A group exercise performance of 100,000 people "glorious motherland" held in Pyongyang May Day Stadium, and the electronic screen is comparable to the "artificial backdrop" neat and colorful for people to admire.
Traveling to North Korea in June, the square at nightfall often see students in white uniforms to participate in the practice, refreshed and orderly.
The tour guide, Kim, proudly mentions another 100,000-strong group exercise, "Arirang," which was previously in the Guinness Book of World Records, as well as Pyongyang's May Day Stadium, where the performance was staged.
Driving slowly through the streets of Pyongyang, with greenery everywhere, macaroon colored buildings, and a simple and sincere guide accompanying us, the "mysterious" Pyongyang in our impression was gentle and innocent in reality. North Korea is worth visiting, and worth visiting again.
Pyongyang and Beijing's straight-line distance of more than 800 kilometers, despite the geographic distance so close, North Korea as a tourist destination but always through a sense of mystery. The history, the complex, the mystery and other factors make the trip to Pyongyang an exciting journey. Today, domestic tourists can travel to Pyongyang from Dandong or Beijing through group tours. In June, Air China resumed direct flights from Beijing to Pyongyang, bringing Chinese tourists closer to Pyongyang.
First acquaintance: déjà vu and unexpected
The tour guides who traveled with us, Xiao Jin and Xiao Fang, came from the DPRK International Travel Service, and after we flew to Pyongyang from Beijing, we went through the customs and security check, and we saw them waiting for the arrival hall with a smile, and there were also many tour guides waiting for the arrival of the group. The company is also wearing a knee-length skirt, a shirt with a badge, and a short, sharp haircut that looks great.
At the airport, we paid 50 yuan for a "North Korea Tourist Passport", which can be stamped at various important attractions, and the trip to North Korea was officially launched.
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The Chinese-made "Golden Dragon" bus drove us on a clean road lined with lush greenery. Buildings painted in macaroon colors, portraits of leaders, red slogans, and political posters abound, but there are no billboards of the kind we've come to expect in our cities.
The roadside houses in Pyongyang are painted pink, sky blue, and lime green, and according to the tour guide, most of the 5-story buildings were built in the 50s and 60s, while the 10-story ones were built in the 80s or later, and every house is equipped with underfloor heating.
The streets of Pyongyang
The men of Pyongyang are dressed in suit pants and white shirts, carrying briefcases and in a hurry, while the women are mostly dressed in knee-length skirts and proper hairstyles, like our guide. When the bus drove into the city of Pyongyang, probably at the end of the day, the streets, cars, bicycles, people in front of the bus stop in a long orderly queue, streetcars, trolley buses, rarely seen in the country's common "head down", people look up and look out the window, although it is the "off-peak", the whole city is not noisy.
Streets of North Korea
The tour guide was happy to give a numerical description of Pyongyang's neighborhoods. The early 1980s-era Cheollima Street is lined with shade, and the buildings lining the straight avenue were built in just six months, a true "Cheollima speed". The balconies of the houses face the street, and each house has a flowerpot on the balcony.
Driving north along Cheollima Street, you can reach the People's Culture Palace, the Common Gate, the Mansudae Council Hall, the Korean Revolutionary Museum, the Cheollima Bronze Statue, and further on, the Mudanbong District, with the famous Triumphal Arch and the Korean-Chinese Friendship Pagoda.
Ryukyung Hotel
When you reach the Ordinary Gate, you can see the legendary Ryukyung Hotel. This once ill-fated building, which took nearly 30 years to complete, is a triangular pyramid-shaped structure about 330 meters high*** with 105 floors, an iconic landmark in Pyongyang, connecting the past with the future as it looks out over the ancient Ordinary Gate.
Street of Future Scientists
Completed in November 2015, Street of Future Scientists is a sight to behold with its spiraling novelties, said to be a massive housing complex for Pyongyang's science and technology workers and teachers.
There are a fair number of skyscrapers on the streets of Pyongyang, and Dawn Street, completed in 2017, is the city's new landmark, covering 890,000 square meters with a total floor area of more than 1,728,000 square meters, which is often seen in newspapers and magazines. In Pyongyang, I saw the cover of the latest issue of North Korea Today magazine featuring Dawn Street in the sunrise, with towering skyscrapers and spacious streets showing a new side of Pyongyang.
Dawn Street leads to Kim Il Sung University, where brand new buildings and dormitories symbolize the importance of local talent. Further on, you can see the stadium and the new fish restaurant, with its blue and white glass buildings reflecting Pyongyang's clear blue sky.
Pyongyang first acquaintance, there are déjà vu scenes, but also unexpected surprises. Looking back, this déjà vu allows one to be tolerant and rationally look forward to the future.
Traveling by air, land, and sea: Pyongyang is a lot of fun
The refreshing taste of Daido River Beer is no stranger to tourists who frequent North Korean restaurants in China. Tatung River is the fifth largest river in North Korea, across which its tributaries flow through the center of Pyongyang, on one side of the Mudanbong District, Jung District, Pungchon District, Mangyongdae District, Brothers Mountain District, Xicheng District, on the other side of the Tatung River District, Dongdaewon District, Fungyo District, Lelang District, Ripu District, and Si-Dong District, and so on. Many of Pyongyang's important attractions are located on both sides of the Cosmos River, while the meandering Cosmos River adds gentle colors to the city.
A cruise on the Daedong River is an experience not to be missed on a trip to Pyongyang. Embark at the Daedong River Boat Restaurant Cruise Terminal adjacent to the Daedong Gate Ruins, and enjoy the two-decked, 300-passenger Daedong River Cruise as it gently sails along the calm waters of the river, enjoying songs and dances and sampling authentic Pyongyang cuisine.
Youthful North Korean girls perform special North Korean songs and dances, interspersed with guqin, bass, and saxophone, and classic Chinese songs that are unquestionably a hit with the whole crowd. The first day of the trip to Pyongyang was rounded off with fresh and hearty Daido River food and refreshing beer.
Cosmos River
As night fell, the red torch on the Juche Idea Tower on the other side of the river grew brighter and brighter. Familiar to Chinese tourists, the Yokohama Island Hotel International sits poised on Yokohama Island in the heart of the Datong River, surrounded by the river. In the breeze, the cruise ship slowly docked, the eaves and arches of the Datong Gate in the light of the background exudes bright colors, and the distant double helix shape of the skyscrapers reflect each other, as if through the general.
Daido Gate
A boat trip on the Daido River offers views of both sides of the river, but if you want to see Pyongyang from above, the Juche Idea Tower is the best choice.
The Juche Tower, located on the east bank of the Daedong River, was completed in 1982 as a memorial tower to commemorate Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday. The building is 170 meters high, of which the tower is 150 meters high, with the word "Juche" embedded in Korean on the front and back of the tower's body, and a 20-meter-high torch at the top of the tower, with an 8-meter-diameter tray underneath, which can be lit up at night, and is seen as a burning flame from a distance.
The entire complex consists of the main tower, three people statues, six sub-theme images, two pavilions and two large fountains, covering a total area of 150,000 square meters, in the tower of the left and right sides of the "main body of industry", "a bumper harvest", "the country of learning", "health, longevity", "the main body of the arts", "copper walled fortress" for the theme of the granite images.
From the Juche Tower's entrance at Main Street, you can enter the tower after visiting the signboards presented by various countries at the tower's entrance and queue up for a high-speed elevator ride to the Juche Idea Tower, which is 150 meters above Pyongyang.
Overlooking
The observation deck is shaped like a lotus flower, allowing visitors to enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Pyongyang. Most of the photos of Pyongyang's aerial view seen on the Internet are taken here.
Overlooking
On both sides of the Cosmos River, there are solid colorful houses on one side and ever-changing skyscrapers on the other, and the slowly flowing waters of the Cosmos River are slowly witnessing the city's transformation.
Pyongyang's other legendary project is hidden 100 meters underground. After learning about the city from the clouds, why not go deeper into the subway and experience the daily life of Pyongyang people in the subway?
Subway
The Pyongyang subway was built in 1966, and was initiated by Kim Il Sung when he returned to Pyongyang after visiting the underground railroad system under construction in Beijing.
The overall architectural style is typical of the Soviet Union, and as the world's deepest buried subway line, with a maximum depth of 200 meters and an average depth of 100 meters, as well as having the function of a bomb shelter, it was designed especially for the possibility of war at any time.
Subway
A subway ticket in Pyongyang costs as little as 5 dong, with unlimited stops. Our guide took us on a one-stop ride starting at Renaissance Station and arriving at Gwangryong Station. As we rode the elevator slowly deep underground, we curiously took photos and videos with our phones and cameras, which the Pyongyang citizens coming and going seemed to have taken for granted.
Subway
The subway station was brightly lit, with mellow folk music playing on the radio and murals lining the sides, mostly stories about leaders and North Korean landscapes. According to the tour guide, the metro *** 17 carriages, passenger traffic at peak times an average of 2 minutes a trip, the rest of the time, 5 minutes a trip, the metro line *** 35 kilometers, the distance between each station is about 2 to 3 kilometers, mostly established in residential areas near. It is said that employees are issued with a metro card every year, which allows them to take more than 400 trips on the metro.
Subway
Beyond Pyongyang: Historic Kaesong and Myohyang Mountain
In addition to Pyongyang, historic Kaesong and Myohyang Mountain are must-see destinations for tours to North Korea.
Kaesong is 170 kilometers from Pyongyang and takes 2.5 hours to reach. Away from Pyongyang, there are fewer and fewer skyscrapers, and in their place are vast tracts of farmland and wilderness. Located on the north side of the North-South Line, Kaesong was the capital of the first great dynasty to unify the Korean Peninsula, and was once called Songdo and Kaekyong. Because of the numerous historical and cultural sites scattered throughout the area, on June 23, 2013, the Kaesong Historic Site Area was successfully "inscribed" as a whole, and became the second World Heritage Site of the DPRK.
Kaesong is home to many historical sites and cultural relics, including Kaesong Old Town, Mangwoldae, Kaesong South Gate, Sungkyunkwan, Songyangseowon, King Wangjian's Mausoleum, and King Gongmin's Mausoleum, etc. The long history of Kaesong has left a classic legacy. The long history has left behind classic poems and texts, buildings and relics for future generations to enjoy.
Today's Goryeo Museum, Goryeo Sungkyunkwan, is located in Gaesong City, which was once the highest educational institution of the Goryeo Dynasty, and was a place where the sons of nobles studied Confucianism. Inside the courtyard, pine and cypress stand tall, and a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree is a precious living fossil, witnessing its historical changes. The six old buildings have been restored several times and still retain the momentum of the past.
More than 1,000 pieces of cultural relics in the museum are quietly displayed in the rustic ancient buildings. Among them, there are Goryeo celadon porcelains from Mangwudae, a relic of the royal palace of the Goryeo Dynasty, which are as delicate as jade and as delicate as crystal, as well as daily necessities that can give you an idea of the lifestyle of the people during the Goryeo Dynasty.
Panmunjom, 8 kilometers away from Kaesong City, is a small and unknown place that was chosen by history to become famous, and on July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed here, and Panmunjom became known as the "Armistice Village".
Negotiation site
According to records, the Korean Armistice Negotiations began on July 10, 1951 at Raebongjang on the outskirts of the northern-controlled city of Kaesong, and moved to Panmunjom on the Military Demarcation Line on October 25, 1951, where there were no buildings at that time. At that time, there were no buildings whatsoever, so some makeshift military tents had to be used as the negotiation venue. The night before the signing of the armistice agreement, engineers and technicians from the Korean and Chinese sides miraculously built a wooden hall with Korean national characteristics.
Negotiation site
Today, the signing hall, together with the negotiation site, has become a memorial site of historical significance. For some time after the Korean Armistice, Panmunjom was used as a meeting place for the Armistice Commission.
Signature Hall
After the armistice, the two sides built 24 buildings in the Joint Security Area, which is about 800 meters in diameter. In the north, the Panmun Gak and the Unification Gak were built, while in the south, the Freedom House and the Peace House were built to house the liaison organizations of the north and the south and to serve as a place for dialogue, respectively. On the military demarcation line, there are also seven simple wooden houses in sky blue color.
The Military Demarcation Line
Today, Panmunjom has become a tourist attraction, and most visitors to North Korea are given a tour where they can see the other side of the building across the seven plank houses on the North Korean side. Visitors take photos and hope for peace.
Unlike Kaesong, which is steeped in history, Myohyang Mountain in northwest Korea is known for its marvelous natural beauty. One of the four most famous mountains in Korea, it stretches across the borders of South Pyongan, Jagang and North Pyongan provinces, and is known as Myohyang Mountain because of its marvelous and mysterious shape, and the fragrance of cypresses emanating from the mountain. It is said, "All the beautiful mountains and rivers of the 3000 miles are famous, but there is no scenery until you see Myohyang Mountain".
Myohyang Mountain
Deep in the beautiful Myohyang Mountain, there is the famous International Friendship Exhibition Hall of North Korea, which displays some of the 213,000 gifts presented to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il by many countries, organizations and individuals from all over the world.
Exhibition Hall
The exhibition hall consists of the Kim Il Sung International Friendship Hall (the main hall) and the Kim Jong Il International Friendship Hall (a separate hall), with the former being larger than the latter, and both being multi-storey, large-scale, Korean-style buildings, which appear to be wooden from afar, but are in fact concrete buildings. The indoor temperature is controlled at a constant 20 degrees Celsius all year round, and after passing through the 4-ton gate, photography and noise are prohibited inside the pavilion.
Appreciate North Korea: eat natural
North Korea trip all the way to the unexpected abundance of food, tourists enjoy. In particular, the natural, fresh ingredients without additives, so that people all the way to the food to rest assured.
Goryeo ginseng in Kaesong is the most well-known souvenir, and one of the essential experiences in Kaesong is the special copper bowl meal, which is said to be the dietary experience of the King of Goryeo, where copper eating utensils are placed on the table in order, and a golden piece of it is full of ceremonial feeling.
Special copper bowl meal
The waiter brought steaming hot ginseng chicken, with a golden yellow color of the chicken broth aroma, appetizing, chicken meat is thin, but not firewood, ginseng aroma is properly retained in the chicken broth, although the copper bowl is easy to heat conduction, some inconvenience to drink, but people can not help but pick up the bowl to gulp fresh chicken broth to the stomach, to be considered satisfied.
In addition to ginseng chicken, how can you miss a bowl of authentic Korean cold noodles in North Korea? The most authentic Korean cold noodles is the Okryukkwan. Located on the banks of the Cosmos River in Pyongyang, the Okryukkan is the top cold noodle restaurant in North Korea, comparable to the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant in Beijing. This year, Okryukkan cold noodles even appeared in the menu of the welcome dinner of the inter-Korean summit.
Okryukkwan
Okryukkwan is a typical North Korean traditional building, built in the 1960s, with the main part divided into two floors and surrounded by white stone. It has a pointed roof, high and straight pillars, elegant pavilions, and gurgling water, and it has the atmosphere of a royal palace.
Every meal time, there is always a long queue in front of the Okryukkan, and it is said that some people living in remote areas of North Korea will "go to Pyongyang to eat cold noodles in Okryukkan" as a small wish to treasure in the bottom of their hearts. The North Koreans also choose Okryukan for their honored guests.
There are three must-have dishes at Okryukkwan: cold noodles, fried quail, and ice cream that melts in your mouth.
Okryukkan
The Korean cold noodles are eaten with a lot of care, with white vinegar and wasabi added to the cold noodles and stirred well before taking a big bite of the noodles with chopsticks and sucking it into your mouth.
It's human nature to be rebellious and curious, and many travelogues about North Korea are happy to include the experience of "going off the grid". In Pyongyang one evening, accompanied by a young guide, we walked around the Koryo Hotel, the roadside locals set up a grill cooking fragrant barbecue, we and the guide girl in front of the small grocery store on the street together to taste the local ice cream, warm and cheerful smiles have become a memory of a lifetime.