Yesterday our day at the DMZ. The DMZ is one of those must-go places in South Korea, so I have been looking forward to yesterday since the beginning of the trip. It was also an interesting day at the DMZ because it opened to tourists later than usual due to a marathon, which led me to my observations. Contrary to my original belief, the DMZ was more touristy and relaxed than my original strict and careful nature which I previously believed it would be like.
The first place we visited within the DMZ was Tunnel 3 which the North Koreans built to try to invade South Korea. What caught my attention most was how the North dug their tunnel. When it was being built, there were many ways to build tunnels, but they chose the rudimentary way of using dynamite, which made more noise and difficulties. It was also very short so I had to duck to get through the tunnel. The stark contrast between the South Korean and North Korean tunneling methods was apparent because the South side was neater and more circular with more space, and the North Korean side was the complete opposite.
The last place we visited was the Dora Observatory which allowed you to see into the North Korean side. Although it was a cloudy day, we were still able to see how close the cities of both nations were. Contrary to belief, we were not able to see anything out of the ordinary, and it seemed like a normal town with an emphasis on farming.
By the time it was time to head out of the DMZ, we had food and bought souvenirs. I walked away with a T-shirt and some North Korean money. I do not think that I will ever have the chance to get North Korean elsewhere, so I made sure to buy some for myself.