Day 2 - Coby goes to DMZ!

It was on our itinerary last year but since there was some news concerning North threatening the South, we decided to ditch the idea of going to DMZ. Since this will be our "last" chance for us to go to DMZ (Korea for that matter) we decided to go this time.

After some tremendous search for the cheapest available tour package, we found Adventure Korea! Its 40,000 KRW and it covers the tour plus lunch! It was a bit difficult though to pay for the tour because we are coming from abroad and sometimes wiring money to a bank from another country is difficult. I'm glad that my bank caters to free international bank to bank transfer. It took a while for it to be confirmed and it almost did not get to their bank account on time because I just did the transfer a week before the tour. Phew! I learned about Adventure Korea upon researching doing paragliding in Korea and apparently, they do DMZ tours as well.

our tour group

We woke up early this time, which what we've learned from our previous visit that waking up early is tantamount to more places that we can cover. Its cold that morning and I remember rushing back to our hotel room to change or add another layer of clothing. We head to Express Bus Terminal, our pick-up point. We got some bagel and coffee and we ate it as we travel to Hongdae, the second stop. The bus was soon filled and we hit the highway to DMZ. 

on board Adventure Korea bus to DMZ

We didn't do the comprehensive DMZ tour, the one that let you see border with the SK and NK soldiers on guard, the conference room and the part wherein you can actually step on NK soil (at least the UN controlled one). If you want that you have to avail the one with JSA. So for this tour we were able to go to the following:

Imjingak is where I bought North Korean money. I paid 10,000 KRW for 1000 KPW bill . I don't know if its still in circulation, I didn't ask. There are other products from NK, yes soju is available! Some monuments and pictures are also there about the Korean war and it even have an amusement park! Climbing the observation deck will let you view a torn down bridge. Also the place houses a part of a steam train with bullet holes in it, a fence with ribbons maybe a wishes for peace. And the Peace Bell.

a store that sells NK stuffs

North Korean bills

bullet battered train

Peace Bell

Unification Village (Tongilchon) is the place where we had our lunch. Soybean paste stew! We all seated on the floor. Its a nice setup that you get to face the rest of guys that you're with on that tour. I am not much of a talker to people whom I don't know much. We are the only Filipinos on that trip and one lady commented how beautiful the Philippines is, which made me want to sink because I am touring another country. I scrapped that feeling because I realized that I am heading to Baler the week after my South Korea trip.

3rd Infiltration Tunnel is one of the tunnels that was dug by North Koreans. They believe that there were more but so far this is the third one that they've discovered that's according to the film shown. It is such a breeze to go down and be sure you wear a helmet especially if you are tall. Good thing for me, I don't have to duck my head. You are not allowed to bring a camera or phone with a camera for that matter. Sometimes I just wish that I didn't follow the rules for I failed to get a photo inside the tunnel. There's nothing much to do there just when you see the end, you have to turn back and climb which is such a pain that I thought I'll die. When I reached the top I hurried to the nearest bench and empty my bottled water. I bought DMZ pin, red ginseng candy and chocolate coated soybean! Red ginseng candy taste like a root (why I am not surprised) and the choco-coated soybean is yummy. Too bad I only bought a small pack.

I guess these are ribbons for peace.

Viewing through the binoculars in Dora Observatory is where you can actually glimpse a town in North Korea which I believe is Kaesong. This time I defied some "rules" and I was able to sneak some photos. The tour guide explained that the industrial area were done by Hyundai and you can actually go on a tour there. Which is kinda interesting.

glimpse of North Korea

Dorasan Train Station is a non-operating station but very significant since it marks the end of north and beginning for the south. Its a station readied if one day, north and south will be unified. We head back to Seoul only experience Seoul traffic. Bummer! We could have joined group who get off at Hongdae and took the train.

will this operate soon?

All I can think of is CNBLUE's Earfun

The food court on the Shinsegae Department Store is super! It looks like all the food there are delicious. It was just too crowded for us to enjoy so we decided to have Odie's birthday dinner on the restaurant beside our hotel. Now this restaurant is lucky for I didn't note its name. Its sad for us tourist to robbed by a restaurant like that. On their menu, there is a set meal amounting to 25,000 KRW. I told Odie that I'll just get my wallet and told her to get that and get another item on the menu. When I came back she told me that we have to order 2 of that set menu, but why? I called the waiter and I was told the same thing. I don't know why a set menu should be ordered twice. Its misleading and we ended up paying 50,000 KRW almost 50 USD for a dinner. The food is not overly delicious (see below). The two orders of set menu is too much for the both of us which sorta spoiled our night. Okay, rant finished.

the banchan (side dishes)	pajeon (spring onion pancake)
kimchi mackerel stew and egg something	bossam, acorn jelly salad
squid and pollock	Saengil chukhahae!

T'was a long day but it didn't end there. We went to Cheonggyecheon Stream where it displays different big lanterns because of the festival. There's a lot of people on the street that night and we can't figure out where is the entrance so that we could go down and get closer to the stream and lanterns. But seeing the mob, we didn't try hard so we just took photos from the street. The smell is roasting chestnuts and squid are so apt for the weather and the festival. It reminds me also of the times where our family would go out at night to the amusement park during Christmas season. Its just that I am so full that I can't eat what I smell on that night.

Pinas!

Below are some lanterns that were displayed. It seems that each lantern design represents a country. It just that its really a pain to enjoy them because of the crowd. Its so cold so we went to a packed Starbucks, bought Seoul branded tumblers for us and for our friends in Dubai.

some of the lanterns during the festival 

lantern that represent China