In July 2006, we took a package tour trip to North Korea.

This packaged tour, owned and operated by Samsung, is the only way one is allowed to enter the North.

There were many line-up-and-wait sessions, so we played a lot of hackeysack.

We started at midnight Friday, and drove over to Saturday morning, moving into the Western area where we would eventually cross the border.

Champ came too. He is a disco-mirror bear that Jade won in the Claw game.

Sadly, he was later to defect to the North.

Here we are, with Champ, in the "town square" in North Korea. Samsung built a fake town to house and process tourists.

You'll notice there are no photos of the border crossing, nor the DMZ, nor the countryside en route to Kang Guk San Mountain.

Bus Stop #4. The "town" was two rest-area style food court and gift shop buildings, and two huge bus parking lots.

North Koreans were generally not present, though many of the stores were staffed with Korean speaking Chinese.

One of the available pastimes. We got to become a part of the story of Moses and the Golden Hatchet.

North Korea, or Samsung, has decided that a bear will be the symbol or Mickey Mouse of their tourist operation.

However, they haven't arrived at consensus on the look or style of the bear, so there are a lot of random, vaguely friendly bears floating around in the gift shop.

The focus of Saturday was the climb of Kang Guk San Mountain.

Along the trail were many stone monuments to the Greatness, Genius, Benevolence, Etc. of Our Beloved Leader.

The trail followed this impressive stream up into the mountains. Crystal clear water that you WERE NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOWED TO TOUCH.

The N. Korean military has made a cottage industry out of imposing ridiculous fines on foreigners. Usually it costs about $200 for any given infraction.

As we climbed, the fog descended.

Lots of rocks.

Directly behind us on the bridge is Mr. Park. He is a professional white person wrangler.

Almost every weekend, he has some kind of trip scheduled -- camping, skiing, mud festival, whitewater rafting, etc. All of it catered to English speakers.

In the enlargement, you can see faint traces of Chinese characters.

Another way to get a hefty fine (from the minders along th trail, or the more hidden soldiers) is to touch any of the engravings.

More engravings. The fog has gotten pretty thick. In fact, we eventually climbed up to a huge 86 meter waterfall. Due to the fog, we were able to make out that, yes, there was a waterfall out there, and you could momentarily glimpse the movement of the water rushing down, but... you couldn't see it.

Sarah's green toes .

A side spring that fed into the main stream supplied water that, according to all Koreans, will make you 10 years younger. Mr. Park, our intrepid leader, waited until the minders had moved away, and then he lead a lightning raid on the fountain of youth. Here is the evidence of Sarah's crime.

It was at this moment that we realized Champ had defected to the North.

Our hotel for Saturday night. This is the only place in all of Korea (North or South) where they give you full size towels.

The hotel was a mix of amazing luxury and... strange little things missing. We caused a ruckus, for instance, when we asked to eat in the restaurant.

View from our hotel room.

Another view from our balcony.

What is that grey thing in the foreground?

Is it a giant monument of some sort?

Yes. This is a huge mosaic featuring Kim Il Song and Kim Jong Il. They are standing, apparently, on the surface of Mars.

Sarah and Matt firmly endorse North Korea's claim. If anybody owns Mars, it's probably the Kims.

The buses are, of course, South Korean. You can tell, because they were built after 1940. However, in the North, they cover the license plates so that there is no evidence of a foreign government.

Quaint.

The one main landmark of "downtown" is this big 1970s era dome.

Also featured: huge empty bus parking lot.

They hold a circus inside the big dome. Sarah and Matt are somewhat jaded to the whole circus thing.

However, the flying trapeze act was truly amazing. World class trapeze, but the rest of it.... eh.