Korea: DMZ - the border with North Korea - (Day 7)

Tuesday, 19 May 2015: 

We had to be up really early this morning (06.00 hrs) to join a guided trip to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). In South Korea there are only a few companies which are allowed to organize these trips and all is very strict. You have to book at least 3 weeks in advance when you wanna be sure to have a slot.

We had booked the extensive day tour, which brought us to several locations in the DMZ:

• the bridge to freedom, which was used during the Korean war for the exchange of prisoners
• the Dorasan station: railway station to Pyongjang (the capital of North Korea) designated for when Korea will be unified in the future
• the 3rd Tunnel: a North Korean spy tunnel, discovered by the South Koreans
• the Unification Observatory 
• Panmunjom JSA: the United Nations territory (neutral territory) used for negotiations between North and South Korea. The place where the Armistice between North and South was signed in 1953. 

It was a long and interesting day

The Bridge to Freedom 

sneaky pic

before and inside the 3rd tunnel

Unification Observatory: unfortunately it was a foggy drizzling day so we couldn't see much of the North

The Dorasan Station 

a traditional Korean lunch with the group 

Panmunjom JSA in the DMZ: the blue buildings are UN and neutral territory. The stone building in the back is North Korea. They are watching us and we are watching them. Strange feeling. We got strict orders to line-up in twos, we couldn't take any bags with us and we were allowed to make photos at only two indicated locations. 

the table in JSA where the armistice was signed

Back in Soeul we found out why the waitress didn't react to our gesturing the first day of our stay; we discovered the bell which you had to ring to order ^-^

We returned to the super Japanese restaurant, which we visited the first day of our stay in Soeul and ordered the same dishes (not shown here is the super yummy tuna salad). Of course the food was accompanied by cold sake.

Tomorrow we will fetch our rental car and leave Seoul to drive around.