Korean Adventure Part 2: Visit to the DMZ

The morning after I arrived in Korea, Hubby had booked a tour for us to see the DMZ.  For those who have no idea what the DMZ is, the abbreviation stands for demilitarized zone and is the border between north and south Korea.  We woke up early and walked across post to meet the bus.  We were in a hurry because we were afraid that we were running late and we would miss it.  Unfortunately, Hubby made me hurry to get ready for nothing because he had misread the information on his print out and we arrived at the meeting point half an hour early.  Oh well, at least we weren't late.  I found myself wishing for a cup of tea not just because the caffeine wakes me up a bit but because I was freezing.  I was used to mid 70's weather and in Korea it was mid 40's.  It actually reached 50 later in the week but that still felt darn cold.  Not helping matters was the fact that it was very windy.  Thank goodness we were able to wait for the bus inside!

Finally the bus arrived and we hopped on.  I snuggled next to Hubby to warm myself up.  The bus made a few stops on other posts nearby to pick up other passengers for the tour.  Unfortunately attention was drawn to me every time we entered a new post because the guards came on to check ID's and when they got to mine, we had to go through the whole "rejection" process that I talked about in my last post.  We totally held up the bus.  It was a bit embarrassing. 

After picking up all of the passengers for the tour, the bus drove us the hour and a half or so trek north to the DMZ.  I kept myself entertained for the ride by looking out the window and discussing what I was seeing with Hubby.  There were lots of statues being sold at the side of the road and in the daylight I could see how colorful all of the signs were, even without the flashing neon lights that had been on the night before.  At one point, we were stopped in traffic when I spotted something that stunned me.  There was a building with a massive red swastika painted on it.  It took up most of the top half of the building.  Horrified, I turned to Hubby and whispered, "Why is there a huge swastika on that building?!"  Hubby shushed me a bit.  It's not a swastika he whispered back.  Apparently in Chinese, the symbol that we know as a swastika actually stands for peace, hope, and happiness or something along those lines.  This is ironic seeing as we understand its meaning to be the exact opposite.  The longer I was in Korea, the more I saw it everywhere.  They were even selling souvenirs sporting it.  Hubby asked me if I wanted one.  I didn't.  For me it was unsettling to see it posted everywhere when it is so taboo in our culture.  I guess this really says something about the meaning that we read into things.  Seeing it everywhere made me a bit uncomfortable even though it probably shouldn't have after I learned the meaning that the Koreans were using.

When we arrived at Camp Bonifas, where the DMZ is, the bus had to pull over and wait for an escort.  Not only do they check ID's going onto this post but a military escort is also required.  This wasn't really surprising and I actually appreciated the added security.  Camp Bonifas is home to the United Nations Command Security Battalion and while there are soldiers there from many countries, we were escorted by a US soldier.  He told us that soldiers who are assigned duty at this post are hand picked and have to go through an extensive interview process.  Each soldier on this post is armed but seeing as they stand face to face with the enemy on a daily basis this is a good thing. 

We were escorted to an auditorium where the soldier in charge gave a brief about the DMZ and it's history.  I was surprised to discover that the conflict between North Korea and South Korea really hasn't been going on that long.  We were also required to sign a paper stating that we would follow the rules presented by our guide and that we would only take pictures when instructed it was OK to do so.  The paper also stated that at no time were we to engage the North Korean soldiers in any shape or form.  This included waving, pointing, and basically anything that would even acknowledge their existence.  When I tell people this many have asked me if I was afraid or nervous but I really wasn't.  I felt pretty safe and I am not sure if it was just that I trusted the soldiers on duty or that I was with Hubby but either way, I wasn't very worried.

I want to pause for a moment here to tell you that also listening to the brief was a bus load of marines.  Sitting in front of us was one particular guy that I found obnoxious from the start.  He was listening to music on giant headphones and had the volume turned up so loud that Hubby and I could hear it.  He never turned it off throughout the entire  presentation.  How rude is that?  We paid to go on this tour and I felt as if he really didn't want to be there. 

After the brief we got back on the bus and were escorted to the DMZ area itself.  We were not allowed to take pictures during this part of the tour because it would be a security risk if the North Koreans were to discover how the area is fortified on the South Korean side.  However, when we reached the unloading point, we were not allowed to get of the bus.  The idiot marine who was disrespectful during the presentation had taken pictures.  We were not allowed to get off the bus until they spoke with him on the other bus.  I am not sure if they just made him delete the photos or what happened.  I do know he was allowed to take the rest of the tour but I have very little respect for this individual.

We unloaded the bus and were given a tour of the area.  We actually stood on the South Korean side and were able to see the North Korean headquarters right in front of us.  The line between the two countries actually divides the four buildings that sit between the two "headquarter buildings."  There was a North Korean soldier patrolling on his side and while our guide was telling us about each building, he actually got out a pair of binoculars and checked us out.

We went into the building where the peace talks take place and were told many stories.  The North Koreans are always trying to "one up" the South Koreans.  We were told that each side used to try to bring a bigger and bigger flag into the meeting room to the point where the flags would not even fit anymore so they had to have a "talk" just to determine how big a flag each side was allowed to bring.  Supposedly this was the longest talk on record and lasted an entire day.  It is known as the "battle of the bladder" because each side saw leaving the table as a sign on weakness so neither side got up to eat or even use the restroom.  At the end of the day they finally agreed that the flags could only be as big as the Joint Security Forces flag that you see on the table in the picture below.  North Korea however, made the base of theirs slightly fatter and the tip slightly more pointed just to "one up" again.  The soldiers in the solid green uniforms in the photo are ROK (Republic of Korea - South Korean) Soldiers.  They guarded the room while we were inside.

We boarded the bus again and were driven to on outlook point where we were able to get off the bus and take a look at the view into North Korea.  From this vantage we could see the "Bridge of No Return" where POW's were exchanged after the war and allowed to pick a side.  Once they chose they were not allowed to change their minds.  We could also see the city of Kijong-dong also known as Propaganda Village.  North Korean used to blast messages over the DMZ using a PA system from this "village" encouraging South Koreans to defect and telling them how great North Korea is.  In actuality, this city is not even a city.  The buildings are all hollow shells and no one lives there.  The flag flying above the city weighs 600 lbs.  An effort by North Korea to have bragging rights for having the largest flag.

Kijong-dong

Bridge of No Return

There is a village on the South Korean side too although we were not able to see it.  It is called Tae Sung Dong and is actually inhabited.  The people who live here farm the rice fields on the Korean side of the DMZ and are protected and subsidized by the government.  They are not subject to taxes and if they are unable to see all of their crop the government buys whatever is left over so they have a guaranteed salary of about $80,000 a year.  It's not a bad gig if you are a farmer but you must live in the village for a specific number of days to qualify and there are some other rules.  Only women can marry into the village.  This is a rule that the governor of the village is seeking to change though because he was blessed with two daughters.  So far, his petitions to the government have been denied.


As we drove back to the starting point of the tour our guide pointed out white boxes at the side of the road.  "See those?" he asked us. Then he explained that inside each of the boxes is a phone.  They are for North Koreans who may want to defect and who have managed to make it that far over the border without being caught by the North Korean gurads.  Along with the the phone there are instructions on what to do if they have made it to the box.  The phone rings directly to the South Korean headquarters and if anyone calls, soldiers are dispatched immediately to pick them up.  Our guide told us that the phones in the boxes have never been used.  But there are they just in case.

The tour of the actually DMZ was concluded but the bus brought us to another overlook spot where we could see into North Korea and then to a place where we could see a tunnel built by North Korea as a way to invade South Korea.  We were able to actually go down into the tunnel but we had to bend over in half in order to fit through it.  Thank goodness we were required to wear helmets because I kept smacking my head against the wall.  We were not allowed to take pictures but it was kind of creepy but of course the tunnel is blocked off at the point where it becomes North Korea.  I asked Hubby how North Korea intended to fit an entire army down the tunnel when we could only go through it bent over in a single file line.  He told me that the North Korean soldiers are very short and skinny because they are highly malnourished.

The last part of the day was when the bus stopped at a Korean restaurant for us to have lunch.  The food was terrible but those of you who know me, know that I am a VERY picky eater.  The main dish was a shredded beef with vegetables but the spice on the meat was disgusting.  I also discovered that I am hopeless with chopsticks!  One of the side dishes served was apples which were good and one of the women that Hubby works with, who was on the tour too, joked around about using the chopsticks as a stabbing tool.  This is in fact exactly what we did and we ate the apples that way making the guys laugh.  I also managed to eat the white rice that was served although I used a serving spoon to eat it because I was much too inept with the chopsticks!

After lunch, the bus drove us back south towards the various posts stopping at each one to drop off passengers.  Unfortunately ours was the last stop so we held everyone up with the ID check each time.  When we got back to Hubby's post we went to the provost's office to see if we could get my ID registered but they claimed not the have the capability which made little sense.  Oh well, it figures.


*Stay tuned... more posts on my Korean adventure to follow!

Korean Adventure Part 1: One Long Flight

Up until now, I have refrained from telling you exactly where Hubby is but I have decided to tell you in order to tell you about my visit to see him.  Since June, Hubby has been stationed in South Korea and I was lucky enough to be able to visit him for spring break.  It was amazing to see him!

My trip was not only awesome because I got to see Hubby, it was also very educational.  I learned and experienced many things that I never would have here in the USA.  This was definitely a once in a lifetime trip.  I have so much to share about my trip that I have decided to publish a series of posts about my experiences there.  I hope you enjoy them.

One Long Flight

Let me begin by saying that traveling to Korea is one LONG trip.  I was lucky enough to be driven to the airport by May so I didn't have to leave the car at the airport.  She must really love me because I had to get up at 3:45am in order to be ready on time to leave for my early flight and with two little boys I am sure that she had to get up quite early as well.  Unfortunately, the airline was behind schedule checking in passengers, surprise surprise, so I had to wait in line for over an hour before I got to the front of the line to check in.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover that when you fly internationally you get to check one bag for free ( I was expecting to have to pay a baggage fee.)  However, the guy in front of me pitched a fit when he got to the counter because they told him that his bag was five pounds over the limit and that he would have to pay a $70 fee.  The ironic thing is that the fee for having a second bag is only $50.  Why is it more expensive to have one bag just slightly over weight but you can have two equally heavy bags for less money?  Doesn't make much sense to me! After I finally got checked in I headed for my gate and got there just in time to board.  At least I didn't have to sit around the airport terminal forever.

Four hours and some change later, I arrived in San Francisco where I was meeting my connecting flight.  Of course, after finding the gate, a real challenge in San Francisco since they have terrible signage, I discovered that my flight was delayed 30 minutes because they needed to clean the plane.  Again, surprise surprise.  Traveling used to be fun but now I find it more of a pain than anything else.

After finally boarding the plane in San Francisco, I settled in for the longest flight ever.  I was excited because I would be seeing Hubby soon but I had a 12 hour and change flight ahead of me first.  I got stuck with a middle seat between two Korean guys but at least I was in the front of the plane.  The guy to my right spent most of the flight reading Harvard business school papers and talking to the guy to his right in Korean.  He did not once acknowledge my existence.  The guy to my left was my dad's age and he was pretty friendly but did not want to turn off his phone. He put it in the seat pocket after pretending to turn it off and it actually rang during takeoff.  I hoped he would not cause us to crash.  The disapproving flight attendant made him shut it off at that point but he turned it back on before we landed.  When he fell asleep, I realized that getting to the bathroom during the flight was going to be a challenge.  Oh well.

After take off the flight attendants came around with customs forms.  There were different forms depending on if you were American or Korean.  The flight attendant smiled at me and assumed I as American.  Haha, good guess seeing as most of the people of the flight were Asian.  The airline showed a couple of movies during the flight including One Big Year and Footloose and I read three novels, yes three.  I also slept for a bit but the flight dragged on forever.  I found myself checking the clock several times only to discover that very little time had passed - like five or ten minutes LOL.  The last two hours were the longest.  I could not wait to be back in Hubby's arms!!

When the plane finally landed I could not wait to unbuckle my seat belt!  I grabbed my purse and my carry on bag and headed to the baggage claim.  Oddly enough, as we excited the plane, all of the male passengers had to show their passorts again even though they had already been checked twice previously.  I thought this was odd and I am not sure why they did this. I was one of the first people off of the plane but as luck would have it, my luggage must have been THE last suitcase off of the plane.  I have lousy luck.

I finally collected my luggage and exited through customs to find Hubby waiting for me.  He had been waiting awhile since it took me forever to find my luggage and because I had been delayed but we were very happy to see each other nonetheless.  I quickly went to use the ladies room after Hubby bought us two bus tickets to get us three quarters of the way to his post.

We boarded the bus and I snuggled up next to Hubby.  I was just happy to be by his side...even if my journey hadn't quite ended yet.  There was so much to look at out of the bus window.  The downtown areas in Korea look like a combination between New York and Las Vegas.  They do not have room to build out so everything is built UP instead.  Each floor of a building can be a different store or restaurant.  They have flashing neon lights everywhere and every sign is crazy colorful.  There is no such thing as a boring black and white sign.  I didn't know what to look at first.  In between the towns there were some areas that seemed run down but it could just seem that way because it is still winter there and everything looks lousy in winter.

An hour or so later the bus dropped us off at Uijeongbu station (a train station in the town the post is located in) and we hopped into a cab to take us the rest of the way to post.  I hadn't really noticed the bus driver driving crazy but being a passenger in the cab was interesting to say the least.

According to Hubby, red lights are optional in Korea.  They are more of a suggestion than a rule.  This makes for a bit of a scary ride.  The Korean drivers also LOVE to use their horns.  This is probably related to the optional red lights but I think part of it is also just that they like to use it.  Also, the Korean cab drivers watch TV while they drive.  They have little TVs in the front of their cabs next to their GPS or in some cases instead of a GPS.  Here, we are not even supposed to text and drive because it is too dangerous.  How can watching TV while running red lights be safe????  Hubby said that a lot of soldiers who have cars in Korea have gotten into accidents.  I am glad that he doesn't have one there!

As the cab driver made his way to post I looked out the window at the store fronts we were passing.  One particular coffee shop caught my eye.  The sign boasted "1% rare coffee, exotic tea, and bakery."  1% rare coffee?  Haha so ummm not rare at all?  I had to laugh.  Hubby told me that there are a lot of idiosyncrasies like that in Korea because they try to use English but not all of them really understand it.

After the short cab ride we arrived at the post and the cab dropped us at the front gate.  Very few taxis are allowed on post.  We walked into the office where pedestrians have to check in and show an ID.  Korea has DBIDS on each post but even though I am registered here on post in the US (our post has been talking about starting DBIDS for over a year and half - don't get me started on how they pushed us to get registered and now still don't have the system up and running), the registrations are not reciprocal.  This means that even though I have a military ID, getting on post was a bit of a challenge.  Hubby had to explain to the guard each time that I was visiting. But the guard would always try to scan my card at least twice to make sure.  Each time he was rewarded with an annoying beep beep beep - rejection noise.  They never wanted to believe us. Then we had to go though the process of giving him all of my information before I was allowed to go through.

We were staying in a barracks room for the duration of my stay which was nice because we didn't have to pay for a hotel but ironically we were not allowed to stay in Hubby's room.  Instead, he was given keys to an empty room in another building.  The reasoning?  They thought the other building was safer.  The downside of this arrangement was that the bed was ridiculously hard and Hubby had to go to his room every day for clothes.  The room we were staying in also had no Internet so we ended up spending most of our time in Hubby's room and just going to the other room to sleep.

After dumping my suitcase in the room, Hubby took me to dinner on post at a restaurant called Mitchell's.  I had finally made it but after dinner I was to tired to do much but fall asleep in Hubby's arms. 


*Stay tuned... more posts on my Korean adventure to follow!