Pyongyang: Mangyongdae, Pyongyang Metro, Tower of Juche Idea, Arch of Triumph

An adventure is over, another begins. We have finished our hike in North Korea and now we are moving on to become proper tourists. Jo left early this morning, the rest of us will have three days here in Pyongyang. As foreigners cannot walk freely around in North Korea, the norm for travel companies operating here is to keep as tight a program as possible. Often too tight and too much to see packed in a short time, so some people feel overly tired when finished with a day. With that in mind, I am curious to what the day will bring.

Close look at one of the small huts at Mangyongdae.

The group at Mangyongdae.

The first stop on our program is the birthplace of Kim Il-Sung, Mangyongdae, located in the outskirts of Pyongyang. We drive to the place, but in the future it may be possible to take the metro out. There are plans to expand the two existing lines of Pyongyang Metro with a line to Mangyongdae. We park next to a theme park about to open for the day, Mangyongdae Fun Fair. There is no one in line outside waiting to get in, except me maybe. I would be thrilled to see how a North Korean theme park would be like. It appear run-down and far from merry, even with the merry-go-round. Kim Jong-un has, according to Wikipedia, ordered it to be updated so to make it more lively.

View of Pyongyang from the park at Mangyongdae.

The entrance to the Mangyongdae Fun Fair.

It was here in Mangyongdae that Kim Il-Sung was born on the 15th of April 1912. Here, his parents lived in a earthen hut with a thatched roof, now restored. It appear more like a replica than an actual home, but it serves its purpose. Everything is in order, neatly arranged, from the tools, utensils to the personal belongings on display. Then again, it is a museum. As customs go, we bow before the home. It was a humble home we are told by the guide, but it is difficult to see how it must have looked like in its restored form. While we are drinking the cold water from the well outside, proclaimed to be the well used by Kim Il-Sungs family, a group of Korean students arrive to behold the childhome of the former president.

Inside Mangyongdae Fun Fair.

In Pyongyang there are several of these small street vendors.

Before we return to Pyongyang, we go out to a pavilion with views over the city. A haze is situated around the buildings in the distance. Between us and the capital lies a river and green acres with small farm buildings. The theme park is open when we leave, appearing just as empty as before it was open.

Puhŭng Metro Station.

Mural at Puhŭng Station.

Next post on the program is the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, but closed doors greets us when we arrives. Today is a public holiday in North Korea, the Day of Songun, to commemorate the beginning of Kim Jong-il's leadership in 1960. Songun stands for military-first, and is the North Korean policy for giving the army priority in the affairs of state and allocation of resources. No guide to meet us as was the plan, so we are shuffled back to the hotel.

Female official at Puhŭng Station.

Mural of Kim Jong-Il at Yŏnggwang Station.

Not on the program, but a sight requested by the group to see, is Pyongyang Metro. With the gap in the program left behind by the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, we get to pay a visit to two of the stations. Some of the metro stations in Pyongyang are reported to be beautiful, in a similar way as those in Moscow. The metro system is on the other hand less developed than there, the Pyongyang Metro consists of two lines, the Chollima and Hyŏksin lines. Before, tourists only got to visit the same two stations as we do, Puhŭng Station and Yŏnggwang Station, but now apparently all stations are opened for tourists (this does not mean that you can enter metro alone though). It is one of the deepest metro systems in the world, with the lines running about 110 metres underground. At this depth and with no lines or stations above the ground, they can also be used as bomb-shelters.

Yŏnggwang Metro Station.

Pyongyang from the square around the Tower of the Juche Ideology, Kim Il-Sung square to the left, with Ryuguong hotel clearly visible.

That tourists only got to see two stations was probably the reason why many believed that those two stations were the only ones and that the other passengers were actors. I would be impressed if it were so, they had to muster a lot of actors then while we was there. People were coming and going, both by the trains and by the entrances and exits. It is true that the stations are beautiful, although I find the ceiling lights a little bit kitsch. Murals adorns the walls behind the tracks, and the ever-present mosaics of the supreme leaders. We drive the train (in an old West German U-Bahn car) from Puhŭng Station to Yŏnggwang Station. They appear quite similar, but Yŏnggwang has a taller ceiling supported by columns. Also notable is the news-stands in the middle of the platforms, so the people can read the latest news from the government while waiting for the train.

Tribute plaques at the Tower of the Juche Ideology.

View of the Taedong river and Kim Il-Sung square.

Driving around in Pyongyang is interesting, but I wish we could have had more time walking around. That is always the best way to experience a city, in my eyes. Driving also means a lot of missed photo opportunities, I would be happy to be able to catch a good picture of daily life here, but in a slightly shaking minibus it is difficult getting a straight picture.

The colered apartment buildings of Pyongyang.

Pyongyang with the Monument to Party Founding.

Self-reliance is what the official state ideology of DPRK is based on, called Juche. Built to celebrate Kim Il-Sung's 70th birthday is the Tower of the Juche Ideology. This granite tower is standing 170 metres tall, thus visible from multiple locations in Pyongyang. The four-sided pagoda-inspired spire is built up by 25 550 blocks of granite, one for each day of Kim Il-Sung's life (365x70, excluding the additional days from a leap year). On top of the tower is an illuminated metal torch (always lit) weighing 45 ton. Standing tall in front of the tower facing Kim Il-Sung square is a statue of three idealist people, the worker (carrying a hammer), the peasant (carrying a sickle) and the intellectual (carrying a brush). At the entrance to the tower is a wall of tribute plaques, there is even two from Norway here, from study-groups in Bergen (1976) and Arendal (1975).

View towards our hotel, Pyongyang Hotel, and the Pyongyang Theatre.

The view from the top of the tower is great. It is a beautiful day, so we can see far, but it is what is closest to us that is the most interesting. Not surprisingly is it the other truly towering structure in the capital that catches my eye first, the Ryuguong ghost hotel (330m). I quickly let that building be, however. The colorful apartment buildings are what really gets to me. They remind me of some of the works of a Norwegian contemporary artist, Pushwagner. On the river below, a tiny boat is frantically trying to evade one of the large cruiseboats.

The Tower of the Juche Ideology.

The North Korean version of the Arc de Triomphe is up next, Arch of Triumph. This triumphal arch stands 10 metres taller than its counterpart in Paris, which it is modeled after, at 60m (they are appearing fond of making things taller). Above the arch on two sides is an engraving of Paektusan. Inside there is a large hall with marble walls, where we watch an infomercial. There is another tourist here too, who is also staying at the same hotel as we do and have been seeing at other sights too. I guess that is the way around here for tourists. After watching the infomercial, we take the elevator up to the observation platform. It provides good views of a sports stadium (Kim Il-Sung stadium), and with the sounds coming from it, it appear to be some sports event taking place there. From our viewpoint, however, we cannot see any spectators. Also below the tower, we can see a cinema, more of the apartment buildings in various colors, and the Moranbong public park. Leaving the structure, we get to walk on the road for taking photos of the arch.

Ryuguong Hotel seen from the observation platform of the Arch of Triumph, notice the azalea engraving.

The Arch of Triumph.

Before the tour ends, we visit an exhibition, Walhyang Handcraft Exhibition. It has lots of paintings and other artworks on display, but appear mostly like a shop. I am tempted to buy one of the paintings too. There were paintings at sale at the Paegaebong Hotel in Samjiyon also. Word is that the North Korean artists are good. In the end, I end up buying a white cloth with a landscape scene from Kumgangsan on it. I had hoped to find something with Paektusan on it, but was unable too.

The Mansudae Monument.

We end the day with a dinner at a restaurant near Pyongyang train station. At the square next to the train station there is a big screen with a lot of people sitting in front of, it appear to be screening something from a local tv company. I eat a dinner consisting of fried noodles, eggs, meat, cabbage and more. It is a lot to eat, but good.

Restaurant in Pyongyang.

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