Arch of Triumph, the gateway to Pyongyang from the airport.
How would you like to live in a place where:-
– Education is free till University.
– You are provided with a roof over your head for free
– There is full employment
– The place is clean and the air is fresh.
– Crime rate is low and it is safe to walk the streets without being mugged.
– There are no homeless people
……then read on.
No social system is perfect. It is these imperfections that make this world unique. I am not dwelling into political or social systems but merely as an observer into this mysterious land called DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)
Not much of DPRK is known to the outside world other than those reported in the Media and from Uncle Google. I was there to experience firsthand on what this nation called DPRK is all about.
She is like an ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan. Beautiful and yet unsure of her first few steps towards inviting the world to her doors.
The Railway Station. Electric trams are environemntally friendly.
Pyongyang City
The gateway to DPRK is thru Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Our journey started from Beijing Airport to Pyongyang. The checking in at the airport was rather strict. No batteries should be left in the check-in bag. It will trigger an alarm and you have to go to the security area to take it out.
It is about a two hours flight from Beijing to Pyongyang. The time in Pyongyang is an hour ahead of Beijing.
Going through the DPRK Immigration was a breeze. The Customs checking was a bit stricter but did not cause unnecessary delays. Overall, the airport procedures including the collection of luggage were done in under an hour.
Pyongyang, the capital of DPRK is a modern city like any other cities in the world. What struck me was the cleanliness. This place was spotless. There was no traffic jams or pollution as found in other big cities. I will let the pictures tell its story.
Pyongyang is a modern city with many highrise buildings. This view was taken at Juche Tower. The height of the view deck is 150m and the total height including the spire is 170m.
Kim Il-sung Square at the centre of Pyongyang where parades are held.
Kim Il-sung Square.
Pyongyang Metro. These train stations are beautifully decorated.
Glory Station.
Some of the beautiful mosaic murals decorating the walls of the station.
Children waiting for the train.
An inside view of the train.
DPRK is served by an internal intranet system. Smart phones are widely used here.
Electric trams are used for public transport.
The Food
We were prepared for the worst. We thought the food will be kimchi for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most of us brought our own dried, canned foods, and instant noodles to prepare for this eventuality.
We were in for a surprise. The food served here were very much better than what we thought. There are more varieties than the Korean food we were used to. The taste was more refined too. The food suits most of our Malaysian tastes. The dishes were more vege bias with a couple of meat dishes like fish, beef, chicken and pork at each meal. I would say that it is a healthy diet.
Overall our group loved the food. They have only good comments to say….
A good variety of food served. Just loved this excellent culinary experience
To be continued………….
