Today we had a chartered bus scheduled to take us to the DMZ, Demilitarized Zone, since it’s a fair distance away from our hotel. On the drive there as, we got more and more north we drove past a few places where North Korea was visible in the distance which really drove home how close a nation that is so vastly different really is. We stopped for lunch on the way there. We went to a local cafe that serves a special “Army Camp” soup that is based on the traditional soups the Korean army ate during the Korean war. IT makes use of lots of canned meats such as spam or Vienna sausages since they were being shipped into the country en masse by the U.S army to help supply nutrients to the war front. This “hot dog” soup had a very interesting flavor profile, the broth had a rich flavor, but it was tempered by the relatively bland meats and chewy textures, overall, I’d say it was a C+ average meal. After we finished eating, we got back on the bus and got to the DMZ tour entrance. While we waited for our guided tour’s start time, we explored the area which had several relics from the Korean War, such as a bombed supply train and monuments in recognition of the treaties and lost souls from the war. Once we got on the tour bus we passed over the unification bridge which required us to submit our I.D.s to be checked by the Korean military before entering the protected zone. Once through we went to Tunnel 3, a tunnel dug by North Korean soldiers attempting to invade under the DMZ, we walked through the tunnels which were cramped and very long, which drove home the human effort put into them. After the tunnel we went to the observatory tower, but we were unable to really see anything due to a thick fog blocking any views of North Korea. Lastly, we stopped by unification village to grab a quick snack and souvenirs before heading back home.