Elliott Davies/Earth Nutshell
I visited North Korea in late 2014 for 16 days, right before the absolute lockdown caused by Ebola.
Most tourists experience only the political smokescreen of Pyongyang, but I had the privilege of visiting all its corners on one of the longest tours ever offered to foreigners in the hermit kingdom.
It was an eye-opening experience. Upon exiting the country, my cameras were searched for over two hours in Sinuiju. Many photos were deleted but I had backups.
Here are some of the photos taken during my time in North Korea.
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In the Demilitarized Zone, soldiers are more than happy to take photos and crack a smile. This is a far cry from the scare tactics and intimidation used on the South Korean side. This is almost certainly on purpose, possibly a passive-aggressive way to make a mockery of the precautions on the South.
The local school bus: Kids stack on top of one another for transit.
'Music Appreciation Room' thats what the sign on the door said. Photo taken in the Grand Peoples Study House, Pyongyang.
Only in Korean this skit during an interlude of the Pyongyang Circus left little to the imagination. Militaristic in its entirety, the locals loved it. From what I heard, it was better than the last performance that depicted a drunk American soldier dressed as a clown and treated as a laughing stock.
Elliott Davies/Earth Nutshell
North Korean specialties Snake Soju (wine) and Ginseng Jelly, among other treats, are for sale at many tourist locations. The Snake Soju is bottled with a live snake the more venomous, the more expensive, and the greater the medicinal payoff. Its the peak of luxury in North Korea.
The Pyongyang golf course: One of my guides taking his first-ever golf shot. He had never heard of golf before I introduced him, and he took a real liking to it. A four-hour round turned into six hours as he joined in to learn.
The Pyongyang Circus was a surprise, in a great way. The performance was flawless, all involved were incredibly talented. Cirque du Soleil, eat your heart out! No animals were involved in performances this time, either (I was expecting the worst). I dont think this is the norm, though, unfortunately.
A day at the beach for North Koreans.
The Korean People's Army enjoying rides in the Pyongyang Funfair. In uniform.
Masik Pass Ski Resort, the most luxurious hotel in North Korea, and its no joke. It was built in 10 months by the KPA to boost tourism numbers. In the middle of nowhere, when approached from the west the lights hit you like a hotel in Vegas. It was summer, there was no snow, there were more staff than us, and we were the only guests. It was weird.
Want to see more photos from the trip?
Click here to see "100 Photos Inside North Korea: Part 1
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