The DMZ

It is hard to imagine that with everything going on at this moment between North and South Korea it be possible to take a trip to the JSA and to be honest who would ?! The answer might be surprising, but many people would and that includes us! As I discussed in my previous post, life in South Korea has not been affected by the North's threats, not even the DMZ. We found ourselves on an hour long bus ride to the JSA on the very day that North Korea declared a state of war on South Korea. (Take note that tours of the JSA and DMZ are scheduled days in advance.) At that time we had not heard of this until our tour guide informed us that there was a 5% chance that our tour might be cancelled, yes only a 5% chance. He informed us that it was common for tours to be cancelled, but that on this day the chances were a little higher. Before coming to South Korea one of the things we looked forward to the most was going to the DMZ or the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The experience is hard to describe, but we can say that there were a mix of feelings. It was definitely an exciting experience, and at the same time it was serious, but most of all it was fascinating. Throughout the tour we were closely monitored by the soldiers assisting the tour and there were many rules that included things you were not allowed to wear to how to act during the tour. It actually took a long time for us to make it to the actual demilitarized zone because there were so many check points that consisted of soldiers stopping the bus to check your passport and make sure you were wearing appropriate attire for your visit. Also during the tour we were only allowed to take pictures in certain areas and only when they said it was okay to, they are so strict that breaking a rule resulted in the cancellation of the whole tour! Aside from that the tour was an unforgettable experience.

It felt surreal when we finally reached the 38th parallel. There were no North Korean soldiers in sight that day, except one who kept looking at us with his binoculars.

Inside there were two South Korean soldiers and they were like life sizes dolls who did not move whatsoever. While inside we got the opportunity to stand in North Korea for a few minutes! It was awesome!! 

This is known as The Bridge of No Return. At the end of the Korean War,  Koreans were given the opportunity to cross the bridge to which ever side they wanted, but once they did they were never allowed to cross back. 

At the JSA gift shop you can find North Korean money !