South Korea/China: The DMZ
Then wandering the markets in Seoul-- Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun, plus a night cruise of the Han River.
The DMZ is impressive. Fences, watch towers, and anti-tank barriers begin at the northern outskirts of Seoul. Improved relations between North and South Koreas starting from 2002 or so have lead to the construction of a (as yet unused) railway via Dorasan on the South Korean side and the establishment of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea, but for the most part, the DMZ remains a no-man's land, heavily patrolled and fortified.
Going into the 3rd Tunnel, looking across the border into North Korea, and walking across most of the Freedom Bridge doesn't really sink in until after leaving. A large festival was being held adjacent to the Freedom Bridge... then you look across one of the fences and see stones stuck in the chain-link fences, designed to fall out if the fence is shaken too much, and see ROK army sentries in the watchtowers.
Improved relations or not, this is a country still divided by war.
...
Returning to Seoul after lucmch, we wandered Myeong-dong with some of Leif's other friends, then did a night cruise of the Han River and wandered Dongdaemun Market before heading back to the hotel. The night cruise was disappointing; the rest was pretty cool. Sooooooo much food to eat in Myeong-dong: fried chicken, spiral-cut fried potatos, rice cakes, yam fries, "dragon hair" candy, squid, etc. etc...
And yes, MASSIVE asian pears.
