Jesús Guðs sonur hvað ég er glöð að vera farin frá Urumqi, höfuðborg Xinjiang héraðs. Héraðið ( á stærð við Ísland) er ein andskotans eyðimörk, einstaka niðurníddar borgir og þess á milli olíudælur í löngum bunum.
Í Urumqi er ekki ein einasta manneskja sem talar nokkuð annað tungumál en kínversku og þó, uyguriska er mál heimamanna og er túrkneskt að uppruna og skrifmálið er byggt á arabíska letrinu.
Leigubílstjórar, starfsfólk lestastöðva, móttökustjóri á fimm stjörnu hóteli , ekki kjaftur sem talar ensku,frönsku,þýsku né arabísku....ok ég fer ekki sérstaklega fram á þekkingu á skandinavískum tungumálum, það væri megalómania hálfvita í þessu stóra landi gulra.
Það sem ergir kanske einkum er það sem við myndum kalla dónaskap. Þetta fólk virðir mann ekki viðlits þótt það sé ávarpað, fyrst kurteislega og á endanum með hrópum og látum. Það talar ekki erlend tungumál og sér akkúrat enga ástæðu til að reyna að skilja. Hvernig Rúti tókst að næla í lestarmiða á lestarstöð þar sem enginn talar tungum, ekki er hægt að borga með korti né evrum, ekkert ATM og bank of China í öðrum borgarenda, honum tókst það nú samt með þrautsegju og því sitjum við nú hér í þessari fínu lest. Lestarvörðurinn sá strax að rétt væri að bjóða strákunum sér klefa svo við ferðumst nú betur en nokkru sinni á þessari yfirreið um hinar kúguðu þjóðir heims.
Urumqi er 2,5 miljón manna borg, greinileg uppbygging en enn glittir í blokkir gamalla tíma kommúnista sem hafa ekki séð málingarpensil í 60 ár. Frekar ófrÍtt og stórgert fólk, ótrúlega illa skóað,illa tennt og hryllilega hávært, nema ég sé að verða gömul. Borgin er sögð einstök að því leyti að hún er lengst allra borga frá sjó eða stöðuvatni. Þar borðar maður urumqiskar núðlur sem eru góðar og seðjandi, þó ekki blaðbrjótandi í kúlínerísku samhengi.
Lestin fór seint um kvöld og auðvitað ekki kjaftur sem gat sagt manni af hvaða brautarpalli hvað þá að upplýsingarskilti gæfu nokkuð til kynna. Þegar Rútur var um það bil að sleppa sér við fúllynda starfskonu járnbrautanna í vip herberginu þá steig fram budduleg kona og sagði „ sto vi hotit“? Ég varð svo glöð að heyra tungumál sem ég slkildi að það lá við að ég kyssti hana. Hún talaði kínversku og rússnesku og túlkaði af snilld. Ég var komin heim.
Í lestinni var okkur tekið vel og strax brast á hin blómlegasta rússneska, við hjónin pússuðum gamla þekkingu á tungunni og allt í einu gat ég brosað og hlegið aftur því ég var komin í mannleg samskipti,
Lestin í rússneskum stíl, dýnur, handklæði,þykk bómullarsængurföt og samóvar. Við skemmtum okkur við actíonary, lékum allt frá háhælaða dvergnum í N-Kóreu til fagurbókmennta frakka.
Á landamærunum við Kazakstan er mikið eftirlit, minnir svolítið á eftirlitið milli austur-vestur blokkanna hér í denn.
Kasakstan er gríðarlega stórt land og ríkt. Olíu og gas eiga þeir í tonnum, og flytja út austur og vestur. Hér á landamærum er fjallasýn gríðar víð og fögur.
Thorunn Hreggvidsdottir
Friday, July 9, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Onboard a Kazakh Train 1-7-2010
Traveling on The Oppressed World Tour has made it difficult for us to post regularly, perhaps because the fabric of this journey has been to travel countries with different approaches to, for us, granted liberties. From my last published post I have traveled from the south of China to Beijing, gone and returned from North Korea and journeyed westbound to Kazakhstan-Almaty where I spent a day and night and now I am train-tracking to Uzbekistan. Much is to be said and the orderly fashion is to issue correspondence chronologically so all those eager to hear about Korea must endure the rants to come regarding minor details such as China.
I first saw Beijing 2005 or 2006 (we cannot agree on this, our previous passports having been filled and returned to the state) and Beijing was a Jack-City on the run. Only five (or four) years prior the city had been recently built, sky-scraping, perversely aveneu-ous, and grossly metropolitan and those that have not been since the Olympics I warn fervently before assuming the same city exists. I for one have seen a city or three in my young age and have to this day not seen such a monster as Beijing. Words need not be spent on descriptions on a city undoubtedly regularly visited, before or later, by many. I believe it is time for Korea.
On extra thoughts: the misconception that China is anything but the Worlds leading badass is common, and not misguided. Yes, rural China is... rural. So is rural –insert.your.countries.name.here- and standards are often different. I need only play this game in the comparative. Some have been to A and some have been to B. The odd Fucker has been to C and the eccentric Fucker has been to D. What are the foundations of civilization, the qualifying barriers between ´them´ and us? One of those is sanitation and Beijing is cleaner than a newborns conscience. The squatting, spitting Chinese have been rerouted somewhere else. The law and order version of Chinas Gotham, the smiling and friendly, formerly Sinful centre., Beijing is something to be acknowledged now & remembered. I have derailed from my thoughts. Best to continue onto something remotely relevant. Something you have vaguely, rarely or never heard of from an original source before. Korea. (n)
Pyongyang, you love hating it and you hate loving it.
One must tread lightly and carefully when story telling from Korea (DPR) not because it is as taboo and controversial as people assume but because the few that venture that way must understand the thin line between what is told, what is true and what is explainable. I will do my best to remain neutral and objective narratively, but personally I am far more anti-DPRK post-visit than I was pre-. This might not be news to many but now at least I have my reasons, from experience, rather than just speculation from the media. I am still like most or all a media-whore and am reactionally no different regarding news from some poverty stricken hellhole but I have been around enough to identify an (intentional?) fallacy every other coverage. My gold is to be able to contradict the brightest and most influential simply by having been to Pyongyang, occasionally the centre of attention, with a face to face account of the veralitées. Again my train of thought has led me off track. Let us begin, Beijing Pyongyang.
Those that assume that I am a product of nature, or nurture for that matter, are right and wrong but must not include those factors when viewing my analysis of Korea. Genetically I am my parent‘s son but ideologically I am of another era. Some might say that I am genetically prone to all communist ideals and regard most ‚oppressors‘ as ‚liberators‘ or some other bullshit like that but no. Unfortunately for my creators I have been educated on the events of The & Their World and will not readily bow to some great concept of some or all Cold War Era crap. My review of Korea is hands-on, untampered and honest.
Arriving In Pyongyang
Empty avenues, empty sidewalks, empty parks, apartment buildings, statues, expensive official or military BMW‘s or Benz‘s, empty trams (We came the night before a Sunday, the Korean one day weekend. The city was far more populated during the work-week), empty stores (the two we saw)... empty Pyongyang. We arrived in the late evening and the city‘s residents were apparently somewhere else. Appearance. Nothing is apparent in North Korea, not for those that visit. You see what you see, you see what you are meant to see. A random visit to the corner shop is quickly dismissed as impossible due to ´government policy´ much to my fathers´ dismay. The hotel we are brought to is five star, DPRK standard, and almost absolutely empty save a few Lebanese businessmen eager to make no money. Rooms are simple, channels are none. How much can one really listen to how the North Eastern Province # 46 has been visited by The Great and Wise Leader Kim Jong-Il for their unprecedented two year advance on the umpteenth five year plan in KIM´s Steel Factory. Nothing from outside the borders, no information, the N. Koreans know nothing. Without fear of exaggeration I say that I have never been to a country where information and knowledge is so fed and scarce, so limited and selected, so nil. North Koreans are subject to The News, without exception including a piece on Kims latest insightful, national brilliance. Did you know he was the Worlds funniest man? And usually scores four hole-in-ones in a single golf game! Night One.
Pyongyang is clean. The cleanest city I have ever seen. The Metro (foreigners only allowed to see two stations) is deep, deep, deep underground with murals, icons and paintings. It is effective and clean, although not extensive because Pyongyang is, although built Metropolitan, quite small. The avenues are big, the hedges are trimmed (everywhere!), the people are fit, not fat, not slim, but fit. They dress properly. Men boast trousers and tucked-in shirts and occasionally the casual tie (usually red) and women wear dresses and heels. The trams, buses and trains are timely, the hours are eight, the hair is kempt and short, the make-up is pseudo-Russian or none. Rubbish is none, cleanliness is worth reiterating, truly. En plus every single adult or almost-adult in the DPRK wears a Kim Il Sung button on his shirt/blouse covering his heart. Without exception. Everyone.
The DPRK ‚appears‘ to be a seemingly functional social paradise. The citizens do not pay tax, they do not vary much in income, they are seemingly equally educated and do not, seemingly, want or expect any deviation of life. They have free access to housing, to education, to health. There is no crime, no drugs, no prostitution, no crime and subsequently no prisons (only re-educational centres). No private belongings only public transport for free. Furnished apartments with DVD, VCD, LCD and all of those but no access to Batman and the likes. Only state channels and occasionally Chinese or Russian movies granted public access by the state. Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues etc etc is none but the Korea DPR Red Army Choir does give out some CD‘s with patriotic songs (I have two CDs, you are most welcome to pop by for a listen)
Korea DPR. What the f. is going on?
The problem is that reasonably bright people will see through this farcical facade, the city looks grand and beautiful but when we were given an opportunity to see inside these buildings we saw the cracks in the walls and the moisture blotches in the corners etc etc. The library is meant to hold thirty million books and a large collection of foreign literature but where exactly was that? The library was empty except for a few students. Their are handball, football, martial arts, swimming, gymnastic superstructures along a certain avenue but appear to be vacant. Their thoughts on the Korea War are misguided, at least according to what my parents, my brother and myself along with my class were taught. American Imperialist Aggressors attacked an innocent North. Another link on an Imperial World Domination Mission. There were so many brutal and vulgar lies that we were told and what is worse I am convinced that they are (because they have no access to research or confirm anything else) generally believed by the masses. We were over fed in every single restaurant we were taken to, separately placed by a table in a room far from the main dining area, we were kept away from locals and led in and out five minutes after or before the Koreans. We could not confirm what we were being told but we could sense that they meant it, believed it and knew that theirs was the truth.
What angers me the most is little high heeled Kim. Our guides view their great and wise leader as one of them. He eats what they eat, lives how they live, sees what they see and feels what they feel. He is trusted because he is a dedicated Korean patriot constantly fighting for a unified peninsula. He DID NOT bomb the S. Korean ship! American artists were kidnapped and forced to forge the remains of the boat and missile to frame Kim and Korea. ... When asked whether he has children the guides answered that they did not know. Asked where he lives the guides said they did not know. Asked if he was married the guides said they did not know. If they did then they pretended not to. I don‘t understand why.
I have a sneaking suspicion that their beloved Kim is a Johnny Black loving, SUV-driving, gourmet food dining hypocrite keeping a nation imprisoned with blatant lies about the outside world and their role in it. I think he did blow that ship up as do I think he created or forged a nuclear bomb in order to receive much needed aid upon its dismantlement. I think he lives in a highly secure villa or three around the northern peninsula. I think he is an insane, power hungry megalomaniac. I think he is a criminal and should be captured, tried and shot. Why? Our guides were good people and I think Koreans in general are good honest hard working people, like most people anywhere. Why is it so important to completely block information from the masses. Why can they not read the newspapers, listen to the radio, watch the news and then repeat the procedure with different sources from different countries? These people are just people and I think the educational system is relatively good. Why in that ‚socialist paradise‘ do wages not differ, why can a civilian not buy a car or a bigger television. Why can some not excell in their field and work for whom they choose. They are allowed to be out and about after 21:00 but don‘t, because although allowed it is not expected and those that swim against stream are few and far between.
It was sad hearing our guides almost whisper „is there anything new in world news“ and we, regrettably, dismissed the question by saying that no, there was nothing new. Mid-East, Israel, Iran, Financial Crisis, Football, Elections here and there etc etc etc. Same old. Not for them. I wish I would have answered the question knowing what they were really asking. What the f. is really going on out there!?
I do not want to end this post on a negative note because there was much in Korea that will remain pleasantly in my memory. Although over-fed the food was good. Although oppressed the people were neat, clean and well dressed and dare I say looked content. Whether that is the famous ‚ignorance is bliss‘ or not is questionable but so is it everywhere else. The city was impeccably clean, trimmed and at times quite spectacular. The Circus was incredible, probably my favourite. The Korean Peoples Youth Union show was also very impressive.
The trip was the strangest I have been on to this day. I did not believe what I saw. I underestimated the oppression and the lies. I underestimated Korea and its functionality. Yes you are right, it is a sick country but you are also wrong. It is, again seemingly, not in any treacherous state. And if it is I suppose that it is hidden not only from tourists but from Koreans as well. Are they happy? Who can tell. Why shouldn‘t they be. By comparison, of which they have none, they are a cultured and free society. Is their leader a maniac, of course but perhaps not to them. He is always on the news (the only story on the news) and keeps promoting excellence, acknowledging hard work, rewarding loyal Koreans, promoting greatness and a place on the Global Pedestal. Is South Korea any better? Yes but again not to them. It unfortunately still takes orders from the Imperialistic American Global Expansion Armies and THEY are oppressed and whored, slave labouring for the Imperialist Plan.
I can not believe this still exists and to this degree. If you do not believe me or even if you do, I encourage every one to go see, what I fear will not remain as bizarre a trip to the 50‘s in coming years or decades, for yourselves. It is absolutely worth it. It is the only one of it‘s kind left.
Times they are a changing and for Koreans I hope this is true. In their favour.
Finnbogi Rutur Finnbogason...
I first saw Beijing 2005 or 2006 (we cannot agree on this, our previous passports having been filled and returned to the state) and Beijing was a Jack-City on the run. Only five (or four) years prior the city had been recently built, sky-scraping, perversely aveneu-ous, and grossly metropolitan and those that have not been since the Olympics I warn fervently before assuming the same city exists. I for one have seen a city or three in my young age and have to this day not seen such a monster as Beijing. Words need not be spent on descriptions on a city undoubtedly regularly visited, before or later, by many. I believe it is time for Korea.
On extra thoughts: the misconception that China is anything but the Worlds leading badass is common, and not misguided. Yes, rural China is... rural. So is rural –insert.your.countries.name.here- and standards are often different. I need only play this game in the comparative. Some have been to A and some have been to B. The odd Fucker has been to C and the eccentric Fucker has been to D. What are the foundations of civilization, the qualifying barriers between ´them´ and us? One of those is sanitation and Beijing is cleaner than a newborns conscience. The squatting, spitting Chinese have been rerouted somewhere else. The law and order version of Chinas Gotham, the smiling and friendly, formerly Sinful centre., Beijing is something to be acknowledged now & remembered. I have derailed from my thoughts. Best to continue onto something remotely relevant. Something you have vaguely, rarely or never heard of from an original source before. Korea. (n)
Pyongyang, you love hating it and you hate loving it.
One must tread lightly and carefully when story telling from Korea (DPR) not because it is as taboo and controversial as people assume but because the few that venture that way must understand the thin line between what is told, what is true and what is explainable. I will do my best to remain neutral and objective narratively, but personally I am far more anti-DPRK post-visit than I was pre-. This might not be news to many but now at least I have my reasons, from experience, rather than just speculation from the media. I am still like most or all a media-whore and am reactionally no different regarding news from some poverty stricken hellhole but I have been around enough to identify an (intentional?) fallacy every other coverage. My gold is to be able to contradict the brightest and most influential simply by having been to Pyongyang, occasionally the centre of attention, with a face to face account of the veralitées. Again my train of thought has led me off track. Let us begin, Beijing Pyongyang.
Those that assume that I am a product of nature, or nurture for that matter, are right and wrong but must not include those factors when viewing my analysis of Korea. Genetically I am my parent‘s son but ideologically I am of another era. Some might say that I am genetically prone to all communist ideals and regard most ‚oppressors‘ as ‚liberators‘ or some other bullshit like that but no. Unfortunately for my creators I have been educated on the events of The & Their World and will not readily bow to some great concept of some or all Cold War Era crap. My review of Korea is hands-on, untampered and honest.
Arriving In Pyongyang
Empty avenues, empty sidewalks, empty parks, apartment buildings, statues, expensive official or military BMW‘s or Benz‘s, empty trams (We came the night before a Sunday, the Korean one day weekend. The city was far more populated during the work-week), empty stores (the two we saw)... empty Pyongyang. We arrived in the late evening and the city‘s residents were apparently somewhere else. Appearance. Nothing is apparent in North Korea, not for those that visit. You see what you see, you see what you are meant to see. A random visit to the corner shop is quickly dismissed as impossible due to ´government policy´ much to my fathers´ dismay. The hotel we are brought to is five star, DPRK standard, and almost absolutely empty save a few Lebanese businessmen eager to make no money. Rooms are simple, channels are none. How much can one really listen to how the North Eastern Province # 46 has been visited by The Great and Wise Leader Kim Jong-Il for their unprecedented two year advance on the umpteenth five year plan in KIM´s Steel Factory. Nothing from outside the borders, no information, the N. Koreans know nothing. Without fear of exaggeration I say that I have never been to a country where information and knowledge is so fed and scarce, so limited and selected, so nil. North Koreans are subject to The News, without exception including a piece on Kims latest insightful, national brilliance. Did you know he was the Worlds funniest man? And usually scores four hole-in-ones in a single golf game! Night One.
Pyongyang is clean. The cleanest city I have ever seen. The Metro (foreigners only allowed to see two stations) is deep, deep, deep underground with murals, icons and paintings. It is effective and clean, although not extensive because Pyongyang is, although built Metropolitan, quite small. The avenues are big, the hedges are trimmed (everywhere!), the people are fit, not fat, not slim, but fit. They dress properly. Men boast trousers and tucked-in shirts and occasionally the casual tie (usually red) and women wear dresses and heels. The trams, buses and trains are timely, the hours are eight, the hair is kempt and short, the make-up is pseudo-Russian or none. Rubbish is none, cleanliness is worth reiterating, truly. En plus every single adult or almost-adult in the DPRK wears a Kim Il Sung button on his shirt/blouse covering his heart. Without exception. Everyone.
The DPRK ‚appears‘ to be a seemingly functional social paradise. The citizens do not pay tax, they do not vary much in income, they are seemingly equally educated and do not, seemingly, want or expect any deviation of life. They have free access to housing, to education, to health. There is no crime, no drugs, no prostitution, no crime and subsequently no prisons (only re-educational centres). No private belongings only public transport for free. Furnished apartments with DVD, VCD, LCD and all of those but no access to Batman and the likes. Only state channels and occasionally Chinese or Russian movies granted public access by the state. Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues etc etc is none but the Korea DPR Red Army Choir does give out some CD‘s with patriotic songs (I have two CDs, you are most welcome to pop by for a listen)
Korea DPR. What the f. is going on?
The problem is that reasonably bright people will see through this farcical facade, the city looks grand and beautiful but when we were given an opportunity to see inside these buildings we saw the cracks in the walls and the moisture blotches in the corners etc etc. The library is meant to hold thirty million books and a large collection of foreign literature but where exactly was that? The library was empty except for a few students. Their are handball, football, martial arts, swimming, gymnastic superstructures along a certain avenue but appear to be vacant. Their thoughts on the Korea War are misguided, at least according to what my parents, my brother and myself along with my class were taught. American Imperialist Aggressors attacked an innocent North. Another link on an Imperial World Domination Mission. There were so many brutal and vulgar lies that we were told and what is worse I am convinced that they are (because they have no access to research or confirm anything else) generally believed by the masses. We were over fed in every single restaurant we were taken to, separately placed by a table in a room far from the main dining area, we were kept away from locals and led in and out five minutes after or before the Koreans. We could not confirm what we were being told but we could sense that they meant it, believed it and knew that theirs was the truth.
What angers me the most is little high heeled Kim. Our guides view their great and wise leader as one of them. He eats what they eat, lives how they live, sees what they see and feels what they feel. He is trusted because he is a dedicated Korean patriot constantly fighting for a unified peninsula. He DID NOT bomb the S. Korean ship! American artists were kidnapped and forced to forge the remains of the boat and missile to frame Kim and Korea. ... When asked whether he has children the guides answered that they did not know. Asked where he lives the guides said they did not know. Asked if he was married the guides said they did not know. If they did then they pretended not to. I don‘t understand why.
I have a sneaking suspicion that their beloved Kim is a Johnny Black loving, SUV-driving, gourmet food dining hypocrite keeping a nation imprisoned with blatant lies about the outside world and their role in it. I think he did blow that ship up as do I think he created or forged a nuclear bomb in order to receive much needed aid upon its dismantlement. I think he lives in a highly secure villa or three around the northern peninsula. I think he is an insane, power hungry megalomaniac. I think he is a criminal and should be captured, tried and shot. Why? Our guides were good people and I think Koreans in general are good honest hard working people, like most people anywhere. Why is it so important to completely block information from the masses. Why can they not read the newspapers, listen to the radio, watch the news and then repeat the procedure with different sources from different countries? These people are just people and I think the educational system is relatively good. Why in that ‚socialist paradise‘ do wages not differ, why can a civilian not buy a car or a bigger television. Why can some not excell in their field and work for whom they choose. They are allowed to be out and about after 21:00 but don‘t, because although allowed it is not expected and those that swim against stream are few and far between.
It was sad hearing our guides almost whisper „is there anything new in world news“ and we, regrettably, dismissed the question by saying that no, there was nothing new. Mid-East, Israel, Iran, Financial Crisis, Football, Elections here and there etc etc etc. Same old. Not for them. I wish I would have answered the question knowing what they were really asking. What the f. is really going on out there!?
I do not want to end this post on a negative note because there was much in Korea that will remain pleasantly in my memory. Although over-fed the food was good. Although oppressed the people were neat, clean and well dressed and dare I say looked content. Whether that is the famous ‚ignorance is bliss‘ or not is questionable but so is it everywhere else. The city was impeccably clean, trimmed and at times quite spectacular. The Circus was incredible, probably my favourite. The Korean Peoples Youth Union show was also very impressive.
The trip was the strangest I have been on to this day. I did not believe what I saw. I underestimated the oppression and the lies. I underestimated Korea and its functionality. Yes you are right, it is a sick country but you are also wrong. It is, again seemingly, not in any treacherous state. And if it is I suppose that it is hidden not only from tourists but from Koreans as well. Are they happy? Who can tell. Why shouldn‘t they be. By comparison, of which they have none, they are a cultured and free society. Is their leader a maniac, of course but perhaps not to them. He is always on the news (the only story on the news) and keeps promoting excellence, acknowledging hard work, rewarding loyal Koreans, promoting greatness and a place on the Global Pedestal. Is South Korea any better? Yes but again not to them. It unfortunately still takes orders from the Imperialistic American Global Expansion Armies and THEY are oppressed and whored, slave labouring for the Imperialist Plan.
I can not believe this still exists and to this degree. If you do not believe me or even if you do, I encourage every one to go see, what I fear will not remain as bizarre a trip to the 50‘s in coming years or decades, for yourselves. It is absolutely worth it. It is the only one of it‘s kind left.
Times they are a changing and for Koreans I hope this is true. In their favour.
Finnbogi Rutur Finnbogason...
Vietnam & Korea, DPR
Vietnam
As I walked on the banks of the lake in central Hanoi, I noticed the most astonishing thing: a clean, non polluted, quite beautiful environment, in which the sunset, sunrise or indeed the midday heat radiated the exuberant awesomeness´ of the city. Hanoi, whether because of a heightened sense of pride due to the victory over 1,90m heavy armed Americans, or a well adjusted sense of superiority due to their apparent political orientation, has excelled in creating a society worthy of recognition. A society of people with spunk and sass, pride and prejudice, and a distinguished ´to hell with everyone because we do not take shit from anyone after what we have been through”. Whether the government is oppressive and applies censorship whenever it feels giddy, the people hold their heads high and even the less fortunate of society, the beggars and riff raff have a more aggressive attitude towards tourist. When a beggar child of the subcontinent runs up to you and starts mumbling something incomprehensible while relying on hand gestures to act out “i’m hungry”, a Vietnam child will yell out “Hey!!!, you rich, me poor, you give me money now”. Local beauties walk down the streets of Hanoi and Saigon, turning heads and emitting Nancy’s “these boots were made for walking” with every step. The food is to die for, with its simplicity and freshness knocking you off your chair. All in all, Vietnam is heaven on earth and not a perfect country to visit if one is looking for cool, calm and collected oppression.
Korea, DPR
No crime, no prisons, no hunger, no strife, no illiteracy, no electrical shortages, no opposition, no underground, no drugs, no prostitutes, overall no misery. These are the words our guides used to describe the socialist paradise they call home. At first skepticism shot down my spine as these seemingly nice people showed no indication of doubt concerning the nations state of affairs. However, I soon realized that they were not lying. This is the truth of the DPRK. This is a country where sociological analysis will evaluate an entire nation who have been rerouted into another realm of reality. When the world collectively marched towards the future after WWII, the DPRK created another world, a world of personal idolatry towards the great leader, a world were the government tells the people everything the ‘need’ to know about the horrors of the imperialistic west, which is still dominated by the colonial expansionist policies of the capitalist whores of the US of A. The brilliance of my experience in Korea was my own personal confusion when I considered the sources of my preexisting concept of korea. A commie regime controlled by an evil villain who wants to destroy the west, bomb the south back to the stone age and eat small children. As I listened to the convictions of our guides, I found myself doubting all that I had ever heard of the country due to the biased reporting of the west. An initial reaction of mine was to believe our guides, pleasant people who spoke to us throughout our stay there, and disregard my previous beliefs. However, after a few days, after the shock, stress and excitement had filtered out of my system, I came to the conclusion that I would rather believe what I had been told my entire life, rather than place my faith in people kept in the dark regarding anything and everything. There was not a news program or breaking news flash that had nothing to do with the great leader, nor was there any indication that these grand events he was visiting were in fact taking place. Each time the newsflash spoke of Kims visit to a coal mine, or a steel factory which had excelled its production, there were no videos, there was never any real footage of the high heeled dwarf at these celebrations. Only still photos, usually the same ones, despite supposedly being from different locations.
The nation is a nation of slaves, with the high elite controlling everything from goods to information. A socialist can hold on to his convictions after visiting Vietnam, China, Cuba, and after reading the progress of the Soviets, despite all the difficulties, but will become a fervent believer of right wing politics after visiting the so called socialist paradise. Saudi Arabia calls itself Muslim, the DPRK calls itself communist, rednecks call Obama a left wing traitor to the cause. These are all of the same ridiculous calibre when it comes to the basic facts.
Grimulfur Finnbogason
As I walked on the banks of the lake in central Hanoi, I noticed the most astonishing thing: a clean, non polluted, quite beautiful environment, in which the sunset, sunrise or indeed the midday heat radiated the exuberant awesomeness´ of the city. Hanoi, whether because of a heightened sense of pride due to the victory over 1,90m heavy armed Americans, or a well adjusted sense of superiority due to their apparent political orientation, has excelled in creating a society worthy of recognition. A society of people with spunk and sass, pride and prejudice, and a distinguished ´to hell with everyone because we do not take shit from anyone after what we have been through”. Whether the government is oppressive and applies censorship whenever it feels giddy, the people hold their heads high and even the less fortunate of society, the beggars and riff raff have a more aggressive attitude towards tourist. When a beggar child of the subcontinent runs up to you and starts mumbling something incomprehensible while relying on hand gestures to act out “i’m hungry”, a Vietnam child will yell out “Hey!!!, you rich, me poor, you give me money now”. Local beauties walk down the streets of Hanoi and Saigon, turning heads and emitting Nancy’s “these boots were made for walking” with every step. The food is to die for, with its simplicity and freshness knocking you off your chair. All in all, Vietnam is heaven on earth and not a perfect country to visit if one is looking for cool, calm and collected oppression.
Korea, DPR
No crime, no prisons, no hunger, no strife, no illiteracy, no electrical shortages, no opposition, no underground, no drugs, no prostitutes, overall no misery. These are the words our guides used to describe the socialist paradise they call home. At first skepticism shot down my spine as these seemingly nice people showed no indication of doubt concerning the nations state of affairs. However, I soon realized that they were not lying. This is the truth of the DPRK. This is a country where sociological analysis will evaluate an entire nation who have been rerouted into another realm of reality. When the world collectively marched towards the future after WWII, the DPRK created another world, a world of personal idolatry towards the great leader, a world were the government tells the people everything the ‘need’ to know about the horrors of the imperialistic west, which is still dominated by the colonial expansionist policies of the capitalist whores of the US of A. The brilliance of my experience in Korea was my own personal confusion when I considered the sources of my preexisting concept of korea. A commie regime controlled by an evil villain who wants to destroy the west, bomb the south back to the stone age and eat small children. As I listened to the convictions of our guides, I found myself doubting all that I had ever heard of the country due to the biased reporting of the west. An initial reaction of mine was to believe our guides, pleasant people who spoke to us throughout our stay there, and disregard my previous beliefs. However, after a few days, after the shock, stress and excitement had filtered out of my system, I came to the conclusion that I would rather believe what I had been told my entire life, rather than place my faith in people kept in the dark regarding anything and everything. There was not a news program or breaking news flash that had nothing to do with the great leader, nor was there any indication that these grand events he was visiting were in fact taking place. Each time the newsflash spoke of Kims visit to a coal mine, or a steel factory which had excelled its production, there were no videos, there was never any real footage of the high heeled dwarf at these celebrations. Only still photos, usually the same ones, despite supposedly being from different locations.
The nation is a nation of slaves, with the high elite controlling everything from goods to information. A socialist can hold on to his convictions after visiting Vietnam, China, Cuba, and after reading the progress of the Soviets, despite all the difficulties, but will become a fervent believer of right wing politics after visiting the so called socialist paradise. Saudi Arabia calls itself Muslim, the DPRK calls itself communist, rednecks call Obama a left wing traitor to the cause. These are all of the same ridiculous calibre when it comes to the basic facts.
Grimulfur Finnbogason
Cuisine.
We have left, for the time being, the countries of exciting cuisine. The culinary experience so far in the Stans has been very Russian influenced. Pelmeni, Solianka, Bortsh, Shashliks, heaps of grilled meat and simple salads of tomatoes, cucumbers & onions. And of course plov! The only thing new I have tried are different horse meat sausages and fermented mares milk, which is an excellent kefir like drink.
Trains
The trains we have taken in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been first rate. We have had two and four berth cabins the restaurants have been acceptable, if uninspired. We have bought meals from ladies selling food on the platform. On the way to Bukhara, a lady brought us a meal to our cabin. It was sausages, mashed potatoes , fried egg and a salad. It was a good meal and reminded me of my first meal on a Russian train twenty years ago. The restaurant had an extensive menu and I spent a lot of time putting together a three coursed meal. When the waiter came to take my order he listened politely to my complex request and said „we have sausages and mash“.
But it is definitely an improvement to when I lived here 20 years ago. Then I remember going from Moscow to Arkhangelsk and there was nothing to be had but warm sausages and bad beer. Same on the way to Yalta, except they had boiled potatoes instead of sausages. And I find it surprising that there are no direct trains between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, nor Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. I would have imagined better transportation between former Soviet countries.
But train travel is still relatively cheap. The overnight train from Turkmenabad to Ashgabat costs 15USD and similar from Alma Ata to Shymkent. The only problem I have encountered so far is lack of electricity. Sockets don‘t work or are nonexistent. It has been difficult to load laptops, ipods & cameras. But it has usually been possible to plug in in the train attendants cabin.
But it is definitely an improvement to when I lived here 20 years ago. Then I remember going from Moscow to Arkhangelsk and there was nothing to be had but warm sausages and bad beer. Same on the way to Yalta, except they had boiled potatoes instead of sausages. And I find it surprising that there are no direct trains between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, nor Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. I would have imagined better transportation between former Soviet countries.
But train travel is still relatively cheap. The overnight train from Turkmenabad to Ashgabat costs 15USD and similar from Alma Ata to Shymkent. The only problem I have encountered so far is lack of electricity. Sockets don‘t work or are nonexistent. It has been difficult to load laptops, ipods & cameras. But it has usually been possible to plug in in the train attendants cabin.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
World Cup
I watch football every four years, during the World Cup and always support France.
This time I have or will see the following games.
21 June N-Korea-Portugal in Pyongyang, People's Democratic Republic of Korea.
27 June England- Germany in Urumqi in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China.
3 July Argentina- Germany, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
6 July Uruguay- Netherlands in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
7 July, Germany-Spain in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
And the final match between Germany and the Netherlands in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.
I will cheer with Germany.
After that we cross over to Iran.
This time I have or will see the following games.
21 June N-Korea-Portugal in Pyongyang, People's Democratic Republic of Korea.
27 June England- Germany in Urumqi in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China.
3 July Argentina- Germany, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
6 July Uruguay- Netherlands in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
7 July, Germany-Spain in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
And the final match between Germany and the Netherlands in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.
I will cheer with Germany.
After that we cross over to Iran.
A tough week
The past eight days have been a bit tough. Four countries, three international border crossings, three nights in hotels, five on trains and 7500 km crossed.
We began in Pyongyang, took the train to Beijing, spent a night there before continuing to Urumqi, 40 hours and 3500 kilometres away. After a night there we took the train to Alma Ata, rested a night, continued to Shymkent by night train, took a car to the border, walked over and hitched a ride to Tashkent, to take a train to Samarkand, where we are now, recuperating. The border crossing between N-Korea and China was easy, the one between China and Kazakhstan was OK, but a bit tiresome, but the border post between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan was a real challenge, a pure Soviet era experience.
Tomorrow we leave for Bukhara.
We began in Pyongyang, took the train to Beijing, spent a night there before continuing to Urumqi, 40 hours and 3500 kilometres away. After a night there we took the train to Alma Ata, rested a night, continued to Shymkent by night train, took a car to the border, walked over and hitched a ride to Tashkent, to take a train to Samarkand, where we are now, recuperating. The border crossing between N-Korea and China was easy, the one between China and Kazakhstan was OK, but a bit tiresome, but the border post between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan was a real challenge, a pure Soviet era experience.
Tomorrow we leave for Bukhara.
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