DMZ: Dorasan Station

Date: 1/3/2011

Dorasan station was the next stop on our trip for the DMZ tour.  To get there, we had to enter into the official DMZ and pass through security.  This was a bit more intense than your normal checking-security-at-the-airport because a South Korean military person came on to the bus and walked up and down the aisle.  While you knew nothing was going to happen, it was a little unnerving because … well, frankly, the people at the airport don't have a rifle strapped to their backs.

Then we went over this bridge into the "official DMZ area."  

The blocks are so that you can't go too fast, it slows you down. 

We make it to Dorasan Station and get a quick history lesson.  Dorasan station is the only station that goes into North Korea.  It carries raw materials to a factory in North Korea and a week later, it picks up the finished products and brings them back.  

We walk into the station and are shown a big picture of the Transiberian Railroad.  It is a sad thing that the Korean peninsula cannot be joined onto this massive transit line due to political problems.  

We go up to the counter where you can get a stamp in your passport.  It was interesting to see the different reactions to the stamps.  Saekjin, the owner of Adventure Korea, was telling us to put the stamp in the last page of our passport.  This way, if anyone had a problem with the stamp, you can just rip out the page.  I don't think he knew that if you rip a page out of our passport, it negates the passport.  The Kiwi guide (Katrina) told us not to puta  stamp in because literally it will stop some countries for allowing you into their country--I think Japan was the example.  The simple fact that you have visited the DMZ/been close to North Korea literally will turn countries off of you.  I find that interesting.  

We purchase a ticket to go onto the train tracks.  Since the train only leaves once a week, it is kinda funny to go play around on the tracks--and play we did!

Behind me, North Korea...

"Not the last station from the South, but the first station toward the North..."

Please notice my elected president attempting to sign the board with the marker --UPSIDE DOWN!  

Then Sarah just got goofy: 

Making snow angels across the tracks leading into North Korea

As we were leaving, we see this giant sculpture/display board with a bunch of apparently Korean names.  Saekjin had pointed out at the beginning saying it was a list of donations.  I'm not sure if it was for donations for the unification village, or building the station, or something else, but he said he had donated.  

Sarah and I test out our korean.  Apparently, it is not very good yet.  We spent 15 minutes looking for the Parks--found them!  But then couldn't find Saek-jin.  We found the S…but yeah…we couldn't find Park Saek Jin.  Saekjin came out after our fruitless search and we desolately tell him that we can't find his name.  He moves down a whole panel and quickly finds his name (in like under 20 seconds).  

OUr response--we must learn more Korean…