Comments on: Welcome to Pyongyang.

By: Dimitri

Dimitri — Fri, 25 May 2007 09:10:56 +0000

A very nice video indeed, but remember, these are the places the guide took them too and they were allowed to see and photograph.

I have also seen other, very disturbing photos and videos that people took undercover, that showed slave-labor and public executions. And thats exactly what the (Korean) government wants to cover up with these very neat and clean locations and friendly people.

By: Lawrence

Lawrence — Fri, 25 May 2007 04:09:59 +0000

A bunch of friends have been to North Korea, and they all loved it.

One played football in 94 there, and was the only player to score for both sides (they swapped teammates at half time). Another has been in /out a number of times for business trips, and yet another has been on one of the tours with Nick Bonner.

Its not as hard as it used to be to get in - I know a number of people are organizing trips on their own now (although you need to make it a group tour to keep the costs down).

I wouldn't mind going for a photo trip, but its still too expensive for me

By: Nora

Nora — Fri, 25 May 2007 00:20:29 +0000

There are 2 things that stand out most to me in the slide show of North Korea.
1. Everywhere the tourist was allowed to visit was very clean/organized. immaculate even.
2. Eveywhere the tourist was allowed to visit was very deserted.

Each photo has a very surreal quality to it. Almost like a post-apocalyptic enviornment, where the subject person in the photo is the sole survivor.

While in general its very un-nerving, I have to admit.. the huge open spaces look wonderful, and I do find myself a bit wistful for such places here, since I live in a large city.
However, i would take overcrowding over oppression anyday.

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Thu, 24 May 2007 22:55:19 +0000

Wow...must have been the lead based paint. :p

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:25:19 +0000

Clint,

Did you eat paint chips as a kid?

By: Clint

Clint — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:53:15 +0000

Hi, I saw the pictures of these strange holes in the ground and the first thing that popped into my head was that they could have been formed by a tree. Someone (probably very craftily) could have dug a hole and placed a tree into it for purposes unknown. If the tree were to rot, from bugs or weather, the hole would have been left in place. It's not much to go on but it seems reasonable to me.

Thanks
Clint