DMZ : Jenna's Bucket List Day
- Jan 8, 2019
- 9 min read
Today was another fantastic day in South Korea, tinged with a little disappointment as we got a call last night to tell us that part of our tour today was cancelled. We were supposed to be heading to the DMZ (De-militarized Zone) and the JSA (Joint Security Area) where the iconic blue buildings are that stradle both sides of the border, with the fierce looking guards trying to stare each other down , and actually cross into North Korea within the building, but the JSA was out (and will be for the rest of the month so we could not reschedule so we had to make do with a photo version instead) We were told the reason was
that they had found mines within the area and they were removing them which would obviously be a little dangerous for everyone concerned (but who knows the real reason...Donald Trump what did you do???)
Thankfully we had a pick up from the hotel so we didn't have to worry about trying to get anywhere at the crack of dawn or in -15 degree temperatures which we were all incredibly grateful for.
Our first stop of the day was Imjingak Park, there is a 'resort' here, but the main reason the park was built was to console those people that could no longer return to their homes and families because of the division of Korea. The 'Freedom Bridge' crosses the Imjin River which was used to repatriate POWs and soldiers returning from the north and the remains of the last train that brought people from both sides together.
Here there is also the Mangbaeddan which is a memorial which allows those Koreans that are separated from their families in the North to show respect to their elders and ancestors on important days like New Years and Chuseok (Thanksgivng) and at those times of the year there are many Korean families who make their way to Imjingak Park for those festivities.
It was a quick visit (the joys of being on a tour bus-NOT and I think if I ever have the opportunity to come back here I might think about paying a little more for an independent tour so we are not so rushed in each place we go to)
The next destination which was the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel (also known as the Third Tunnel of Aggression) which was discovered in 1978(thanks to a North Korean defector who had worked as an engineer on the construction of the tunnels and knew the vague area it was to going to be built ) There has been another one found since then but the South Koreans are concerned because they don’t know how many are out there still undiscovered (they believe there to be at least twenty more.)
An intercept tunnel was built and the tunnel
barricaded by three walls and this has become a tourist site as you can walk down to the third barricade. (This picture is of one of the intercept tunnels that has a railcar that can take you to the bottom, so it gives you an indication how steep it is.) It is recommended that if you have knee problems (me), claustrophobia (me) or respiratory problems (Linda) that you don't head into the tunnel so
Linda and I stayed above ground and the girls went down into the tunnel and I am quite glad we did because we had time to wander around above ground and look through the museum which gave us some great information but also showed us a map of where we were and where we could have been if the JSA part of the tour hadn't been cancelled (which gives me yet another reason to head back to South Korea so I can go to the JSA). When the girls came back up from the tunnel with aching legs and back (in Sarah's case) and breathing heavily, both Linda and I knew that we had made the right decision to stay up top.
While we wandered around the site we also found evidence of
Shamanism, with totems in the area which I imagine are there to dispel any evil spirits that might be sent from North Korea to destroy the South. There is also a gift shop here and the only place that you can buy liquor from North Korea which is a plum wine and I decided to buy some to try at home.
From here we moved to the Dora Observatory which is at the top of Dorasan and the northernmost point of the DMZ and this gave us an opportunity to look into North Korea and for the first time this tour to actually take photos over the border. It was quite surreal to think that people could be looking at us from the other side doing the same thing.
The interesting thing is the propaganda village on the other side of the border which is there to prove the supposed prosperity in the North. There are also flagpoles on either side of the border flying flags of their mutual country and the poles are forever changing heights as one side wants to dominate the other, as of the 7th the North's flagpole is taller, but who knows the next time I am in the neighbourhood.
Last stop in the DMZ was the Dorasan Train Station which was in operation until 2008 but is no longer running. The train used for freight and to take both workers and tourists across the border to the Kumgang resort which is owned by the Hyundai Asean company.
A tourist was killed after straying into a restricted zone and this caused the North Koreans to close the border due to South Korea's 'confrontational policy'. The customs hall is still used twice a day as there are workers who cross the border from North to South Korea to work in I think the Hyundai factory but they are not allowed to stay in South Korea overnight. We did some shopping here, buying that t-shirt you have to buy which tells you were you went, a magnet and I bought another bottle of liquor here that is made in the area so if nothing else I've got something that you can't find anywhere else.
As we headed back to Seoul we were told about a few cooperative farms who operate in the area, and most of them are self-sufficient as if they need goods and services it is not as simple as just popping to the store or calling someone for help. They also live in constant tension because they are so close to the border and although not always mentioned in the media there are often threats from the North, even occasionally incursions and the people living on the farms know that at any point they might need to run for their lives.
I was a little disappointed that we were not able to get into the JSA (but it gives me a good excuse to come again) but the rest of the trip was well worth the experience and I would recommend it to anyone visiting South Korea.
Because we arrived back in Seoul a couple of hours earlier than we would have done if the JSA had been included, we were able to squeeze in a couple of extra things today, the first being the changing of the guards at Deoksugang Palace (Historic Site No. 124) which was pretty showy (they were missing the military precision that the Taiwanese guards had) but they were fun and historically accurate (so the historians say) so it gave you an idea of the formalities that were around in the Joseon dynasty.
After freezing our butts off watching the ceremony (in -5 temps and for the first time we were standing still so you noticed the chill more) we spotted a small restaurant across the road from the palace and we ate more great warming (spicy) Korean food and also got to watch more as the guards marched down the street. Well fed and warmed inside and out we ventured into the palace grounds.
Deoksugung is another beautiful set of buildings but not as vast as Gyeongbokgang (as a lot of the vast grounds and buildings are no longer in existence)so were able to get around it quite quickly. Deoksugung was once the residence of King Seongjong's older brother Wolsandaegung but did not become and official palace until the late 16th Century and it switched between being a palace and a temporary residence.
Deoksugung is also the only palace that has 'modern' buildings which were built in the 1900s and houses an art gallery and a palace treasure exhibition which we didn't go into (but there's always next time)
We tried to fit in a show at the cultural center behind the Palace but the problem with traveling in winter is that some of the smaller centers don't have the shows in the off season. It was an interesting area which I would like to explore in more depth next time around.
As we wandered around again that realisation that we are travelling in winter hit, it was late afternoon and while walking through the palace grounds and the area around it we got cold and were looking for somewhere to just warm up a little and we came across the Museum of Modern Art and decided to go in and have a look.
There was an exhibition by abstract painter Han Mook(the painting on the right is called "Bird and Sun" )who is called the 'living legend of Korean abstract art " which I really enjoyed and not just because it got me out of the cold (but as they say art is very subjective and Han Mook's work might not be to everyone's taste but I could quite happily have one or two of his paintings on my walls )
A much needed coffee was waiting for us a chance to go to one of the stores that Sarah and I have seen in our Korean dramas (Holly's Coffee) and for me to eat honey bread and drink another sweet potato latte (not sure how I am going to cope when I get home because I'm not going to get one of those anywhere) It was nice just sitting and doing some people watching and I can picture myself in the future sitting with my journal in the same cafe doing some writing.
Cheonggyecheon Stream was our next destination, the stream is nearly 11km long, running through the heart of Seoul, it has 22 bridges and many other attractions and was part of an urban renewal project to restore the stream to it's original glory (after the Korean war it was covered with an elevated highway) and bring open air spaces for the people of Seoul to enjoy. In the warmer weather it is a hive of activity with different events taking place here, from buskers to lantern festivals,
different performance groups, families and couples enjoying their evenings out but not a lot is going on in the middle of winter because it is too damned cold but it was nice just walking through it, and again it gives me a good excuse to come back in the warmer climes and enjoy the atmosphere. (Because there are not a lot of tourists are braving the minus 15-5 degree temperatures the four of us probably stand out and funnily enough we must have made an impression because we bumped into someone that we had briefly chatted to while in the Folk Museum yesterday and we chatted again.)
We left the stream behind and began walking and as the stream borders the Myeongong shopping area we didn't have far to go before we found ourselves in a area that is great for stores and restaurants, underground shopping malls and a market with great souvenirs and even better food.
We found gyeran bang which is egg bread and that very quintessential baked good in South Korea, a real mixture of sweet and savoury and it is incredibly good, there were fish cakes and fried squid and sausages on a stick and everything was so good.
I was so happy with the shopping too as I managed to grab a few souvenirs and one of the lovely store owners gave us each a liltte golden pig good luck charm for nothing which was incredibly sweet (and I hope that good fortune gives me a chance to get back to South Korea one day) The best purchase I made was a suitcase,
with hearts and peace signs on which wasn't quite a necessity (I just needed a bigger one before I go away again nest time) but I couldn't resist as it was a hard case with really good interior for W4,000/ $50 and I wouldn't be able to pick up a similar case in Aust for less than $170. Last purchase of the night made we headed back to the hotel (via the
7-11 for snacks and the much needed supply of milk drinks--banana and orange are just so damned good).
It was a great end to a great day and I imagine we will be back a few more times before we leave South Korea)
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