DMZ

Hey!!! Look I have pictures documenting my presence in a place that doesn't exist........maybe it's because I live in the future......I need to ponder this.

So on January 31st I took the plunge and went to the DMZ and took in the sights.........or what they would let you see. All that was dancing through my head was propaganda, who's side is worse? But than again I'm rather pessimistic *grins*. Anyway the above picture is showing the train tracks that go between both countries. It has supplies going to North Korea every day.

Welcome to Freedom bridge. This was the bridge built for exchanging prisoners. It has since been gated off at the very end of the bridge. Something about either side not wanting people to go in between the countries easily.

This is the very end of the bridge. All the decor is actually prayer for the "lost" family members. Wishes for being reunited and other things similar...........I don't read Korean I don't know for sure. Say hi to Jin!!!

This is a picture of the bridge from underneath..........just cause really. Mostly to show you how small it actually it.

This is in the common area of where the third tunnel is. The stature that I'm fooling with is the world divided and the people of each side working together to unite the country again. Stronger as one and all that other jazz.

This is a bell stucture that was built in 2000 to promote peace between the two countries. Every hour it rings three times to spread the hope of being united again. Apparently you can pay a wade of money (as a group) to ring the bell for those three times........but you have to ring it on the hour not just when you feel like it.

Two people I met on my tour. Scott (an Englishman) and Hennik ( Dutchman). We had a blast. And actually we got along so well that Hennik took Scott, Jin (American), Gil and I out for supper and drinks. Love men on biz trips now.
This is me being a big geek. This is the entrance way into the tunnel.....where camera's weren't allowed......actually this is me being sneaky....yah I know you couldn't tell.
This is a diagram of the third tunnel. Walking down takes 10-15 minutes and when you get there there is a tunnel about 200 odd meters to walk hunched down until you get to the end. I'd say if you are over 5'10 you are gonna have a kinky in your neck. What's intersting about the tunnel is that it was suppose to be able to get like 30,000 soldiers through this tunnel in an hour.........I just sure hope they planned on making it taller...........unless the people of North Korea are all small and midget like.

Another cool thing was that the North Koreans coated the tunnel in a black paint in case they did get caught (which they obviously did) they could claim they were mining for coal....in granite......it's not possible, I guess they were hoping all the geologist where on their side. When the tunnels were discovered the North Koreans blamed the South Koreans on trying to invade them (ahhhh the propaganda).

The South Koreans found the first tunnel due to a North Korean who had managed to get to the South Korean border. Can you imagine that conversation? "hey I want to come into your section of the country............I can show you that this side wants to invade........yah that's what they said to" Seriously though he was able to show them were the first tunnel was. After that some how sensing a threat they devised a way to figure out where the other tunnels were......cause we all have back up plans don't we? They drilled a hole and filled it with water. If the TNT went off near one of these holes and there was a decompression of water they had a rough idea where the tunnel is. So far they have discovered 4 tunnels all over the boarder, and it is suggested that there maybe as many more as 10. You really can't say they aren't committed can you? It is estimated that they can get through a mile or so a year (solid granite remember) so if that's the truth Seoul (because that's where all the tunnels were headed) have another 25-30 years before one might make it that far.

This is about the tunnel.


North Korean in all it's glory. My camera zoom sucks so this is as close as I could get. There was a large yellow line that you weren't allowed to cross. I asked the guard why and he said it was because the government didn't want the positions of the South Korean military given away in the pictures.