North Korea Travelogue

SO😁
Whether you’re a fan or a critic,

I wanted to share this travelogue with you all—I'm curious to hear what you think!

New York to Vienna by train

Part 1: New York - Moscow
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25704

Part 2: Moscow - Barnaul
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25776

Part 3: Barnaul - Irkutsk
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25789

Part 4: Irkutsk - Skovorodino
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25865

Part 5: Arkhara - Khabarovsk
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25896

Part 6: Ussuriysk - Tumangan (border)
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25908

Part 7: Tumangan - Rajin
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25971

Part 8a: Kilchu - Pyongyang (1/2)
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25993

Part 8b: Kilchu - Pyongyang (2/2)
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=25994

Pyongyang and Mt. Myohyang
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=26162

Sightseeing in North Korea, day 2
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=27085

Sightseeing in North Korea, day 3 (DMZ, metro museum, etc)
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=27507

An excellent travelogue, thank you for providing the links. 👍

It is somewhat unfortunate that they didn't go into more detail regarding how they managed to outmaneuver the North Korean travel agency to enter the country via the Russian border, though the firsthand accounts and photographs are truly breathtaking. I spent about two hours reading through the entire account in detail, and I must say, I am genuinely impressed.

Stunned😲😲😲

I honestly felt this weird sense of vertigo just staring at those posters—you know, the ones featuring the Great Leader's portrait? It’s almost psychological😱😱😱😱😱

As far as I can tell, they weren't actually pulling any scams; it seemed like they had full permission. If I recall correctly, someone posted a photo of that exact same image somewhere else in the threads😉

goldenpilot15 said:Stunned😲😲😲

I honestly felt this weird sense of vertigo just staring at those posters—you know, the ones featuring the Great Leader's portrait? It’s almost psychological😱😱😱😱😱

As far as I can tell, they weren't actually pulling any scams; it seemed like they had full permission. If I recall correctly, someone posted a photo of that exact same image somewhere else in the threads😉

I suppose those major leaders aren't quite as bad as people say; you must be young enough not to remember the photos of the second Stalin. This travelogue really took me back to my childhood, I guess. Even their commentary feels somewhat naively Western and perhaps a bit simple-minded, yet there is an underlying sincerity to it—a lack of desire to judge what they witnessed, choosing instead to simply convey things exactly as they saw them.

I suppose the group has essentially created a massive loophole for the North Korean authorities. Tourists arriving by rail are technically only permitted to enter via the foreign traveler line from Beijing, yet they discovered that direct sleeper cars run twice a month from Moscow, which bypasses China entirely. These trains divert at a specific point about 60 kilometers outside of Vladivostok to hit the direct Russian-North Korean border crossing at Hasan. I imagine these trains are mostly used by North Korean migrant workers to transport various packages, perhaps even smuggled goods. Furthermore, once they reach the Hasan crossing, they have to traverse almost the entire country diagonally to reach Pyongyang, whereas traveling from the Chinese border involves only a very short rail trip to the capital. To secure their visas, they likely first purchased a standard tourist package that included the Moscow-Beijing-Pyongyang route, and once the visas were issued based on that itinerary, they simply bought separate tickets in Moscow for the Moscow-Hasan-Pyongyang line.

I suppose they have planned everything quite meticulously, as they timed the first package tour specifically so that the arrival in Pyongyang coincides perfectly with when those other sleeper cars from Moscow arrive—which only run twice a month. Since every tourist is required to be accompanied by an official guide from the KITC at all times during their stay in North Korea, it seems they have ensured that a few guides will already be reserved and waiting at the station that day.

They opted for an alternative route that isn't typically open to tourists, and I suppose they only notified the KITC about the change via email once they had already reached the Hasan border crossing. It seems like they calculated that this would provide just enough time to let the agency update the guides on their revised arrival time in Pyongyang, while simultaneously ensuring there wouldn't be enough time for the Government to cancel their visas or block them at the Hasan crossing. Information regarding that specific segment is rather sparse, though I suspect they might have intentionally kept those details quiet to protect whoever was assisting them.

Everything that followed felt somewhat predictable. The Russians seemed a bit puzzled at the border, though once they saw those North Korean visas in the passports, there wasn't much reason to deny them entry. Meanwhile, the North Korean police and border agents appeared genuinely stunned that any foreigner would even show up at that crossing; I suppose they likely assumed they needed some sort of special authorization, since it seems nobody is quite crazy enough to go somewhere they've been told is off-limits, so they just let us through. The funniest part was when we finally reached Pyongyang and the guides spent hours interrogating us about who exactly had suggested we take that specific route. That particular line of questioning probably illustrates the collective mindset of that country better than anything else—they seem to operate under the assumption that every decision must be driven by some underlying conspiracy or dark force, rather than simply being the result of two young guys wanting to mess around with their regime. 😁

I suppose that specific detail carries the most significant political weight of this entire travelogue for me. To the Austrian and Swiss citizens who pulled this off—I offer my deepest respect and a humble bow. 👍

This brings to mind some TV documentary from about 15 years ago; I think a BBC reporter was doing a semi-legal trek through some forbidden territories—places where people were teetering on the edge of starvation, and you could actually find human meat being sold under the table at a local city market... if I recall correctly, this was all still happening back while Kim Il-Sung was alive.
No regime has managed to cultivate such perverse levels of totalitarianism quite like certain Far East dictatorships. This North Korean situation feels eerily similar to what China went through during the Cultural Revolution... though one might argue the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia were actually worse (to them, even the Maoists—who used to force "deviant" party members to beat themselves with rulebooks until they passed out—were considered excessive).
And honestly, I find it hard to believe that Kim Jong-Il (is he still around?) ruled any better than his uncle did.
Things weren't exactly perfect here, but compared to them, we had it a little better...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-K9fv_oRvI

So, here’s a little breakdown of how the government system works in North Korea.

Who actually stands at the head of the state?

Technically, it's Kim Il-Sung, who passed away back in 1994. He holds the unique distinction of being the only president in the world who continues to rule even after death. Kim Il-Sung also holds another record—with a 58-year reign, he actually outlasted Queen Elizabeth II and even the former leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro.

But since Kim Il-Sung is no longer among the living, who is actually running the show?

It’s Kim Jong-Il, his son, who is supposedly the reincarnation of his father's spirit—even if he doesn't quite command the same level of reverence as the "beloved leader." Still, he has managed to build up a massive cult of personality by leaning heavily on the family legacy, portraying himself as a sort of superhuman figure with supernatural powers, someone who can, say, control time itself.🤦🤦🤦🤦: facepalm :🤦

casualharbor9 said:This brings to mind some TV documentary from about 15 years ago; I think a BBC reporter was doing a semi-legal trek through some forbidden territories—places where people were teetering on the edge of starvation, and you could actually find human meat being sold under the table at a local city market... if I recall correctly, this was all still happening back while Kim Il-Sung was alive.
No regime has managed to cultivate such perverse levels of totalitarianism quite like certain Far East dictatorships. This North Korean situation feels eerily similar to what China went through during the Cultural Revolution... though one might argue the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia were actually worse (to them, even the Maoists—who used to force "deviant" party members to beat themselves with rulebooks until they passed out—were considered excessive).
And honestly, I find it hard to believe that Kim Jong-Il (is he still around?) ruled any better than his uncle did.
Things weren't exactly perfect here, but compared to them, we had it a little better...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-K9fv_oRvI

A bit better? Honestly, things were better here than in most capitalist nations, let alone compared to them...

Not to mention the reports from American anthropologists back in the 30s, which concluded that over 70% of Americans didn't even have their own beds, sleeping on haystacks alongside livestock. They didn't even touch upon other basic civilizational standards—they reported, quite horrified, how people in rural areas were drinking water from the same puddles as cattle, while tadpoles swam right next to their mouths...

And if that was the reality in the States, you can only imagine what it was like in places like Mexico, central and southern parts of the continent, or further south...

When the US was being established back in the day, it was practically lagging behind much more developed regions. A lot was actually accomplished during that era of communism, and if the Czechs, Poles, Canadians, etc., still have reason to complain, we don't really have much to whine about ourselves... Whatever people say today...

... Look, I’m telling you, they’ve twisted the whole concept into something perverse. It’s what happens when you take a misunderstood Marxist doctrine and mash it together with a warped version of traditional Eastern philosophy, all filtered through the mindset of a totally primitive, uneducated populace. The result? A mass nightmare...

edit: I’m talking about North Korea and similar regimes here. I’m not looking to start a debate about our own country, though I might actually find common ground with some of you on certain points...

casualharbor9 said:... Look, I’m telling you, they’ve twisted the whole concept into something perverse. It’s what happens when you take a misunderstood Marxist doctrine and mash it together with a warped version of traditional Eastern philosophy, all filtered through the mindset of a totally primitive, uneducated populace. The result? A mass nightmare...

edit: I’m talking about North Korea and similar regimes here. I’m not looking to start a debate about our own country, though I might actually find common ground with some of you on certain points...

I wouldn't call them uneducated. In fact, it’s often self-taught people who cause the most trouble—that's where the real danger lies. Look at Stalin. You have these individuals who teach themselves everything and then walk around thinking they're the smartest people in the room, operating under this "I didn't need school or professors because I know just as much as you" mentality.

And those types tend to despise both the uneducated masses and actual intellectuals alike, which is how you end up with a "mass nightmare." For instance, back in the 50s, Pol Pot was involved in labor actions in America, and he drew conclusions from those experiences that led to something entirely different and grotesque. It's also interesting to note how Americans supported him, and even when the Vietnamese were finally taking him down, there were threats about resuming airstrikes on Vietnam...

I'm currently reading "child 44"—if you're interested in how these kinds of societies function, I'd definitely recommend it...

I'm currently working my way through "child 44." If you have any interest in how those kinds of societies function, I’d definitely recommend picking it up...

... Thnx, maybe some other time... we have our own nightmares to deal with here, and honestly, it feels like things might get even worse...
Regarding Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, I practically wrote that myself (I picked up certain ideas on Marxism from some poorly translated French texts)... yeah, I'm familiar with the whole Cambodia situation (there's actually a great movie about it: "The Killing Fields")... absolutely horrific...

One of the logical leaps they took was this: "all intellectuals are enemies of the people" (which was a total misinterpretation of Marxism) => "intellectuals read a lot, so they ruin their eyes and wear glasses" => "everyone wearing glasses is an enemy" => "if you don't wear glasses, you can't read"... the end result? Once they ran out of people with glasses, they started wiping out the illiterate "intellectuals" too... The Vietnamese did a service there... though I suppose it was meant to provide some sort of balance for the Americans in the region...

Alexander Barrett50 said:A bit better? Honestly, things were better here than in most capitalist nations, let alone compared to them...

Not to mention the reports from American anthropologists back in the 30s, which concluded that over 70% of Americans didn't even have their own beds, sleeping on haystacks alongside livestock. They didn't even touch upon other basic civilizational standards—they reported, quite horrified, how people in rural areas were drinking water from the same puddles as cattle, while tadpoles swam right next to their mouths...

And if that was the reality in the States, you can only imagine what it was like in places like Mexico, central and southern parts of the continent, or further south...

When the US was being established back in the day, it was practically lagging behind much more developed regions. A lot was actually accomplished during that era of communism, and if the Czechs, Poles, Canadians, etc., still have reason to complain, we don't really have much to whine about ourselves... Whatever people say today...

Look... sorry, but I honestly think that’s all a massive exaggeration and just plain hype. I know the Midwest used to rely heavily on wells, though I couldn't tell you about the rural South.
It reminds me of those old rumors about certain island communities being full of incestuous families before the modern era arrived. I was actually grabbing coffee once and chatting with a highly respected local historian who told me there might have been one or two such families on the entire island, and that the whole reputation was just wildly blown out of proportion.☕

In any totalitarian regime, intellectuals are always treated as enemies.
It was the same thing back under Marshall. Just remember those old slogans: workers, peasants, and the "honest intelligentsia." Basically, they only considered you part of that group if you were toeing the line for the regime. 🙄

goldenpilot15 said:Look... sorry, but I honestly think that’s all a massive exaggeration and just plain hype. I know the Midwest used to rely heavily on wells, though I couldn't tell you about the rural South.
It reminds me of those old rumors about certain island communities being full of incestuous families before the modern era arrived. I was actually grabbing coffee once and chatting with a highly respected local historian who told me there might have been one or two such families on the entire island, and that the whole reputation was just wildly blown out of proportion.☕

It isn't an exaggeration at all. People tend to forget how things actually used to be in these parts. My grandfather was born in 1924, he'll be turning 90 this August, and he tells stories about what life was really like back then. He's originally from Slavonia, which back in the day felt like a completely different world compared to the rest of the country. He describes people as being worn down, ragged, living in little shacks made of mud. Every single morning he’d walk 6.2 miles on foot to the factory and back until he finally scraped enough together for a bicycle. And that's being generous—even today in some rural areas, you still hear the saying "you don't borrow a woman or a bike." No steady wages, just pure exploitation of workers...

And talking about the old days in Zagora, my grandad says folks used to trek on foot over the hills to get into the city. His wife would bake him a loaf of rustic, round farmhouse bread, he'd strap it to his back, and head out Sunday afternoon to make it by Monday morning. Then he’d work construction sites, eating away at that bread until Saturday when he’d start the long walk back over the hills to Zagora. He'd get home Saturday night, ask his wife for a quick meal, eat something other than bread on Sunday noon, and by Sunday afternoon, it was the same cycle all over again...

That was the reality for our people. You don't learn that in textbooks; they make it seem like everything was flowing with milk and honey until those wicked Communists showed up. Just think about it for a second... would so many people have been involved in all those various revolutionary movements—whether it was the Communist Party of America or the Nationalists—if things had truly been that good...

goldenpilot15 said:Look... sorry, but I honestly think that’s all a massive exaggeration and just plain hype. I know the Midwest used to rely heavily on wells, though I couldn't tell you about the rural South.
It reminds me of those old rumors about certain island communities being full of incestuous families before the modern era arrived. I was actually grabbing coffee once and chatting with a highly respected local historian who told me there might have been one or two such families on the entire island, and that the whole reputation was just wildly blown out of proportion.☕

California was certainly impoverished in the past, but suggesting they were living at the level of the seventh century seems like quite a stretch.

Alexander Barrett50 said:It isn't an exaggeration at all. People tend to forget how things actually used to be in these parts. My grandfather was born in 1924, he'll be turning 90 this August, and he tells stories about what life was really like back then. He's originally from Slavonia, which back in the day felt like a completely different world compared to the rest of the country. He describes people as being worn down, ragged, living in little shacks made of mud. Every single morning he’d walk 6.2 miles on foot to the factory and back until he finally scraped enough together for a bicycle. And that's being generous—even today in some rural areas, you still hear the saying "you don't borrow a woman or a bike." No steady wages, just pure exploitation of workers...

And talking about the old days in Zagora, my grandad says folks used to trek on foot over the hills to get into the city. His wife would bake him a loaf of rustic, round farmhouse bread, he'd strap it to his back, and head out Sunday afternoon to make it by Monday morning. Then he’d work construction sites, eating away at that bread until Saturday when he’d start the long walk back over the hills to Zagora. He'd get home Saturday night, ask his wife for a quick meal, eat something other than bread on Sunday noon, and by Sunday afternoon, it was the same cycle all over again...

That was the reality for our people. You don't learn that in textbooks; they make it seem like everything was flowing with milk and honey until those wicked Communists showed up. Just think about it for a second... would so many people have been involved in all those various revolutionary movements—whether it was the Communist Party of America or the Nationalists—if things had truly been that good...

Look, I don't know, I remember things differently (I'm not saying we were the USA, but we definitely had certain standards, judging by what's left of the past)🤷
For instance, around our neck of the woods, every house had its own cistern; roofs weren't made of stone (I'm talking about the Coast), but of tile. People had access to healthy food, it's just that life was incredibly hard and healthcare wasn't very developed—meaning medicine was scarce, so kids would pass away from simple things like chickenpox🤷
We were more of a rural community than a city; it was the hinterland near San Francisco, and my grandfather was from the outskirts of New. It was so underdeveloped there that they relied on a single communal village cistern that everyone used, and right next to the houses, there were stone troughs filled with rainwater or water drawn from the cistern
But even there, you can see signs of modernization; maybe two or three "wealthier" houses had their own private cistern and trough (the village was mostly abandoned after WW2)
I don't know, the countryside was heavily demonized during the old era, and anyone from a rural area was looked down upon as backward or uneducated. I’m just glad that at least this "wrongful Mississippi" is finally being corrected.