Buildings and Constructions in North Korea

cucumber

This is by no means a display of all contructions and buildings in North Korea. They are only the contructions the North Korean government would like the world to see and is willing to display to the world. Pyongyang is the showcase city of North Korea. Apart from citizens of special classes and background to be selected to stay in Pyongyang, everything in Pyongyang has been carefully designed and selected, in order to foster the best image available to the world and the citizens in North Korea.


Since the itinerary and where to visit had been arranged and controlled by the North Korean government, we could only visit and see the picture the North Korean government would like us to see. We of course understood we could not see the true and whole picture in North Korea. What we visited and saw in 2008 were already enough for us to remember and share in the internet. As mentioned before, hope to visit North Korea again soonest, and there is no need to join any tour.


In time of 60th National Anniversary in 2008, more stringent measures and activities should have been done to furnish the city of Pyongyang.









In 2008, cycling was still an important means of transport in Pyongyang. There is high probability that it is also so in 2012.


This was taken on the coach. The North Koreans were celebrating the 60th National Anniversary.








Panmunjom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panmunjom, This is the New Fredeom House in Korean Demilitarized Zone, viewed from North Korea.


We could take photos inside the blue house, in the border between North Korea and South Korea.








In the city of Pyongyang




Kaesong Folk Custom Hotel


It is a hotel of about 400 years history.






The restaurant where we had lunch meal in brass tablewares in Pyongyang




Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where Kim Il-Sung's embalmed body lies inside a clear glass coffin was one of the spots to visit. This is a top class museum in the world, particularly in view of the ecomonic situation in North Korea at the time of construction. There are many escalations inside the building, there is no need to walk by yourself basically. No photo is allowed inside the palace, of course.




Wall decoration outside the building.






Okryu Restaurant, founded in 1960, in Pyongyang


Okryu Restaurant (Okryugwan 玉流館) is one of the best restaurants (or the best restaurant) in Pyongyang. In my experience, it is like The Peninsula Hong Kong, particularly in terms of outlook. Frankly speaking, there are not many good restaurants in North Korea and most restaurants are inside hotels. Fyi, Okryugwan has branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Dubai and others.

This was not included in the itinerary. Upon our strong request, we were lucky to have visited and dined here in our trip. Respective meal was recorded in http://blog.yahoo.com/deli-princ ... tegory/North+Korea.


Kim Il-sung Square (金日成廣場), similar to Tianmen Square in Beijing and on the west bank of the Taedong river in Pyongyang, is a gathering place for dancing, military parades and rallies.


It was opened in 1954.






We visited and spent about an hour on a late afternoon in the Square. There are not many citizens and vehicles in the Square.


White sports on the ground most probably are marks for soldiers.


Being a famous 105-storey Ryugyong Hotel (柳京飯店) in Pyongyang, this was the outlook in 2008. Contruction started in 1987 and is projected to be completed in 2012.


The above two pictures are 'borrowed' from the internet. Its appearance is in fact not bad in my opinion. But it ranked third in a vote of the ten ugliest buildings in the world.