Sightseeing in Pyongyang

We were greeted with a delicious buffet for breakfast at one of the hotel’s many restaurants. There was a wide selection—something for everyone’s taste. At 9 AM, we boarded the bus. Today, we’d be staying in Pyongyang, where we had a packed schedule. Our first stop was a park where we could buy flowers to lay at the foot of the grand statue of Kim Il Sung. A bouquet cost 4 euros, which felt like a bit of a rip-off since the flowers were a few days old. But what can you do to show a little respect? The money the flower sellers earn goes to the state—they don’t keep any for themselves since they have their salaries. We took the flowers to the grand statue, the Mansudae Grand Monuments at Mansu Hill. You’re not allowed to chew gum, wear hats or caps, or laugh near the statue. Making jokes that involve the names of Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong Il is also frowned upon, as we found out. We joked that if Kim Jong Il often visits the people, maybe we’d run into him at a karaoke bar. We weren’t supposed to say that, and our guides quickly reprimanded us. According to documentaries, disabled people are kept out of sight. Of course, our guides insisted that this isn’t true. People can choose whether to care for them at home or in a facility. Sometimes they even take the disabled out for walks in the park. However, we didn’t see any mentally disabled individuals during our entire trip. There’s no crime in the country. Ms. Kim claims she has never heard of or seen crime in her life. If someone steps outside the government’s rules, they’re sent to “Education House.” There are no prisons in the country, only “detention places” where you stay for about a week—but it’s not a prison. There are no courts or lawyers in North Korea, so you can’t argue for your rights or prove your innocence if you believe you’ve been wrongfully convicted. There’s no crime, yet all the lower floors have bars on the windows. Our guides told us it’s ONLY for safety reasons. Later, we found out there are significant problems with corruption and theft. Each person is entitled to 700 grams of rice a day, provided by the state. Hardworking individuals (like miners) receive 800 grams daily. Each family also gets rationing coupons to ensure everyone has rice, chicken, and vegetables. There are many street sweepers in Pyongyang. Our guides say they’ve chosen their jobs and are happy to fill this role in society. If they want, they can easily get an education, but the pay is good... It’s hard to draw conclusions when we only have the guides’ version. We have no way to talk to the street sweepers ourselves. One thing we can see, though, is that they don’t look particularly rich or satisfied. Our guides didn’t respond to that. After paying our respects to the great leader, the bus took us to a bookstore with foreign books, but they didn’t have Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings. Maybe they focus more on Russian books and those from other communist countries... We were a bit behind schedule, so we didn’t have much time at the War Museum, which showcases North Korea’s version of history. There are large panoramic displays that clearly depict the suffering of the people. Heroic tales of the Korean people fighting bravely against American imperialists during the Korean War from 1950-1953. They’ve never forgiven the USA for the division of the country after World War II. North Korea lives in the eternal hope that Korea will reunite. The word "reunification" is heard even more than "imperialist." It’s fascinating to walk around and hear and see what the North Korean people believe so strongly. There’s no mention that it was North Korea that first attacked South Korea with help from Russia. When they attacked, there weren’t even any American military personnel in the country. They arrived later to assist South Korea in the fight against communism. After lunch at the hotel in the Chinese restaurant, where we were served dish after dish: dumplings, cucumbers, fish, potatoes, beef on sizzling plates, and of course, plenty of rice, we managed to convince our guides to let us take a walk among the locals. We had to promise not to tell other tourists. Most of the locals chose to cross to the other side of the street. It’s as if they’re afraid of us. If they talk to us, they might be reported by other citizens. There are a few traffic lights in some places; otherwise, there’s someone directing traffic. Guidebooks say that the prettiest girls are chosen to direct traffic. We saw propaganda cars driving around, encouraging people to fulfill their roles in society to the best of their ability. Our next stop was the Revolutions Exhibition, where guides showcase the country’s outstanding technology, including power generation, car production, and coal mining. We also learned about the country’s rockets and satellite launches in the Space Pavilion. The guide was incredibly proud to show off the country’s technology. The building is freezing cold, so remember to bring a warm swea