I traveled to North Korea by train from China, arriving in Pyongyang
As I was part of a Chinese tour group – mostly students.
There were 15 of us and I was the only foreigner.
We departed from the Chinese border city of Dandong on the morning of December 31st, arriving in the early evening for New Year’s Eve.
I had an English-speaking North Korean minder assigned to me within this Chinese tour group, while in Pyongyang and everywhere while traveling the DPRK, until the return-train bound for Dandong.
While Pyongyang is mostly stark concrete blocks, the city also shows off some serious bling. Top: Great Parade ground – empty after New Year; Middle L to R: famous pyramid tower hotel that remains an unfinished shell since Soviet-collapse days; Massive palatial mausoleum of the last two Kim leaders; prestigious apartment tower block in “Science” street; Below: Old city wall gate near the riverfront in the morning. FACT: Most of the tour is a guided rush, where a lot of sights – and authentic city views – are glimpsed only from windows in a flash. Such is the nature of traveling around North Korea.
