More on North Korea and the rest of the weekend

Blogger loves me again. Yay! And I updated my blog to the new beta version so now I can tag my entries. Yay!

Um... I just realized I'm a SUPER big nerd for even knowing what that means. ANYway... Here are some more DMZ pics. This one is a picture of The Bridge of No Return, where prisoners after the war were allowed to cross. If they chose to cross over, however, they could not turn back. No one has crossed it in, like, 50 years. Hence the name. And yes, the song from Phantom kept running through my head, over and over.

Here's a cute one of Miriam and I, flirting with a plastic cop. Fun times. Next to him was a plastic girl. One military guy was trying to convince another to "hump it" for the comedic value of the photo. Class. Y. And hilarious. Or not.

This piece of art is obviously about reunification, but it was really beautiful and moving, so I took a picture of it. It's funny, North Korea to some Koreans seems like a deep shame, and to others it's sad, and still to others it's just the way things are and they really don't think about it. Most belive, however, that all Koreans share the same "spirit" (like team spirit, I think...).

Finally, the obligatory group picture.

James, Me, Rodney, Seeta, and Miriam. These last three photos were taken at the site of the tunnels, where we went after lunch. There are 6 tunnels that the North Koreans began digging (well, blasting, but details...) into and under South Korea with the intension of invading. Of the six, there is one that is open to the public. We went in, of course, but I don't have pictures of it because you weren't supposed to take any. Miriam did, of course, but hasn't posted them yet so I can't steal them from her. :( There is a point in the tunnel where it tells you that the N. Koreans painted parts of the tunnel black so that they could claim they were coal mines and not tunnels into enemy territory. Now, to a person back home this would seem ridiculous, but to me it just highlighted the behaviors of the people I deal with on a DAILY basis.

This tunnel was key because I could kind of stand in it and I didn't freak out like I did in the tiny one in Vietnam. Although the 12 degree incline for 300 meters was NOT my friend.

After the tunnels and a short visit to a museum there, we left the DMZ and I got home around 4:30, walked the dog and rested because I'd already been up nearly 12 hours. Balls. That night, I went to Rodney's for a bit for his tiny birthday celebration, but left before nori bong. I just was too tired to sing, much to Steve's chagrin.

Sunday I spent shopping in Ueijeongbu with Phil, my new gay husband. He is CLEARLY awesome. I tried on this coat and go, "Do I look like a cute chick who wears guy's clothes or a big lesbian?" His response? "You look like a cute chick who wears guy's clothes but might swing both ways. I'm just sayin'." Needless to say, the coat was not purchased. Acutally, not too aweful much was purchased, but I did manage to get a coat and two skirts for less than $50. KEY. But I'll have to go back to get some shoes made, 'cause Phil's guy closed, apparently. Balls.

All in all, an excellent and informative weekend. :)

Much love.