Photographs, strangely enough, were strictly not allowed to be taken beyond this yellow box where the binocs point to North Korea. and where the CO pointed out important sites of note on the replica land with the dignified pointy stick of his regal and commanding manner, while we as tourist do the 'ohh and ahh' thingy and cling onto his every word. Next up was the Dora Observertory: ' I can see North Korea from my house!' XDДЄccording to the tour guide, we were pretty lucky because the commanding officer that was in charge of guarding the Observertory that day volunteered to give us a lecture or the 'skinny' of this area (usually it's the guides themselves who'd do it), so we were all hussled into a room at the back end of the fort (back end in the pic below), where there's a miniature replica of the view outside facing the window that is of the actual view outside.

(course, this now actually gives me some lame and legitimate excuse to go back there for a second round, we shall see.) Then it was off for the long and somewhat steep hike down into 3rd tunnel! No pictures boo, but in the middle of the tunnel, there were another group of tourist who came by the way of a moving tram (?) along a track!! Hey no fair! We had to WALK almost 15 to 20 minutes down into the tunnel?! The tour guide later explained that it was another kind of tour and the group gets to enter the 3rd tunnel via an old entrance, which came with the 'tram' (? ) ride, and that the tram was always breaking down so it's not always the best route to the tunnel but pppft man! I would have went for that if I knew there was actually different tours that came via different routes! Hello, cave, tracks and trains?! WANTS. Personally, I would rather watch a proper documentary sans special effects, but I get the message.

Or the videos clips they show in museums. Your crazy sibling is playing with nukes again?) It reminds me of the propoganda nationalistic videos we get here nearing national day. Then it was off to the DMZ theater for a 5 mins history (?) video lesson of North and South Korea and some very symbollic politically correct mise-en-scene of a little girl who was crying in a war torn field in the past, but now happily running about in a greenfield bursting with life and a computerised fluttering butterfly of yada yada peace and yada yada we are close to unification I SWEAR I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP. The Freedom Bridge and what as at the end of it. didn't get to go in though, cos I was one of the last passengers they had to pick up.)ДЇirst stop: Imjingak Park (aka where Bridge of Freedom was:) I suspect I was around the Cityhall area (yes, they have a City Hall station like us too!) but I'm not sure as I was picked up at my hostel by a car and brought here to a bigger bus. I like my pick-up waiting point so I *had* to pimp this pointless shot OKAY. like scaling a hill underground.ДЄccording to the broshure, it goes like this: hotel (pick up point) -> Imjingak Park - > Freedom Bridge - > 3rd Tunnel - > DMZ theater of politically correct propaganda- > Dora Observertory - > Dorasan Station - > Unification Village - > After tour fleecing Ginseng Center - > City Hall (drop off) It was a mean workout going down the tunnel and climbling back out. This tour is NOT recommended for people who don't care to walk, by the way. The 3rd tunnel itself doesn't allow photos, so you don't get pictures of my cave-capades.

Day Four (Fri) was DMZ Tour aka : History Geek Creds day! The half day tour set me back about 43000 won (about less than SGD $50)., and you needed to bring your passport along because it's to a sercurity area.

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