This summer I spent a few days visiting Israel as part of my University of Denver MBA program. A few panoramas and a video clip.
Category: Trips
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Exploring Prague
This past summer in the end of May, I visited Prague, Czech Republic with my University of Denver Daniels MBA program class. This was right after my trip to Saudi Arabia and Austria, and was the start of our MBA Program International Business Segment. We had a great time meeting with local businesses and exploring the town. Prague is an incredibly well preserved, beautiful town, with rich history, incredible architecture, and interesting culture. Although it’s very touristy, it’s that way for a reason – it really is worth visiting, and should be on everybody’s list. After Prague, we continued onto Israel…
A few snapshots from Prague…
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Exploring Brussels and Bruges, Belgium
A few pics from a recent trip to explore Brussels and Bruges, Belgium.
Belgian waffles in Bruges! 
Canal in Bruges 
Beer in Brussels! 
Sampling tasty beers in Brussels 
Quick walking tour of Brussels – a good way to intro to a new city, and make a few friends. 
Lots of bikes in Brussels 
Exploring Bruges – beautiful 
Flowers in Bruges, Belgium -
Climbing Mt. Rainier
During one of my high school summers, I climbed Mt. Rainier with Rainier Mountaineering Incorporated (RMI), as part of a larger trip with Wilderness Ventures. Here’s the only photo I can find from the trip, showing me learning to ice climb at the base. Shot with my first compact/waterproof/shockproof camera, the 35mm Canon Sure Shot A-1. I loved that camera.
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Trekking Across East Asia, Summer 2015
This summer, I spent a few months trekking solo across Eastern Asia. On this trek, I visited New Zealand, Australia, The Philippines, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, and the US State of Hawaii. Here’s what I wrote during my trek:
- Exploring Manila, El Nido, and Coron, Philippines
- Running the Tokyo Marathon
- Shibu Onsen Snow Monkeys
- Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan
- Snowboarding and Snow Monkey Beer in Shiga Kogen, Japan
- Stepping Into The City Of The Future, Seoul, South Korea
- Exploring A Shield Volcano – Jeju Island, South Korea
- Finding Community in China’s Capital – Beijing
- Why Staying in Hostels While Traveling Solo Is Great
- Exploration of North Korea – Successfull, Covered by NBC News
- Visiting the Terracotta Army in Xi’an, China
- Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
- Getting Hitched at the Shanghai Marriage Market
- Here’s Where China Makes Volkswagens – My Private Tour Of VW Car Plant #3
- The Fastest Magnetic Train in the World: Riding the Shanghai Transrapid Maglev
- Shanghai Built Knockoff Ghost Towns Copied from Around the World
- Hong Kong is the Place To Be
- Shenzhen – Where The World’s Electronics Are Made
- Rain and Games in Macau
- Lunch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Claypot Chicken and Rice
The outdoor mall in downtown Kuala Lumpur. I’d been here before, but since I only had a few hours and the airport train goes straight here, I decided to stop by. 
Clay pots are heated up on charcoal. Dry rice and water are put in first, and the rice is cooked up fresh. 
Touring in Macau. 
Looking out over Shenzhen, China from the top of the KK100 Building. 
Dressed in anti-static gowns. Trendy! 
Connectors of every shape and size, sold on-site by the bundle, or shipped anywhere in the world. 
Each stall represents a different electronic supplier, factory, or component manufacturer. They’re divided up into sections and floors, depending on what they make or sell. 
Every Wednesday during the hot summer in Hong Kong is Happy Wednesday down at the Happy Valley horse racing track. I went with a group of friends from the Check Inn Hostel, where I stayed during my time in Hong Kong. Owner Wincent is great! 
Running at night in Hong Kong. 
Learning to play Chinese poker with my friends on the train to Hong Kong. This family was traveling to Hong Kong to buy baby formula. 
Riding the overnight train from Shanghai into Hong Kong, I made friends with my cabinmates, and ended up hanging out with them quite a bit during the long train ride. Lots of fun! 
Man Mo Temple 
Exploring the legendary Man Mo Temple, with coils of incense burning everywhere. 
Fish are displayed in large tanks, with dramatic lighting throughout the many many many stalls. 
Admiring modern architecture in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. 
Volkswagen has a major plant on the outskirts of Shanghai. Although I didn’t have an appointment or any contact there, I showed up and managed to talk my way into a private tour of the factory. 
On Sundays, a portion of the central park in Shanghai becomes matchmaking central. Here, parents post advertisements for their kids, with hopes that another passing parent will see the ad and connect their kids. Personal ads are put on cards which are pasted to umbrellas for higher visibility, and assembled into large boards. The practice is so huge that there are now even brokers who manage listings for lots of people. 
A hopeful parent holds up information about his kid, hoping that another parent will have a suitable match. 
I got addicted to this pounded, breaded, fried chicken, simply called “big chicken”. 
My timing in Shanghai was perfect for the Shanghai Auto Show -which was horribly overcrowded. I lasted about an hour, and then had to leave – it was madness pushing through the masses to stand in line to see a random crappy car. And no models! 
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. How many couples can you count? 
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. 
After being the more traditional cities of Beijing and Xi’an for a bit, I was ready to step into the more modern world of Shanghai. In the last few decades, like much of China, Shanghai has been on a building spree, with new buildings popping up everywhere. I took about a week to walk the city, and explore as many interesting places as I could. Arriving in Shanghai, this is the classic shot from the Bund, looking into the main financial district. 
As the sun fades on The Bund of Shanghai, orange lights illuminate the classicically styled buildings. It’s a beautiful sight, enjoyed by masses and masses of people strolling up and down the curved walkway. The bund is beautiful now, but given the speed at which things are being knocked down and rebuilt in China, I’d be surprised if the skyscrapers of Pudong didn;t start to creep into the Bund area and the Concession areas in short time. The Chinese seem to be on such a fast and determined building spree that they’re fine with buldozing away beauty, culture, and history in favor of new soulless office buildings and factories. It’s a sad reality of the new China. 
In the business center of Pudong, skyscrapers are huge, and being built as fast as possible. Looming in the back of this photo is the Shanghai tower, the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world. 
The warriors are in various states of repair, and each face is unique. 
The main hall of Terracotta Warriors. There are actually three excavation sites, but this one was by far the most impressive. The entire site is ringed by a tourist walkway, with lots of photos being taken at all times. 
Terracotta horses, preserved in the musem. 
Girls in the crowd all wearing the same uniforms, with matching allegiance pins. 
A group of kids, with their supposed coaches, about to enter the stadium. These kids had a great energy, and I think they were more interested in my camera than they were interested in me. Everybody in the background is staring in my direction because I was on the side of the tourists – we were all checking each other out. 
Here I am coming around a corner during my run of the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. Both tourists and professional Korean athletes ran at the same time – so the entire time I was running, I was being passed by the pros! 
With about a week of training, I finished the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon (26.2 Miles) in 3:34:47. 
At the Pyongyang Victorious War Museum, I was led around by a well dressed tour woman, wearing a military-inspired uniform. She gave a tour to my entire group, including a walk through some relics from various wars, and of the US Navy Ship Pueblo. 
AGER-2, the USS Pueblo. From Wikipedia: USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is a Banner-class Environmental Research Ship, attached to Navy intelligence, which was attacked and captured by North Korean forces on 23 January 1968, in what is known today as the Pueblo incident or alternatively, as the Pueblo crisis. The seizure of the U.S. Navy ship and its 83 crew members, one of whom was killed in the attack, came less than a week after President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “State of the Union” address to the United States Congress, just a week before the start of the “Tet Offensive” in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and only three days after 31 men of North Korea’s “KPA Unit 12” had crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and killed 26 South Koreans in an attempt to attack the South Korean “Blue House” (executive mansion) in the capital Seoul. The taking of Pueblo and the abuse and torture of its crew during the subsequent 11-month prisoner drama became a major Cold War incident, raising tensions between the western democracies and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and People’s Republic of China. North Korea stated that the Pueblo deliberately entered their territorial waters 7.6 miles away from Ryo Island, and the logbook shows that they intruded several times.[1] However, the United States maintains that the vessel was in international waters at the time of the incident and that any purported evidence supplied by North Korea to support its statements was fabricated.[2] Pueblo, still held by North Korea today, officially remains a commissioned vessel of the United States Navy.[3] Since early 2013, the ship has been moored along the Botong River in Pyongyang, and used there as a museum ship.[4] Pueblo is the only ship of the U.S. Navy still on the commissioned roster currently being held captive.[5] 
Inside the Pyongyang Military Museum, a giant statue of Kim Jong Un. 
Before going to the the actual line, a guide explains the layout of the “Joint Security Area”, which is the neutral zone which surrounds a particular section of the “Military Demarcation Line” that is the actual border between the north and the south. 
Another interesting propaganda poster, found in the DMZ gift shop. 
Walking back from the MDL back to the north. The two guards facing each other in the background are standing right next to the actual line, a raised concrete strip. 
This photo is of the North Korean guards inside one of the blue buildings. I had been in this exact room a few weeks prior, and in addition to the South Korean guards, there were also North Korean guards. However, the tone was completely different from the Northern guards. When I visited from the south, the North Korean guards wore completely different uniforms, with large korean letters on their helmets, imposing dark RayBan sunglasses, and an extremely stern, tense pose. This time, the guards were upbeat and friendly, and there was no sign of any guards from the south. 
Strolling around the Koryo History Museum. 
These epic paintings of the leaders were everywhere, and displayed proudly. 
A mosaic in the Pyongyang metro of Kim Jong Il standing in a grassy field. Epic. 
Each station has its fare share of epic mosaics, depicting the leaders in a variety of triumphant poses. This one of Kim Il Sung with common people was particularly grand. 
Of course on each train car is the portrait of the dear leaders. Friend Justin Martell poses with them. 
Riding the Pyongyang metro was a great opportunity to interact with some of the locals. Here, I’m sitting next to a group of school girls, who are getting nervous while practicing their english skills. 
A typical scene on the streets in western North Korea. Of note in this picture is a the woman on the right hand side selling flowers on top of a cardboard box. This is a small example of the illegal North Korean Black Market – and although innocuous looking, there’s been lots of talk about private enterprises like this recently. 
Another lunch. This time, after our servers were finished bringing out food, they all went to change into costumes, and then performed a very sweet, very weird song and dance karaoke routine. Entertaining for sure. 
Inside the Nampho Dam (P’i Do) Lighthouse is another great portrait of Kim Jong Il, posing in front of the dam. 
In Pyongyang, I made a stop with my group for lunch at a restaurant right across the street from the giant Ryugyong Hotel. I was scolded for having this picture taken of me, because it shows the shanty village that surrounds the giant uninhabited building. 
Women wait for their bus in front of the iconic Pyongyang Ice Rink. 
In the alleyway where my friend’s apartmen was, there were always these fun kids playing around. Fun making friends! Beijing housing subdivisions, although some more rundown than others, almost always seem like safe, fun, community-oriented places. 
Arriving in Beijing was certianly a wakeup. As soon as I stepped out of the terminal, I was hit with dense, choking smog that could be seen from as little as 20 feet away. The air smelled like burning, and I could taste a fine grit. Certainly not great – but this was a 200 AQI day – mid-levels of pollution for Beijing. 
Hiking all day up and down. Good thing I havd my Salomon XA-Pro-3D-Ultra2-GTX trailrunning shoes, Darn Tough socks, and Black Diamond Modernist Rock Jeans! 
Playing cards in a public park. 
Springtime means lots of beautiful blooming trees. 
Folks playing in the central hutong area of beijing. 
These meat skewers were really great! I’m still not sure what kind of meat, though.. 
Orange tiles protecting the roofs of the Forbidden City fro m the afternoon sun. 
Finally, I made it inside the Forbidden City! I remember watching the film “The Last Emperor” in middle school, and seeing shots of this space. (as well as learning about it in history class) Cool to finally be there. 
Entering the Forbidden City 
Biking through the Hutongs of central Beijing. Entire families own blocks of these traditional styled homes. Some of them are actually very old, but lots of other subdivisions, like the one pictured, have been built in recent years to emulate the traditional style. They’re really brand new. 
Descending the steps from the viewing deck of the Seongsan Ilchulbong. Dissapointed, but still had a good early morning hike. 
A lighthouse on the way to Udo Island 
Making it to the end of Gimnyeong Maze Park, Jeju 
The cave is truly amazing. From UNESCO: “The Geomunoreum lava tube system, which is regarded as the finest such cave system in the world, has an outstanding visual impact even for those experienced with such phenomena. It displays the unique spectacle of multi-coloured carbonate decorations adorning the roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls, partially covered by a mural of carbonate deposits. The fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, with its walls rising out of the ocean, is a dramatic landscape feature, and Mount Halla, with its array of textures and colours through the changing seasons, waterfalls, display of multi-shaped rock formations and columnar-jointed cliffs, and the towering summit with its lake-filled crater, further adds to the scenic and aesthetic appeal.” 
The top of Mt. Halasan. 
Inside the meeting room on the MDL Military Demarcation Line, the border officially separating North Korea from South Korea. In this photo I’m physically within the North Korean border, however the entire space of the room is considered a neutral zone, so I’m not officially in either Korea. Next to me is a north korea border guard. Interestingly, during my return visit to this exact room a few weeks later, coming from the North side, the North Korean guards were dressed completely differently, in more standard military outfits, and were much more relaxed and personable. They only put on this steely dress and demeanor when tours from the south are present. Photos of this exact room while i was on my tour of North Korea are coming soon. I would also sit in the seat pictured here during my subsequent tour from the north. 
Hiking up Mt. Halasan, the well-worn trail gives way to slick snow on the higher half of the mountain. Avid Korean hikers are quick to strap on metal mesh grips to their hiking shoes in order to navigate the snowpack. 
Of course, Korean BBQ is a must. 
Walking around Hongdae, Seoul. There are lots and lots of areas in Seoul filled with shops, restaurants, and nightlife. Hongdae is one of the more youthful ones. 
Seoul has magnificent and dramatic architecture. Buildings come in every shape and size, and modern masterpieces are squished right next to ancient heritage sights. 
Lights and shopping everywhere. Never a dull moment in Seoul. 
Seoul at night, seen from the N Seoul Tower. Seoul is electric, with colorful lights stretching off into the smog. 
The statue of King Sejong, sitting outside of the seoul palace. 
Yi Sun-sin looks into modern-day Seoul. 
Saori and I were introduced by a mutual friend, and met up in Tokyo at the main Tokyo train station. To save on time, and have an awesome ride, we took a Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano – fast and comfortable! 
Arrival in Nagano, site of the 1998 Olympic Games. From here, we got another slower train up to Yudanaka, and then walked about 30 minutes to Shibu Onsen. 
Starting the hike up the snowy path leading to the Snow Monkey Onsen. 
Macaque Snow Monkeys relaxing in the snow. 
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! 
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! 
Stamping my 1st onsen. 
After snow monkeys, we went back to our homestay and changed into comfy robes and not so comfy wooden flip flops, grabbed our keys, and went out to hit all 9 Shibu Onsen Onsens. The red pouch I’m holding has my onsen cloth, which has the names of all 9 onesns, and is stamped at each one. Saori is holding her key, attached to a piece of wood with a map of town. 
Vending machines are everywhere, and this one brews fresh coffee on demand. 
What to do after a long day of snow monkeys, onsens, sushi, meat skewers, and beer? Karaoke. 
Coins and papers tied to a tree for luck at the Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
I finished in 4:31. It wasn’t my best marathon time, but it felt great to run, and was fun to see lots of neighborhoods of Tokyo. 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
I joined the Tokyo Gaijins group on my trip to Shiga Kogen. The group is a snow club, which runs amazing trips to the mountains every weekend in the winter. Bus transportation, lodging, meals, and great times are provided on each trip! Since our group was fairly large, we had an entire hotel to ourselves – complete with dining hall, onsen, and our own rental and gear shop. The base of the mountain was right across the street – perfect! 
Getting ready to go down the mountain on my rental snowboard. Although the terrain at Shiga Kogen is nowhere near as challenging as in Colorado, the snow is great, and runs are wide open. 
Snow Monkey Beer – tasty, especially after a day of snowboarding. 
Making friends on the mountain! 
One of the steeper sections of the mountain – still nothing compared to Colorado, but a fun time nonetheless – snow conditions were absolutely perfect. 
A few of us got together before lunch for some big group runs. Skiing as a group is fun for a run or two, but gets annoying quickly as you spend half your time waiting for everybody. 
With the mascot Okamin! 
Brad, Talitha, and I flew from Manila to El Nido, Palawan on a charters ATR-72 with ITI Air, booked by El Nido Boutique & Artcaf 
Naturally, we had to relax in the pool at the Mahogany Resort, where Brad and Talitha were staying. 
After a day of diving, we decided to get some fresh air on the jeepney ride back to town. 
Getting ready to dive Barracuda Lake, Philippines. 
We had a great dive! 
Triking around Coron. 
Small fish swim in the shallow tidal pools of the hidden coves in El NIdo. 
One of the hidden beaches – this beach is only accessible by swimming through a small underwater tunnel. 
Local kids playing on a dry docked boat on the beach. 
In Coron, we dove with Neptune Dive Center, which was great. Highly recommended! 
Fish at the local market 
The cutest little girl ever, riding with her father as he biked us around El Nido. 
Ready for a day of sailing! 
Sunset in El Nido, with outrigger dive boats anchored in the shallows. 
The tides in Palawan Island are dramatic, and the area outside of where we were staying drained completely during low tide. 
Brad and Talitha strolling on local beach at sundown. The small waves were perfect for bodysurfing. 
Passing through local villages as we discover waterfalls, jungle farmlands, and hidden beaches. -
Sailing the Sea of Cortez, Mexico
At the end of June, I embarked with my longtime crew on a sailing expedition to explore the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. This was another epic adventure in a long series of sailing adventures that we’ve been doing as a group, in one form or another, for nine or ten years now.
Although we’ve sailed the Sea of Cortez on a previous trip, we decided to return to rediscover the unrelenting beauty, serenity, and dramatic contrasts of sailing surrounding by the hot, crushing desert.
The expedition ended up being wonderful. We had a great time sailing, fishing, scuba diving, cooking, relaxing, swimming, hiking, and exploring the Sea of Cortez, and surrounding desert. Here are a few photos from our adventure. Video clips and other related media are coming asap.
The sailing trip began by assembling everyone in Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Baja Penninsula. From there, we rented a suburban, and the 6 of us drove north to La Paz. La Paz is a larger city in Baja, and is the center of operations. During the northward drive, naturally we had to stop for some delicious roadside tacos. It’s good to be in Mexico! 
Delicious tacos and drinks, on the way up to La Paz. Sean drove the massive suburban, and did a great job of getting us to the marina. All six of us fit in the car, with all of our gear. 
On our way north, we were stopped by a few small inspection stations. Enough said. 
Arrival at the Dream Yachts marina. This marina was shared by a few different charter companies, and was located just outside of La Paz. Our boat was ready and waiting for us when we arrived in the late afternoon. 
After loading our gear onto the boat, we walked across the street from the marina and took a refreshing dip in the 5 star resort pool, which we had access to since we were living on one of their sailboats. 
Naturally, we had to take traditional beginning of the trip tequila shots before we did anything else. It was good to be back together as a crew! 
On the evening of the first night, we drove into La Paz to watch sunset over the water, and have a tasty mexican dinner on a rooftop. 
First dinner! In downtown La Paz, Mexico. 
After dinner, we went straight to the grocery store, where we bough about $600 of groceries – enough to feed 6 people for ten days. Not so bad when you divide it out. Here we are deliberating on what to get. 
Dyana had a bit of a shopping plan, and doled out responsibilities accordingly. Sean was on hot sauce and fruit juice patrol. 
I was on checkout duty, and managed to keep the checkout girl calm as she scanned $600 of groceries at closing time. 
Loading provisions onto our boat. Every space on a sailboat is used, and there are endless pockets and storage areas behind the cushions, under panels, and beneath the floor. I love this aspect of sailboats – every bit of space is thought out and used. 
Sean reviewing the Baja cruising guide, the night before our departure. Sean is sitting at the nav table, with all of the electrical controls and instrumentation. Under the table is emergency gear, and inside the table are charts and guides. 
Breakfast at the beach club, shortly before our departuer from the marina. 
And one last swim in the luxurious infinity pool. 
We rented deep sea fishing gear, and had a great time catching a few dinners. 
Our first catch – a Bonito that we later ate for dinner. 
Zac filleting the Bonito. Tasty! 
One of the anchorages we stopped at, from the midpoint of our desert hike. Our boat is on the left. 
Dried cactus found in the desert – this makes pretty good kindling for a fire, as we later found out when making a beach fire to cook clams. 
Shower time at the end of each day. On the boat, we take “navy showers” – jump in the water to get wet, soap up on the transom, jump back in the water to wash off the soap, and then rinse with fresh water from the hose. It’s effective, fun, and saves on fresh water. And you get to do it with friends – here’s Dyana giving Zac a scrub. 
Dyana relaxing on deck with a sunset drink. This is what it’s all about. 
Zac adding a little beer to the ground beef, to give our tacos an extra little kick. Cooking on the boat is always fun! 
Dinner in the cockpit – this was taco night, with lots of hot sauce. 
Evan and Kaitie right before Scuba Diviing with the sea lions. 
Me and Sean before diving. 
Swimming through a narrow passage into a swirling school of fish. 
Evan checking out schools of fish. 
Wildlife abounds in the Sea of Cortez – here we saw a whale and her calf. 
Our crew, minus Kaitie, at the end of our second dive. 
Evan walking onto the shore to enjoy some post-dive lunch and refreshments. 
This particular sailboat had a motorized winch, so in order to raise the main sail, we just had to push a button. Here, I’m steering us into the wind while we watch the sail raise. Shorly affter this I steered the boat to “fall off” and catch the wind in the sail. 
Under sail. It’s peaceful and quiet while sailing, with just the wind whistling and the waves splashing around the boat. 
Evan reeling in a Mahi Mahi. 
Zac with our first Mahi Mahi – dinner! 
Two girls from another boat standing up on their twin kayak at sundown. 
Dyana dives off the bow for a late afternoon swim. 
Evan brought along an inflatable donut to lounge in. Perfect!!! 
Dyana and Evan float in the nearly still water, while our boat floats anchored just off shore. 
Sean hikes a ridge on one of the small anchorages we stopped at. Sunset hikes are great. 
We had a small grill on the boat, and used it to cook burgers, fish, and veggies. An essential accessory on any sailing trip. 
More hikes in the desert with the full group. 
Isla Coyote, one of the small fishing villages we encoutered. We bought fish and clams here. 
Chocolate Clams, fresh from the sea and very tasty. 
Towing Evan behind the boat in his donut. Mmmmm 
Approaching another one of our anchorages, at the mouth of a beautiful valley. 
Sean and I went exploring the valley at sundown, and found lots of animal bones – and animals! 
Relaxing while underway. 
At one of our anchorages, we found the remains of an abandoned hotel. 
Cactus flowers in the hot desert. 
Hiking through the desert back to the sea. The contrast is extreme. 
A dried puffer fish found on the hot, dry beach. 
Our peaceful beach fire spot, where we cooked and ate lots and lots of clams. 
Dyana and Evan checking out the first stars of the evening, as our fire burns down to cooking coals. 
Kaitie and Dyana selecting fresh clams, while Sean, Zac and Evan supervise the fire. 
We cooked clams directly on the fire, as well as by boiling them. 
Eating fresh cooked clams by the fire, under an almost full moon. 
Anchored. 
Dolphins frequently swam with our boat. 
The full moon, rising over the desert peaks. 
Naturally, there are always always minor disasters on every trip – completely expected, and we can ususally deal with whatever we need to. This small engine issue was a quick fix. 
Dyana reeling in.. a shark! 
Hot dogs for lunch. 
Sean made himself a swing from the boom. 
I got hoisted up the mast on the emergency halyard. A spectacular view! 
Under way. 
Sean driving the Dinghy through a small mangrove forest. This was on our last day of sailing. After this, we returned the boat to La Paz, and then got in the car to head back down to Cabo. 
On our way back to Cabo, we witnessed a large drug bust. 
Our last night in Mexico was in Cabo San Lucas, and it was the 4th of July! We checked out lots of lively, trashy parties on the beach, and had lots of fun watching fireworlks from afar. 
Entering spring break zone at El Squid Roe. 
End of the trip drinks at El Squid Roe. For our final night in Cabo, we stayed at a generic hotel on the main strip. Comfy and easy. -
La La Land.. and Disneyland!
In June, Miho and I explored LA. A few pics.
Splash Mountain – 2nd time. 
Disneyland. 
We got evacuated from Splash Mountain right before the lift up the big hill at the end. It was very very interesting to see the inside of the ride with the lights on and sound off – almost more interesting than doing the actual ride. 
We also visited the California Science Center, and got to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor in person. 
Space Mountain – first time! 
Sunset at the Griffith Observatory. 
Riding the carousell was classic and fun. 
Space Mountain – second time! 
An exciting sunset at the Griffith Observatory. 
Evacuating Thunder Mountain. 
I loved this Mariachi Band at Disneyland! They were too cool. 
Nope, I couldn’t do it. Darn. 
Naturally, I had to try to pull off some sort of photo of the Hollywood Sign. 
Thank goodness! 
Evacuating Splash Mountain. 
At Disneyland, I found the secret Club 33, which I had been wanting to visit for ages. I still haven’t been inside, but hopefully someday soon I’ll make it happen. 
We didn’t ride the teacups, but they were quite neat to watch at night. -
Shooting for the Stars in Hawaii
Miho and I decided to spend a wonderful few weeks exploring Hawaii. It was my first time there, and in order to see a few different areas, and to see a few friends and family, we dedicated to check out Oahu and The Big Island. A few photos from our Hawaiian Adventure.
Exploring Diamond Head State Monument, we discoved an apocalyptically beautiful spiral staircase deep inside the summit structures of Fort Ruger. 
Top of Diamond Head. 
Looking into the outskirts of Diamondhead, it’s easy to see the Hawiian housing districts conforming to the shape of the valleys and ridges of the newly-formed volcanic landscape. 
Hiking around the outskirts of Honolulu, we found the rocky shore area of the famous Shangri-La manison. It’s idillic location befits its name for sure. 
Naturally, while we were in Honolulu, we felt compelled to (briefly) dip into the tourist vortek of Waikiki Beach for some all-too typical, but still fun hula dancing and frozen drinks. 
Another absolutely essential stop in Honolulu was Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. A powerful and thought-provoking experinece. 
A few weeks after we visited, this dock was crushed by a wayward navy ship. The monument remains though, and is certainly dramatic to visit. 
Hanging out at Ka`ahumanu Hale, downtown Honolulu. 
The vast National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in the center of Punchbowl Crater outside of Honolulu is a somber, peacefull memorial honoring the veterans of 4 wars. 
Food trucks are all the rage in Hawaii, and this one served deliciously spicy shrimp and rice – with fresh coconut water! 
Spicy shrimp and rice. A perfect lunch by the sea. 
At the Dole Plantation, we learned how Pineapples are grown, as well as a number of other local produce. Pineapples take a LONG TIME to grow. Respect. 
Matsumoto’s Shave Ice. Delicious, essential. 
First stop on The Big Island was in Hilo, where we stayed for a night with a family member. Hilo is rainy and lush, with a relaxed local vibe. 
Sea turtles enjoing a morning swim in a tidal pool in Hilo. 
Hilo, Hawaii gets a ton of rain, and as a result is dramatically lush and beautiful. 
The Hilo Farmers market is an essential stop, and we enjoyed Papayas, Mangoes, and lots of other local flavours. 
At the Kirpali Meditation Retreat, we rented a private cabin tucked away on the edge of the jungle. 
The Big Island is Hawaii’s youngest island, and the volcanic formations are beautifully intact everywhere. 
The remains of a very recent lava flow, which took over part of the Hilo recycling facility – but mercifully stopped just short of destroying the entire facility. 
Freshly cooled lava comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. 
Lava stops for nothing, not even local ordinances. 
The local spirit towards the volcano is inspiring – people have great respect and reverenace for it, but also are proud of their community, and stand their ground when practical. 
Our jungle cabin was down a long and winding jungle pathway, surrounded by impenetrable marshes and expansive papaya farms. We even had a hot springs just a short walk away. 
Also a short ways away from our jungle cabin was the Hawaii Star Visitor Sanctuary. Unfortunately, despite the delicious smoothies we were sipping on, no “Star Visitors” appeared to take a sip. 
Out of the freshly cooled volcanic earth sprout new palm trees. We were astounded at how quickly life spreads out over the charred new earth. 
Lava tubes form mysterious entrances into the earth. 
The jungle around HIlo is thick and dramatic, reminding us of what a prehistoric jungle must have looked like. 
Daily rain showers keep things lush and glistening. 
Amidst fog and fading light at Volcanoes National Park, we took a quick 2 mile run along the rim of the massive crater. 
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a must-see attraction. 
Live appears quickly from the cracks of freshly cooled lava. 
Hiking on the undulating, dramatic, freshly cooled lava fields. 
Miho examining the dramatic structures formed by flowing lava. 
Inside the crater, lava can be seen bubbling and boiling at night. 
Our crappy rental car couldn’t make it to the top of Manua Kea, so instead we hitchhiked. 
Our wonderful jungle cabin. 
Lizards were everywhere, and greeted us when we returned home in the evening. 
Hiking along the beach outside of Hilo. The surf pounds the fresh lava rocks in to pocketed, round boulders. 
For our final nights in Hawaii, we decided to dip back into the ultra tourist vortex, and booked a room at the Royal Kona Resort in Kona, Hawaii. It’s certainly not our core style to stay at resorts like this, but we still had a great time checking out hula parties, beach sunsets, fruity drinks, and nighttime walks. 
The inside of our jungle cabin. Airy and comfortable. 
Green sands created by Olivine in the rocks above this beach give it an especially otherworldly feeling. 
Honolulu, as seen from the apex of Diamond Head. After flying halfway across the Pacific and landing on a remote island chain, it’s a bit stunning to see a modern, bustling city, with every typical element of modern life – chain restaurants, strip malls, skyscrapers, and crazy traffic. Honolulu is a fine town, though, and an essential jumping off point to the rest of hawaii. 
We stayed with Antarctic friend Ben while in Honolulu, and had a great time grabbing mexican food and ice cream. Thanks Ben! 
Local brews, too. Big Wave Golden Ale was especially delicious. 
Spam is a local specialty, so Miho and I decided that we needed to try the trendy new “Portuguese Sausage” spam flavour. 
Rain and Waterfalls. 
Exploring the astronomical observatories at the summit of Mauna Kea. 
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Lunch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Claypot Chicken and Rice
On my way back from Macau to Sydney, I had a quick 8 hour layover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As soon as I got to the airport, I took the train into the center of town, and spent an afternoon walking around, and grabbing lunch. Here’s my quick trip.
The outdoor mall in downtown Kuala Lumpur. I’d been here before, but since I only had a few hours and the airport train goes straight here, I decided to stop by. 
Downtown Kuala Lumpur 
I had just enough time for lunch, and decided to get the traditional Kuala Lumpur Street-Side Claypot Chicken and Rice. This dish is served all over KL, and is cooked fresh to order, 
Clay pots are heated up on charcoal. Dry rice and water are put in first, and the rice is cooked up fresh. 
Once the rice has been made in the clay pot, marinated bone-in chicken pieces, salted fish, and Chinese waxed sausage is added. Soy sauce, scallions, and a few other seasonings are added in too. 
The entire mixture is cooked together in the clay pot. 
The dish is served with a small bowl of chiles in oil, added to taste. 
Overall, a super satisfying lunch in KL. -
Shenzhen – Where The World’s Electronics Are Made
Shenzhen, China – where all of the electronics are made. Or at least it feels like it. For this trip, I was lucky enough to be hosted by an old friend from NYC, and got a view of work life within Shenzhen.
At SEEED Studio, small custom electronicsn are developed, prototyped, and ushered into mass manufacturing. Here are a few recent products made at Seeed. 
The prototyping and small-run factory production schedule at Seeed. 
A worker monitors a pick-and-place machine at Seeed Studio. This machine automates the production of circuit boards and other electronics. 
A worker hand-solders a circuit board for a small run of eletronics. 
Dressed in anti-static gowns. Trendy! 
Lunch with the gang from Seeed Studio 
Outsize of the Huaqiangbei electronics markets, vendors take a break with some snacks. 
Each stall represents a different electronic supplier, factory, or component manufacturer. They’re divided up into sections and floors, depending on what they make or sell. 
Connectors of every shape and size, sold on-site by the bundle, or shipped anywhere in the world. 
Every imaginable style of flashlight – all available in Shenzhen in quantities from 1 to a million. 
This is where the cases for your hard drives come from. 
LED Lights of any shape and size at Huaqiangbei. 
If you’ve ever ordered small electronics from China, this is probably where it ships from. 
Checking out the Shenzhen 22 art district. 
Checking out the still under construction Pingan Finance Center – when it’s complete, it will be 118 floors and 660m high. When it’s complete, it will be the 4th tallest building in the world. 
Going for a drink at the KK100 Building – Currently the tallest building in Shenzhen. 
Looking out over Shenzhen, China from the top of the KK100 Building. 
Nightly traffic in Shenzhen. -
Hong Kong is the Place To Be
After spending a few weeks in Shanghai, I took the overnight train straight to Hong Kong. And I loved it. It was refreshing to be out of China, comforting to be back in a city that felt a lot like NYC, and wonderful to connect with new and old friends. I’m certainly looking forward to returning to Hong Kong as soon as possible. A few photos of my time there.
Learning to play Chinese poker with my friends on the train to Hong Kong. This family was traveling to Hong Kong to buy baby formula. 
Riding the overnight train from Shanghai into Hong Kong, I made friends with my cabinmates, and ended up hanging out with them quite a bit during the long train ride. Lots of fun! 
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Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
After being the more traditional cities of Beijing and Xi’an for a bit, I was ready to step into the more modern world of Shanghai. In the last few decades, like much of China, Shanghai has been on a building spree, with new buildings popping up everywhere. I took about a week to walk the city, and explore as many interesting places as I could.
Videos:
Arriving in Shanghai, this is the classic shot from the Bund, looking into the main financial district. 
As the sun fades on The Bund of Shanghai, orange lights illuminate the classicically styled buildings. It’s a beautiful sight, enjoyed by masses and masses of people strolling up and down the curved walkway. The bund is beautiful now, but given the speed at which things are being knocked down and rebuilt in China, I’d be surprised if the skyscrapers of Pudong didn;t start to creep into the Bund area and the Concession areas in short time. The Chinese seem to be on such a fast and determined building spree that they’re fine with buldozing away beauty, culture, and history in favor of new soulless office buildings and factories. It’s a sad reality of the new China. 
In the business center of Pudong, skyscrapers are huge, and being built as fast as possible. Looming in the back of this photo is the Shanghai tower, the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world. 
The Shanghai Tower, world’s second tallest building, rises to the sky. The three supertall buildings of Shanghai – Clockwise from left: The Jin Mao Tower at 420.5 meters making it the 17th tallest building in the world. The Shanghai Tower at 632 meters making it the 2nd tallest building in the world. The Shanghai World Financial Center at 494.3 meters making it the 7th tallest building in the world, and the highest observation deck of 474 meters. 
The view from the worlds highest observation deck – 474 meters in the Shanghai World Financial Center. 
Rampant building in Shanghai seen from the worlds highest observation deck – 474 meters in the Shanghai World Financial Center. Shanghai’s Knockoff Ghost Towns
A number of years ago, Shanghai started a program called “One City Nine Towns”, in which they sought to build nine smaller townes on the outskirts of Shanghai that emulated towns from around the world. 
Thames town is a ghost town now – the town was built, and there are a few inhabitants, but it’s largely empty. The main use of Thames Town is as a backdrop for engagement and wedding photos. Everywhere you look, couples are snapping wedding photos. 
Thames town is a ghost town now – the town was built, and there are a few inhabitants, but it’s largely empty. The main use of Thames Town is as a backdrop for engagement and wedding photos. 
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. 
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. 
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. 
Inside a Chinese copy of a typical British pub. 
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. How many couples can you count? 
Despite the classic looking exteriors, Thames Town is mostly deserted, with the insides of many of the buildings bare concrete. 
The british motif extends outward, into huge oversized Chinese apartment buildings. 
Selfie Sticks are sold everywhere – there’s no escaping. 
Lots and lots of tourist traps in Shanghai. 
At the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, a scale model of the entire city. Huge! 
My timing in Shanghai was perfect for the Shanghai Auto Show -which was horribly overcrowded. I lasted about an hour, and then had to leave – it was madness pushing through the masses to stand in line to see a random crappy car. And no models! 
Masses at the Shanghai Auto Show. 
A typical Chinese view – massive scale construction happening everywhere. 
I got addicted to this pounded, breaded, fried chicken, simply called “big chicken”. 
They sprinkle the chicken with chile and garlic powder. So good. 
Anting is a Chinese copy of a typical modern German town. I strolled around there for an afternoon, and was completely weirded out. The town is laid out like a european town, but none of the charm, flare, or people are there – it’s almost completely deserted. 
Housing areas are huge, and while there is lots of vegitation, there’s little activity. 
A bar in Anting setup with German wares – but no patrons. 
Anting, outside of Shanghai 
Walking down the street in Shanghai, this is a common scene – building going on everywhere. In order for buildings to be buit faster, they house workers directly on site, to cut out the commute, and maximize working hours. 
On Sundays, a portion of the central park in Shanghai becomes matchmaking central. Here, parents post advertisements for their kids, with hopes that another passing parent will see the ad and connect their kids.
Personal ads are put on cards which are pasted to umbrellas for higher visibility, and assembled into large boards.
The practice is so huge that there are now even brokers who manage listings for lots of people.
Parents trading matchmaking details about their single kids. 
A hopeful parent holds up information about his kid, hoping that another parent will have a suitable match. 
Personal ads in the Shanghai matchmaking market. 
Weddings are a big deal, and it seemed like this ceremony was a huge disco party! 
Volkswagen has a major plant on the outskirts of Shanghai. Although I didn’t have an appointment or any contact there, I showed up and managed to talk my way into a private tour of the factory. 
My two tourr guides at the Shanghai Volkswagen were super fun! 
I had the good fortune of Couchsurfing with Suskita – an awesome person who is kicking ass in Shanghai as she shoots photos, rides bikes, and hosts travelers from all over the world. Suskita is the best! 
Suskita’s apartment is in a massive apartment complex. 
Pujiang, a Chinese copy of a modern Italian town. Strange for sure. 
Shanghai has the world’s fastest Maglev train, which I rode twice, for fun – 501 km/h! 
A Baidu street view car! Cool! 
On my way from Shanghai to Hong Kong, the Chinese smog is terrible. -
Visiting the Terracotta Army in Xi’an, China
After my week in North Korea, I returned to Beijing, China for a day, and then continued on to Xi’an on 2015-04-20. My friend Emily is currently living there, which made for a perfect opportunity to drop by to see a friend, and to check out the Terracotta Warriors. I only spent 3 days there, but in those few days, I saw a bit of the local expat scene, got to know a small bit of town, and saw for myself the legendary Terracotta Army.
I took a train from Beijing to Xi’an, and during the journey, the pollution and smog from Chinese industry was incredible. Visibility barely extended to the buildings next to the train track, and as I stared out the window in disgust, I could see individual clouds of pollution washing over China. 
Entering the Terracotta Warriors excavation and exhibition area, I was immediately hit by a barrage of Chinese tourist concessions, vendors, and crowds – which I had come to expect. The tourist concession area was newly built, but most of the vendor stalls were half occupied or empty – another case of grand building without the business, or culture really, to fill it. 
Before entering the main excavation, I saw a quick intro film – in the round! Notably, this system still used old 8mm projectors, all setup to run in synchronized loops. 
The main hall of Terracotta Warriors. There are actually three excavation sites, but this one was by far the most impressive. The entire site is ringed by a tourist walkway, with lots of photos being taken at all times. 
The warriors are in various states of repair, and each face is unique. 
Lines and lines of warriors. Terracotta horses, preserved in the musem. 
An incredible amount of the asian tourists there had selfie sticks, which the used continuously, even for non-selfies. It very much looked like they were being led around by their selfie sticks. -
Exploring North Korea and Running the Pyongyang Marathon
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), aka “The Hermit Kingdom”, has always seemed like a mysterious land. The timing on my lap through Asia worked out perfectly, and I decided to check it out for myself – and to run the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon in the process. In short: exploring North Korea was an interesting look into an isolated kingdom, I ran my best marathon ever – 3:34, and took over 2500 photos and 3 hours of video, edited and presented below.
Accessing North Korea
To get into North Korea as a tourist, it’s necessary to join a government-sanctioned tour group. Normally I tend to plan my own solo travel, often planning only a day or two ahead – so joining a tour group was a bit of departure for me. However it’s really the only way to do it, and actually, it was a great experience joining a proper tour group – even if our every move was overseen by a group of government guides.
I traveled with expert tour operator Uri Tours, and specifically did their Pyongyang Marathon Beijing Departure Long Tour option. Before deciding to go to the DPRK with them, I did a bit of research on all of the companies running trips, and decided on Uri Tours for a number of reasons: They had a marathon-specific tour, which included both entry into the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon, as well as a more typical tour component. They seemed like they were a smaller company, with a bit more of a personal touch – my pre-sales emails were handled quickly and with a personal vibe. Finally, their CEO Andrea Lee seemed like a genuinely cool person, and took responsibility for leading the tour herself. During the trip I got to know her a bit, and it’s obvious that she puts everything she can into making these tours great. I’d certainly recommend Uri Tours for any of their itineraries. (Uri Tours Pyongyang Marathon Photo Album)
My experience exploring the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – North Korea
During my time in North Korea, I took close to 2500 photos, and around three hours of video. After a bit of editing, I’ve narrowed it down to 150 key photos, and a long video collection. This photo essay is a bit longer than my normal photo essays – I’ve chosen to include more images than I normally would, to give room for the many, many interesting aspects of the DPRK.
I was shooting on three cameras – an Apple iPhone6 smartphone, Sony RX100mk3 compact point and shoot camera (which I love very very much), and a GoPro Hero 4 Silver Action Camera. Photos from all three cameras are mixed into this collection. (Also on Flickr)
Jump to:
- Flying to North Korea
- Running the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon
- Discovering Pyongyang
- The DMZ and Joint Security Area
- Kaesong
- Pyongyang Subway
- Nampo Dam
- Ryonggang Radon Hot Springs
- Kumsusan Palace of the Sun
- North-Korean videographer-produced trip video
Video from inside North Korea
Throughout my trip, my group was flanked by a North Korean videographer, who tracked our every move on camera. At the end of the trip, he delivered a tripped out video diary, complete with a voiceover narrative, and the real star of the show, the synthy North Korean theme music, overlaid on most of the video. In the old school style of trip videos, this one is long long long and is mostly raw footage of me and my group exploring various parts of the country. The voiceover is a great example of the kind of stories and vibe that the tour had.
DPRK Playlist – all videos, and raw clips of almost everything…. Running the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon
The main attraction for this trip was to run the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. This was the second year that the marathon was open to foreigners, so it was a fairly new experience for everybody involved. It’s such a new thing for North Korea to be opening this to foreigners, that in the weeks leading up to the even, they actually suspended foreign entries, as they worked out the kinks in the system. In addition to my group from Uri Tours, there were also a bunch of other tour groups there – totalling about 200 foreign runners in total. For details on the exact marathon route, be sure to check out the Uri Tours Pyongyang Marathon Route post.Uri Tours Marathon Promo Video
During the first two days of my exploration of North Korea, I worked with filmmaker Justin Martell to shoot a brief promo video for Uri Tours. It includes footage shot by Justin, Matthew Galat, and myself.
DPRK Tourism Video Photos – Exploring North Korea
captTo get to North Korea, I flew with my group from Uri Tours from Beijing, China. Our first initial meeting as a group was the night before at a restaurant in Beijing, and then most people stayed together that night in Beijing in a hotel. A few more people joined us at the Beijing airport, and by the time the flight was boarding, everybody was assembled at the gate. it’s worth noting that this was a six day trip – I typically pack fairly minimally – and I had a 12kg, 40L backpack as my only luggage. I was a bit surprised by how much some of the other tour memebers packed. Lighter the better, I think.. 
Checking in at the Beijing Airport. Air Koryo is North Korea’s airline, and they have their own desk space in Beijing. Checkin went smoothly, just like any other airline. Here you can see me with my Osprey Exos 48 backpack, and Air Koryo boarding card. 
Departing Beijing for Pyongyang. Air Koryo flies a small fleet of new and old airplanes, all Russian-made. I flew on an Antonov AN-148. Overall the flight was just fine – the plane was by no means brand new, but it ran just fine, and the flight was comfortable.
From Wikipedia: The An-148 aircraft is a high-wing monoplane with two turbofan jet engines mounted in pods under the wing. This arrangement protects the engines and wing structure against damage from foreign objects (FOD). A built-in auto-diagnosis system, auxiliary power unit, high reliability, as well as the wing configuration allow the An-148 to be used at poorly equipped airfields.
From the gate in Beijing, I was transported by bus out to the aircraft, which was parked on the tarmac. The wide open tarmac boarding scene gave some great views of air operations in Beijing, as well as a good look at the somewhat unusual AN-148.
Our entire group, except for one person, assembled at the gate. In order to travel to North Korea – the DPRK, you must be a part of an official government-sanctioned tour group. No individual tourists are allowed – although I did see a single guy doing a private tour accompanied by his required two government minders/tour guides and forieign tour guide.
The one woman we’re missing in this picture decided to skip the flight, and instead took a few days to ride the train from Beijing to Pyongyang. According to her report, the long train ride was fairly uneventful. Once the train was inside North Korea, the car doors were padlocked, and nobody was allowed off until it arrived in Pyongyang, where she was greeted by government “tour guides” to take her to the hotel to accompany the rest of the group. It certainly sounds like a unique and interesting way to enter the DPRK.
I did a bit of research before choosing to go with Uri Tours. Ultimately I decided to go with them because of their good track record, history of working with a few higher profile clients, and personal communication with the owner, Andrea Lee. Andrea and her friend/business partner Christna are doign a great job of continuing to build Uri Tours. They were responsive to my pre-sales questions, and were a pleasure to hang out with while on the tour. Although not everything was totally smooth, they did a great job at dealing with the day-to-day issues we encountered, and generally staying upbeat an awesome.
Boarding the plan – goodbye China! 
Inside, I sat with my friend and roommate for the trip Nick. As soon as I sat down, I was handed a “Korea Today” magazine, which is filled with articles and photos describing life in North Korea, some issues of the day, etc. Of course if had the pro-DPRK spin, and was certainly an interesting read – the first waves of propaganda hit before I even left China – before the doors of the aircraft were even closed!
Nick and I had both been traveling solo for a time before our tour, and were both going to be paying an extra “single supplement” for the tour, to account for us each occupying a double room. Instead, Andrea of Uri Tours considerately introduced us to each other, and put us together as roommates for the trip, eliminating the extra charge for singles. It turned out to be great on all fronts – the trip was less expensive for both of us, and we each made a new friend.
Departing Beijing. I took this picture to capture the dense, newly built landscape surrounding Beijing – massive housing complexes spring up everywhere, with industry and factories on the outskirts. 
Getting ready to land in North Korea. The difference between the outskirts of Beijing and Pyongyang are stark. There are essentially no suburbs or sprawl of Pyongyang – it simple stops and gives way to open land. There are a couple of housing blocks, but almost no cars can be seen, nor can any real activity on the ground. 
Landing at the Pyongyang airport. This massive terminal with the red letters isn’t actually being used. It’s an empty building, which they’re supposedly still building. Instead, a small building next to it is used as the main terminal.
In front of the large empty terminal is a row of Ilyushin Il-62 jets, all with storage covers in the engines, and no activity happening around them. In fact, the only activity on the tarmac was surrounding our incoming flight.
Inside the terminal building of the Pyongyang airport.
Once I passed immigration, getting through customs was a bit of a process. My bag was XRayed, and all of my batteries, electronics, and cameras were scrutinized. I was required to turn on one of my cameras (the GoPro), and the security officer simply looked over the rest of it. The check was actually a lot less thorough than I had imagined – and the security officer didn’t handle my gear very nimbly. I was expecting for an electronics expert to look through some of my photos, and do a closer check – but in the end, as with many security checks, it appeared to be more “security theater”.
Immediately after departing the secure area and handing my Passport and Visa over to the government guide, there’s a large board on the wall which goes over the many triumphs of the DPRK, showing glossy photos of the great leaders Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. There are also the standard portraits of the former leaders on the wall in the main part of the terminal building, as is standard for public spaces.
Koryo link is North Korea’s cell phone network. Most citizens don’t have cell phones, the the few who do use the Koryolink network. The network is notable because for North Korean citizens, it’s a closed network, unless special permission is given. People can call each other, but can’t call out. There’s also no data-link to the outside world. However, for foreiginers with a specially designated SIM card, there IS internet access on Koryolink, and the ability to call outside of the country. With a huge black market operating in North Korea, I’d be interestested to know what a visitor SIM card would go for. This Koryo link kiosk is inside the main terminal at the Pyongyang Airport.
From Wikipedia: Koryolink (Korean: ????, styled as koryolink), a joint venture between Egyptian company Global Telecom Holding and the state-owned Korea Post and Telecommunications Corporation (KPTC), is North Korea’s only 3G mobile operator. The Egyptian company owns 75% of Koryolink, and is known to invest in infrastructure for mobile technology in developing countries. It covers Pyongyang, and five additional cities and eight highways and railways. Phone numbers on the network are prefixed with +850 (0)192. Despite being a 3G network, there is no Internet access for domestic users although as of April 2014, mobile internet access for foreigners with limited speed or traffic amount is available at a comparably high price [1]
The main event of the trip was running the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. After departing the airport, the first stop of the trip was outside of Kim Il Sung Stadium, in downtown Pyongyang. The outside of the stadium is adorned with massive mosaics of Korean athletes, and of course the requisite portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Opposite the stadium lies the truly massive triumphal arch, celebrating Korean resistance to Japan from 1925 to 1945. It’s the second largest in the world – although during the tour I was told that it was the absolute largest. Also visible in this panorama is the tip of the triangular Ryugyong Hotel. 
The main lobby of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. The decor was extravagant in a soviet-70’s way. Large golden chandeliers hung down from the sloped ceilings, and giant murals of majestic forests rose above the elevator bay entrance. Although the hotel was filled, it was only filled with tourists – no locals, or other non-tour people. Normally for such a large hotel I’d expect to see other groups, local families and groups on vacation, and handfuls of business travelers. However here, the entire place was staffed purely for us (and the other marathon trip groups). I wouldn’t be surprised if as soon as the foreign tour groups left, the entire place shut down completely – the vibe with the space, furniture, signage and staff felt very temporary, like it could be turned on and off at a moment’s notice. 
While on the trip, photos were strictly regulated, and I was only officially allowed to take photos in pre-determined directions in pre-determined spots. However, I made efforts to get as many other photos as I could. This one was taken out the back window of our moving bus. The arch is a brilliant and grand symbol, instantly recognizable from the far corners of town. It also made for a great distance marker the next morning while running the marathon. Part of the marathon route goes through the traffic circle surrounding the arch.
The triumph arch is lit brilliantly at night, however as you’ll notice, not a lot else is. There are a few street lights on the main street, but they quickly fade away into darkness. There’s very little nighttime illumination in public areas, aside from monuments and billboards.
Checking in at the Yanggakdo International Hotel. This hotel in the heart of Pyongyang is massive, and features a rotating restaurant on the top floor. My group arrived the night before the marathon, along with a number of other marathon groups. Everybody seemed to check in at the same time, and because of this, the elevators were severely overloaded. With so many guests, the elevators were not large enough or fast enough for everybody – especially since only a few of them were working.
The checkin desk was very basic. There were computers at the desk, bu tI never really saw any of them being used.
This tablet computer was setup prominently at the edge of the front desk of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. It looked brand new, with the stickers still on it – and it didn’t do anything except tell the time. Nobody at the hotel used it for anything, and it was not connected to anything. Simply a piece for show. 
Next to the techy tablet computer was an old school landline telephone – and this was actually connected to the phones in the rest of the hotel. Basic, but it worked. 
This backlit sign had obviously been posted for years, and had severely faded – so much so that the graphics had started to fade away completely. Next to the sign were four fish tanks, each containing a number of small sharks. Certainly an ostentatious extravagance that really completed the very frozen-in-the-70’s vibe of the whole place. 
Inside the Yanggakdo International Hotel is a well-stocked book store, with numerous books in english and other languages on every topic, including the writings of the North Korean leaders, accounts of history, and even children’s books. 
This is the main dining hall of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. the neon accent lights and majestic murals of mountain scenes completed the surreal, frozen in time vibe of the place. Beside my tour group and the other marathon groups, there was nobody else eating here.
Food was fair. Typical Korean dishes, but using very low quality ingredients. Meat was fatty, and the overal selection was limited, however in good quanitity. The impression I got was that they cooked up whatever they could acquire in enough quanitity. So some nights there were tons of onions and potatoes, and some nights tons of other random dishes.
Groups ate together, and my table ordered a round of local beers. 
Day 2 – marathon day. In the morning I woke up, got a quick breakfast at the hotel, and then loaded on the bus with the rest of my group to be transported back to Kim Il Sung Stadium.
When I arrived, I noticed that the tourist groups were kept distinctly separated from the Koreans. Everybody was in good spirits in general, and each tour company was working to sort out its group members.
It’s also worth noting that in this picture you can once again see the portraits of the leaders. I was given strict instructions for my photos that if any photos include portraits of the leaders, the portraits must be shown in full, and not cutoff or obscured in an way. I certainly didn’t adhere to the the entire time, but I believe my government minders would consider this photograph as compliant.
The Pyongyang Marathon was held on a Sunday, and lots of locals showed up for the big event. I’m not sure how people are selected to go to the events, but the overall vibe of the crowd entering the stadium wasn’t as enthusiastic as I’d expect going into a major sporting event. There was both the marathon as well as a soccer game on the agenda, and I would have expected these spectators to be a bit more jubilant about going – for free! Perhaps it was because it was somewhat early in the morning, or perhaps because they’re being forced to attend – I simply don’t know. In addition to this photo, I captured a bit of video of these guys, who got energetic as soon as I approached and shook their hands. It felt like we were all grateful for some sort of connection to the other side. 
Upon entering the stadium before the race, I was given 10 minutes to wander around and take photos. Being in the middle of such a huge stadium with people filing in is an incredible experience. 
A group of kids, with their supposed coaches, about to enter the stadium. These kids had a great energy, and I think they were more interested in my camera than they were interested in me. Everybody in the background is staring in my direction because I was on the side of the tourists – we were all checking each other out. 
Locals in their assigned spots in the stadium. All of the cheers throughout the event were led by cheer leaders at the front of the crowd, and it all seemed very rehearsed and orchestrated. Strangely, the mood of the crowd seemed to calm to an almost sleep as soon as they were done cheering – and then perk back up when it was their time. 
Girls in the crowd all wearing the same uniforms, with matching allegiance pins. 
Between cheers, people quieted down significantly. 
A guard stands next to the tourist bleacher area in Kim Il Sung Stadium. 
Here I am coming around a corner during my run of the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. Both tourists and professional Korean athletes ran at the same time – so the entire time I was running, I was being passed by the pros! 
Only the professional athletes had timing chips that worked with this timing mat. Everybody else simply got a finishing time, done by hand. Since I certainly wasn’t competing with anybody but myself, this was totally fine. 
Coming around the final turn inside Kim Il Sung Stadium to finish the Pyongyang Marathon. Entering the stadium with everybody cheering was a powerful experience. 
With about a week of training, I finished the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon (26.2 Miles) in 3:34:47. 
These women presented the trophies to the winners in each category. They’re wearing Hanboks, the traditional North Korean National Dress. Everybody is also wearing the double-portrait “Kim Pin”, in varying styles. 
After the marathon, my group returned to the hotel to clean up and have lunch in the rotating restaurant. The view from the top is spectacular, with Pyongyang stretching into the distance. The haze in the air is smog blown in from China. 
The Pyongyang Marathon award ceremony. 
Looking out the top of the hotel, many unfinished buildings are present. Although our government tour guides told us that these buildings were under active construction and were symbols of North Korea’s strength and prosperity, I saw very little actual building work done the entire trip, and this building site looks barely active to me. 
Driving through Pyongyang, I frequently saw rows of shanties and tents, housing what looked like workers and military personnel. Surrounding many of these shanty villages were large fences, obscuring the areas from view from the street.
In the distance the Yanggakdo International Hotel, with circular revolving restaurant, can be seen.
One of the elements that struck me as I was being driven through Pyongyang was the lack of advertisements, signage, or any other colorful expression. Really the only public messaging was in the form of government-built propaganda signs, and general public encouragement and rallying messaging. Lots of signs like this one, flags, and other posters, but absolutely no 3rd party advertisements, public art except for official monuments and installations, or any other signs. 
A typical street corner in Pyongyang, with citizens walking to an elevated crosswalk. Although there were a few cars on the road, most of the people walk everywhere. 
A four-sided elevated crosswalk. One element of Pyongyang traffic that was notably absent were the traffic ladies. I saw a few, but nowhere near as prominently as I was hoping. 
Public transportation seems to run well in Pyongyang, with all buses I observed full of people. The underground metro also seemed quite popular.
In the background, the balconies of apartment buildings can be seen. Although these buildings are in good repair, it really doesn’t look like anybody lives there. No laundry hanging to dry, nothing in the windows, and at night there are almost no lights on inside of apartments. The apartments I saw that did have lights on appeared to have one single florescent bulb burning.
At the Mansu Hill Grand Monument, the huge statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung dominate, flanked by war memorials. During my stop here, I watched as a few member of my group deposited flowers at the base of the monument.
Monuments are everywhere in North Korea, and at night, they’re some of the only public spaces that are illuminated, They take the most prominent spots in town, and truly are grand – and numerous.
At the Pyongyang Victorious War Museum, I was led around by a well dressed tour woman, wearing a military-inspired uniform. She gave a tour to my entire group, including a walk through some relics from various wars, and of the US Navy Ship Pueblo. 
Looking at various bombs that have been dropped on North Korea in recent years. Hearing the guides accounts of the wars was fascinating, with an obvious pro-DPRK spin on everything. 
GER-2, the USS Pueblo. This is a US Navy Banner-Class Environmental Research Ship, which was captured by North Korea in 1968. To this day, the ship is a still-commissioned US Navy Vessel, but is now held captive in North Korea, and used as a museum. I actually got to go aboard! 
AGER-2, the USS Pueblo. From Wikipedia: USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is a Banner-class Environmental Research Ship, attached to Navy intelligence, which was attacked and captured by North Korean forces on 23 January 1968, in what is known today as the Pueblo incident or alternatively, as the Pueblo crisis.
The seizure of the U.S. Navy ship and its 83 crew members, one of whom was killed in the attack, came less than a week after President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “State of the Union” address to the United States Congress, just a week before the start of the “Tet Offensive” in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and only three days after 31 men of North Korea’s “KPA Unit 12” had crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and killed 26 South Koreans in an attempt to attack the South Korean “Blue House” (executive mansion) in the capital Seoul. The taking of Pueblo and the abuse and torture of its crew during the subsequent 11-month prisoner drama became a major Cold War incident, raising tensions between the western democracies and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and People’s Republic of China.
North Korea stated that the Pueblo deliberately entered their territorial waters 7.6 miles away from Ryo Island, and the logbook shows that they intruded several times.[1] However, the United States maintains that the vessel was in international waters at the time of the incident and that any purported evidence supplied by North Korea to support its statements was fabricated.[2]
Pueblo, still held by North Korea today, officially remains a commissioned vessel of the United States Navy.[3] Since early 2013, the ship has been moored along the Botong River in Pyongyang, and used there as a museum ship.[4] Pueblo is the only ship of the U.S. Navy still on the commissioned roster currently being held captive.[5]
Inside the heart of the Pueblo, the secret code room. Now open to the public, and still technically commissioned. 
Exploring inside the Pueblo was fascinating. It’s setup completely as a museum ship, with many of the crew’s artifacts in cases. 
Inside the Pyongyang Military Museum, a giant statue of Kim Jong Un. 
During my trip, my group got lots of great korean meals. This table full of food was fairly typical for us – although given the conditions seen outside, I felt a small bit guilty at times. Still, it was an interesting and tasty dining experience. 
The lobby of the second largest operating hotel in North Korea, the Koryo Hotel. After encountering the masses at the Yankkado hotel (the largest), we decided to move to this less-busy, but still grand hotel.
Entering tourist-oriented interior spaces in North Korea is a fantastic experience, with over-the-top decorations, shiny surfaces, lots of lights, majestic murals, and serene aquariums everywhere.
This Songaliquor is the local North Korean rice wine. A bottle cost about USD$2, and it’s guaranteed to give you a wicked hangover. Luckily, I gifted this bottle to a friend in Beijing before I could get around to drinking it. 
The massive gift shop and supermarket at the Koryo Hotel. Inside this palace were sections of clothing, jewelry, groceries, medicine, and anything else you might need.
It certainly was shocking seeing so much stuff in this very mirrory room – however most of it looked like it was purely for show.
European-labeled packaging on Haribo Gummy Candies in North Korea 
This is the food isle in the gift shop. I bought a number of these snacks, and was interested to see non-korean labels on almost everything. For example, a bag of Haribo gummy candies I bought had normal German labels on it, and was clearly labeled for sale in Europe, not Asia. It may be that these foods are taken from air packages, or something else. 
A few boxes of medicine on sale at the Koryo Hotel gift shop. Given the international labeling and random selection of the medical supplies on sale, it very much seemed like these supplies were scavenged from various sources – not planned and ordered for retail sale. 
Another buffet meal in another hall of mirrors at the Koryo Hotel. Each dining hall we ate at was similar to this, with bunches of flowers everywhere, and lots of mirrors and lights. 
Ouside my window at the Koryo Hotel was an almost-symmetrical stand of buildings, connected by a common plaza.
The neon signs on the outside of the low buildings are for restaurants – however during my entire stay there, I never saw any of these shops open, nor anybody go in or out. The windows were all darkly tinted, and I actually saw basically no signs of life from these buildings. At night, a few of the lights in the apartments would go on, but only one light per window. The neon signs would turn on around sunset, but turn off around 10pm every night – still with no activity at all. It very very much felt like this entire group of buildings was setup purely for show, with no real activity happening here at all. There were items on the balconies, but it was either a pot of fake flowers, or a solar panel. The entire vibe of the street outside, despite being in the middle of Pyongyang, was silent and empty feeling.
Crossing the river in Pyongyang. Despite barely seeing any cars on the road, there are a good amount of people walking and riding bikes everywhere. 
On the fourth day, I headed out of Pyongyang, westward into the country. There’s one wide, paved road that leads west out of Pyongyang, into freshly-planted farmland. Although the road was paved the entire time west and south to the DMZ area, the road was in dire need of a refurbishment – this picture of the pavement was fairly typical for almost the entire drive to the DMZ. 
Approaching the DMZ area, there were lots of giant, colorful posters promoting unification of North and South Korea. The posters really were wonderful works of art – even though the only ones to see them are tourists. 
Another interesting propaganda poster, found in the DMZ gift shop. 
One of my government minders/guides, Ms. Lee, explaining to my group the layout of the border, and nearby villages. On this day, Ms. Lee wore her dress – but most other days she wore jeans and a blouse and leather jacket. 
Before going to the the actual line, a guide explains the layout of the “Joint Security Area”, which is the neutral zone which surrounds a particular section of the “Military Demarcation Line” that is the actual border between the north and the south. 
To access the Joint Security Area from the north side, there’s a long, isolated road that leads from the common parking area to the actual JSA. On both sides of the road is open farmland, with regularly spaced trenches, boulder fields, and other impediments to vehicles and troops – this is all to make the border harder to cross for enemy troops. Lining the open road is a series of giant concrete blocks, perched delicately on a ledge above the road. Each concrete block is balanced at the edge of a ramp which guides the block onto the road. The entire block is supported by a single wooden wedge. It appears that the system is rigged so that if the road becomes compromised and needs to be completely blocked, a small group of men can go out there with hammers and knock out the wedges, letting the massive blocks fall into the road and obstruct it. Simple and effective. 
Entering the Joint Security Area. I had been to the JSA from the south side just weeks before – and this time, although security was still tight, the DPRK Guards were much more at ease. 
Our guide leading me down the pathway in front of the northern building, and down the steps to the actual Military Demarcation Line. The feeling was light and jovial – but with the undertone that it could turn serious quickly. 
As I approached the steps leading down to the blue buildings at the JSA, a group of DPRK guards exited their security building, and arranged themselves in formation around the MDL Line and blue buildings. The guards were arranged so nobody could pass to the sides of the blue buildings and over the border to the south.
Notice also in this photograph that there is an absence of any guards from the South Korean side. The US Military runs the JSA area from the south, and when I visited the JSA area as part of a US Military-led USO Tour, there were American guards giving us the tour, as well as South Korean guards guarding the buildings, AND North Korean guards monitoring the same spaces. The JSA is a neutral zone, and so guards from either side are freely allowed to walk around.
When I was there visiting from the north, there was absolutely no sign of anybody from the southern side – no guards, no US Military tour guides, no other groups, or anybody. I’m sure there were actually guards from the south watching us, but there was no sign of them.
Also in this picture is the main building on the southern side. While I was on the tour coming from the south, I was told that I was not allowed to turn around and take photos of this building. Interesting to see all of the surveillance equipment on the top.
This photo is of the North Korean guards inside one of the blue buildings. I had been in this exact room a few weeks prior, and in addition to the South Korean guards, there were also North Korean guards. However, the tone was completely different from the Northern guards. When I visited from the south, the North Korean guards wore completely different uniforms, with large korean letters on their helmets, imposing dark RayBan sunglasses, and an extremely stern, tense pose. This time, the guards were upbeat and friendly, and there was no sign of any guards from the south. 
Walking back from the MDL back to the north. The two guards facing each other in the background are standing right next to the actual line, a raised concrete strip. 
Looking from the second floor balcony of the main building in the north, the layout of the entire JSA can bee seen. Of note, there are a bunch of surveillance instruments on the top of the building in the south. During my visit to this area from the south, I wasn’t allowed to turn around to take pictures of this building.
Also visible is China’s large weather tower.
The south’s main building at the JSA. 
Driving from the DMZ area Westward towards the coast, I went through a number of small towns. Kaesong in the south did have a bit of life – and was generally a bit more upbeat than Pyongyang – although there were still very few cars on the street, and it seemed almost deserted, except for a few decorations and people walking around. 
Strolling around the Koryo History Museum. 
At the Koryo History Museum, I got to speak briefly with our guide about life in North Korea. She was also wearing a beautiful traditional dress – as well as her red pin. The pin I’m wearing is the Explorer’s Club pin. 
Stamp collecting is a big thing in North Korea, and upon browsing through a few stamp books, I was delighted to find a special edition Antarctic stamp. 
Sunset, as seen from the Nampo Dam Lighthouse. 
Women in North Korea had a beautiful 70’s vibe to their looks, and cared a lot about their makeup, fashion, and presentation. This woman working at a ginseng gift shop was beautiful, and very friendly. 
Outside of Kaesong, I noticed this goat farmer coming in from the fields with a few of his goats, and a load full of pine branches. As soon as I started to snap this pic, my government minders got a little edgy, and came running at me to tell me to stop taking pictures. The farmer was seen as a negative sign, and they didn’t want photos taken of him. 
Another great lunch in a grand dining room – complete with idyllic mural. 
These epic paintings of the leaders were everywhere, and displayed proudly. 
Driving from Kaesong westward towards the coast, the bus passed many small villages, which seemed like a more “normal” spot for people to live. This pic is fairly typical of the buildings that looked truly inhabited by people, and not just setup for show. 
Back in Pyongyang, I had the opportunity to ride the Pyongyang Subway. This is one of the deepest subway systems in the world, and the long escalator ride down was distinct evidence of that. Again, there was a notable lack of any kinds of advertisements or signage – with the only signs being public announcements, directions, and newspapers for viewing. 
The Pyongyang metro stations are grand, with each one having its own artistic motif. These subway cars are soviet built, and seem to run well – even though they’re seriously old. 
Each station has its fare share of epic mosaics, depicting the leaders in a variety of triumphant poses. This one of Kim Il Sung with common people was particularly grand. 
A mosaic in the Pyongyang metro of Kim Jong Il standing in a grassy field. Epic. 
In the station, there are central displays with the day’s newspaper. 
This woman is reading about the marathon, which I ran the day before. Notably absent in the article about the marathon was the mention that any Americans had run it. 
The metro has two lines, which intersect in the middle of town. This handy light up board was the main directory for the station. 
Of course on each train car is the portrait of the dear leaders. Friend Justin Martell poses with them. 
Riding the Pyongyang metro was a great opportunity to interact with some of the locals. Here, I’m sitting next to a group of school girls, who are getting nervous while practicing their english skills. 
Dinner at the Koryo Hotel – another psychedelic room in the DPRK. 
Overall, the food in North Korea was great. It was traditional korean food, and almost all of the meals except for the buffet meals were delicious – including this bibimbap at the Koryo Hotel. 
Dinner with my group. 
This flower show was held in commemoration of Kim Il Sung’s birthday – and featured an entire hall filled with some of the most intensely arranged flowers I’ve ever seen. There are even special breeds of flowers created especially for the leaders. 
On one of the last nights in Pyongyang, we were taken to the Taedonggang Microbrewery. Although this room was setup to look like a bar room, it was contained inside a fairly lifeless concrete building. When I arrived with my group, the lights in the building turned on, and everything seemed to start up. However after about 2 hours of relaxing, my group was told that the place was closing, and everybody was ushered out – it seemed like the entire building shut down right after that. So, it was a nice place to grab a drink, but was a complete setup just for the group, not an actual functional establishment. This was the vibe throughout much of the trip. 
I relaxed with a few of my trip mates in the grand spa in the basement of the Koryo Hotel. 
The iconic Juche Tower. From Wikipedia: Completed in 1982, the Tower is situated on the eastern bank of the River Taedong, directly opposite Kim Il-sung Square on the western side of the river to commemorate Kim Il-sung’s 70th birthday. Although his son and successor Kim Jong-il is officially credited as its designer,[1] interviews with former North Korean officials contradict this assertion.[2]
The 170-metre (560 ft) structure is a four-sided tapering 150-metre (490 ft) spire
Mount Myohyangsan is a beautiful mountain, and I had a great time hiking up it with the group. Throughout the trip, there was a Korean videographer tracking our every move on tape. At the end, I was sold a very old school video documentary of the trip. However, I’m sure that’s the only place the footage went. 
A typical scene on the streets in western North Korea. Of note in this picture is a the woman on the right hand side selling flowers on top of a cardboard box. This is a small example of the illegal North Korean Black Market – and although innocuous looking, there’s been lots of talk about private enterprises like this recently. 
Another lunch. This time, after our servers were finished bringing out food, they all went to change into costumes, and then performed a very sweet, very weird song and dance karaoke routine. Entertaining for sure. 
My cruise over to the Nampo Dam started in this small port, surrounded by rusty fishing boats. 
Traveling out to the sea port on the west side, I passed a number of residential buildings with people hanging out front – this seemed like where people actually lived. 
On my way to the Nampo Dam, North Korea. 
Sailing across to the Nampo Dam. 
Inside the Nampho Dam (P’i Do) Lighthouse is another great portrait of Kim Jong Il, posing in front of the dam. 
When I arrived at the Nampo Dam area, there was a large group of people gathered around a central stage, having just finished practicing a dance routine. The next day was Kim Il Sung’s birthday, and everybody had been spending the day preparing.
Also at the top of the hill, the Nampo Damn Lighthouse, shaped liken an anchor.
Inside the Nampho Dam (P’i Do) Lighthouse, I was treated to a video detailing the construction and operation of the dam. The mural on the wall showing the layout of the dam was a great work of art. 
After a day on the water, my group arrived at the remote Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort. The main selling point of this resort was that the hot spring waters contained “health giving”, “therapeutic” RADON. I politely passed on taking a dip in the Radon Hot Springs. 
Seen here is the concentrations of various minerals and dissolved chemicals in the hot springs water – including the concentration of Radon. Kinda scary. 
Another strange dinner at the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort. The main building at the resort was dark when we arrived, and a few lights were turned on for us. It was still freezing cold inside, but we at a decent dinner in the empty ballroom. 
My bedroom at the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort. It looked like it was built 30 years ago, and not update since. The entire building was solar powered, and because of this, only two dim LED lightbulbs were actually plugged into power. All other outlets and light sockets in the place were unpowered, and a broken window had been covered with thin plastic sheeting. 
An early morning drive from the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort back to Pyongyang was beautiful. 
One of the tubs of the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort, stained from years of Radon Hot Spring waters. 
I traveled mostly on a tour bus in North Korea, as dictated by the tour group. Overall it was comfortable, and Ms. Lee, my Korean guide, talked on the mic the whole time. 
The Juche Tower in central Pyongyang, symmetrically positioned. 
Ms. Lee, my guide/minder pointing out the location of the Nampo Dam. 
In Pyongyang, I made a stop with my group for lunch at a restaurant right across the street from the giant Ryugyong Hotel. I was scolded for having this picture taken of me, because it shows the shanty village that surrounds the giant uninhabited building. 
Passing through small farming villages on my way back to Pyongyang. 
After viewing the bodies, I was released into the large gardens in front of the palace, where lots of other people were assembled, all taking photos. 
I was fortunate to be in North Korea for the birthday celebration of Kim Il Sung. On this day, I went to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of both Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are on display in glass boxes. After a lengthy security check, I was escorted through the interior of the massive palace and into each room containing the leaders. Each room was protected from dirt by a vacuum corridor which I walked through on my way into the room. The rooms were illuminated by dim red lights, and lying in the middle of each room was one of the leaders – their bodies perfectly preserved, and in plain view inside a glass coffin. I was put together by a guard with a group of 3 other people, and the four of us were led around the coffin, where we bowed deeply on each of the four sides.
After departing the rooms with the bodies, I was given a tour of the rest of the palace, which contains the rooms full of medals and awards given to each leader, as well as a few of the leaders vehicles. Vehicles on display include a boat, a train car, a golf cart, and a couple black mercedes limos.
A british news crew filmed a news segment in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Me, posing in front of the flowerbed leading to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, Pyongyang, North Korea. 
Me with one of our Korean government minders, as well as Uri Tours CEO Andrea Lee on my left, and Uri Tours guide Cristina Park on my far right. 
Schoolchildren came out for the event, and seemed to be having a great time walking around in the sun, even as they were corralled by their teachers. Very cute. 
After lunch in Pyongyang, I watched as roommate Nick played soccer with a small group of guys. This is in the middle of Pyongyang, and notice the lack of any signs or advertisements. 
Showing my high-tech camera to a couple of kids in Pyongyang. 
On Sunday in Pyongyang, everybody goes to the park. I took a wonderful stroll through the park, and got to watch the locals dance and play in the water. 
Locals dancing together in the park on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Pyongyang. 
On Kim Il Sung’s birthday, many large groups of people got together for coordinated dances like this one. 
At Mangyondae, Kim Il Sung’s birthplace, young kids with their military groups wait in formation before entering the leader’s original house. 
Dancers in matching outfits celebrated excitedly in the center of Pyongyang. Women wait for their bus in front of the iconic Pyongyang Ice Rink. 
Pyongyang has lots of performing arts, shows, and other extravagances, despite the economic situation of the country. On a Sunday night, I had the opportunity to attend the Pyongyang Circus – a sight to behold. 
To finish the celebration of Kim Il Sung’s birthday, Pyongyang was treated to an amazing fireworks display over the river. I walked through the darkness with my group to the viewing location along the river. On my way back, I was surprised to find that there were almost no streetlights at all – the only illumination at night was for the monuments, and almost none of the public walkways had any lights on. 
Me outside of the Pyongyang Circus. captTo get to North Korea, I flew with my group from Uri Tours from Beijing, China. Our first initial meeting as a group was the night before at a restaurant in Beijing, and then most people stayed together that night in Beijing in a hotel. A few more people joined us at the Beijing airport, and by the time the flight was boarding, everybody was assembled at the gate. it’s worth noting that this was a six day trip – I typically pack fairly minimally – and I had a 12kg, 40L backpack as my only luggage. I was a bit surprised by how much some of the other tour memebers packed. Lighter the better, I think.. Checking in at the Beijing Airport. Air Koryo is North Korea’s airline, and they have their own desk space in Beijing. Checkin went smoothly, just like any other airline. Here you can see me with my Osprey Exos 48 backpack, and Air Koryo boarding card. Departing Beijing for Pyongyang. Air Koryo flies a small fleet of new and old airplanes, all Russian-made. I flew on an Antonov AN-148. Overall the flight was just fine – the plane was by no means brand new, but it ran just fine, and the flight was comfortable.
From Wikipedia: The An-148 aircraft is a high-wing monoplane with two turbofan jet engines mounted in pods under the wing. This arrangement protects the engines and wing structure against damage from foreign objects (FOD). A built-in auto-diagnosis system, auxiliary power unit, high reliability, as well as the wing configuration allow the An-148 to be used at poorly equipped airfields.
From the gate in Beijing, I was transported by bus out to the aircraft, which was parked on the tarmac. The wide open tarmac boarding scene gave some great views of air operations in Beijing, as well as a good look at the somewhat unusual AN-148.Our entire group, except for one person, assembled at the gate. In order to travel to North Korea – the DPRK, you must be a part of an official government-sanctioned tour group. No individual tourists are allowed – although I did see a single guy doing a private tour accompanied by his required two government minders/tour guides and forieign tour guide.
The one woman we’re missing in this picture decided to skip the flight, and instead took a few days to ride the train from Beijing to Pyongyang. According to her report, the long train ride was fairly uneventful. Once the train was inside North Korea, the car doors were padlocked, and nobody was allowed off until it arrived in Pyongyang, where she was greeted by government “tour guides” to take her to the hotel to accompany the rest of the group. It certainly sounds like a unique and interesting way to enter the DPRK.
I did a bit of research before choosing to go with Uri Tours. Ultimately I decided to go with them because of their good track record, history of working with a few higher profile clients, and personal communication with the owner, Andrea Lee. Andrea and her friend/business partner Christna are doign a great job of continuing to build Uri Tours. They were responsive to my pre-sales questions, and were a pleasure to hang out with while on the tour. Although not everything was totally smooth, they did a great job at dealing with the day-to-day issues we encountered, and generally staying upbeat an awesome.Boarding the plan – goodbye China! Inside, I sat with my friend and roommate for the trip Nick. As soon as I sat down, I was handed a “Korea Today” magazine, which is filled with articles and photos describing life in North Korea, some issues of the day, etc. Of course if had the pro-DPRK spin, and was certainly an interesting read – the first waves of propaganda hit before I even left China – before the doors of the aircraft were even closed!
Nick and I had both been traveling solo for a time before our tour, and were both going to be paying an extra “single supplement” for the tour, to account for us each occupying a double room. Instead, Andrea of Uri Tours considerately introduced us to each other, and put us together as roommates for the trip, eliminating the extra charge for singles. It turned out to be great on all fronts – the trip was less expensive for both of us, and we each made a new friend.Departing Beijing. I took this picture to capture the dense, newly built landscape surrounding Beijing – massive housing complexes spring up everywhere, with industry and factories on the outskirts. Getting ready to land in North Korea. The difference between the outskirts of Beijing and Pyongyang are stark. There are essentially no suburbs or sprawl of Pyongyang – it simple stops and gives way to open land. There are a couple of housing blocks, but almost no cars can be seen, nor can any real activity on the ground. 
Travel documents for North Korea.
My US Passport was used as my main ID, however my visa for DPRK, behind passport with photo, was not included in my US Passport. US and DPRK don’t have diplomatic relations, and therefore the visa and stamps wouldn’t be officially recognized in my US passport.
Once I was in North Korea and through the immigration desk, my US Passport and visa document were both collected from me, and held by one of the government tour guides for the remainder of the trip. It was a strange feeling to have my passport taken from me, and made me feel like if I messed something up, they’d just keep it.
Also in this photo are my ticket stub, customs declaration card, health & quarantine declaration card, and entry/exit card.Landing at the Pyongyang airport. This massive terminal with the red letters isn’t actually being used. It’s an empty building, which they’re supposedly still building. Instead, a small building next to it is used as the main terminal.
In front of the large empty terminal is a row of Ilyushin Il-62 jets, all with storage covers in the engines, and no activity happening around them. In fact, the only activity on the tarmac was surrounding our incoming flight.Inside the terminal building of the Pyongyang airport.
Once I passed immigration, getting through customs was a bit of a process. My bag was XRayed, and all of my batteries, electronics, and cameras were scrutinized. I was required to turn on one of my cameras (the GoPro), and the security officer simply looked over the rest of it. The check was actually a lot less thorough than I had imagined – and the security officer didn’t handle my gear very nimbly. I was expecting for an electronics expert to look through some of my photos, and do a closer check – but in the end, as with many security checks, it appeared to be more “security theater”.
Immediately after departing the secure area and handing my Passport and Visa over to the government guide, there’s a large board on the wall which goes over the many triumphs of the DPRK, showing glossy photos of the great leaders Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. There are also the standard portraits of the former leaders on the wall in the main part of the terminal building, as is standard for public spaces.Koryo link is North Korea’s cell phone network. Most citizens don’t have cell phones, the the few who do use the Koryolink network. The network is notable because for North Korean citizens, it’s a closed network, unless special permission is given. People can call each other, but can’t call out. There’s also no data-link to the outside world. However, for foreiginers with a specially designated SIM card, there IS internet access on Koryolink, and the ability to call outside of the country. With a huge black market operating in North Korea, I’d be interestested to know what a visitor SIM card would go for. This Koryo link kiosk is inside the main terminal at the Pyongyang Airport.
From Wikipedia: Koryolink (Korean: ????, styled as koryolink), a joint venture between Egyptian company Global Telecom Holding and the state-owned Korea Post and Telecommunications Corporation (KPTC), is North Korea’s only 3G mobile operator. The Egyptian company owns 75% of Koryolink, and is known to invest in infrastructure for mobile technology in developing countries. It covers Pyongyang, and five additional cities and eight highways and railways. Phone numbers on the network are prefixed with +850 (0)192. Despite being a 3G network, there is no Internet access for domestic users although as of April 2014, mobile internet access for foreigners with limited speed or traffic amount is available at a comparably high price [1]The main event of the trip was running the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. After departing the airport, the first stop of the trip was outside of Kim Il Sung Stadium, in downtown Pyongyang. The outside of the stadium is adorned with massive mosaics of Korean athletes, and of course the requisite portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Opposite the stadium lies the truly massive triumphal arch, celebrating Korean resistance to Japan from 1925 to 1945. It’s the second largest in the world – although during the tour I was told that it was the absolute largest. Also visible in this panorama is the tip of the triangular Ryugyong Hotel. The main lobby of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. The decor was extravagant in a soviet-70’s way. Large golden chandeliers hung down from the sloped ceilings, and giant murals of majestic forests rose above the elevator bay entrance. Although the hotel was filled, it was only filled with tourists – no locals, or other non-tour people. Normally for such a large hotel I’d expect to see other groups, local families and groups on vacation, and handfuls of business travelers. However here, the entire place was staffed purely for us (and the other marathon trip groups). I wouldn’t be surprised if as soon as the foreign tour groups left, the entire place shut down completely – the vibe with the space, furniture, signage and staff felt very temporary, like it could be turned on and off at a moment’s notice. While on the trip, photos were strictly regulated, and I was only officially allowed to take photos in pre-determined directions in pre-determined spots. However, I made efforts to get as many other photos as I could. This one was taken out the back window of our moving bus. The arch is a brilliant and grand symbol, instantly recognizable from the far corners of town. It also made for a great distance marker the next morning while running the marathon. Part of the marathon route goes through the traffic circle surrounding the arch.
The triumph arch is lit brilliantly at night, however as you’ll notice, not a lot else is. There are a few street lights on the main street, but they quickly fade away into darkness. There’s very little nighttime illumination in public areas, aside from monuments and billboards.Checking in at the Yanggakdo International Hotel. This hotel in the heart of Pyongyang is massive, and features a rotating restaurant on the top floor. My group arrived the night before the marathon, along with a number of other marathon groups. Everybody seemed to check in at the same time, and because of this, the elevators were severely overloaded. With so many guests, the elevators were not large enough or fast enough for everybody – especially since only a few of them were working.
The checkin desk was very basic. There were computers at the desk, bu tI never really saw any of them being used.This tablet computer was setup prominently at the edge of the front desk of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. It looked brand new, with the stickers still on it – and it didn’t do anything except tell the time. Nobody at the hotel used it for anything, and it was not connected to anything. Simply a piece for show. Next to the techy tablet computer was an old school landline telephone – and this was actually connected to the phones in the rest of the hotel. Basic, but it worked. This backlit sign had obviously been posted for years, and had severely faded – so much so that the graphics had started to fade away completely. Next to the sign were four fish tanks, each containing a number of small sharks. Certainly an ostentatious extravagance that really completed the very frozen-in-the-70’s vibe of the whole place. Inside the Yanggakdo International Hotel is a well-stocked book store, with numerous books in english and other languages on every topic, including the writings of the North Korean leaders, accounts of history, and even children’s books. This is the main dining hall of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. the neon accent lights and majestic murals of mountain scenes completed the surreal, frozen in time vibe of the place. Beside my tour group and the other marathon groups, there was nobody else eating here.
Food was fair. Typical Korean dishes, but using very low quality ingredients. Meat was fatty, and the overal selection was limited, however in good quanitity. The impression I got was that they cooked up whatever they could acquire in enough quanitity. So some nights there were tons of onions and potatoes, and some nights tons of other random dishes.Groups ate together, and my table ordered a round of local beers. Day 2 – marathon day. In the morning I woke up, got a quick breakfast at the hotel, and then loaded on the bus with the rest of my group to be transported back to Kim Il Sung Stadium.
When I arrived, I noticed that the tourist groups were kept distinctly separated from the Koreans. Everybody was in good spirits in general, and each tour company was working to sort out its group members.
It’s also worth noting that in this picture you can once again see the portraits of the leaders. I was given strict instructions for my photos that if any photos include portraits of the leaders, the portraits must be shown in full, and not cutoff or obscured in an way. I certainly didn’t adhere to the the entire time, but I believe my government minders would consider this photograph as compliant.The Pyongyang Marathon was held on a Sunday, and lots of locals showed up for the big event. I’m not sure how people are selected to go to the events, but the overall vibe of the crowd entering the stadium wasn’t as enthusiastic as I’d expect going into a major sporting event. There was both the marathon as well as a soccer game on the agenda, and I would have expected these spectators to be a bit more jubilant about going – for free! Perhaps it was because it was somewhat early in the morning, or perhaps because they’re being forced to attend – I simply don’t know. In addition to this photo, I captured a bit of video of these guys, who got energetic as soon as I approached and shook their hands. It felt like we were all grateful for some sort of connection to the other side. Upon entering the stadium before the race, I was given 10 minutes to wander around and take photos. Being in the middle of such a huge stadium with people filing in is an incredible experience. A group of kids, with their supposed coaches, about to enter the stadium. These kids had a great energy, and I think they were more interested in my camera than they were interested in me. Everybody in the background is staring in my direction because I was on the side of the tourists – we were all checking each other out. Locals in their assigned spots in the stadium. All of the cheers throughout the event were led by cheer leaders at the front of the crowd, and it all seemed very rehearsed and orchestrated. Strangely, the mood of the crowd seemed to calm to an almost sleep as soon as they were done cheering – and then perk back up when it was their time. Girls in the crowd all wearing the same uniforms, with matching allegiance pins. Between cheers, people quieted down significantly. A guard stands next to the tourist bleacher area in Kim Il Sung Stadium. Here I am coming around a corner during my run of the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. Both tourists and professional Korean athletes ran at the same time – so the entire time I was running, I was being passed by the pros! Only the professional athletes had timing chips that worked with this timing mat. Everybody else simply got a finishing time, done by hand. Since I certainly wasn’t competing with anybody but myself, this was totally fine. Coming around the final turn inside Kim Il Sung Stadium to finish the Pyongyang Marathon. Entering the stadium with everybody cheering was a powerful experience. With about a week of training, I finished the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon (26.2 Miles) in 3:34:47. These women presented the trophies to the winners in each category. They’re wearing Hanboks, the traditional North Korean National Dress. Everybody is also wearing the double-portrait “Kim Pin”, in varying styles. After the marathon, my group returned to the hotel to clean up and have lunch in the rotating restaurant. The view from the top is spectacular, with Pyongyang stretching into the distance. The haze in the air is smog blown in from China. The Pyongyang Marathon award ceremony. Looking out the top of the hotel, many unfinished buildings are present. Although our government tour guides told us that these buildings were under active construction and were symbols of North Korea’s strength and prosperity, I saw very little actual building work done the entire trip, and this building site looks barely active to me. Driving through Pyongyang, I frequently saw rows of shanties and tents, housing what looked like workers and military personnel. Surrounding many of these shanty villages were large fences, obscuring the areas from view from the street.
In the distance the Yanggakdo International Hotel, with circular revolving restaurant, can be seen.One of the elements that struck me as I was being driven through Pyongyang was the lack of advertisements, signage, or any other colorful expression. Really the only public messaging was in the form of government-built propaganda signs, and general public encouragement and rallying messaging. Lots of signs like this one, flags, and other posters, but absolutely no 3rd party advertisements, public art except for official monuments and installations, or any other signs. A typical street corner in Pyongyang, with citizens walking to an elevated crosswalk. Although there were a few cars on the road, most of the people walk everywhere. A four-sided elevated crosswalk. One element of Pyongyang traffic that was notably absent were the traffic ladies. I saw a few, but nowhere near as prominently as I was hoping. Public transportation seems to run well in Pyongyang, with all buses I observed full of people. The underground metro also seemed quite popular.
In the background, the balconies of apartment buildings can be seen. Although these buildings are in good repair, it really doesn’t look like anybody lives there. No laundry hanging to dry, nothing in the windows, and at night there are almost no lights on inside of apartments. The apartments I saw that did have lights on appeared to have one single florescent bulb burning.At the Mansu Hill Grand Monument, the huge statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung dominate, flanked by war memorials. During my stop here, I watched as a few member of my group deposited flowers at the base of the monument.
Monuments are everywhere in North Korea, and at night, they’re some of the only public spaces that are illuminated, They take the most prominent spots in town, and truly are grand – and numerous.At the Pyongyang Victorious War Museum, I was led around by a well dressed tour woman, wearing a military-inspired uniform. She gave a tour to my entire group, including a walk through some relics from various wars, and of the US Navy Ship Pueblo. Looking at various bombs that have been dropped on North Korea in recent years. Hearing the guides accounts of the wars was fascinating, with an obvious pro-DPRK spin on everything. GER-2, the USS Pueblo. This is a US Navy Banner-Class Environmental Research Ship, which was captured by North Korea in 1968. To this day, the ship is a still-commissioned US Navy Vessel, but is now held captive in North Korea, and used as a museum. I actually got to go aboard! AGER-2, the USS Pueblo. From Wikipedia: USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is a Banner-class Environmental Research Ship, attached to Navy intelligence, which was attacked and captured by North Korean forces on 23 January 1968, in what is known today as the Pueblo incident or alternatively, as the Pueblo crisis.
The seizure of the U.S. Navy ship and its 83 crew members, one of whom was killed in the attack, came less than a week after President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “State of the Union” address to the United States Congress, just a week before the start of the “Tet Offensive” in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and only three days after 31 men of North Korea’s “KPA Unit 12” had crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and killed 26 South Koreans in an attempt to attack the South Korean “Blue House” (executive mansion) in the capital Seoul. The taking of Pueblo and the abuse and torture of its crew during the subsequent 11-month prisoner drama became a major Cold War incident, raising tensions between the western democracies and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and People’s Republic of China.
North Korea stated that the Pueblo deliberately entered their territorial waters 7.6 miles away from Ryo Island, and the logbook shows that they intruded several times.[1] However, the United States maintains that the vessel was in international waters at the time of the incident and that any purported evidence supplied by North Korea to support its statements was fabricated.[2]
Pueblo, still held by North Korea today, officially remains a commissioned vessel of the United States Navy.[3] Since early 2013, the ship has been moored along the Botong River in Pyongyang, and used there as a museum ship.[4] Pueblo is the only ship of the U.S. Navy still on the commissioned roster currently being held captive.[5]Inside the heart of the Pueblo, the secret code room. Now open to the public, and still technically commissioned. Exploring inside the Pueblo was fascinating. It’s setup completely as a museum ship, with many of the crew’s artifacts in cases. Inside the Pyongyang Military Museum, a giant statue of Kim Jong Un. During my trip, my group got lots of great korean meals. This table full of food was fairly typical for us – although given the conditions seen outside, I felt a small bit guilty at times. Still, it was an interesting and tasty dining experience. The lobby of the second largest operating hotel in North Korea, the Koryo Hotel. After encountering the masses at the Yankkado hotel (the largest), we decided to move to this less-busy, but still grand hotel.
Entering tourist-oriented interior spaces in North Korea is a fantastic experience, with over-the-top decorations, shiny surfaces, lots of lights, majestic murals, and serene aquariums everywhere.This Songaliquor is the local North Korean rice wine. A bottle cost about USD$2, and it’s guaranteed to give you a wicked hangover. Luckily, I gifted this bottle to a friend in Beijing before I could get around to drinking it. The massive gift shop and supermarket at the Koryo Hotel. Inside this palace were sections of clothing, jewelry, groceries, medicine, and anything else you might need.
It certainly was shocking seeing so much stuff in this very mirrory room – however most of it looked like it was purely for show.European-labeled packaging on Haribo Gummy Candies in North Korea This is the food isle in the gift shop. I bought a number of these snacks, and was interested to see non-korean labels on almost everything. For example, a bag of Haribo gummy candies I bought had normal German labels on it, and was clearly labeled for sale in Europe, not Asia. It may be that these foods are taken from air packages, or something else. A few boxes of medicine on sale at the Koryo Hotel gift shop. Given the international labeling and random selection of the medical supplies on sale, it very much seemed like these supplies were scavenged from various sources – not planned and ordered for retail sale. Another buffet meal in another hall of mirrors at the Koryo Hotel. Each dining hall we ate at was similar to this, with bunches of flowers everywhere, and lots of mirrors and lights. Ouside my window at the Koryo Hotel was an almost-symmetrical stand of buildings, connected by a common plaza.
The neon signs on the outside of the low buildings are for restaurants – however during my entire stay there, I never saw any of these shops open, nor anybody go in or out. The windows were all darkly tinted, and I actually saw basically no signs of life from these buildings. At night, a few of the lights in the apartments would go on, but only one light per window. The neon signs would turn on around sunset, but turn off around 10pm every night – still with no activity at all. It very very much felt like this entire group of buildings was setup purely for show, with no real activity happening here at all. There were items on the balconies, but it was either a pot of fake flowers, or a solar panel. The entire vibe of the street outside, despite being in the middle of Pyongyang, was silent and empty feeling.Crossing the river in Pyongyang. Despite barely seeing any cars on the road, there are a good amount of people walking and riding bikes everywhere. On the fourth day, I headed out of Pyongyang, westward into the country. There’s one wide, paved road that leads west out of Pyongyang, into freshly-planted farmland. Although the road was paved the entire time west and south to the DMZ area, the road was in dire need of a refurbishment – this picture of the pavement was fairly typical for almost the entire drive to the DMZ. Approaching the DMZ area, there were lots of giant, colorful posters promoting unification of North and South Korea. The posters really were wonderful works of art – even though the only ones to see them are tourists. Another interesting propaganda poster, found in the DMZ gift shop. One of my government minders/guides, Ms. Lee, explaining to my group the layout of the border, and nearby villages. On this day, Ms. Lee wore her dress – but most other days she wore jeans and a blouse and leather jacket. Before going to the the actual line, a guide explains the layout of the “Joint Security Area”, which is the neutral zone which surrounds a particular section of the “Military Demarcation Line” that is the actual border between the north and the south. To access the Joint Security Area from the north side, there’s a long, isolated road that leads from the common parking area to the actual JSA. On both sides of the road is open farmland, with regularly spaced trenches, boulder fields, and other impediments to vehicles and troops – this is all to make the border harder to cross for enemy troops. Lining the open road is a series of giant concrete blocks, perched delicately on a ledge above the road. Each concrete block is balanced at the edge of a ramp which guides the block onto the road. The entire block is supported by a single wooden wedge. It appears that the system is rigged so that if the road becomes compromised and needs to be completely blocked, a small group of men can go out there with hammers and knock out the wedges, letting the massive blocks fall into the road and obstruct it. Simple and effective. Entering the Joint Security Area. I had been to the JSA from the south side just weeks before – and this time, although security was still tight, the DPRK Guards were much more at ease. Our guide leading me down the pathway in front of the northern building, and down the steps to the actual Military Demarcation Line. The feeling was light and jovial – but with the undertone that it could turn serious quickly. As I approached the steps leading down to the blue buildings at the JSA, a group of DPRK guards exited their security building, and arranged themselves in formation around the MDL Line and blue buildings. The guards were arranged so nobody could pass to the sides of the blue buildings and over the border to the south.
Notice also in this photograph that there is an absence of any guards from the South Korean side. The US Military runs the JSA area from the south, and when I visited the JSA area as part of a US Military-led USO Tour, there were American guards giving us the tour, as well as South Korean guards guarding the buildings, AND North Korean guards monitoring the same spaces. The JSA is a neutral zone, and so guards from either side are freely allowed to walk around.
When I was there visiting from the north, there was absolutely no sign of anybody from the southern side – no guards, no US Military tour guides, no other groups, or anybody. I’m sure there were actually guards from the south watching us, but there was no sign of them.
Also in this picture is the main building on the southern side. While I was on the tour coming from the south, I was told that I was not allowed to turn around and take photos of this building. Interesting to see all of the surveillance equipment on the top.This photo is of the North Korean guards inside one of the blue buildings. I had been in this exact room a few weeks prior, and in addition to the South Korean guards, there were also North Korean guards. However, the tone was completely different from the Northern guards. When I visited from the south, the North Korean guards wore completely different uniforms, with large korean letters on their helmets, imposing dark RayBan sunglasses, and an extremely stern, tense pose. This time, the guards were upbeat and friendly, and there was no sign of any guards from the south. Walking back from the MDL back to the north. The two guards facing each other in the background are standing right next to the actual line, a raised concrete strip. Looking from the second floor balcony of the main building in the north, the layout of the entire JSA can bee seen. Of note, there are a bunch of surveillance instruments on the top of the building in the south. During my visit to this area from the south, I wasn’t allowed to turn around to take pictures of this building.
Also visible is China’s large weather tower.The south’s main building at the JSA. Driving from the DMZ area Westward towards the coast, I went through a number of small towns. Kaesong in the south did have a bit of life – and was generally a bit more upbeat than Pyongyang – although there were still very few cars on the street, and it seemed almost deserted, except for a few decorations and people walking around. Strolling around the Koryo History Museum. At the Koryo History Museum, I got to speak briefly with our guide about life in North Korea. She was also wearing a beautiful traditional dress – as well as her red pin. The pin I’m wearing is the Explorer’s Club pin. Stamp collecting is a big thing in North Korea, and upon browsing through a few stamp books, I was delighted to find a special edition Antarctic stamp. Sunset, as seen from the Nampo Dam Lighthouse. Women in North Korea had a beautiful 70’s vibe to their looks, and cared a lot about their makeup, fashion, and presentation. This woman working at a ginseng gift shop was beautiful, and very friendly. Outside of Kaesong, I noticed this goat farmer coming in from the fields with a few of his goats, and a load full of pine branches. As soon as I started to snap this pic, my government minders got a little edgy, and came running at me to tell me to stop taking pictures. The farmer was seen as a negative sign, and they didn’t want photos taken of him. Another great lunch in a grand dining room – complete with idyllic mural. These epic paintings of the leaders were everywhere, and displayed proudly. Driving from Kaesong westward towards the coast, the bus passed many small villages, which seemed like a more “normal” spot for people to live. This pic is fairly typical of the buildings that looked truly inhabited by people, and not just setup for show. Back in Pyongyang, I had the opportunity to ride the Pyongyang Subway. This is one of the deepest subway systems in the world, and the long escalator ride down was distinct evidence of that. Again, there was a notable lack of any kinds of advertisements or signage – with the only signs being public announcements, directions, and newspapers for viewing. The Pyongyang metro stations are grand, with each one having its own artistic motif. These subway cars are soviet built, and seem to run well – even though they’re seriously old. Each station has its fare share of epic mosaics, depicting the leaders in a variety of triumphant poses. This one of Kim Il Sung with common people was particularly grand. A mosaic in the Pyongyang metro of Kim Jong Il standing in a grassy field. Epic. In the station, there are central displays with the day’s newspaper. This woman is reading about the marathon, which I ran the day before. Notably absent in the article about the marathon was the mention that any Americans had run it. The metro has two lines, which intersect in the middle of town. This handy light up board was the main directory for the station. Of course on each train car is the portrait of the dear leaders. Friend Justin Martell poses with them. Riding the Pyongyang metro was a great opportunity to interact with some of the locals. Here, I’m sitting next to a group of school girls, who are getting nervous while practicing their english skills. Dinner at the Koryo Hotel – another psychedelic room in the DPRK. Overall, the food in North Korea was great. It was traditional korean food, and almost all of the meals except for the buffet meals were delicious – including this bibimbap at the Koryo Hotel. Dinner with my group. This flower show was held in commemoration of Kim Il Sung’s birthday – and featured an entire hall filled with some of the most intensely arranged flowers I’ve ever seen. There are even special breeds of flowers created especially for the leaders. On one of the last nights in Pyongyang, we were taken to the Taedonggang Microbrewery. Although this room was setup to look like a bar room, it was contained inside a fairly lifeless concrete building. When I arrived with my group, the lights in the building turned on, and everything seemed to start up. However after about 2 hours of relaxing, my group was told that the place was closing, and everybody was ushered out – it seemed like the entire building shut down right after that. So, it was a nice place to grab a drink, but was a complete setup just for the group, not an actual functional establishment. This was the vibe throughout much of the trip. I relaxed with a few of my trip mates in the grand spa in the basement of the Koryo Hotel. The iconic Juche Tower. From Wikipedia: Completed in 1982, the Tower is situated on the eastern bank of the River Taedong, directly opposite Kim Il-sung Square on the western side of the river to commemorate Kim Il-sung’s 70th birthday. Although his son and successor Kim Jong-il is officially credited as its designer,[1] interviews with former North Korean officials contradict this assertion.[2]
The 170-metre (560 ft) structure is a four-sided tapering 150-metre (490 ft) spireMount Myohyangsan is a beautiful mountain, and I had a great time hiking up it with the group. Throughout the trip, there was a Korean videographer tracking our every move on tape. At the end, I was sold a very old school video documentary of the trip. However, I’m sure that’s the only place the footage went. A typical scene on the streets in western North Korea. Of note in this picture is a the woman on the right hand side selling flowers on top of a cardboard box. This is a small example of the illegal North Korean Black Market – and although innocuous looking, there’s been lots of talk about private enterprises like this recently. Another lunch. This time, after our servers were finished bringing out food, they all went to change into costumes, and then performed a very sweet, very weird song and dance karaoke routine. Entertaining for sure. My cruise over to the Nampo Dam started in this small port, surrounded by rusty fishing boats. Traveling out to the sea port on the west side, I passed a number of residential buildings with people hanging out front – this seemed like where people actually lived. On my way to the Nampo Dam, North Korea. Sailing across to the Nampo Dam. Inside the Nampho Dam (P’i Do) Lighthouse is another great portrait of Kim Jong Il, posing in front of the dam. When I arrived at the Nampo Dam area, there was a large group of people gathered around a central stage, having just finished practicing a dance routine. The next day was Kim Il Sung’s birthday, and everybody had been spending the day preparing.
Also at the top of the hill, the Nampo Damn Lighthouse, shaped liken an anchor.Inside the Nampho Dam (P’i Do) Lighthouse, I was treated to a video detailing the construction and operation of the dam. The mural on the wall showing the layout of the dam was a great work of art. After a day on the water, my group arrived at the remote Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort. The main selling point of this resort was that the hot spring waters contained “health giving”, “therapeutic” RADON. I politely passed on taking a dip in the Radon Hot Springs. Seen here is the concentrations of various minerals and dissolved chemicals in the hot springs water – including the concentration of Radon. Kinda scary. Another strange dinner at the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort. The main building at the resort was dark when we arrived, and a few lights were turned on for us. It was still freezing cold inside, but we at a decent dinner in the empty ballroom. My bedroom at the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort. It looked like it was built 30 years ago, and not update since. The entire building was solar powered, and because of this, only two dim LED lightbulbs were actually plugged into power. All other outlets and light sockets in the place were unpowered, and a broken window had been covered with thin plastic sheeting. An early morning drive from the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort back to Pyongyang was beautiful. One of the tubs of the Ryonggang Hot Springs Resort, stained from years of Radon Hot Spring waters. I traveled mostly on a tour bus in North Korea, as dictated by the tour group. Overall it was comfortable, and Ms. Lee, my Korean guide, talked on the mic the whole time. The Juche Tower in central Pyongyang, symmetrically positioned. Ms. Lee, my guide/minder pointing out the location of the Nampo Dam. In Pyongyang, I made a stop with my group for lunch at a restaurant right across the street from the giant Ryugyong Hotel. I was scolded for having this picture taken of me, because it shows the shanty village that surrounds the giant uninhabited building. Passing through small farming villages on my way back to Pyongyang. After viewing the bodies, I was released into the large gardens in front of the palace, where lots of other people were assembled, all taking photos. I was fortunate to be in North Korea for the birthday celebration of Kim Il Sung. On this day, I went to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of both Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are on display in glass boxes. After a lengthy security check, I was escorted through the interior of the massive palace and into each room containing the leaders. Each room was protected from dirt by a vacuum corridor which I walked through on my way into the room. The rooms were illuminated by dim red lights, and lying in the middle of each room was one of the leaders – their bodies perfectly preserved, and in plain view inside a glass coffin. I was put together by a guard with a group of 3 other people, and the four of us were led around the coffin, where we bowed deeply on each of the four sides.
After departing the rooms with the bodies, I was given a tour of the rest of the palace, which contains the rooms full of medals and awards given to each leader, as well as a few of the leaders vehicles. Vehicles on display include a boat, a train car, a golf cart, and a couple black mercedes limos.A british news crew filmed a news segment in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Me, posing in front of the flowerbed leading to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, Pyongyang, North Korea. Me with one of our Korean government minders, as well as Uri Tours CEO Andrea Lee on my left, and Uri Tours guide Cristina Park on my far right. Schoolchildren came out for the event, and seemed to be having a great time walking around in the sun, even as they were corralled by their teachers. Very cute. After lunch in Pyongyang, I watched as roommate Nick played soccer with a small group of guys. This is in the middle of Pyongyang, and notice the lack of any signs or advertisements. Showing my high-tech camera to a couple of kids in Pyongyang. On Sunday in Pyongyang, everybody goes to the park. I took a wonderful stroll through the park, and got to watch the locals dance and play in the water. Locals dancing together in the park on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Pyongyang. On Kim Il Sung’s birthday, many large groups of people got together for coordinated dances like this one. At Mangyondae, Kim Il Sung’s birthplace, young kids with their military groups wait in formation before entering the leader’s original house. Dancers in matching outfits celebrated excitedly in the center of Pyongyang. Women wait for their bus in front of the iconic Pyongyang Ice Rink. Pyongyang has lots of performing arts, shows, and other extravagances, despite the economic situation of the country. On a Sunday night, I had the opportunity to attend the Pyongyang Circus – a sight to behold. To finish the celebration of Kim Il Sung’s birthday, Pyongyang was treated to an amazing fireworks display over the river. I walked through the darkness with my group to the viewing location along the river. On my way back, I was surprised to find that there were almost no streetlights at all – the only illumination at night was for the monuments, and almost none of the public walkways had any lights on. Me outside of the Pyongyang Circus. -
Exploring A Shield Volcano – Jeju Island, South Korea
Jeju Island, located off the tip of South Korea, is a paradise for geologists, honeymooners, and adventurers alike. I ventured to Jeju on a recommendation from a friend, as well as seeing the epic pictures of the Seongsan Ilchulbong. Jeju is a geological paradise, with interesting volcanic features such as Mt. Hallasan, an almost perfect Shield Volcanos, great examples of parasitic volcanos, the almost perfect Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone, and the largest lava tubes in the world.In addition to exploring the geology, I also did a bit of adventuring and sightseeing. I had a great time exploring the markets and massive underground mall in the main city of Jeju, got lost for an afternoon in a fun hedge maze, and enjoyed lots of fried chicken and beer with the local gang of korean kids staying with me in the hostel.
Jeju should certainly be on a “must-see” list for a complete Korea vacation – but four or five days is definitely enough. Transportation around Jeju was easy – busses run around the entire island, and they’re quick and easy to find.
![Wikipedia: Jeju Province (officially the Jeju Special Autonomous Province[1]) is one of the nine provinces of South Korea. The province is situated on and coterminous with the nation's largest island of Jeju (also Jejudo), formerly transliterated as Cheju, Cheju Do, etc., or known as Quelpart to Europeans. The island lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of South Jeolla Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946. Its capital is Jeju City.](https://www.jeffreydonenfeld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Jeju-Map-English.jpg)
Wikipedia: Jeju Province (officially the Jeju Special Autonomous Province[1]) is one of the nine provinces of South Korea. The province is situated on and coterminous with the nation’s largest island of Jeju (also Jejudo), formerly transliterated as Cheju, Cheju Do, etc., or known as Quelpart to Europeans. The island lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of South Jeolla Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946. Its capital is Jeju City. 
Silver fish dominate the fish portion of the Jeju Fish Market. 
Jeju Island is known for its amazing citrus crop, and in the markets vendors display some of the most beautiful citrus I’ve seen. 
Koreans very much love the Fried Chicken and Beer. More than once, people invited me to have friend chicken and beer with them, and there are fried chicken and beer shops all over korea. It’s a simple, tasty, but rather unhealthy meal. Still great fun! This Hite beer we were drinking comes in big 2L bottles 
Hiking up Mt. Halasan, the well-worn trail gives way to slick snow on the higher half of the mountain. Avid Korean hikers are quick to strap on metal mesh grips to their hiking shoes in order to navigate the snowpack. 
Parasitic volcanos dot the Jejuan landscape all the way to the water’s edge. 
The top of Mt. Halasan. 
Hiking down into the forest. Fog blanketed Jeju Island frequently during my visit, and gave the whole place a sense of wonder. Very cool! 
The entrance to the Manjanggul Cave lava tube, one of the largest lava tubes in the world. Although well developed and visited frequently, descending into the tube felt a bit like entering the tubular temple complex from the movie “Promethius”. 
Lots of attractions on Jeju are ideally suited for couples, including the Gimnyeong Maze Park. A hedge maze! 
Making it to the end of Gimnyeong Maze Park, Jeju 
Inside the lava tube, LED lights illuminate the various formations. Walking the 1km through the opened section is easy – the floor is almost perfectly flat, thanks to gravity and cooling liquid lava. 
Exploring deeper into the cave. The entire accessible portion is about 1km long. 
The texture of the walls changes dramatically. 
The cave is truly amazing. From UNESCO: “The Geomunoreum lava tube system, which is regarded as the finest such cave system in the world, has an outstanding visual impact even for those experienced with such phenomena. It displays the unique spectacle of multi-coloured carbonate decorations adorning the roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls, partially covered by a mural of carbonate deposits. The fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, with its walls rising out of the ocean, is a dramatic landscape feature, and Mount Halla, with its array of textures and colours through the changing seasons, waterfalls, display of multi-shaped rock formations and columnar-jointed cliffs, and the towering summit with its lake-filled crater, further adds to the scenic and aesthetic appeal.” 
Sunset from the foot of the Seongsan Ilchulbong. 
Taking the ferry to Udo Island, a quick 15 minute ferry ride. A lighthouse on the way to Udo Island 
Sea Urchins! 
I woke up on my final morning in Jeju excited to witness the sunrise at the Seongsan Ilchulbong. However, after arriving at 5am, and patiently waiting for the sun to appear – nothing happened. The entire formation was socked in by heavy fog. This was the best pic I could get – of the empty viewing deck! 
Descending the steps from the viewing deck of the Seongsan Ilchulbong. Dissapointed, but still had a good early morning hike. 
The outside of the Seongsan Ilchulbong formation. -
Snowboarding and Snow Monkey Beer in Shiga Kogen, Japan
Shiga Kogen Snow Monkey Beer Live 2015 Poster My final stop on this lap through Japan was in at Shiga Kogen, Japan’s highest, largest ski resort. I joined a local Tokyo-based winter adventure club appropriately called “Tokyo Gaijins” on their Snow Monkey Beer Live trip to Shiga Kogen. The trip provided both awesome winter sports, as well as access to the “Snow Monkey Beer Live” annual music and beer festival. Shiga Kogen was a great time. The mountain is beautiful, and although the terrain isn’t quite as challenging as what I grew up with in Colorado, the snow was world-class.
I joined the Tokyo Gaijins group on my trip to Shiga Kogen. The group is a snow club, which runs amazing trips to the mountains every weekend in the winter. Bus transportation, lodging, meals, and great times are provided on each trip! Since our group was fairly large, we had an entire hotel to ourselves – complete with dining hall, onsen, and our own rental and gear shop. The base of the mountain was right across the street – perfect! 
The rooms are traditional Japanese style rooms, and we fit a few people in each one. Smaller groups of friends tend to stick together, and I was fortunate to make good friends with the guys in my room – we were packed in there, but had a lot of fun “camping” in Japan. Our first day, going up the small, kinda old, japanese gondola. These things looked like eggs, and opened in the middle. Small and fun! 
Getting ready to go down the mountain on my rental snowboard. Although the terrain at Shiga Kogen is nowhere near as challenging as in Colorado, the snow is great, and runs are wide open. 
One of the steeper sections of the mountain – still nothing compared to Colorado, but a fun time nonetheless – snow conditions were absolutely perfect. 
One of the huge mid-mountain dining halls. 
Going up the lift, there are accomodations all over the mountain. However, there’s a distinct lack of shopping, entertainment, or any real community areas. Each of the larger hotels has its own cafe and restaurant, but there’s not very many independent restaurants, or common social areas for people to walk around and mingle. Very much oriented towards staying with your own group, doing your own thing, and generally keeping to either the slopes or the hotels. Also, I was dissapointed by the lack of gear shops – I found only one small gear shop which sold a minimum of gear. 
Shiga Kogen Snow Monkey Beer Live festival! 20+ breweries from all over Japan showed up to sample their fresh beers, and local bands played great music. It was held in Shiga Kogen’s central events hall, and was absolutely packed. We had a great time! 
Snow Monkey Beer – tasty, especially after a day of snowboarding. 
Singer Hanah Spring performs at Shiga Kogen Snow Monkey Beer LIve. 
A huge dump of snow gave us absolutely perfect powder conditions. A bit of a whiteout, but perfect nonetheless. 
Making friends on the mountain! 
A few of us got together before lunch for some big group runs. Skiing as a group is fun for a run or two, but gets annoying quickly as you spend half your time waiting for everybody. 
With the mascot Okamin! -
Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan
During my most recent lap through Japan, I had the opportunity to spend a day at Nagano’s mystical buddhist Zenkoji Temple. I’m blaming my lack of sleep the night before for the absence of shots, but here’s a few from the time I spent there. In Nagano, I stayed at the 1166 Backpackers Hostel, which was great. 1166 Backpackers is a clean, warm, and inviting hostel, and I’d certainly reccommend anybody looking for community-oriented, affortable accomodation in Nagano stay with her.
Zenk?-ji (????) is a Buddhist temple located in Nagano, Japan. The temple was built in the 7th century. Nagano City, established in 1897, was originally a town built around the temple. Historically, Zenk?-ji is perhaps most famous for its involvement in the battles between Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen in the 16th century, when it served as one of Kenshin’s bases of operations. Currently, Zenk?-ji is one of the last few remaining pilgrimage sites in Japan.
Zenk?-ji was founded before Buddhism in Japan was split into several different sects, so it currently belongs to both the Tendai and J?dosh? schools of Buddhism, and is co-managed by twenty-five priests from the former school, and fourteen from the latter. The temple enshrines images of the Amida Buddha. According to legend, the image, having caused dispute between two clans, was dumped into a canal. It was later rescued by Yoshimitsu Honda. The temple was thus named “Zenk?,” according to the Chinese transliteration of Yoshimitsu’s name.
A nun blesses followers at the Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan 
Coins and papers tied to a tree for luck at the Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan 
The pathway leading to the Zenkoji Temple is crowded with vendors and restaurtants – but is a nice walk nontheless. 
My wonderful group at the 1166 Backpackers hostel I stayed at in Nagano, Japan. -
Shibu Onsen Snow Monkeys
High in the mountains of central Japan, there’s a hotsprings “onsen” where Macaque snow monkeys bathe. Saori and I took an amazing trip to visit them, and soak in a few onsens ourselves.
Saori and I were introduced by a mutual friend, and met up in Tokyo at the main Tokyo train station. To save on time, and have an awesome ride, we took a Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano – fast and comfortable! 
Tokyo station is designated as the “centroid” of Tokyo, and here’s the actual center marker of the city! Right on the Shinkansen platform. 
Since we were dashing to catch the after-work train, we picked up a few bento boxes for dinner. For train food, this is pretty awesome. 
Arrival in Nagano, site of the 1998 Olympic Games. From here, we got another slower train up to Yudanaka, and then walked about 30 minutes to Shibu Onsen. 
Walking through the streets of Shibu Onsen at night. The traditional town is beautifully old-worldly, with cobblestone streets and traditional houses. Also, streams of geothermally heated onsen water bubble from pipes and vents everywhere. 
We stayed at a traditional Ryokan, and had a great tatami room to ourselves, complete with dining table, porch, futon mattresses, a private bathroom, and most importantly a karaoke machine! The room also came with robes, a key to our own private co-ed onsen, and a pair of keys to the legendary 9 public onsens for which Shibu Onsen is known. 
Starting the day of exploring the mountains and seeing the snow monkeys. 
Walking through Shibu Onsen – such a beautiful town. 
Outside of Shibu Onsen, the river leads to mountains filled with snow – and the ski slopes of Shiga Kogen, Japan’s largest ski resort. 
Geothermally heated onsen water springs up from pipes all around town. Here, it’s rising through a piping system that delivers it directly to people’s houses. 
Japan loves vending machines – so much so that a snowy field seems like a great place to maintain one. Hot or cold drinks anytime! 
Our Saturday in Shibu Onsen started with a hike up into the snowy mountains to visit the indigenous Macaque snow monkeys. But of course, first we must stop for snow monkey coffee at Enza Cafe, just up the road from the famed Shika Kogen brewery. 
Starting the hike up the snowy path leading to the Snow Monkey Onsen. 
Bark of the native evergreens was flaky, colorful, and beautiful. 
The last stretch of trail to the Snow Monkey Onsen. 
Snow Monkey Onsen is a popular tourist attraction, with hoardes of touritst taking photos. Despite this, the monkeys seems at ease, and walk amongst the people freely. 
Lots of snow monkeys, lots of tourists, lots of photos. 
Macaque Snow Monkeys relaxing in the snow. 
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! 
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! 
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! 
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though! 
Naturally, monkeys climb trees too. 
Saori pointing out the portraits of the monkey tribes current and past leaders. It’s like a country club. 
Pre-onsen lunch. Very tasty! 
After snow monkeys, we went back to our homestay and changed into comfy robes and not so comfy wooden flip flops, grabbed our keys, and went out to hit all 9 Shibu Onsen Onsens. The red pouch I’m holding has my onsen cloth, which has the names of all 9 onesns, and is stamped at each one. Saori is holding her key, attached to a piece of wood with a map of town. 
The onsen path is popular, and people show up in all sorts of nice robes. You can also see these women are wearing the traditional wodden onsen flip flops. They’re not super comfortable, but it is possible to walk around town in them. The two wood bars on the bottom facilitate a rocking motion when walking. 
Stamping my 1st onsen. 
Each onsen requires a key to get into, and the mens and womens doors are on separate sides. 
Saori and I enjoyed the public onsens separately of course, but got back together for the occasional foot onsen in the center of town. 
Egg Onsen! 
Shibu onsen as the sun sets, with traditional tatimi rooms everywhere. 
After a long day of snow monkeying and onsening, we of course needed a sushi dinner. 
And some meat skewers and beer for dinner #2 
Strangely, Shibu Onsen also has a couple of cork-gun shooting galleries. People love it! 
What to do after a long day of snow monkeys, onsens, sushi, meat skewers, and beer? Karaoke. 
Vending machines are everywhere, and this one brews fresh coffee on demand. -
Running the Tokyo Marathon
My first stop in Japan was Tokyo, to run the 2015 Tokyo Marathon. Miho and I had originally entered the marathon registration lottery months before, however unfortunately, only I won an entry. I still had a good run without her – although not nearly as much fun or motivation to kick ass!
Running through the streets of Tokyo was an energizing experience. I ran the full marathon without really much training since I was in Antarctica beforehand. However, the energy of the cheering crowd lining all 26 miles of the course kept me going. Here a few pics from the run.
The Tokyo Marathon expo was held at the Tokyo Big Sight event hall – a giant conference hall with lots of spaces. The strucutre itself is quite epic to begin with. 
Walking through the registration expo, everybody gets lots of promo items. Although this looks like I was receiving a magical free beer.. it was in fact a nonalcoholic “malt drink”. Hmmm. 
Lots and lots of vendors at the expo. 
The next morning at the starting area – there were three snacks to have before the race. Tomatoes, bananas, and an apple flavored energy gel, which came out of a foil “capri-sun”-like packet. I had all three, and then packed up my pre-race gear into my baggage bag, and gave it to the appropriate baggage truck. Typical marathon procedure, almost exaclly the same as before the NYC Marathon. 
Lots of marathon volunteers were all excited to be there. Japanese people have good energy. 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
I finished in 4:31. It wasn’t my best marathon time, but it felt great to run, and was fun to see lots of neighborhoods of Tokyo. 
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken 
After the race, naturally I sampled lots of street food from the cutest food trucks I’ve ever seen. -
Exploring Manila, El Nido, and Coron, Philippines
After an excellent season on the ice this year, my first travel stop was in the Phillipines to relax with dear friends Brad and Talitha.
The Mall of Asia – a combination of indoor and outdoor mall stores, as well as a few department stores, and lots of food stands. I bought my Seiko SKX009K2 here. 
The local welcoming committee, waiting for us in the passenger terminal. 
I stayed at the Islandfront Hotel, with a great spot on the beach. This is my sunset perch almost every night – beautiful! 
The dramatic walk into our favourite bar in El Nido, “La Plage”. The swaying palm trees at dusk are dramatic and beautiful. 
Hiking through the jungle to a less than inspiring waterfall – we still had a great hike! 
Passing through local villages as we discover waterfalls, jungle farmlands, and hidden beaches. 
Brad and Talitha strolling on local beach at sundown. The small waves were perfect for bodysurfing. 
Sunset in El Nido, with outrigger dive boats anchored in the shallows. The tides in Palawan Island are dramatic, and the area outside of where we were staying drained completely during low tide. 
Ready for a day of sailing! 
The Filipino Navy, patroling the waters around El Nido. 
Discovering abandoned religious statues at an abandoned jungle convent. 
Dramatic tides give way to hidden beaches in the inlets. 
We got around almost everywhere via Trike. 
The cutest little girl ever, riding with her father as he biked us around El Nido. 
We had a threesome Valentines Day dinner at a local resort, with ah complete buffet in the jungle clearning. 
Brad and Talitha play the dating game on valentines day. 
Best couple ever! 
Launching heart shaped hot air balloons – sort of. This one burnt up on the ground shortly after this picture was taken – but Brad and Talitha soar! :) 
Fish at the local market 
Fish at the local market 
In Coron, we dove with Neptune Dive Center, which was great. Highly recommended! 
Our divemaster on the bow of the dive boat. Dive boats in the Philippines are typical double-outrigger boats. 
Departing Coron for Manila, and then on to Japan . 
Local kids playing on a dry docked boat on the beach. 
During our day tour of the local area, we docked at an abandoned convent. 
Small fish swim in the shallow tidal pools of the hidden coves in El NIdo. 
One of the hidden beaches – this beach is only accessible by swimming through a small underwater tunnel. 
Discovering yet another hidden beach – this one accessible through a hole in the rocks, dry during low tide. 
Triking around Coron. 
Checking out the hot springs in Coron. These geothermally heated waters spill from the pools directly into the ocean. 
An incredible amount of fish swim on a the wreck of a Japanese battleship in Coron, Philippines. 
Ending a great dive in Coron. 
Diving in Coron. 
After a day of diving, we decided to get some fresh air on the jeepney ride back to town. 
Getting ready to dive Barracuda Lake, Philippines. 
Tracing the wall around Baraccuda Lake, in the middle-layer of water. 
Me descending into the hot, salty bottom layer of water in Baraccuda Lake. You can see the visual distortion of the hot water I’m descending into. 
We had a great dive! 
Talitha and I charterd a small hobie cat sailboat – fun sailing for an hour or two. 
Naturally, we had to relax in the pool at the Mahogany Resort, where Brad and Talitha were staying. 
In Manilla, I used the cemetery in the center of town as a running track, to train for the upcoming Tokyo Marathon. Running through the cemetery was interesting – people seem to have moved into the space, creating a shanty town between the graves. 
Downtown Manila. I stayed at a hotel in Makati, which was interesting enough for four days. Manila is a huge, congested city, and Makati provided a good amount of walkable entertainment. 
Inside the Greenbelt Shopping Center in Manila, the nose and dirt of the street fades away into a tranquil koi pond. Manila has a ton of shopping centers – some nicer than others. 
At the newly-opened City of Dreams Manila, I played a few rounds of Baccara, and then checked out an amazing cover band playing in the middle of the casino. Cover bands are hugely poplular in the Philippines, and they’re very talented and precise. Brad, Talitha, and I flew from Manila to El Nido, Palawan on a charters ATR-72 with ITI Air, booked by El Nido Boutique & Artcaf 
Trikes are huge in Palawan – in El Nido they seemed to be hand-built and somewhat rickety – but they got the job done. I started my journey by flying Sydney>Manila. Once in Manila, I had a solid four days of time to myself to explore Manila. I stayed in the Makati area, at a mid-range hotel. I split my time between training for the upcoming Tokyo Marathon, exploring various parts of Manila, and beginning the process of wrapping up the antarctic season.
Overall, Manila was an interesting, although not overly majestic experience. The city is a massive sprawl. Giant, modern skyscrapers are intermingled with small shanty towns. The city grid is cut up by winding alleys and backstreets. Large, free-flowing avenues are rudely interrupted by snarled traffic jams, and a constant flow of jeepneys, busses, and motorbikes. People are everywhere, doing everything.
I entered Manila without much of a plan, and was fairly overwhelmed – but ended up having a great time, and getting into the vibe of the capital city. As a word of advice for future travelers – Manila is definitely worth seeing in order to understand the city-dwelling style of the Philippines, but before you go, establish a good plan of what you want to see. Get it and get out – it’s intense. I spent four days there, but could have done with three.
Downtown Manila. I stayed at a hotel in Makati, which was interesting enough for four days. Manila is a huge, congested city, and Makati provided a good amount of walkable entertainment. In Manilla, I used the cemetery in the center of town as a running track, to train for the upcoming Tokyo Marathon. Running through the cemetery was interesting – people seem to have moved into the space, creating a shanty town between the graves. The Mall of Asia – a combination of indoor and outdoor mall stores, as well as a few department stores, and lots of food stands. I bought my Seiko SKX009K2 here. Inside the Greenbelt Shopping Center in Manila, the nose and dirt of the street fades away into a tranquil koi pond. Manila has a ton of shopping centers – some nicer than others. At the newly-opened City of Dreams Manila, I played a few rounds of Baccara, and then checked out an amazing cover band playing in the middle of the casino. Cover bands are hugely poplular in the Philippines, and they’re very talented and precise. After four days in Manila, Brad and Talitha flew in, and I met up with them at the airport. Flights from Manila to Puerto Princessa, the main town in Palawan, are cheap and easy – however since we were on our way to El Nido, it would have required an additional 5 hour bus ride from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. Instead, we decided to join a charter air flight operated by ITI directly from Manila to El Nido.
In El Nido, I stayed at a mid-range hotel on the beach called Islandfront, and B&T stayed at the newly opened Mahogany Resort, just down the road. Both places were excellent. B&T spent the week in El Nido training for their PADI Open Water SCUBA Certification. I spent my days running, swimming, sailing, and relaxing on the beach. We got together every night, as well as did a few day trips together.
El Nido was wonderful and beautiful. It’s relatively un-developed compared to other towns in Palawan, but has a certain charm to it. Unfortunately, I felt like certain essential aspects – connectivity, dining options, and staff training were a bit lacking, even given the somewhat remote location. For me, I felt like it simply didn’t have quite enough charm to make up for it’s backwoods, 3rd world location. I wouldn’t go back to El Nido, but I did have an excellent time there – especially with the two best travel buddies ever!
Brad, Talitha, and I flew from Manila to El Nido, Palawan on a charters ATR-72 with ITI Air, booked by El Nido Boutique & Artcafé. The flight was perfectly comfortable, and upon landing, the airplane was simple shut down on the uncontroled landing strip, and we all loaded onto a Jeepney for transport off the runway to the passenger terminal. The local welcoming committee, waiting for us in the passenger terminal. Trikes are huge in Palawan – in El Nido they seemed to be hand-built and somewhat rickety – but they got the job done. We got around almost everywhere via Trike. I stayed at the Islandfront Hotel, with a great spot on the beach. This is my sunset perch almost every night – beautiful! The dramatic walk into our favourite bar in El Nido, “La Plage”. The swaying palm trees at dusk are dramatic and beautiful. The cutest little girl ever, riding with her father as he biked us around El Nido. Launching heart shaped hot air balloons – sort of. This one burnt up on the ground shortly after this picture was taken – but Brad and Talitha soar! :) We had a threesome Valentines Day dinner at a local resort, with ah complete buffet in the jungle clearning. Brad and Talitha play the dating game on valentines day. Best couple ever! Ready for a day of sailing! During our day tour of the local area, we docked at an abandoned convent. Discovering abandoned religious statues at an abandoned jungle convent. Dramatic tides give way to hidden beaches in the inlets. Discovering yet another hidden beach – this one accessible through a hole in the rocks, dry during low tide. One of the hidden beaches – this beach is only accessible by swimming through a small underwater tunnel. Small fish swim in the shallow tidal pools of the hidden coves in El NIdo. The Filipino Navy, patroling the waters around El Nido. Hiking through the jungle to a less than inspiring waterfall – we still had a great hike! Brad and Talitha strolling on local beach at sundown. The small waves were perfect for bodysurfing. Local kids playing on a dry docked boat on the beach. Naturally, we had to relax in the pool at the Mahogany Resort, where Brad and Talitha were staying. Sunset in El Nido, with outrigger dive boats anchored in the shallows. Talitha and I charterd a small hobie cat sailboat – fun sailing for an hour or two. Passing through local villages as we discover waterfalls, jungle farmlands, and hidden beaches. The tides in Palawan Island are dramatic, and the area outside of where we were staying drained completely during low tide. Our final stop was in Coron. This small town is a bit closer in to Manila, and is a hub for tourism and scuba diving. The main draw of Coron is wreck diving on the multitude of Japanese military shipwrecks – the aftermath of an ambush by the USA during WW2.
In Coron, we stayed at the Coron Ecolodge, and dove with Neptune Dive Center. In Coron, we enjoyed boat trips, tasty dinners, views from the top of the mountain, massages, and lots of cafe sessions.
Barracuda Lake Diagram, from AsiaDiveSite.com By far the best dive of the week wasn’t a wreck dive. It was a lake dive, in Barracuda Lake. Barracuda lake is a brackish lake that’s unique for it’s geothermally heated layers of water, with extremely dramatic thermoclines. The most interesting part of the dive was transition between layers of water, and seeing the shimmering boundaries of each layer approaching, and then traveling between the layers.
In Coron, we dove with Neptune Dive Center, which was great. Highly recommended! Fish at the local market We had a great dive! Getting ready to dive Barracuda Lake, Philippines. Me descending into the hot, salty bottom layer of water in Baraccuda Lake. You can see the visual distortion of the hot water I’m descending into. Tracing the wall around Baraccuda Lake, in the middle-layer of water. After a day of diving, we decided to get some fresh air on the jeepney ride back to town. Checking out the hot springs in Coron. These geothermally heated waters spill from the pools directly into the ocean. Fish at the local market Our divemaster on the bow of the dive boat. Dive boats in the Philippines are typical double-outrigger boats. An incredible amount of fish swim on a the wreck of a Japanese battleship in Coron, Philippines. Diving in Coron. Ending a great dive in Coron. Triking around Coron. Departing Coron for Manila, and then on to Japan . -
Living and Working at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Field Camp, Antarctica – Summer 2014-2015
My name tag and program patch on my “Big Red” parka. Note I also added my Explorer’s Club members pin. After a very successful 2014-15 summer season working at WAIS Divide, Antarctica, we’ve wrapped up our operations and redeployed. Here’s a quick summary of the season:
This year in Antarctica, I worked at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Ice Core Field Camp for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) Ice Drill Design and Operations (IDDO) Group as a Field and Drill Specialist. I was on a team of four, with our primary mission being to disassemble, catalog, and package the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) drill and related equipment. The drill had operated for the past 7 or so years, and had completed its job and been decommissioned, so that we could pack it up and ship it back to Wisconsin for refurbishment and redeployment to a new site at some point in the future. Everybody had responsibility for multiple aspects of the mission. My specific responsibility, in addition to general mechanical and team duties, photographing and cataloging all gear and equipment that was disassembled and packed, as well as generally documenting our entire season – as catalogued in this blog.
This year’s primary mission: Disassembling the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) Drill at WAIS Divide, Antarctica
Blog posts:
- Disassembling the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) Drill at WAIS Divide, Antarctica
- Tour The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp, Antarctica
- Exploring the World’s Most Powerful Icebreaker – The Jet Engine-Powered US Coast Guard Cutter “Polar Star”
- Ship Operations at the World’s Southernmost Seaport
- Launching the WAIS AERIAL CAMP PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY INSTRUMENT (WACPSI)
- Making a Crater in Antarctica
- Disassembling the WAIS DISC Ice Drill – Timelapse Video
- Communication and Control at WAIS Divide, Antarctica
- The WAIS Divide Field Medical Tent
- The WAIS Snow Pit
- WAIS Divide’s Recreation Tent – Warmth and Comfort on the Polar Ice
- The WAIS Galley Tent – Community and Food
- DISC Drill Arch, Condition 2
- Entering Tent City, WAIS Divide, Antarctica
- Flying From Civilization To Nowhere – New Zealand to Antarctic Field Camp
- Touchdown at WAIS Divide, Antarctica in an LC-130 Hercules
- After A Month Of Waiting At McMurdo Finally At WAIS Divide Field Camp
- COSRAY – Detecting Neutrons in Antarctica
- Charging with Enerplex Solar at WAIS Divide, Antarctica
- IceStock 2015 – McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- Recreation at McMurdo – Hiking the Observation Hill Loop Trail
- Helicopter Operations at McMurdo Station
- A Chinese-Operated Kamov KA-32 Helicopter Slingloads Fuel at Scott Base, Antarctica
- Exploring an LC-130 Hercules at Williams Field, Antarctica
- Investigating SPIDER Polarimeter Long Duration Balloon Payload
- The Acid Lounge Returns – To Antarctica!
- Happy Holidays from McMurdo!
- Launching a Meterological Balloon from McMurdo
- McMurdo’s Ice Shelf Airport – Willy Field
- Racing at McMurdo Station
- Church in Antarctica – McMurdo’s Chapel of the Snows
- Celebrating Chanukah at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- Exploring Scott’s Discovery Hut and Hut Point, Antarctica
- Tracking Satellites in McMurdo at NASA’s Near Earth Network Ground Station
- McMurdo Station’s Hospital
- Exploring the Pressure Ridges of McMurdo Sound
- McMurdo’s General Store – Anything You Want In The Middle of Nowhere
- An Antarctic Thrift Shop: McMurdo’s Skua
- Observation Hill
- My First Penguin in Antarctica
- The Antarctic Crash of C-121 Lockheed Constellation “Pegasus”
- The National Science Foundations Central Offices at McMurdo – The Chalet
- How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 2: Extreme Cold Weather Gear
- Pre-Field Preparations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- New Zealand’s Antarctic Outpost: Scott Base
- How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 3: Field Camp Expedition Gear
- Exploring Christchurch, New Zealand
- How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 1: Personal Gear
- Long Haul: Flying from Denver to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp
Video clips:
- Antarctica 2014-15 Quick Clips
- In-depth tour of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp, Antarctica
- Flying From Civilization To Nowhere – New Zealand to Antarctic Field Camp
- My Morning Commute at WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica
- WAIS Divide Antarctica Drill Arch Disassembly – Timelapse
- NASA Near Earth Network Dish Tracking at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- Ocean Giant Offloading Cargo
- Bell 212 Helicopter Tochdown at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- Launching a Weather Balloon from McMurdo Station
- Condition 2 Weather at WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica
- Exploring an LC-130 Hercules at Williams Field, Antarctica
- Setting up a tent at WAIS Divide, Antarctica
- IceStock 2015 – McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- Kamov KA 32 at Scott Base Antarctica
- Moving ice at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Photos:
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Disassembling the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) Drill at WAIS Divide, Antarctica
This year in Antarctica, I worked at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Ice Core Field Camp for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) Ice Drill Design and Operations (IDDO) Group as a Field and Drill Specialist. I was on a team of four, with our primary mission being to disassemble, catalog, and package the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) drill and related equipment. The drill had operated for the past 7 or so years, and had completed its job and been decommissioned, so that we could pack it up and ship it back to Wisconsin for refurbishment and redeployment to a new site at some point in the future. Everybody had responsibility for multiple aspects of the mission. My specific responsibility, in addition to general mechanical and team duties, photographing and cataloging all gear and equipment that was disassembled and packed, as well as generally documenting our entire season – as catalogued in this blog.In addition to the four of us, we were joined by two master carpenters from McMurdo, who constructed custom crates and shipping containers for us, as well as organized and packed much of the equiptment in the National Ice Core Laboratory’s (NICL) ice core processing arch, adjacent to the DISC Drill Arch.
We were at WAIS Divide for a little over two weeks, and during that (shortened) timeframe, we accomplished a huge amount of work. Here’s a brief timelapse video of the drill equiptment being disassembled and packaged.
Below is a short collection of photos, focusing specifically on DISC Drill disassembly and packing operations.
Walking back to WAIS Divide Field Camp after a day working in the drill arch. On days of low visibility, flags are the only way to tell which way to walk – and where the ground is. 
Walking to work every day through the snow was an experience in itself. We got along great as a team, and always had fun down-time hanging out. 
Walking down the ramp to our drill arch during stormy ways was a bit like entering a frozen polar base. The ramp leading from the surface down to the arch door frequently got drifted in, requiring digging out by our bulldozer support crew. 
The inside of the main drill arch. Overhead you can see the blue heavy crane. The yellow safety fences are surrounding the Winch Pit, which housed the main winch, level wind, and related machinery. This winch pit leads into the borehole slot, which is about 40 feet deep, 40 feet long, 5 feet wide. Although the borehole is only a few inches in diameter, the slot must be long and wide to accomodate the swing room for the drill tower – it must pivot from vertical to horizontal in one motion. 
Looking from the back of the drill arch to the front, the optical table, yellow “light” crane, and heated control room are visible. Also notable is the heaving of the floor. As the ice shifts, the floor and overall structure of the arch shifts, buckling everything. 
The WAIS Divide, Antarctica DISC Drill crew in January, 2015. From left Rick Smouse (ASC), Otto Neumuth (ASC), Jim Koehler (IDDO), Mike Waszkiewics (IDDO), Jeffrey Donenfeld (IDDO), and Don Kirkpatrick (IDDO). 
This is the core handling arch, connected to the drill arch. Notably, this arch is heavily insulated, to keep it extra cold. 
Reverse angle of the core handling arch. 
The storage space beneath the ice core processing arch, showing buckled floorboards. 
Extreme cold for long periods of time causes frost to grow everywhere. These large ice crystals had grown on the window separating the drill arch from the core handling arch. 
I did a bit of chainsawing too! 
Lots of coordination and teamwork go into each move of the heavy equiptment. 
Rigging the levelwind for extraction from the winch pit. Each piece of gear was meticulously secured to be moved carefully. 
Finally, the large winch reel is hoisted out of the pit – next step is to drag it up the ramp to the surface, where it gets staged for air transport. 
It takes two tractors to drag the massive winch reel up the ramp. Although the reel looks small, it’s wound with over 10,000 feet of heavy steel-encased fiberoptic and power cable. 
The shipping container was located on the surface a short ways from the drill arch, and was packed with a variety of loose gear. 
Every piece of gear we disassembled and packed up was carefully labeled and catalogued. 
I used a dry erase slate to note technical information about each container of gear we packed up. This custom-built palate is for the sections of the drill tower, and is designated Palate 05, Crate 04. 
Another one of the crates, as it’s being packed and inventoried. The tower base starting to come out of the ice. 
Jim staying safe while chainsawing ice to extract venting. 
Moving large blocks of ice out of the way, in order to extract the heavy tower base feet, which were embedded in the ice under the floor. 
Now that the winch pit has been emptied, it’s filled in with snow and compacted down. 
Filling in the winch pit. Blocks cut to extract the tower base feet are re-used to construct a protective wall around the borehole slot, so snow only fills the winch pit, and leaves the slot clear. 
Mike descending into the borehole slot, tethered by a steel cable. 
Don took this pick lying on his back, looking up from the bottom of the slot. 
The top of the borehole – with protective foam cap in place, and plastic cover lifted up. It’s over 4000m down. 
To get around WAIS, we used a number of snow mobiles, with attached sleds. 
This is the improvised mount I used for my GoPro to take the timelapse video. The’s a slot cutout for the camera, as well as holster for the power cable. Since the camera cooled down to sub-freezing levels while in operation, it had to be supplied externally – the battery just doesn’t work in those temperatures. 
Representing UW! 
Smouse posing on one of our snowmobiles. 
Although it’s cold at WAIS, we try to keep a warm, tropical attitude. Don does a great job! -
Tour The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp, Antarctica
This season working at WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica was busy, with days of hard work and rough weather. However, there were a few moments of free time and good weather, and during those moments I shot a few short clips.
In this 40-minute video, I take you on a personal tour of most of the facilities of WAIS Divide Field Camp, including a camp overview, full tour of the DISC Drill Arch, Tent City, the inside of my personal tent, and the center of camp. I also take you inside an Antarctic ski plane, and show you our medical, dining, recreation, comms, and mechanical facilities.
Enjoy!
For more tours of Antarctica, be sure to click over to my tour of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
