The most dangerous place in the world?

The Demilitarized Zone is called the most dangerous place in the world, today I was there! This morning we ate a quick breakfast and walked to a market near the hotel to see what it was like. It was things like vegetables and fish. Many women came down with a bowl in hand to get just what they need for the day's meals. The ladies with the booths set up were kind and allowed us to photograph them. I saw a cute little dog that let me pet it! It started to rain while we were there and a lady gave us yellow plastic bags to wear on our heads, I am sure we looked very silly running back to the store holding them over our heads!

When we got back to the hotel we got on the bus for Yonsei University for a briefing from a retired Lt. Colonel about the history of the area and then we were all off to the DMZ. We first went in and got a briefing about the area at Observation Point Dora. We could not see very far into North Korea as it was raining and overcast so visibility was poor. There is now a road to an industrial center in North Korea that we could see. This industrial center has factories owned by the South Koreans and is managed by them as well, the North Koreans work in the factories as labor. They are paid about $75.00 a month for the work, but only get coupons for goods that are worth about $30.00 a month. They can use these coupons in special stores and buy things to sell to others. There is also a village set up that you can usually see, it is called propaganda village because it was supposed to me an example of great village life, but no one lives there. Next we were off to see a movie about unification, it seemed a bit unrealistic. Next we went further into the DMZ and recieved another briefing this time from and American soldier. We recieved visitor passes and then got on DMZ Joint forces buses for the rest of the trip. The first stop was reunification hall which was built for families from either side to meet and reunite after years of separation, but has not been used yet. Just outside this building is where the DMZ line to North Korea is located. Armed South Koreans that are experts in martial arts stand guard whenever someone from our side is coming out. We could see one man watching us with binoculars from the North. There were about 3 cameras recording us as well, though we have many more on our side. Later another NK came out near the first and at some point some men were running behind the buildings where talks are held between the 2 sides. The buildings belonging to the Joint forces are painted blue and run right along the line between the two countries. WE got to go into the building where they meet and actually go over to the NK side where of course we took pictures with the guards. The one of me with the guard is in the room where talks were held just in front of the door that leads out on the NK side. This room is always being under survllance with listening stations. At one time the NK troops came into the room and destoyed the American flag, now the flags are all under glass so that it is harder to get to them. The SK gaurds never moved a muscle, of course we did not give them a reason to do so. All the guards seemed so young, they were all SK or ROK forces. The guards outside stood there the entire time in the pouring rain and managed not to move. The ones near the buildings moved a little, and usually kept half their body behind a building to avoid being a target. They wore panchos, but were still getting soaked, they also wore dark sunglasses and stood the way they do to intimidate. I wonder if the sunglasses are not also to try to disguise identity form the NK side. We also got to go down into tunnel number 3 that JSF discoverd the NK had dug to try to infiltrate. It is said this particular tunnel could be used to move 30k troops an hour. They would need to be in pretty good shape, that tunnel is steep! All over the DMZ are roped off areas with signs denoting mine fields, a kind of scary thing. We also went to an area tha tjuts out and is surrounded on 3 sides by NK territory. A little further down is a checkpoint near which 2 men were killed with an ax by NK. They had come to trim a tree between two observetories and were attacked. The barracks there is named for the officer killed, now there is a plaque where the tree used to be. A huge contigent of men were at the ready, including bombers and apaches the day the went to pull the entire tree down. The last spot of the tour was the bridge of no return, when prisoners were released from both sides after the war they were taken to this bridge and told to choose the side they wanted to live on, but they could never return to either side, thus the name. Of course after everything else there was a gift shop!

There is a local village in the DMZ, people are allowed to live there, raise crops on large plots of land and are given a school to attend through elementary. After that the government will for them to go on to a school of their own choice. They pay no taxes and are evidently pretty well off. They do have curfews and regulations, like that a woman can marry into a family from there and move there herself, but outside men cannot marry the women there and live in the village with her family.

It is a beautiful place, a lot of lush greenery and animals, but you certainly cannot dismiss the real reason the troops are there!

When we got back to the hotel we changed and went out shopping again. I bought Makana and I matching Han Bok, the traditional Korean dress. We shopped some more and then went to KFC for dinner. I don't eat there at home, but it was pretty good to have something familiar!

On a completely different note, my eyes have been so weird since I have been here. I am having trouble focusing on print. Now maybe I am getting old or maybe it is the meds for motion sickness, but it is weird and actually sort of hurts. I am also very dizzy, like the car or plane or whatever is still moving all the time. Maybe that is the elevator and the long bus rides, but I don't like it, and I ask that you try to exuse any weird writing, I probably can't see the darn screen!