Teatopia

eek, i'm not even going to think about it.

I, too, am somewhat fascinated by North Korea. I thought I'd blogged about it, but a search shows I haven't - I reached its border, but with Dandong, China, about nine years ago. I felt like I was looking into a black and white movie, riding on a boat on the Yalu river marking the border between the two countries. I still remember a father and son standing on the North Korean side. And then there was the incongruity of a huge ferris wheel in the midst of the time warp.
The show you mention makes it more understandable why some North Koreans try to cross into China. One of my Chinese friends who went to visit told me about a banquet she attended where the food on the table was enough for one person - but 10 people were expected to eat it.

Communism has wrought so much distruction to so many societies (ok, so has capitalism, but I digress) and yet there remain groups of people who persist in trying to promote it. I just don't get it. Communism may work, if only people were innately able to share...ya right. How amazing to have been so close to the country though hey? You have some pretty amazing vacations you know that? How is the pregnancy going!? Nine weeks already - wow! I bought a mosquito net the other day for the Bubby's cot - and when it was up I couldn't help thinking that it would suit your "Out of Africa" theme perfectly! The effect was a bit girly for my taste considering I have a boy, but rather that than having him bothered by the mosquitoes which are starting to emerge with the warm weather.

Human meat? That's horrible. I was watching animal planet last hight (Houston animal cops) and the officers were bought 10k worth of horses to save them from being sent overseas to a meat factory. I thought THAT was bad. Somethings are just so hard to believe! Rub the jelly bean for me! :)

Wow that fake city is interesting. We went to Seoul one winter for a week or so and I remember loving it! I was pretty young but was old enough to remember some parts of it...esp the LA Gear shoes I got that were white, pink and black and had three shoelaces braided/laced up in those colors as well. LOVED those!

Been reading...just been lazy commenting!! :-(

I still remember a show we watched on PBS a couple of years ago where some British, I think, people were allowed into NK to talk to some people. They made it appear that everything was just dandy when, in fact, it wasn't. Images and shrines of Mao(?) are everywhere. They talked to a young soldier who constantly called Westerners bourgeois capitalists like it was a dirty word (which I guess in some respects, it is) and specifically noted a fancy looking bourgeois watch on the reporter's wrist, a Timex, which actually cost less than his own. It made me sad to learn how much many of these young people hate Americans when they have no idea of any previous relationship--they just grow up hating. I don't remember the fake city though. Sorry so long winded but it is fascinating to me too on so many levels.

it's sad when people are blind to all other cultures. it's good that you are interested and curious. we should all be, i'm guilty for not being more curious sometimes. we all live on the same planet that is growing smaller each day, we should open our eyes to all who dwell here. your post inspires me to learn and find out more...investigate the history.

i also think that we humans are so adaptable - we can somehow adjust ourselves to suit the situation and still prevail. although, at other times, a little more adaptation is necessary.