American tourists held in North Korea to face trial

[stayhigh 2]

Are they really a tourist or are they spies??

Just like those hikers by the Pakistan border.

Why in the world would you go tour North Korea, when there is much better option? I much rather go to Antartica before North Korea.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[Amazon 7]

stayhigh

Are they really a tourist or are they spies??

Just like those hikers by the Pakistan border.

Why in the world would you go tour North Korea, when there is much better option? I much rather go to Antartica before North Korea.

My father "toured" North Korea in 1950... he did not think much of it...I guess it was kind of cold and there were too many Chinese "tourists"

[GD64 1]

Did your father welcome them with greetings from a BAR or the standard M-1?

[Amazon 7]

I have a great picture of him with his M-1 Carbine. I would post a piccie of him that his buddy took later in 1951 along the DMZ with their little North Korean "tour guide" but the tour guide is a little worse for wear and I took shit for it the last time I posted that one.

[Andy9o8 2]

The very substantial risk of any American traveling to NK being arrested and held without recourse, "just because", is so well known that I find it hard to view Americans who do it nevertheless as all that much less than suicidal.

"Hello, travel agency? I'd like to book my retirement to a North Korean gulag, please. One way."

[rhaig 0]

stayhigh

Are they really a tourist or are they spies??

Just like those hikers by the Pakistan border.

Why in the world would you go tour North Korea, when there is much better option? I much rather go to Antartica before North Korea.

while I can understand that I'd rather go to Antarctica before NK, I can see how it's holds some interest.

Just the same, I can put lots of places on my list above both Antarctica and NK.

--
Rob

[stayhigh 2]

Did he really toured NK or was he a spy working for US???

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[Amazon 7]

stayhigh

Did he really toured NK or was he a spy working for US???

Nah he had a uniform... he was with a large tour group.

[GD64 1]

I understand.
Sometimes reality is too raw for the masses.
Kudos to your Dad for making it back.

[kelpdiver 2]

stayhigh

Why in the world would you go tour North Korea, when there is much better option?

if your family came from there, you might have an interest in seeing it.

Some travelers romanticize the developing world lifestyle, though NK is a rather extreme version. I was in Nicaragua (the poorest of Central America) last summer and there is something to that sentiment, though I was somewhat less a tourist, there to provide sweat labor to build a high school.

[grue 1]

Andy9o8

The very substantial risk of any American traveling to NK being arrested and held without recourse, "just because", is so well known that I find it hard to view Americans who do it nevertheless as all that much less than suicidal.

"Hello, travel agency? I'd like to book my retirement to a North Korean gulag, please. One way."

There are a lot of places I'd "conceptually" like to visit, but likely never will for whatever reason

I'd like to visit Egypt because I've always wanted to see the pyramids, and the sphinx. Sadly, it's a bit crazy over there politically at the moment, so if I ever get to it'll be a while.

I'd kinda like to see some of the cool shit in Dubai, but with their legal system being insane and stupid, as well as their modern-day slavery… not gonna even use them as a layover airport. Not worth it.

Iran: I'm fascinated, but my passport has an eagle on it and I had a bar mitzvah so it strikes me as… imprudent to visit. I'm told by friends that it shouldn't be an issue, but I'd hate to be on CNN because I'm never allowed to leave.

North Korea, however… what the fuck is there to see?

cavete terrae.

[stayhigh 2]

Nicaragua has bomb waves to surf.
I'll go there any summer days.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[kelpdiver 2]

stayhigh

Nicaragua has bomb waves to surf.
I'll go there any summer days.

hey, 007 surfed NKorea and then went on wild hovercraft rides.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

kelpdiver

***
Why in the world would you go tour North Korea, when there is much better option?

if your family came from there, you might have an interest in seeing it.

Some travelers romanticize the developing world lifestyle, though NK is a rather extreme version. I was in Nicaragua (the poorest of Central America) last summer and there is something to that sentiment, though I was somewhat less a tourist, there to provide sweat labor to build a high school.

I was in Nicaragua on vacation a couple of months before you and had a great time with my wife. other than Managua my wife and I found it to be very safe and extremely welcoming.

Granada is beautiful and San Juan del Sur was a great, though somewhat touristy destination. We would certainly go back!

[jclalor 12]

I went to Syria in 2007 for a few weeks, I took a cab from Damascus to Beirut for a day and was detained on my way back by the Syrians at the border. That was kind of fun and exciting until it got dark, my cab driver split and my mom wouldn't pick up. This was about the time when my mind did a little bit of wandering. They finally let me go after about 8 hours when they figured out I was telling them I'm a nurse and not a journalist, at least that was their excuse.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

jclalor

I went to Syria in 2007 for a few weeks, I took a cab from Damascus to Beirut for a day and was detained on my way back by the Syrians at the border. That was kind of fun and exciting until it got dark, my cab driver split and my mom wouldn't pick up. This was about the the time when my mind did a little bit of wandering. They finally let me go after about 8 hours when they figured out I was telling them I'm a nurse and not a journalist, at least that was their excuse.

Beirut was my grandmother's favourite destination when she was a KLM stewardess back in the day. Such a shame what has happened to that city.

[Coreece 190]

grue

***The very substantial risk of any American traveling to NK being arrested and held without recourse, "just because", is so well known that I find it hard to view Americans who do it nevertheless as all that much less than suicidal.

"Hello, travel agency? I'd like to book my retirement to a North Korean gulag, please. One way."

There are a lot of places I'd "conceptually" like to visit, but likely never will for whatever reason

I'd like to visit Egypt because I've always wanted to see the pyramids, and the sphinx. Sadly, it's a bit crazy over there politically at the moment, so if I ever get to it'll be a while.

I'd kinda like to see some of the cool shit in Dubai, but with their legal system being insane and stupid, as well as their modern-day slavery… not gonna even use them as a layover airport. Not worth it.

Iran: I'm fascinated, but my passport has an eagle on it and I had a bar mitzvah so it strikes me as… imprudent to visit. I'm told by friends that it shouldn't be an issue, but I'd hate to be on CNN because I'm never allowed to leave.

When I was young, I grew up thinking that the rest of the world was living in something that resembled a concentration camp. (at least that was the picture painted in my young mind given all the stories about how America is the land of the free...)

Don't believe the hype...

grue

North Korea, however… what the fuck is there to see?

Reality...same as with Uganda and Sudan. Once you see it, you have to ask yourself why aren't we in these countries "spreading democracy," then it all becomes clear.

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[jclalor 12]

Coreece

******The very substantial risk of any American traveling to NK being arrested and held without recourse, "just because", is so well known that I find it hard to view Americans who do it nevertheless as all that much less than suicidal.

"Hello, travel agency? I'd like to book my retirement to a North Korean gulag, please. One way."

There are a lot of places I'd "conceptually" like to visit, but likely never will for whatever reason

I'd like to visit Egypt because I've always wanted to see the pyramids, and the sphinx. Sadly, it's a bit crazy over there politically at the moment, so if I ever get to it'll be a while.

I'd kinda like to see some of the cool shit in Dubai, but with their legal system being insane and stupid, as well as their modern-day slavery… not gonna even use them as a layover airport. Not worth it.

Iran: I'm fascinated, but my passport has an eagle on it and I had a bar mitzvah so it strikes me as… imprudent to visit. I'm told by friends that it shouldn't be an issue, but I'd hate to be on CNN because I'm never allowed to leave.

When I was young, I grew up thinking that the rest of the world was living in something that resembled a concentration camp. (at least that was the picture painted in my young mind given all the stories about how America is the land of the free...)

Don't believe the hype...

grue

North Korea, however… what the fuck is there to see?

Reality...same as with Uganda and Sudan. Once you see it, you have to ask yourself why aren't we in these countries "spreading democracy," then it all becomes clear.

I don't know if you ever saw the HBO episode of "Vice" on North Korea, but it was pretty interesting, I think it was first trip Rodman made to play an exhibition game.

Sometimes it's just fun going to places your not suppose to go to.

http://youtu.be/IrCQh1usdzE