Welcome to the Northern Asia expedition.

This journey takes me to:

CHINA - Beijing

North Korea - Pyongyang

Mongolia - Ulaanbaator

Kazakhstan - Almarty

Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek, Naryn

China - Kashgar

Kyrgyzstan - Osh, 

Uzbekistan - Fergana, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara

Russia - Moscow, St Petersburg

Finland - Helsinki

Estonia - Tallinn

Latvia - Riga

Lithuania - Vilinus

Sweden - Stockholm

Denmark - Copenhagen

USA - San Francisco 

Dear leaders

Lets start with NORTH KOREA

We have just returned from North Korea after a most wonderful time in a spectacular country.

We traveled in an 8 seater van, with a young Australian and 2 guides plus driver.

Much to our surprise we were allowed to photograph whatever we liked other than military personnel.  The fact that there were military people everywhere made it difficult in some places.

Pyongyang was amazing.  We were woken to Mozart and Beethoven being broadcast out throught the city, which rather set the scene. The city is very modern consisting almost entirely of tall apartment buildings, magnificent government buildings and endless statues and posters of the 'Dear leaders". The absence of advertising and commercialism and the almost empty streets was a far cry from what we had expected. 

All the people appeared happy and content, with no sign of poverty or hardship anywhere, even out in the country.  However there is a sense of order and discipline that does not exist in other countries.

Photographically, the journey turned more into a travelogue with little time to sort out better shots.  I hope you enjoy seeing a little about life in North Korea.

I suggest the easiest way is to view images using the slideshow button.

To see North Korea Click     http://www.ronaldwinstone.com/p823522946

20m statues     Ex Presidential palace - huge