fredc84

"It was my first time seeing a leader of a country while visiting so it was a bit of a buzz"...yea, I always get a buzz too when I see a murdering dictator in person who imprisons and murders his own people and uses them for slave labor...lol.

SFO777

Wow, what an amazing report with some of your best pics. You beautifully captured the excitement of the spectators and participants in the parade. And the stadium pics were surreal. Bravo!

DanielW

Thank you, choklit. Unfortunately US passport holders are prohibited (unless exempted) by the US State Dept from visiting North Korea at the moment. The ban was recently extended last year but perhaps with the Trump-Kim détente it will eventually be eased:
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/19/p...ntl/index.html

If you had a non-US passport also it would be ok. There was two dual Canadian-US passport holders on my tour and they just left their US passports at the tour agency back in Beijing. Being a retired U.S. military probably wouldn't be an issue. The only US ex-military detained by North Korea was an ex-Korean war veteran who had apparently asked to meet up with other veterans while there:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Newman

There is no real restrictions with camera equipment. I had my Canon 5D4 which is similar spec to the Nikon D800. I think lenses >250mm are not technically allowed but have heard that they don't really enforce it.

Ha ha! Hopefully I haven't delayed you too much for your upcoming RTW, lamphs. One of the tour companies has actually just started offering Moscow-Pyongyang trips and would definitely be an epic journey: Moscow to Pyongyang By Train Tour Young Pioneer Tours

Yes, malnutrition is definitely a significant issue for the country. I read that it is estimated that one-in-five North Korean children have stunted growth due to not getting enough to eat. I also saw an interesting article recently that said that North Korean defectors often only initially eat rice when they escape because it is such a luxury to them: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...oices-in-south

Yes, there is definitely an ethical dimension to visiting a country such as North Korea, especially as tourism is a small but significant source of revenue for the regime. The albeit limited cultural exchange perhaps helps to enlighten both sides a little however. It is encouraging too that the anti-western govt posters that used to be all over the country have now been replaced with ones promoting economic growth and advancing the country.

Thank you, Salisbury5. Really glad you enjoyed this, it took a while to write up but it is great to share it with with everyone.

Many thanks, Lumpster. Yes, North Korea can be quite a controversial country. It was good to get some first hand insight however, despite only seeing what they wanted us to see.

Thank you, Leaping_Deere. I was dubious about some of the things we were shown and told. The water factory is a popular stop on most tours however and is often operational though: https://thevelvetrocket.com/2014/07/...water-factory/

Yes, probably not the best choice of words, but for someone like myself who often visits unsavoury places, there is a certain excitement from seeing a descendant from the infamous Kim dynasty, e.g. similar to visiting the grave of Pablo Escobar during my trip to Colombia or seeing Lenin at Red Square.

Many thanks, SFO777. Yes, it was great to see the military parade and the genuine smiles and celebration. The Mass Games was such a visual spectacle too, utterly mindblowing!

gaobest

rivlinm

Awesome as always. In fact even better than your high standard. Well worth the wait.

It was fascinating to see how many unique places you visited compared to my five night marathon trip in 2017. I didn't get to see the Kim's resting spots, but after your review, I'm not sure I missed anything...

Not to hijack your thread but here are three photos worth sharing.

You mentioned not being allowed to take photos in the super market and war museum, but I took the risk. This one was the photo showing the 'American Pigs' in defeat.


I personally enjoyed the Dog Meat Soup and here is a close up of the meat itself. I got a gamy pulled meat taste as well.


This was my favorite from my five days and taken on my first morning. We had dramatically different views/weather. But the weather cleared up nicely and I got to see the blue sky/bustling Pyongyang later in the week.



Again, great stuff, Keep it up.

bitterproffit

Wow, thank you for posting this trip report. I enjoyed the pictures. I found it fascinating.

worldtraveller73

Wow - thank you for a comprehensive trip report. It's probably the most comprehensive one on North Korea that I've ever seen.

I had a question about whether you asked or had to disclose whether photos would be used for Flyertalk or other blogs for the internet? I recalled a previous trip report where the poster had to clear it with the guide, who allegedly knew about this site. If It's not appropriate to share here, I'd love to hear by private message. It seems you had pretty much free run about photographs with the guide. The amount of photos that you took is probably more than the average tourist.

My other question was about the focal length of the lens you were allowed to bring in. It seems that has been answered as less than 250 mm?

Thank you again

anthonyparkersd

Hey Daniel,

I've always enjoyed your trip reports, but this definitely ranks up there with your best. When you take your photos do you ask the locals if it's alright? Any resistance from them?

nydave11

Great report. Don't listen to the haters.

blueline7

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you SO much! What an absolutely incredible experience. Bravo!!

How come no drone videos?! Wahahahahahha

JohnRain

g289t

I'm hoping that the restriction for Americans is lifted. Visiting North Korea is certainly on my bucket list. Hopefully President Trump's meetings with Kim will help change the situation. From what I understand, North Korea has no problem with Americans visiting.

I at least want to do a JSA visit from South Korea, where you can technically set foot inside North Korea. Were you not able to cross the border on your trip to the DMZ from North Korea?

diburning

Those tours were run by another firm, Juche Travel (which is a joint DPRK/UK firm). Unfortunately, I think those tours were operated with the express blessing of the DPRK government, and with escalating international tensions, I don't think those tours will resume until the relax (also for security reasons).

Uncle Nonny

Incredible TR. Took me hours to view it. I laugh at the irony of arriving back in China and enjoying the "freedom". Thanks for sharing.

phranktzi

Thanks for sharing another wonderful report!