Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes me from Majon Resort a short distance to the Hungnam Fertiliser Factory then into nearby Hamhung, the second largest city in the country. After exploring the city, we continue southward along the coast to emerging city of Wonsan.
Today's Journey
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A beautiful morning on the shore of the Sea of Japan at the Majon Bathing Resort. This is a very pretty area with golden granite sand. This is the one place in North Korea I have been allowed to go on a short walk without being accompanied by my Korean minders. |
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After checking out of the hotel, we head a short distance to the Humgnam Fertilier Factory where we explore some of the machinery although it wasn't in use, so we didn't see the real factory operations. The factory is covered in large propaganda banners and posters. It also has a temple to the great leaders, with huge photos and stories of their past visits. All workers here are inducted in the history of the leaders' visits and were expected to memorise each event and what each leader taught them. |
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Heading out of Hungnam, we stop at the house of Li Sung Gye, built around the year 1400 following the founding of the Li Dynasty in 1392. Most buildings were destroyed during the Korean War, but were restored in the 1970s. This is the main hall which fortunately escaped damage during the war. This area is still revered by the Korean people. |
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Heading into Hamhung where our first stop is at the top of the hill overlooking the city with these 12 metre high bronze statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il looking over the city. We bow before these statues as is expected here. |
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Looking into Hamhung from the top of the hill under the statues. It is a very tidy town looking like it was from the 1950s. The buildings are all brightly coloured in pastels under orders from Kim Jong Il during his reign. |
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From Hamhung, we head south passing rolling hills of maize fields nearly ready for the autumn harvest. |
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We arrive in Wonsan, considered to be North Korea's future. Here we visit Songdowan Children's Camp which is very nicely set up next door to one of Kim Jong-un's palaces. This is a computer games room. Our hosts tell us children visit here from all around the world. |
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All seems normal here except the children march between their activities singing military songs of praise to Kim Jong-un. |
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Heading into the middle of Wonsan, we stop at Wonsan Old Station, where the train carrying President Kim Il Sung during his reign sits in a museum building. |
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It is almost completely dark by the time we finish at the museum, but we do see towering hotel buildings dominating the Wonsan skyline with the vision of the city becoming a major tourist destination now an international airport is nearing completion. We head to a small hotel near the coast. |
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