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thegreg52
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Location: Seoul, Korea
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 Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 3:17 pm Post subject: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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I'm planning a trip to North Korea on August 3rd for the Mass Games. The trip is through a travel agency called Koryo. You have to go in through a group because North Korea won't let solo travellers in. The trip is 5 days 4 nights in the DPRK.
Has anyone done this before? Or does anyone know anything about Koryo Tours? They seem pretty legit and I'm getting excited for this experience. The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
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oldfatfarang
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: On the road to somewhere.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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It might pay to take some food with you.
Good luck. |
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LikeFrostOnRoads
Joined: 09 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 6:01 am Post subject: |
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| ERG. I just realized that my vacation is the week before! That's so disappointing! |
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darkjedidave
Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Shanghai/Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Haven't used the specific company, but the "tours" are probably the same. You have a "guide" accompanying you ALL THE TIME. You are not allowed to go anywhere by yourself. You cannot bring any documents (papers, books, magazines) obviously, no cellphones or mp3 players. The hotel rooms are funny as they don;t even try to hide the microphones, and the large, empty banquet halls where we ate were eerie. But, it's an experience I've done 3 times now, if only to say I've been to the most secluded country in the world (also, my work supports a health center outside Pyongyang, so 2 of my visits where for that) |
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isisaredead
Joined: 18 May 2010
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| Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| ^^ that's always something I mull over when I consider his. |
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thegreg52
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| isisaredead wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
Because I'm a traveller. I want to see as much of the world as possible. |
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Beeyee
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| thegreg52 wrote: |
| isisaredead wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
Because I'm a traveller. I want to see as much of the world as possible. |
+1
I've been considering to go there almost every summer and this year might just be the right time. Ignore the 'holier than thou' attitude I have seen amongst some posters on here regarding this issue. At the end of the day, you will experience something that very, very few people outside of North Korea have ever seen.
The $2000-odd it costs will not make a blind bit of difference. It is hardly 'supporting the regime'. |
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samd
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:12 am Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| Beeyee wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| isisaredead wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
Because I'm a traveller. I want to see as much of the world as possible. |
+1
I've been considering to go there almost every summer and this year might just be the right time. Ignore the 'holier than thou' attitude I have seen amongst some posters on here regarding this issue. At the end of the day, you will experience something that very, very few people outside of North Korea have ever seen.
The $2000-odd it costs will not make a blind bit of difference. It is hardly 'supporting the regime'. |
+2. Planning to go in March. |
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chellovek
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:32 am Post subject: |
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| That sounds fascinating, will you be putting the photosyou take up on the web? Wouldn't mind seeing. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| Beeyee wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| isisaredead wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
Because I'm a traveller. I want to see as much of the world as possible. |
+1
I've been considering to go there almost every summer and this year might just be the right time. Ignore the 'holier than thou' attitude I have seen amongst some posters on here regarding this issue. At the end of the day, you will experience something that very, very few people outside of North Korea have ever seen.
The $2000-odd it costs will not make a blind bit of difference. It is hardly 'supporting the regime'. |
Could that not be said about nearly any experience then? I mean, seriously, you could excuse almost any nastiness by saying it's an experience something that very, very few people have.
It boils down to an individual choice, but perhaps if you spent that same amount of money helping people flee North korea, you might have an equally unique experience. |
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samd
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| Beeyee wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| isisaredead wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
Because I'm a traveller. I want to see as much of the world as possible. |
+1
I've been considering to go there almost every summer and this year might just be the right time. Ignore the 'holier than thou' attitude I have seen amongst some posters on here regarding this issue. At the end of the day, you will experience something that very, very few people outside of North Korea have ever seen.
The $2000-odd it costs will not make a blind bit of difference. It is hardly 'supporting the regime'. |
Could that not be said about nearly any experience then? I mean, seriously, you could excuse almost any nastiness by saying it's an experience something that very, very few people have.
It boils down to an individual choice, but perhaps if you spent that same amount of money helping people flee North korea, you might have an equally unique experience. |
The reverse is also true - you could find a moral reason not to buy almost anything or go almost anywhere.
It's also possible that simply being there and having North Koreans be exposed to you is more effective in exacting regime change than contributing a couple of thousand dollars towards the massive sum that a single North Korean refugee needs to pay to make it out of North Korea and into a safe country. |
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isisaredead
Joined: 18 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| samd wrote: |
| Captain Corea wrote: |
| Beeyee wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| isisaredead wrote: |
| thegreg52 wrote: |
| The Mass Games are supposed to be the most incredible thing to behold in person. |
far be it from me to be self-righteous, but why would you support that? |
Because I'm a traveller. I want to see as much of the world as possible. |
+1
I've been considering to go there almost every summer and this year might just be the right time. Ignore the 'holier than thou' attitude I have seen amongst some posters on here regarding this issue. At the end of the day, you will experience something that very, very few people outside of North Korea have ever seen.
The $2000-odd it costs will not make a blind bit of difference. It is hardly 'supporting the regime'. |
Could that not be said about nearly any experience then? I mean, seriously, you could excuse almost any nastiness by saying it's an experience something that very, very few people have.
It boils down to an individual choice, but perhaps if you spent that same amount of money helping people flee North korea, you might have an equally unique experience. |
The reverse is also true - you could find a moral reason not to buy almost anything or go almost anywhere.
It's also possible that simply being there and having North Koreans be exposed to you is more effective in exacting regime change than contributing a couple of thousand dollars towards the massive sum that a single North Korean refugee needs to pay to make it out of North Korea and into a safe country. |
ha ha, right - i'm sure seeing some fat american sitting in the crowd, waving their little arms in the air saying "it's ok, i'm a TRAVELER!" (and honestly, what the hell does that mean? you go on a plane to other countries to see stuff? sounds like more catch-phrase ego-driven masturbation to me) makes a world of difference to your average north korean. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 3:20 am Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| samd wrote: |
| It's also possible that simply being there and having North Koreans be exposed to you is more effective in exacting regime change than contributing a couple of thousand dollars towards the massive sum that a single North Korean refugee needs to pay to make it out of North Korea and into a safe country. |
you'd be surprised
http://www.linkglobal.org/
consider getting involved. |
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samd
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 7:19 pm Post subject: Re: North Korea - Pyongyang and the Mass Games |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| samd wrote: |
| It's also possible that simply being there and having North Koreans be exposed to you is more effective in exacting regime change than contributing a couple of thousand dollars towards the massive sum that a single North Korean refugee needs to pay to make it out of North Korea and into a safe country. |
you'd be surprised
http://www.linkglobal.org/
consider getting involved. |
Nice link, thanks CC. I will get involved. |
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