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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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 Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:41 am Post subject: if you want to tour NORTH korea |
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cleaning up my desk I came across an old notebook and thumbing thru the pages I found the name of a tourist agency given to me when I was back in the U.S. a couple of years ago. a couple of retired vets told me they were planning a tour of North Korea and when I said I didn't think one could do that, or at least Americans, they told me the name of the agency.
so here it is if anyone is interested. little late maybe for this summer but maybe later on this winter - would be great to get together a group to go I think.
seems one has to travel via Beijing - interesting - but makes sense I suppose.
here's the link:
http://www.koryogroup.com/index.html |
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Capo
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:20 am Post subject: |
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| only possible for americans during mass games, this year is the last one until kim il sung 100th birthday in 2012 |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:30 am Post subject: |
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I like the hotel reviews of about the only western style hotel going:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294444-d306459-Reviews-Koryo_Hotel-Pyongyang.html
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/2cb95
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You have no choice of accomodation. It will be at one of the two modern-ish tower hotels where you'll be one of very few guests and your fellow guests tend to be from places like Cuba, Mozambique (and other T.P.L.A.C.'s) and Libya. Makes for interesting post-dinner conversation.
Irrelevant - it's all part of your package, and that costs a mint.
Unique Qualities: One thousand rooms, 50 guests maximum. Revolving restaurant at the top, scary glass lift running up the outside. The odd soldier to politely discourage you from wandering the corridors of the (many) unoccupied levels. Fairly frequent power cuts make it a good idea to have a torch. |
Investigate the other stuff under "More P'yongyang Tips". Fascinating:
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| Calling into question the manliness or general greatness of either the Dear leader or the Great Leader, or taking any steps that might be seen to insult them (even inadvertently), is most definitely not a good idea. One foreign 'guest' was removed (i.e. deported after having been confined to his hotel) when he was deemed to have behaved inappropriately before a statute of the Great Leader. Whether they actually believe the hype or not, the Koreans take mandatory respect for the Great Leader and the Dear Leader very seriously and as a guest in the country, I suggest you do likewise. The most difficult part about visiting DPRK is maintaining a sense of perspective and the whole KIS thing can get a bit oppressive - you'll be gald you're in a group! This is a picture of the Children's Study House production - included in every itinerary. Note the backdrop of the two Kim's - the children's devotion to their leaders (one of whom is long since dead)in the end production is more than a little scary - in fact, it's a lot scary. |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject: Last year I nearly went |
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I was invited by a Korean professor to travel to Diamond Mountain with him and his family last year. I thought it was impossible for me to go there, so we checked into it. Turned out it was/is possible for me, a US citizen to go to NK. The catch is the visa runs over 400 US dollars. I think it was actually closer to 500. I didn't go, of course.
Not only is it possible for Americans to go to NK, there are a few Americans in North Korea working as English teachers as we speak. |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Capo wrote: |
| only possible for americans during mass games, this year is the last one until kim il sung 100th birthday in 2012 |
When will the mass games be held this year? |
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Beeyee
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:40 pm Post subject: Re: Last year I nearly went |
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| Tobias wrote: |
I was invited by a Korean professor to travel to Diamond Mountain with him and his family last year. I thought it was impossible for me to go there, so we checked into it. Turned out it was/is possible for me, a US citizen to go to NK. The catch is the visa runs over 400 US dollars. I think it was actually closer to 500. I didn't go, of course.
Not only is it possible for Americans to go to NK, there are a few Americans in North Korea working as English teachers as we speak. |
As I understand it, and I may be wrong, US citizens can go to the mountain attractions but cannot go to Pyongyang, as a general rule. |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:15 am Post subject: Hmmm |
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| I once saw some vids on YouTube submitted by white faces of a Pyongyang visit. Don't know if they were from the States. I'll check again. |
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Beeyee
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:40 am Post subject: Re: Hmmm |
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| Tobias wrote: |
| I once saw some vids on YouTube submitted by white faces of a Pyongyang visit. Don't know if they were from the States. I'll check again. |
I asked about it a while ago and was told that as long as I was not a US, Israeli or South Korean citizen, I could go to Pyongyang.
I'm probably going to go next February or March time. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:13 am Post subject: |
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| endo wrote: |
| Capo wrote: |
| only possible for americans during mass games, this year is the last one until kim il sung 100th birthday in 2012 |
When will the mass games be held this year? |
this is wrong - if you read the website info I provided you will learn about the tours and how to go.
I think all we've ever heard about how we can't go (as Americans) has been propaganda and hearsay from those who either didn't know or those who wanted us to stay away.
It's much like Libya and Cuba - since our govt doesn't want people going there they launch a propaganda blitz to discourage Americans from going.
I realized how this worked when I first came to K which was also my first time overseas - I met a couple who had been to Libya and I couldn't believe it - I was like - how did you go there? and they laughed and said the people were lovely and they had a great time - same with Cuba - I've met a few people now who have been there.
Here on Dave's some of you might recall the fellow who went to Iran and blogged his trip - am sure it's still in here somewhere tho I don't recall which forum he posted in. |
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Beeyee
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:46 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
| endo wrote: |
| Capo wrote: |
| only possible for americans during mass games, this year is the last one until kim il sung 100th birthday in 2012 |
When will the mass games be held this year? |
this is wrong - if you read the website info I provided you will learn about the tours and how to go.
I think all we've ever heard about how we can't go (as Americans) has been propaganda and hearsay from those who either didn't know or those who wanted us to stay away.
It's much like Libya and Cuba - since our govt doesn't want people going there they launch a propaganda blitz to discourage Americans from going.
I realized how this worked when I first came to K which was also my first time overseas - I met a couple who had been to Libya and I couldn't believe it - I was like - how did you go there? and they laughed and said the people were lovely and they had a great time - same with Cuba - I've met a few people now who have been there.
Here on Dave's some of you might recall the fellow who went to Iran and blogged his trip - am sure it's still in here somewhere tho I don't recall which forum he posted in. |
Well that is contrary to what I was told by Kyoro Tours. I might still have the email somewhere but they told me the only way Americans can go to Pyongyang is during the Mass Games. Any other time, US and Israeli citizens cannot go there. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:11 am Post subject: |
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ok, so maybe I was confused (once again) since the website is obviously geared to an international audience - I read thru it again and found this link:
http://www.koryogroup.com/tours/independent-us.html
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US Independent Itineraries and prices - all costs in Euros
The Mass Games involves over 100,000 performers and takes place in the May Day Stadium - it is the most amazing choreographed human spectacle in existence, beyond your wildest imagination. US citizens are permitted to travel to DPRK at this time and we can schedule independent tours to allow Americans the exceptionally rare chance to visit DPRK and see the greatest show on Earth. |
and I've heard several different versions of this - at any rate - if one is interested in going this certainly seems to be the best option available - certainly it's one more than I was aware of before hearing about it. I actually know someone who is involved with humanitarian aid to NK and he told me Americans had to be invited to come - so I guess the policy has some fluctuation in it depending on which way the political wind is blowing. |
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