Day 3 - DMZ 3rd September
Today was a morning tour to the Demilitarised DMZ. It is 4km wide and 240km long and is the area between North and South Korea.
On the bus for 8am heading to the North of South Korea. At the military border passports were shown before proceeding to the following destinations during the tour:
1) Peace park - This area was created in 1972 when both sides declared a truce. There are relics from other peace areas across the world. Today it is used to show tour groups the history of the area.
2) Locomotive which has hundreds of bullet holes in
3) 3rd Tunnel - North Korea created 4 tunnels which were found in (1973, 1975, 1978 and 1990) they are about 1.6 metre long and 2 metres high and wide. A defector told the government he had helped created them and thus highlighted them to their activities even though a peace agreement had been formed. The plan was to use all four tunnels to invade South Korea at the same time. There may be more tunnels out there that have yet to be found.
4) Tour Observatory - From here you can see over to North Korea. Both sides had their flags flying showing where there border starts.
5) Train station which is the last stop in South Korea. Hopefully one day it will connect Korea with the Trans Siberian railway.
The wire fence preventing people getting into the DMZ
A mock up of the end of the third tunnel where they stopped digging
How the tunnel looks today
Few facts learnt:
So far 30 thousand defectors have come across via China and another country in order to gain freedom in South Korea. Usually there is spoken word blaring out of North Korea letting their countrymen know how well off they are. Today there was nothing however the South Koreans were still playing their K-Pop loud. North Korea have previously vowed to burn them if they don't stop the music.
70% of all South Korean people have a surname of Kim, Lee or Park.
The DMZ residents grow Soya beans which they make Soya Bean chocolate from. It is the only place in the world to make this chocolate.
This afternoon I visited a Ginseng Chicken Soup restaurant. It is a special soup traditionally eaten during the hottest days of summer as a way to keep up peoples energy and to balance their body heat with the weather outside. Koreans have a saying: Yi yeol chi yeol , which means “fight fire with fire.” If it’s hot outside, you have to overcome it with hot soup! A whole chicken is stuffed with rice and a piece of ginseng it is then cooked in broth. Tastes delicious and definitely going to try this method of cooking at home with or without the ginseng. At 14,000 Won it cost nearly £10 a bowl.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at Namdaemun market, one of the biggest and definitely the busiest market. It is full of clothes, jewellery, tourist souvenirs and household goods not to mention food. I bought jewellery and a pair of pj bottoms which the seller thought was hysterical when I tried them on over my trousers. After all the shopping I bought a sweet potato latte which tasted sweet and again delicious, not sure how it was made but think it was a syrup opposed to fresh sweet potato.
On the way round the market I came across a chinese lady selling chickens feet. Having seen these many times whilst travelling I decided to try one. Not something I would repeat again. The bones were tough and it was rather chewy. At least I can say I have tried them now.
my favourite ones were Hummus, Santorini taverna, Turkish bakery as well as shops like, Lush, Nike, Yankee candle, Jo Malone, Saville Row - shirts made to order.
Dinner was quick tonight as the soup was very filling along with a Cinnamon puff and fried glass noodle and vegetable pancake I had also eaten so I decided to try the pork rib dumplings 3,000 Won for 10 pieces.
