The majority of our trips outside Pyongyang involved travel of less than a couple of hours. There were a few exceptions and apart from the trip between Pyongyang and Kaesong/Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) we were exhorted to ensure we had taken care of ablutions and other needs we might have as the bus would not be stopping en-route.
En-route to the DMZ from Pyongyang one official stop is made at what is referred to a service area (Sohung Rest House). This service area is set up solely for tourists and has all the trappings deemed necessary for the visitor to North Korea.
While there is a large building straddling the highway at the stop, the only thing accessible therein was toilet facilities making this perhaps the largest toilet block in the world. I read afterwards that it houses a restaurant – this certainly was not evident at the time of my visit.
The car-park (or rather bus park) is set-up with an al fresco teashop right by the Reunification Highway (see separate review) where tea is served by Korean ladies in national dress. Other beverages including beer can be procured here, as can fairly tasteless ice-cream. There is no need to worry about petrol fumes as you imbibe by the highway as there is practically no traffic on it.
Before, after or indeed instead of a cuppa spend some time souvenir shopping or stock up on snacks imported from Singapore. All souvenir shops in the DPRK stock pretty much the same things.
Here you can find postage stamps, lapel pins (but not those of the Leaders which you see everyone wearing – they are bestowed on citizens), a very limited range of t-shirts, ginseng, feather fans, cigarettes, alcohol, overseas snacks, mushrooms and a tonic for expectant mothers. A young gentleman in our group procured a bottle of the tonic for his mother having no idea what it was given his inability to read Korean. Others, including me, stuck to stamps, t-shirts and snacks.
A popular activity at this point is to have your photograph taken standing in the centre of the highway, totally devoid of any traffic.
My, what fun you can have in North Korea!
This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries based on my visit to Panmunjom (DMZ), North Korea. I suggest you continue with my next entry – Reunification Murals – or to start this loop at the beginning go to my introductory entry – If war resumes leave the area as soon as possible!
The Rambling Wombat 