DMZ, JSA (Joint Security Area) & Panmunjom

Entry into the DMZ (No cameras allowed!)

Two weeks ago, we FINALLY got to do the proper tour of the DMZ (demilitarized zone). This is the tour that is run by the American Miilitary and takes people right into the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea. We arrived at the meeting poing before 7:00 one Saturday morning and we, togther with a large group of people, got bussed to the DMZ. We entered the South most border of the DMZ and we were made to change busses. They then ushered us into an auditorium where we were required to sign indemnity forms and a short slide show was presented . We had a whole lot of instructions barked at us - no pointing at the North Koreans, photos were only allowed in specific areas, walk in two straight lines etc. The slide show was interesting but the military man who presented it barked the presentation out in a gruff, staccato manner just like the way you see military commanders speak in the movies. We thought it was quite amusing.

We then headed to the JSA (joint security area) and this is where things got really interesting. The JSA is the area where the North Koreans and South Koreans actually stand face to face. A concrete slab is all that demarcates the border between the countries. We noticed that the security on the South Korean side was intense but that was because we were there. The North Koreans only stand guard in a similar fashion when they have visitors to the JSA. But we were told to make no mistake about how heavily monitored we were by the North Koreans. The photos show how the guards stand. Two were standing half obscured by the wall for maximum protection, they never moved. The sunglasses are to intimidate the North Koreans.

South Korea Guards Facing North Korea. (See the concrete slab between the buildings demarcating the "Military demarcation line" (Border)



Korean Gaurd in taekwondo Pose

We were ushered into the meeting room that is built right over the border and is used for meetings between the two countries. In the room the table is precisely over the border and we had the opportunity to stand on the North side of the room which is officially in North Korea. Inside the room there were 4 military men standing in a Taekwondo stance. They never moved, they wore their sunglasses and they had their fists clenched. We were told not to walk behind them or touch them. We exited the room and were able to take some photos of North Korea, two of their military men had come to stand outside the building. We were told not to wave or point at them but we could take photos.

S.Korean Gaurd facing North Korean building, only partially exposed.

We were then bussed to a look out point where we could see the North Korean village that is inside the DMZ. There's also a South Korean village inside the DMZ as there is lots of farming that goes on. The south Koreans that live in this village do not pay tax and the government pays for a portion of their childrens education. It is a very desirable village to live in. Women can marry into it but men cannot. There are certain laws for the people who are entitled to farm and live there. Both villages have huge flags on massive towers. The North Korean flag is much bigger and taller than the South Korean one (make no mistake about the egos involved is this weird political scenario). The military guy told us about the ridiculous number of people it takes to raise the flags (30, I think) and they have to take it down in rain because it gets so saturated and becomes so heavy that it is unmanageable.

They drove us passed the Bridge of No Return, where POWS were given a choice to walk into the country of their choice but once they decided there was no coming back. Our Korean guide told us James Bond was the last person to cross this bridge. Bridge of No Return

3rd Tunnel (Click to enlarge)

After this we left the DMZ we went for lunch. And then they took us to the 3rd infiltration tunnel. The North Koreans had managed to get within 50 or so kms from Seoul before they were discovered. Their excuse was that they were mining for coal (no coal exists in that rock), they even went as far as painting the rock black. The tunnel was interesting and the walk back was quite tiring as it was a steep uphill (pretty tough for a pregnant lady but good exercise).

63 Building

On Sunday, after Cirque du Soleil, we woke up to a clear blue sky. The rain the night before had settled all the dust and the sky was bright blue (an unusual occurrence in Seoul). Since the visibility was so good, we decided to go to 63 building. It is the tallest building in Seoul and it has an observation level on the top floor. We arrived at the building and got a bit muddled finding our way to the correct elevators but finally we made it to the top. Not only is there a 360 degree view of the city through big windows but there’s an art gallery up there as well. The art display was of Hello Kitty and was very amusing, as you can tell from the photos below. The view of the city was great – we stopped at the little coffee shop to have a drink and made our way down again. We were still hungry so we popped into a bakery on the ground floor and found some delicious looking garlic bread to share, but in true Asian fashion when we bit into it, we realized that it was topped with sugar, really disappointing. As we were driving out the car park, we noticed that the sky had clouded over and we were lucky to get the window of opportunity to go to 63 building on a clear day.

Cirque du Soleil: Alegria

Carla bought tickets to the Cirque de Soleil show that is currently showing in Seoul. A tent had been erected in the parking lot between the Jamsil baseball stadium and the Olympic stadium.

The show was really good, with some of the performances quite amazing while others were truly unbelievable with people twisting their bodies into unnatural positions, sometimes you were unable to tell which body parts belonged to which person or if the person was facing you or the other direction. Overall, we were impressed with the show despite the fact that it was one of the wettest days we’ve had for a while and getting to the show tent was quite a mission.

Singapore

I had to go to Singapore for a couple of days from the 8th to 10th of October. Another meeting at short notice to discuss a project that is being implemented. I only arrived there at 02:00 in the morning and still had to get to the hotel and check in etc.

Carla has still never been to Singapore, but I really like it. Food is always excellent, I love all the greenery and it is so clean.

We had dinner at the Clarke Quay one night and at a hotel the following night. I was flying back on Friday and on the way to the airport, the taxi was involved in an accident. The driver did not manage to stop on the freeway and slammed into a car in front of us. Luckily I was wearing my seatbelt so it was not that bad and no one else was hurt.
I also bought a video camera at the airport, so hopefully we can try and make a few movies now to post on the site.

Germany, Deidesheim

While I was in Germany, I had a meeting in Deidesheim. Deidesheim is a small village about an hour South West from Frankfurt. It is well known as a good wine growing region, so it was a nice place to have a meeting.

We stayed at the Deidesheimer Hof, a really beautiful old hotel. It has only about 30 rooms and the layout is a little odd, going up and down stairs, through little walkways, etc but it really gave the place a certain feel.

The first evening we had a really nice meal at the hotel, it is also famous for its restaurant. The one thing we did notice while staying in Deidesheim, is that you should not plan a quick meal, the serving is quite spread apart, with lots of wine in between, so expect between 4 and 5 hours for dinner.

The second day after the meeting, a walk has been arranged through the vineyards, where we were able to taste some of the grapes and listen to an explanation about the development of the grapes and the wine process. We were also told a little about the history of the area. After walking through the vineyards for a bit, we were presented with tables set up to try wine and bretzels in amongst the grapevines..

After a few glasses of wine, we made our way back to the winery where dinner had been prepared with, of course, lots of wine.
I think we really need to take some time and travel around Germany and see some of the towns and small villages, they are really beautiful.