Lyndsey in a lantern and decoration shop during Spring Festival.

Written by: Lyndsey Biddle

China’s Spring Festival, which leads up to the much celebrated Chinese New Year, usually occurs in late January to mid February. The exact date depends on the Chinese lunar calendar. My three years spent in China gave me the pleasure of experiencing this amazing festival more than once. With decorations galore, countless delicious family dinners, and non-stop fire crackers to boot, this time of year is a real workout for the senses.

Lanterns hanging above Ancient Culture Street in Tianjin, China.

The Colors

The streets, houses, buildings, you name it, will be boldly decorated with red lanterns and red paper-cuts. These paper cuts are images and characters cut from thin paper and the designs are often quite intricate. Most of these red lanterns and wall decorations will have specials Chinese characters written on them in gold. Why so much red and gold? Red is considered a lucky color and gold signifies wealth. That’s what Chinese New Year is all about; out with the old, in with a new year, a new chance to find success, fortune, and happiness.

The Chinese hold a number of beliefs and superstitions about this time of year and about how to ensure their family’s good luck for the coming year. In many homes you will find red paper-cut decorations with characters for good luck and fortune written on them. They are placed up side down to bring the luck down into the home. Another superstition is that you shouldn’t clean your home on New Year’s Day. This will sweep out the luck. Also, all cooking for the family New Year’s Day meal should be done the night before and all cutlery should be stowed away, because if you have a knife out on the day of the new year it will cut your luck.

The Sounds

Spring Festival is one the best and one of the worst times to visit China. The sights and sounds of the holiday are enough to keep any person mesmerized but, in the Chinese fashion, the sounds in particular tend to be over done. The Chinese are mighty proud of their invention, firecrackers and fireworks. They set them off with gusto during the entirety of the Spring Festival and a number of devoted fireworks enthusiasts set them off a week before through a week following the Festival. That would be my neighbors. They set off firecrackers night and day. Mostly at night. But nobody else seemed to be bothered by it. That’s just what you do during the Spring Festival, you make a lot of racket and everyone approves. It hurts my ears to recall how loud the streets get with blasts and bangs.

The Chinese go gung-ho over firecrackers for a reason. They believe that during the New Year evil spirits try to come down to earth. The firecrackers are a way to frighten off the spirits. I think my neighbors must have been very afraid of these evil spirits considering the amount of industrial sized firecrackers and fireworks they invested in.

The Tastes

The Chinese Spring Festival is a time for family. It seems the whole country drops what it is doing to head home. I would highly advise that you do not plan to travel around the country during this time. If you are in China then you will want to stick to one location for the holiday season. Trains will be packed and plane ticket prices will sky-rocket. But no matter the difficulty in getting ticket, the Chinese find a way to get together with their families. Together, the ritual is to gather for lavish family dinners and eat your fill of traditional dishes.

Jiaozi, or boiled dumplings, are always on the New Year menu as are Nian Gao. These sweet cakes are made as a tribute to the kitchen god Zao Wang who is said to visit each family during the New Year. He takes an evaluation of the family’s actions over the past year and returns to heaven where he reports his findings. The Nian Gao is said to make Zao Wang happy so that he will give a good report on the family.

Lyndsey writes for briefcase, a website that offers luxury briefcases direct from the manufacturer. Lyndsey currently lives in Kolkata, India, where she is studying the Bengali language.

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Village Scene © Aschwin Prein

Written by: Nick Steele

For many people looking to visit China, traveling along the Yangtze River can be a good way to discover China for the first time or it can give you greater insight into the country if you’ve visited once before. It is the longest river in Asia and only the third longest behind the Nile and Amazon Rivers. It is nearly 4,000 miles long and runs along small villages and major cities. Because of the variety of attractions along the river, many travelers like to embark on a Yangtze River cruise for their smaller size, comfort and convenience.

If you think you don’t like cruises, you may very well like river cruises because they differ greatly with traditional ocean liners. In a matter of a week or so, you’re able to visit dozens of sites along the river without any additional planning on your part and you always have a secure place to sleep at night. Plus you enjoy guided tours, value, and many itineraries varying in length and price to choose from.Many people prefer to travel on the Yangtze River than on foot alone because you get to visit the smaller villages along the river that you wouldn’t have otherwise discovered. Plus, as travelers go from one place to another on a vessel like a river cruise ship, you can enjoy the scenery and relax, not having to worry about which bus or train you are taking next.

Shanghai and Beijing

Sitting on the Yangtze River Delta is Shanghai, the largest city in China which is known for its metropolitan and cosmopolitan feel. Aside from the endless shopping and restaurant options that large cities offer, Shanghai is filled with rich historical sites and stunning architecture. Beijing, the second largest city in China, is home to the famous Tiananmen Square, known to be the largest public gathering place in the world with a history that spans centuries, along with what is known as The Forbidden City (called Gu Gong in Chinese) — the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty up until around the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is currently the site of the Palace Museum. Construction of this massive site of 800 buildings started in 1407 and 24 emperors resided there. Other sites worth visiting are the Summer Palace, Beihai Park, and parts of the Great Wall of China.

Ghost King overlooking the Ghost City and the Yangtze River near Fengdu, China. © Aschwin Prein

Three Gorges and Fengdu

Among the most scenic areas of the Yangtze are the Three Gorges. It is in the Hubei province and the region is home to the Three Gorges Dam, which is the largest hydropower plant in the world. For those fascinated with ghosts and the afterlife, Fengdu is known as the “Ghost City.” There are more than 40 temples here. It is known as the resting place of the spirits of the dead. One of the most well-known attractions is Snow Jade Cave, which is about 1,000 miles long of stone formations and breathtaking natural structures.

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Crosswalk © Andres Ojeda

Tokyo’s most famous crosswalk.

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Written by: The Adventure Company

After recently having had such a great time in the Himalayan foothills of India, I decided along with a couple of my new friends to do a more strenuous trek in the Annapurna circuit, Nepal. I was aware that this would be a great challenge, and I could not wait to hop on the plane and get started; I have previously had the exhilarating experience of white water rafting on the Kali gandaki river and fell in love with this beautiful country. Without a doubt Nepal holidays offer something really unique.

This particular trip was good because it concentrates on the actual trekking; a full 16 days are spent on the circuit. I had been searching for something of a challenge and activity holidays like these also enabled me to raise some money for charity; a double feel good factor!

So we started in the lively vibrant capital of Kathmandu. On arrival here I literally felt on top of the world; at 4400 ft above sea level the scenery is breath taking. The mountains surrounding the city are incredible as are the views from the temples; my favourite being World Heritage sites Swayambhu and Pashupati. I revisited to some of the wonderful buzzing teahouses and ate mouth watering Tibetan dishes in my favourite guesthouse, Las kus at the Kathmandu Guesthouse. This had to be the best place in the world to chill out before the challenge began.

By the time we reached the small village of Besisahar, spirits were high and our group was buzzing with excitement. Everybody on the trek had had some previous experience of trekking and was relatively fit. Our guide, Raj was really informative and extremely supportive; his general knowledge of Nepal was brilliant. He explained that we would be walking up to 8 hours a day and that this particular trek would allow us to acclimatise safely; rest days were built in to help adjust to the altitude. The trek would take us through many different eco systems and we would be hiking through sub tropical forests, rice fields and crossing suspension bridges as well as climbing up the mountains; this was adventure travel at its best!

I do suffer from slight vertigo however, and on our way to Bahudanda one of the first suspension bridges proved a little tricky; these were not the most solidly constructed bridges I had ever seen and there were holes in between the runners which allowed glimpses of land way below. To my great relief I ended up blundering across quickly with my eyes fixed on the other side! By the end of the first few days I thankfully realised that although this was a tough trek, it was fully supported. Our friendly Sherpa carried all the heavy baggage whilst we only needed to carry day packs with the essentials; water, cameras and sunscreen. Generally the meals consisted of simple local produce but they were delicious and we did not want for a thing; great coffee to get us out of our beds in the mornings and mouth watering cakes and biscuits after a long day hiking. The atmosphere in the evening was cheerful; we were all tired and slept soundly.

On our way between the villages Pisang and Manang one guy got the symptoms of altitude sickness, luckily and we were able to spend a day in Manang (3540m) relaxing while he adjusted before moving on. I was completely shattered at this point and aware that the hardest part was yet to come, so I spent time chilling out and chatting with the local people and playing with the friendly children. One of the best things about this trip was climbing the many paths and stone staircases and arriving in the remote villages and small tea houses; they seemed as if they hadn’t changed in hundreds of years. The locals were all so welcoming and interesting with their different religious beliefs; there were many Hindus in the lower villages but as we ascended the religion became predominantly Buddhist.

The scenery of course was totally stunning and changed on an almost daily basis; it seemed that one minute we were trekking through the forests and a few days later on our way to Yak Kharka (4018m) with its harsh open terrain, frozen waterfalls and boulders littering the path ahead. I was really finding the going tough at this point and breathing was becoming more laboured. So it was amazing when we did eventually cross the Thorung La pass to Muktinath. We had started at dawn and after a five and a half hour climb we reached the summit (5416), luckily in the sunshine!

I felt an overwhelming sense of achievement. The views of the Annapurna range surrounding us were fabulous; we could also see the Gangapurna and the Dhaulagiri mountains. We spent a while here taking photos, it was the highest point most of us had ever set foot and I felt light headed with happiness. After this the steep descent was much easier as we were pretty fit by this point. The highlight on our descent was at Tatopani (1160m) where we soaked in the spring fed thermal pools, what a treat for our tired muscles! This was one of the best holiday experiences I have ever had, and has given me the incentive to do lots more similar trips.

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Japan can be a land of great culinary adventures. Japanese cuisine is so distinctive and unique that you should absolutely experience an authentic Japanese dish while in country. Here are seven recommendations.

Sushi

If there’s any food in Japan that is unmistakably Japanese, it is sushi. This rice roll with different types of fillings can be considered Japan’s national dish because it represents Japan in the culinary world. Forget about California rolls, sushi in Japan is different and you will find sushi types that you haven’t seen before.

Japanese Curry

Curry is a dish that you can find in many places but Japanese curry has a taste that is quite unique. There is a smokiness and sweetness to Japanese curry that makes it stand out. Try out their curry rice and many curry variants.

Sake

While not really a food but a liquor, Sake is nevertheless crucial in experiencing Japan through your taste buds. Sake is a rice based wine that, depending on the season, is served chilled, in room temperature or heated. This alcoholic beverage is the traditional drink for ceremonies and other celebrations.

Manju

Traditional desserts in Japan can be great unique experience. One of the more popular desserts is manju, a sweet bun made from flour, rice flour and buckwheat and with a delicious filling of red bean paste. The red bean paste is made from azuki beans and sugar. Other fillings are also put in the manju like orange cream fruit fillings. Sometimes the manju itself is flavored.

Natto

This food is not for those with delicate stomachs. Natto is fermenting bean paste that has a rotten smell. This food is usually eaten during breakfast. It may smell bad but many people say that it actually tastes quite good. A good tip when eating natto is to just eat it quickly before the smell gets in the way.

Ramen

The Japanese love noodles. Some people may say that you should try eating yakisoba, which is fried noodles. Yakisoba is indeed very tasty but for a wonderful noodle experience nothing can beat eating ramen. Ramen is noodles in soup. There are many variations of this popular dish, starting with the soup itself. For example, you can get a soy based, miso based, or salt based. Then you get different toppings depending on where you eat it.

Each prefecture, or region, actually has its own variation of ramen, which makes traveling to these places all the more exciting because you get to eat a regional ramen specialty.

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Thailand is known for its great food. Thai food is tasty, spicy, delicious, and cheap. No matter where you go in the country, you’ll find food everywhere. From restaurants to street vendors selling everything imaginable, you could walk into the jungle and still find someone selling food. Next time you find yourself in Thailand, here are some delicious dishes you can’t leave the country without trying:

Spring Rolls – Whether fried or fresh, spring rolls make for a great snack. Street stalls sell these all over and they make a great quick meal. Make sure to add some chili sauce for added flavor.

Pad Thai – Probably Thailand’s most famous dish, this noodle dish is made with eggs, tofu, and green onions. You can find it everywhere but the place to eat it is from the street stalls in the Thai neighborhoods. It will be the best Pad Thai you ever eat.

Som Tam – This spicy salad is native to northeast Thailand but is one of the most commonly eaten dishes in all of the country.  Every Thai loves it.  It’s made from shredded papaya, tomatoes, lemon juice, peanuts, and a lot of chilies. It’s one of the spiciest dishes in the country and if you aren’t careful, it will burn your mouth off.

Pad Seeu – This is a thick noodle dish made with bok choy.  The thick sticky noodles are quickly cooked with bok choy and oyster sauce. It’s really tasty and one of the most flavorful dishes in Thailand. Though the portions are usually small, the noodles are thick and heavy and you can get easily filled up by this dish.

Curry – You can get a wide variety of curries here in Thailand from red to green to clear to peanut based. No matter what you get it will always be good. My favorite is Masuman curry which is made from peanuts and potatoes and is a yellow curry.

Fried Rice – This simple dish is found everywhere and while not exotic or special, the street vendors here make some excellent rice. It’s quickly fried with a few Thai spices and is really tasty.

Fruit – Thailand has many delicious fruits. The tropical weather here makes it easy to grow great and succulent fruits. On every street corner, you’ll find someone selling the freshest fruit around — all for 30 cents.

Thailand is a great country with great food.  So the next time you are there, make sure you try these dishes and make sure you eat frequently at the street vendors. They are safe to eat and have some of the best food around.

Matthew Kepnes has been blogging his way around the world for more than three years. You can read more about his adventures at his blog, Nomadic Matt as well about his recent ebook making money with your travel blog so you can have your travels pay for themselves!

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Found these videos on Alexandre Gervais’ blog.

The cherry blossom season, the most beautiful time in Japan.

Tokyo at night.

Little did I know that Tokyo could be this serene.

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Pancake Stand © Kashfia Rahman

Before leaving for your first (or next) Thailand trip, learn some useful expressions. The locals will appreciate if you make an effort to speak in their language.

Various phrases

Good morning = Sawadd ton chow

Good day/ Hello = Sawadii

Good night =  Sawadd ton yin

Good bye = Lagawn

See you = Påbb gann mai

My name is = Chue

How are you? = Sabai dii mai?

Thank you = Kåb kunn

Do you speak English? = Kunn pood pasaa Angritt die mai?

It was nice to meet you. = Yin dii tii daai roo djack

Good luck! = Chååk dii!

I am fine = Sabai dii

Shopping

How much does this cost? = Tao rai

Can you lower the price? = Lod dai mai

I like this = Chawp aun nee

I like that = Chawp aun nun

Do you have any other colour? = Mee see aeun bang mai

Shop = Ran kaa

Toilet = Hong nam

Clothes = Sier par

Shoes = Rong tao

Watch = Nar ri ka

How much? = Tao Rai?

Restaurant = Ran ar harn

Directions

Where is the clothing shop? =  Ran kaa Sier par u tee nai

Where is the toilet? = Hong nam u tee nai

Where is the restaurant? = Ran ar harn u tee nai

Update: A big thanks to Matt who helped me correct some of the phrases. I started learning Thai a while ago and am by no means an expert. If anyone find another error, don’t hesitate to let me know.

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Marina Beach Chennai © Asif Akbar

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Written by: Pierre Drake

Koh Lipe, a small island in the Andaman Sea, is a little gem 60 km off the coast inside the Tarutao National Marine Park. Koh Lipe has become the southern anchor of the busy north-south Andaman tourist route and getting there these days couldn’t be easier with boats arriving from all up and down the coast including Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Krabi and Trang. Koh Lipe is also the jumping off point to Langkawi and Malaysia.

At its largest the island is only 2 km long and 1 km wide. With 2 main beaches each with their own distinct character, there is something for everyone. The busy one, Pattaya beach has a wide beach stretched in a long crescent of fine white sand. In the evening it transforms as restaurants and bars set out chairs and bamboo mats on the sand and lit by candle lit, reggae tunes drift down the beach.

On the other side of the island is Sunrise Beach with views of several small nearby islands and a cool onshore breeze most of the year. Sunrise Beach is the opposite of Pattaya beach, with just a few resorts and bars, it is very laid back. It also has a very large coral reef with the best snorkelling on the island directly from the beach.

There are no cars on the island, and thankfully few motorbikes so people get around by walking. The whole island can be explored on foot in a couple of hours.  Pooh’s Bar in the middle of the island is run by the charismatic Pooh and is almost an institution on the island. Famous for its live music in the evenings it draws a large crowd.

Karma Bar at the north end of Sunrise Beach is well known on the back packer scene with its mellow music and great location. At the other end of Sunrise beach is Castaway Resort. Castaway Resort has stunning sea and island views which viewed from its raised candle lit deck has to be the ultimate in chilled out dining and drinking.

Tarutao National Marine Park has some of the best dive sites in all of Thailand. Within easy boat reach of Koh Lipe are hundreds of coral reefs with an amazing variety of huge hard and soft corals. The corals and seas around Koh Lipe are full of marine life, offering everything from turtles to huge rays. Even if you aren’t a diver you can enjoy the marine world drifting along the edges of coral reefs with a mask and snorkel. Compared to other dive and snorkel areas there is so much to see and no competition to see it.

Koh Lipe still has a lot of cheap backpackers accommodation, with places like Varin offering simple bamboo huts close to the beach. At the top end is Sita Beach with a swimming pool and Castaway Resort with its 2 story breezy bungalows which was described by the Lonely Planet as ‘the most chic on Lipe’.

Tips for Travellers:

* If you are travelling from Hat Yai, be in Pak Bara before 11 am to catch the speed boat.

* If you are travelling from Langkawi the boat journey is shorter and there is a small efficient immigration on Koh Lipe.

* There are no ATM’s on the island so make sure you bring enough cash for your stay, and then double it as you’ll end up deciding to stay longer!

* Varin 2 on Sunrise beach has the newest and cheapest bamboo bungalow huts.

* Castaway resorts has the chicest accommodation. See photos of Castaway resorts at www.flickr.com/photos/castawayresorts/

* For great hotels on nearby Koh Samui and in other Thai cities, visit Hotels Combined.

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The Forbidden City, Beijing

Written by: Tak

Want to visit the gorgeous new “Bird’s Nest” Olympic stadium in Beijing? Or the famous riverside bund in Shanghai ? Or the ancient Terracotta Army in Xian?

Beware, it is not always easy to plan a trip to China…

First of all, China is developing and changing very quickly – lots of information on travel websites and guidebooks are out of date. In the past few years countless fancy shopping malls have popped up all over the country, interesting hip new art districts have spontaneously started growing from within abandoned factories, countless additional subway lines have opened, and so on.

Secondly, there are very few good and current travel-oriented english online maps of Chinese cities. Worse still, some of the online maps available on the major travel guide websites mark many well known attractions at the wrong locations.

For the above reasons and many other problems that I found with China travel websites, I decided to create Fun Tourist Attractions to give China travelers useful, interesting, accurate and up to date information about the best places to visit in China. There are labeled, interactive english maps of Chinese cities with pictures – e.g. the Shanghai map and the Beijing map.

You can browse hundreds of interesting videos of the top attractions in China – e.g. Beijing attractions videos. There are also many attraction pictures to give people a better feel of what the places are like, and attractions names and addresses in chinese that you can use to ask locals for directions. Check it out and feel free to send me comments, questions or suggestions using the contact form on the website!

Tak grew up in the “Lion city” Singapore, went to school at the “Steel city” Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, worked in the “Emerald city” Seattle and is currently an entrepreneur based in the ancient capital of China, Beijing. He loves traveling – places he has been to include Phuket, Phi Phi, Bangkok, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, New York, San Francisco, Hawaii, Vancouver, Dominican Republic, Tokyo, Seoul, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Shanghai, Xian, etc.

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This one was shot by Paul Hartrick from his balcony in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, on January 10th.

Shinjuku Sunrise Time Lapse from Paul Hartrick on Vimeo.

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Written by: Cheryl Marie Cordeiro Photos: Kevin Cordeiro

Having grown up in Singapore where street hawkers who sold their food along the roadsides were cleaned off its streets around the 1960s with a government initiative to spruce up the island, visiting Penang, an island off the northwest coast of the Peninsula of Malaysia, is like visiting a scene from Singapore’s past.

Penang, like Singapore, was a former British colony, the island was given by the Sultan of Kedah to the British East India Company in 1786, in exchange for military protection against the Siamese and Burmese armies. Their history is evident in the architecture of the older buildings that mostly reflect in its design, a colonial style of living with large compound houses along Gurney Road, and what used to be the suburbs of the city center. But as with most Asian economies, the face of Penang is changing radically, with skyscrapers now surrounding these older buildings from the 1700s, making the landscape quite eclectic in reflecting both old and new.

Despite food courts (a collection of food stalls that sell specific dishes per stall) becoming incorporated into the newly built skyscrapers in Penang, what remains a delight are the easily accessible food hawker stalls still found along the roadsides of this island that produce authentic local on the spot for their customers. Customers often either stand to consume their meal or sit on the metal foldable tables and chairs provided by the stalls, along the roadside.

It was at one such coffeeshop corner and street that I came across this man in a brightly coloured shirt, hawking goreng pisang or deep fried bananas in a sumptuously prepared batter. The locals in Penang eat goreng pisang as a snack or dessert and its variants can be found across Southeast-Asia, from the Philippines to Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. In Thailand for example, the fried bananas are often accompanied by drizzled caramelized sugar whilst in Malaysia and Singapore, goreng pisang is eaten on its own. In Sweden, one might find a variant of this dessert in Chinese restaurants, served with ice-cream, though in my opinion, the batter in which the bananas are dipped into prior to frying is slightly different in the Chinese restaurants found in Gothenburg, than the ones sold alongside the streets in Penang, Malaysia.

The man who sold these goreng pisangs had a simple hawker stall that was attached to his motorcycle. This gave him mobility and he could technically, place his hawker stall along any street corner he wished. In a basket attached to his motorcycle, he had other vegetable roots such as tapioca and sweet potato, which he would then dip into the same batter and fry. These are no less delicious to the tastebuds, though I personally prefer the deep fried bananas that melt in your mouth at first bite.

I couldn’t help but ask the man for his batter recipe, after my first bite into the goreng pisang. He gave a warm smile and said that there was no magic in the recipe; the batter is a combination of equal portions of flour and rice-flour, with a dash of cornstarch and some water. A pinch of salt and sugar are added and voila, the batter is done! Use some vegetable oil to fry the bananas in and you can serve this with anything from soft cheese to ice-cream. Well, I couldn’t wait to come back to Sweden to give this a try!

Generally, I found the people of Penang warm hearted and friendly, ready to share their local culture with visitors. When in Penang, the local food hawkers along the roadside will prove a worthy try and adventure since it is with these people, with recipes usually handed down from generations past, that one can get a true taste of the culinary delights of the place.

Street hawkers are a common sight on the island of Penang, Malaysia, where one can get authentic local food.

His hawker stall is simple, attached to his motorcycle, so that he is mobile and can literally park his stall anywhere along the street.

The frying process.

Apart from bananas, this man was also hawking deep fried sweet potatoes and tapioca, which he stores fresh in this basket attached to his motorcycle.

The writer is a PhD student with Gothenburg University and writes about travel, food, fashion and lifestyle in her free time. More of her writings can be found at her website at www.cmariec.com/blog.

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Written by: Cate Dowman

Heritage that needs protecting and recognising

North Korea may seem a barren infertile country on the surface, but hidden underneath away from the tourists and UNESCO eyes (I’m sure they are very aware of what’s there), the country has some great relics in need of protection. And recognition.

Kaesong’s heritage is rich, even if its economy seems poor to the capitalist eye. The city has over 500 years of history and some historic sites date back to the 13th century. The preservation of these sites is pretty good given the circumstance. Put it down to lack of pollution and low tourist numbers.

Fortunately North Korea has allowed some of its heritage to be viewed and photographed by visitors. These sites are probably the only attractions that North Korea doesn’t fall into a paranoic fit over.

Buddha, temples and shrines are all on the list. Even a museum. Sitting inside the Koroyo musuem is a large bronze statue of Buddha. Guarded over by the ever present ’eager eyes’ of the minders, you couldn’t touch him or get close to him. He had only a little natural light to sit in, just enough to take some shots with my little point and shoot.

This Buddha is reputed to be 1000 years old ( quoted by an enthusiastic tour guide). My guess is he is about half that. Still very old and well maintained. This Buddha even survived the civil war.

Surrounding the famous Koryo museum are relics and pagodas dating back over the centuries. It was late in the afternoon and the temperature was cold when I was there. But the time was good to wander the paths and take close-ups of some of North Koreas religious past.

It is ironic really. North Korea seems willing to show visitors some of their heritage, heritage which has probably never been shown to the local people. Do you think the average North Korean has stepped into a museum that doesn’t contain propaganda? Or ever been able to look at Buddha or religious icons? That would be a no with both a capital N and O.

Has North Korea better relics than South Korea?

Hard to say, but North Korea certainly has a good collection which really needs to come under the watchful eye of UNESCO. I know that towards Pyongyang there are famous tombs that have UNESCO protection, but thats about all.

One of the oldest sites lies within the city of Kaesong. It is a very old small stone bridge with a romantic history – Sunjukgyo.

Sunjukgyo was a type of land bridge and dates back to the 13th century. Supposedly it has a bloodstain on one of the stone slabs, blood from one of the king’s loyal followers who was killed on the bridge. You can see a faint red stain but I’m sceptical whether the stain is original. Romantics keep the story alive and all South Koreans know about the story.

Would I go back to North Korea?

That night, after arriving back to South Korea, I was certain I wouldn’t go back there until I was able to interact with the people. Sitting inside a bus being watched by minders and only being able to see ancient relics, was not my kind of trip.

But after thinking about it, I do want to go back to North Korea. To travel around for two or three weeks and take in the northern area would give me a rounded view of the country. Sure I will have a reliable trustworthy tour guide by my side like a loyal dog. Even the conversations will be rehearsed.

But – no matter what they say I can and cannot photograph, and who I can and cannot talk to, they can never take away my ability to observe, and document their life in my mind. That is my freedom.

I tried to research what sites fall under UNESCO in North Korea. The information is sparse. So if I’m incorrect please let me know.

Originally posted at http://www.caffeinatedtraveller.com. The third part can be read at Eight Hours in North Korea: a cold reality check (3)

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Written by: Cate Dowman

Yesterday, Saturday, I went to Kaesong in North Korea. I have no evidence that I visited North Korea; no visa, passport stamp, tourist card or photos that you wouldn’t find outside a tourist pamphlet.

I only have insight and words. Eights hours may sound a short time, but to someone who lives in freedom, it’s an oppressively long time.

Kaesong is North Korea’s southern most city, an ancient capital of the once unified Korea. A city full of historic relics; and crumbling buildings. Historically Kaesong was a city for learned scholars, religion and I guess wealth. In an odd way it probably still is compared with other places in North Korea. But to the outsider, it’s a city of worn out buildings, dirt laden paths, bicycles, and an eery quiet. Kaesong has to be the epitomy of a poverty stricken communist country.

The last time I experienced communism on this scale was Yugoslavia (a long time ago). When I went through Kaesong, the images of rural towns in Yugoslavia came flooding back. A patina of sadness, an era of dilapidation, all in the name of paranoic-communism.

Kaesong has potential

Surrounding the town there is beauty, peaceful, non-industrial, smogfree beauty. The small mountains and rocky outcrops are smothered in forest, which I could picture as being gloriously colourful in autumn, and lush in summer.

There are also waterfalls and mountain paths that have potential, that is, if the country opened up. Being on a strictly controlled (escorted) tour group from South Korea, I was taken to one of the region’s famous waterfalls -Bakyeon.

Bakyeon has sheer cliff faces, bleached white and worn smooth from water and weather. Arriving at the falls and walking around the trails was welcoming relief after the reality of Kaesong town.

Of course now that it’s winter the falls were only a trickle and partially frozen over. Not much to photograph. But still worth admiring from an ancient pagoda on top of a hill.

Bakyeon Falls has history written all over it. From the fortress walls, pagodas and rock faces:

Communist Korean and ancient Chinese:

Anything but normal

Travelling around the Kaesong area was anything but normal. There were seven tour buses, mostly full of elderly Koreans wanting to see their old country before they go. My group was a mix of Koreans and incredibly curious non-Koreans: Japanese, Canadians, Americans (yes!) and one Kiwi.

Escorting the buses were four black, shiny SUVs. Inside these SUVs were escorts aka secret little spys. Their job: to ensure we don’t harm ourselves. And to zealously watch over the non-Koreans wherever they went.

As the bus convoy drove through the countryside, the only other life outside were soldiers – standing to attention on the roads; and in the fields. Soldiers spaced 50 -100 metres apart. Soldiers looking on suspicously. But not all soldiers held an intense dislike for us. On the rarest occasion one or two gave us a cautious smile. One even gave us a warm grin. If only that shot could have been captured.

Where were the locals?

Outside of Kaesong town the fields and roads were devoid of humans. The tour was full of aging pensioners, some with limps and a lot with heart problems. Not a good formula for danger.

Were the North Koreans a danger? From what I saw of them, they looked timid and in fear. Who was protecting whom? Did we need protecting from ourselves?

Unable to shoot the reality

Unfortunately all shots I tried to sneak were deleted at passport control. The patient guard went through my entire collection (300 shots). All in the name of security!

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