As we\u2019re going in we\u2019re given \u201chard hats\u201d.\u00a0 At the bottom of the ramp is a long tunnel.\u00a0 The tunnel is just low enough so that Judy goes through untouched.\u00a0 I, on the other hand, spend most of my time slightly bent over, bumping my head every 5 \u2013 10 feet.\u00a0 I get a really good scratch on my forehead when one of the \u201cbumps\u201d knocks my hard hat.\u00a0\u00a0 At the end of the tunnel, a steel door has been placed, blocking access.\u00a0 It\u2019s supposed to be about 150 meters from the actual border with North Korea.<\/p>\n
The tunnel is narrow and damp.\u00a0 Apparently the North Koreans weren\u2019t anticipating the tourist crowds when they built it.\u00a0 The climb out was what we expected, long and tiring.\u00a0 We\u2019re both winded when we get to the top.\u00a0 Most of the visitors are suffering the same symptoms as they reach the top.<\/p>\n
The next stop is the Dora Observatory, a mountaintop area with \u201cpay telescopes\u201d, for visitors to look out across the DMZ into North Korea.\u00a0 It\u2019s a little foggy today so the view is limited.\u00a0 We are able to see the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a joint venture in the DMZ between the North and South.\u00a0 It\u2019s been in the news lately because it just reopened Monday (9\/16) after N. Korea shut it down in March.\u00a0\u00a0 There is lot of talk on the tour about the family reunions between North & South that are about to take place.\u00a0 It would be the second reunion since 1953 (the first took place 3 years ago).<\/p>\n Last stop on the DMZ tour is the Dorason Train Station.\u00a0 It\u2019s the last train station on a major train line that leads into North Korea.\u00a0 The railroad line goes all the way Europe, so if the North ever opens up, this will be an important place.\u00a0 It opened in 2002 to great fanfare (George W Bush attended).\u00a0 It was a commuter train stop from Seoul for tourists until 2008, but a lady was shot when she wandered into a forbidden area, so the trains stopped running.<\/p>\n Much of Korea\u2019s contemporary history revolves around WWII and the Korean War.\u00a0 The constant \u201csaber rattling\u201d in the North keeps everyone on their toes.\u00a0 Our guide was in the Korean military, and he\u2019s convinced that North Korea is still working hard to overthrow the South and reunite.\u00a0 The vibe on this tour is definitely \u201cvigilance\u201d.<\/p>\n After our return to Seoul and another Korean lunch, we taxi back to our hotel.\u00a0 I nap and then start updating all our Apple devices to the new IOS 7.\u00a0 The hotel has faster internet than Beijing, so I\u2019m taking advantage.\u00a0 Judy walks to the mall, connected to our hotel, for some window-shopping.\u00a0 We have a late dinner, and organize our stuff for our Beijing return tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Day 2 in Seoul starts off the same as day 1, with pastries and caffeine.\u00a0 We\u2019re picked up a few minutes later along with German couple, also staying out our hotel.\u00a0 We drive in the van to a spot where … Continue reading ![\"DMZ](\"http:\/\/gordonandjudy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/DMZ-1.jpg\")
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