Archive for the 'North Korea 2009' Category
09
Nov
09
Answer of Korea
Just to put it out there, some new pictures from the Ryugyong Hotel, taken about 2 weeks ago from the SW corner.
I haven’t been updating my blog for a few days now. There was simply no time. Among other things, I travelled back to Dandong for a night and got bombarded again with just too many impressions. I could capture some on pictures, but most of them I just had take in. So here are some of the thoughts, that came to me:
I like traditional Korean houses much more than Chinese Houses. They are not build with predominant “kitsch”, but sleeker and simpler.
People are being ordered to do anything and everything. Today, they’re road workers, tomorrow, they’ll be farmers and yesterday, they were roof workers. And if there isn’t anything to do, they collect the little they can grow, prepare it, carry it somewhere and sell it to passers by. Mostly old people. Either cigarettes or snacks. And I saw it all over: In Pyongyang or on my way to Dandong.
Arriving in Dandong, I enjoyed this 700000 people city, bustling with life, took a room in a hotel, got a great view of the mountain range. All those lights, freedom of movement, capitalism, more lights and that typical background noise of a big city.
Just thankful to be back again.
Went for a walk again (about 10 miles through Pyongyang)… the problem with taking a walk in broad daylight with the goal to make some good pictures… well, wearing jeans, a white polo shirt, a backpack and being at least a head taller than anybody… You totally stick out and ATTRACT ATTENTION!!!
So by the time a got to any interesting place worth taking a picture, I already had every eye in the vicinity on me. Nothing else to do then, than to take some shots at the scenery.
Walking along, I saw a group of young women exercising their marching steps for the next parade. It was quite funny to see them do that and I immediately took a video of that. It will appear on a later post, as I gather more footage from daylight Pyongyang.
So along I went and I noticed consciously that many people were occupied with themselves, reading something, walking around and reciting what they just read. I suspect it’s for some party-thing-
event-stuff, where they have to recite the awesome teachings of the great and dear leaders here. ya right.
On my way home, I had to use several subterranean pedestrian crossings. You’re obligated to do so. So what do you see, when you’re going down the stairs? Old people hiding in the dark and trying to sell snacks (looked like messy churros), bread, some weak fruits or cigarettes… and the people are badly in need to sell something to get some money. Officially, all that is strictly prohibited. The market, where I spotted a market a year ago has disappeared. I’ll see, if I can find other markets…
Halfway on my way up again, a schoolboy appeared round the corner and was surprised to see me there… he went down as I continued up. He had a plastic toy gun in his hand… from the side, I saw that he slowed down on the stairs… I already imagined what would happen next… and then I heard it from a voice, about 10-11 years old: “pow – pow” … yeah thanks for shooting at me. :-|
I went out for a stroll yesterday night and it was dark as the deepest night. The eery thing about it was, I was walking in a young evening through the capital of a nation: Pyongyang.
Some people had flashlights, who turned them on as they crossed the streets to alert oncoming traffic, as if traffic cared for pedestrians. The first stop was at Kim Il Sung Square…
I set up the tripod and started shooting pictures of the “Tower of the Juche Idea”, commissioned by Kim Jong Il to indulge his father and to cement his succession to power. Then I walked all over and shot some random scenery, trying not to be noticed. The damn display of my little Canon was too bright.
I’m just imagining, how it was a year ago, when school children from all over Pyongyang were forced to practice for the 60th anniversary parade on this square. :(
These Photos were taken around 2:00 am.
“Kim Il Sung loves children.”
