North Korea

23-02-2012 07:44PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I'm going over for 10 days in August I've already paid the deposit and have been granted a visa. Took a whole lot of planning and is going to cost me over €3,000. I've been saying for years that I wanted to see the place so decided a few months ago to bite the bullet and do it. I'm traveling on my own too. Nervous as fcuk about it tbh. I'm looking forward to seeing the place with my own eyes though.. and can't wait to see the Mass Games.

Fair play to you. Thats an adventure:) Make sure you tell us all about it when you get back, Id love to hear how you get on. Best of luck.

biko · 23-02-2012 08:01PM

North Korea is Best Korea.

Yes, I know it's been said but it's worth iterating.
Come visit soon OP, welcome welcome..

Capt'n Midnight · 24-02-2012 02:34AM

some web stuff to help you

http://www.friend.com.kp

http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/great/ - politics

http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/

Kim Jong Un's Activities
1 [02/22/2012]

KPA Unit 842 Inspected
2 [02/18/2012]

Concert of Unhasu Orchestra Enjoyed
3 [02/17/2012]

Homage Paid to Kim Jong Il
4 [02/08/2012]

Headquarters of KPA Large Combined Unit 324 and Its Unit Inspected
5 [02/07/2012]

Headquarters of Combined Unit 597 of KPA Navy and Its Units Inspected

Update News
1 [02/17/2012]

KPA Three Services Meet at Sacred Temple of Juche
2 [02/17/2012]

Grand Performance Given on Day of Shining Star
3 [02/16/2012]

National Meeting Held to Commemorate 70th Birth Anniversary of Kim Jong Il
4 [02/15/2012]

Decision on Awarding Title of DPRK Generalissimo to Kim Jong Il Issued
5 [02/15/2012]

Equestrian Statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Erected in Mansudae Art Studio

Marcus_Crassus · 24-02-2012 02:47AM

Saul-Goode9 wrote: »

You might find this interesting, OP:
http://testroete.com/northkorea.html

Interesting, but also very sad.

Popeleo · 24-02-2012 02:59AM

I went there 18 months ago... and I'm still in a prison camp!

OK - no prison camp, so you don't need to be nervous. It's super-safe and they bring you round the 'best' spots so you won't see directly the life of the average North Korean.

The Arirang mass games were excellent. The food for the week I was there was terrible (the best meal I had was dog. Alas poor Rover...)
No wonder they have salt, pepper and MSG as condiments! So eat well before you go there.

My name is URL wrote: »

I'm going over for 10 days in August I've already paid the deposit and have been granted a visa. Took a whole lot of planning and is going to cost me over €3,000. I've been saying for years that I wanted to see the place so decided a few months ago to bite the bullet and do it. I'm traveling on my own too. Nervous as fcuk about it tbh. I'm looking forward to seeing the place with my own eyes though.. and can't wait to see the Mass Games.

uncle_sam_ie · 24-02-2012 03:01AM

I'd love to go. The traffic cops are hot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YVIBawHaQY&feature=related

FinnLizzy · 24-02-2012 03:21AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J2q5AwNzvQ

A hilarious first hand look at tourism in North Korea by a fairly funny tourist!
It's a 9 part series, but well worth the watch if you get the chance.

My name is URL · 24-02-2012 08:32PM

Popeleo wrote: »

I went there 18 months ago... and I'm still in a prison camp!

OK - no prison camp, so you don't need to be nervous. It's super-safe and they bring you round the 'best' spots so you won't see directly the life of the average North Korean.

The Arirang mass games were excellent. The food for the week I was there was terrible (the best meal I had was dog. Alas poor Rover...)
No wonder they have salt, pepper and MSG as condiments! So eat well before you go there.

Yeah, I was talking to a couple who visited a few years ago and they said the food was truly awful. They also maintained that most of the 'side' dishes etc you're served are merely there for show and whatever isn't eaten is carted out to the next lot of people. It's definitely one of the things that I'm most apprehensive about. Do the guides and restaurant workers take offense if you don't eat the food?

I'll certainly be packing a bag full of ready meals to take with me :pac:

charlemont · 24-02-2012 08:35PM

ScumLord wrote: »

According to google maps there are no roads in N.Korea so you'll have to walk there.

Have a look at Google Earth, They have a lot of hideous style motorways that just carve through the landscape, Don't appear to be line painted or have any central median either.

Teyla Emmagan · 24-02-2012 08:52PM

Haven't been, but I've seen it from South Korea. You can stand on a watchtower and look across the demilitarized zone at it from the south. It looked nice, kinda like an empty field. Lots of grass and stuff, and no houses.

You can however, presumably due to the amazing satellites the US have in place, see the country in amazing detail via Google Earth. At least, you can zoom down to a really low level in Pyongyang (apparently just filled with amazing empty edifices). It's way better than the satellite imagery we have of anywhere in Ireland anyway

Night time shots of the place just show the lights on in Pyongyang, the rest of the country barely seems to have a candle between them. Wouldn't imagine it would make much of a spa break destination then OP...

Popeleo · 24-02-2012 09:52PM

My name is URL wrote: »

Yeah, I was talking to a couple who visited a few years ago and they said the food was truly awful. They also maintained that most of the 'side' dishes etc you're served are merely there for show and whatever isn't eaten is carted out to the next lot of people. It's definitely one of the things that I'm most apprehensive about. Do the guides and restaurant workers take offense if you don't eat the food?

I'll certainly be packing a bag full of ready meals to take with me :pac:

I presume you're going with Koryo, like I did. The group was far bigger than I expected - over 30 of us, so they didn't really take much notice of who was eating what.

I was surprised that I was allowed bring in my laptop - I knew that phones weren't allowed, so I presumed that computers would be forbidden too. Not too many wireless hotspots though

A weird place all and all - PM me if you want to ask something that's far too boring and practical for AH.

triseke · 24-02-2012 11:13PM

I've always been fascinated by North Korea. Would love to visit the place. Url, you have to let us know how you get on!

ejmaztec · 24-02-2012 11:23PM

My name is URL wrote: »

Yeah, I was talking to a couple who visited a few years ago and they said the food was truly awful. They also maintained that most of the 'side' dishes etc you're served are merely there for show and whatever isn't eaten is carted out to the next lot of people. It's definitely one of the things that I'm most apprehensive about. Do the guides and restaurant workers take offense if you don't eat the food?

I'll certainly be packing a bag full of ready meals to take with me :pac:

A Pot Noodle has probably got a street value equivalent to 5 million Euro.You'll be locked up for smuggling.

Capt'n Midnight · 25-02-2012 12:44AM

"So, how's life in North Korea?"

"Well, I can't complain."

Corruptedmorals · 25-02-2012 01:39AM

I'd love to go, I'd say it would be a very interesting but surreal and sad experience. Only government officials and athletes are entitled to live in Pyongang, so it's already surreal from the get go. The facade they put on is amazing, apparently you should expect to see hand-chosen beautiful girls posing on benches as some sort of advertisement for health, no gaunt starving here...

Rhys Essien · 25-02-2012 02:41AM

Funny man Dom Jolys story here on visit

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/sep/11/dom-jolly-north-korea-pyongyang

DEFTLEFTHAND · 25-02-2012 03:26AM

It's actually not as bad as you think, as a friend of the government and a part of the western correspondent research team I've been treated well. To be gifted internet access in this country is a luxury.

ballsymchugh · 28-02-2012 01:39AM

OP, if you're flying in from beijing with air koryo, make sure you're towards the front of the queue and grab a copy of the pyongyang times. it's hilarious propaganda, and listen out for the announcement when you fly into north korean air space, recalling some epic victory by kim il sung.

bring some apples or something like that with you, the guides will appreciate them, and bring some photos with you on an ipod or something. that won't be confiscated at the border, but your phone will. you'll get it back on the train on the way out.
and.... i hope you picked the option that you spend a night in dandong on the chinese side of the border. the guide will tell you to go to a club where the dancefloor is on springs. very surreal to stand on!
just make sure you have enough memory cards cos you'll be (trying to) take photos of everything!
enjoy!

Nothingbetter2d · 28-02-2012 12:55PM

you could always try to tunnel into north korea.... just use one of the many abandoned tunnels north koreans used to get OUT of the country

Nothingbetter2d · 28-02-2012 12:56PM

if your north korean and have tunnelling experience you would be great for building subway systems.

LumpyGravy · 28-02-2012 01:16PM

Anyone know if you could expect any problems traveling to the U.S. if they see you've visited North Korea before?

old hippy · 28-02-2012 01:31PM

We visited Seoul a few years back and did the DMZ tour which was fairly surreal; tensions were high at the time, so we had to be extra responsible. Although, you did have one eejit filming and pointing at the NK guards after being told not to!

I'd be quite fascinated at visiting the place but the missus is afraid she'll be kidnapped, so I might have go on my own...

As well as the Barbara Demmick book, I recommend Guy Deslisle's graphic novel "Pyongyang". It really is a tragic state of affairs, that country.

carbon nanotube · 28-02-2012 01:38PM

Damian Future Wiretap wrote: »

Anyone ever been to North Korea. Do you know of anybody who has. I am reading about it on the Internet. Crazy place all together. But the opportunity has arose to visit later in the year. I will be in Beijing. Think it would be a shame not to visit given that I'll be next door and it's always interested me However not sure whether it's really safe. Or would people have problems visiting based on principals. I'm reading about Camp 22. Seems like a very harsh place and visiting is only contributing really.

just go to the south of Thailand, f**k north korea

Lanaier · 28-02-2012 02:51PM

Yeah I know a bunch of different people who've been op, whats your question?

It's pretty safe for an Irish person and the food for foreigners is expensive and sh1t.
Otherwise, grey grey grey.

Not uncommon for people to go there on sports trips from here (Beijing).

ballsymchugh · 28-02-2012 03:05PM

LumpyGravy wrote: »

Anyone know if you could expect any problems traveling to the U.S. if they see you've visited North Korea before?

you don't get a stamp on your passport. they give you an archaic looking thing, kinda like what you see in war movies when the german soldiers say 'ihren papiere bitte'
your guides have that for the duration of your trip and then you get your passport back when you leave.

Faith+1 · 28-02-2012 04:48PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I'm going over for 10 days in August I've already paid the deposit and have been granted a visa. Took a whole lot of planning and is going to cost me over €3,000. I've been saying for years that I wanted to see the place so decided a few months ago to bite the bullet and do it. I'm traveling on my own too. Nervous as fcuk about it tbh. I'm looking forward to seeing the place with my own eyes though.. and can't wait to see the Mass Games.

For a second I thought you said Mass Graves....

Mr. Loverman · 28-02-2012 04:50PM

I'm in South Korea now, going to North Korea next month.

Teyla Emmagan · 28-02-2012 05:19PM

Have decided I really want to go to North Korea now

faceman · 28-02-2012 05:34PM

Ireland's highest ranking Tae Kwon Do dude was there last year.

http://www.stmarkstaekwon-do.com/2011/09/rita-president-achieves-taekwon-do%E2%80%99s-highest-rank-of-grandmaster/

He's now in a Hall of Fame in North Korea too!

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irishman-72-is-first-european-inducted-into-martial-arts-hall-of-fame-in-north-korea-2882400.html

conorhal · 28-02-2012 05:40PM

I really can't understand why anybody would want to spend a red cent (if you'll pardon the pun) in a nation that effectively holds it's population hostage.
Going on holidays there would to my mind be akin to going to a concert in a concentration camp or paying a Chinese general to bring you on a guided tour of Tibetan monasteries.
Touring around at a despots pleasure in a Potemkin amusement park of a failed state that starves and tortures it own people, just for your own morally bankrupt amusement is pretty contemptible. But hey at least none of those Oz bound loosers can say they’ve been there!

North Korea

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