-bean pancake, dumpling, and seasoned greens. Ahh...I am getting hungry writing this. Wait....a second, gotta snack!
Dried riverbed. With more water, looks like fun from a kayaker's perspective!
Calm pool of icy cold mountain water....
On the hiking trail...Gomi....the fashionable hiker....City style......
Past the fork in the valley, cross the bridge and on the way to the waterfall. Very Beautiful area.
Bridge Detail....
Shadow casts on the bridge...
Another kayak perspective....yes...I am daydreaming....for the kayakers viewing this.....looks like a mix of Colorado & California, North Korea must have many first descents waiting.
Another engraving.....
Must be gorgeous in the spring and fall! May have to come back again.....
Close-up! Looks like Chinese characters....
Writing and images.....
Distance marker.....getting closer to the waterfall....
small tunnel through the boulders.......
thoughts of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison from the black tarnish/streaks on the granite walls....although a much smaller scale than the painted wall area of the Black Canyon.....but very beautiful.......
Gomi taking a break...water bottle in hand! looking a little tired...
many hikers making the trek to the waterfall.....
With water, this would make for an incredible "boof"......
Side creek, looking up another drainage........
Nice waterfall along the way.....ice climbing anyone?
Very boulder choked.
Ahhh....at last....the Kuryong waterfall (9 Dragons Waterfall)...In talking with one of the guides....they say this is a very special respected place. 9 dragons live in the pool below the waterfall and 8 angels bathe themselves in the 8 pools above the falls.....another spectacular site to see. the falls are tea-cup style......pool-drop-pool-drop leading to this waterfall......
A beautiful pagoda......
One of the 9 dragons.....
This must have took awhile.....when, how....?
Very vibrant colors!!!
ahhhh........feeling GREAT!
Story of the waterfall, dragons, angels, etc.....
very blue sky above......
On the way back......
more writing on the wall......
View point.....so nice, relaxing, clean fresh air...nice to get out of the city.....
nice looking drop.....again kayaker mind......sorry.....but I can't help it!
one of the bridges.....interesting sign...DANGER, CAUTION!
Back through the boulder tunnel....watch your head.....
If only there was water.....
Some legend....?.....
Definitely hiked up an appetite.....delicious food for North Korea.....
A look back towards the restaurant and mountain valley....
trying to take a pic from the bus....yes...illegal...but, why not......
A map of the area....the upper right box is of the hike to the Kuryong Waterfall area, today's adventure and the bottom two boxes are of tomorrow's adventure, Samilpo Lake and the Haekumgang Seashore.
Kuryong Waterfall Tour area.....Our hotel is the tall building on the bottom right.
Bottom two.....Samilpo Lake and Haekumgang Seashore...awaits us. The upper right box is Manmulsang. Jagged Rock Cliff area.....We will skip this, not enough time... :(
A view from our Hotel room. The dome is the Cultural Center where we will watch the Acrobatic Show tonight. The Pyongyang Moranbong Acrobatic Troupe, world class performers will perform breathtaking stunts. This is sure to be exciting.....
North Korean village. Looks like someone is walking down to the river to do their laundry. Taken from our Hotel.....
Looks like a rundown apartment building. Curiosity of what it is like behind the gates....heavily guarded, so no chance of getting close.
Village shot......
More North Koreans, if only I had a better zoom. Unfortunately, they limit the camera's you can bring into the country.......
I'm sure this tells a story......
Well, I hope you are enjoying the show so far.....this concludes part 1, stay tuned for part 2: Saturday Night and Sunday........
Thank you!
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