a neW BegiNNinG: Korea Late Winter Sonata 2015 -Seoul - Dora Observatory/Lunch/ Dorasan Train station

Dora Observatory is located on top of Dorasan where one can pay 500won to use the telesope for 2min to try look into North Korea.

Vistors trying to look into North Korea

We didn't try the telescope since it was too foggy to see much and stood around trying to take pictures.

Too foggy to see much from here

There was nothing much here except for the observatory and a small gift shop selling some North Korea mechandises. There were some North Korea's alcohol which I saw vistors getting excited over. Well, not a drinker and we brought nothing here.

Then we were brought to a canteen near the border where we paid KRW 10,000 each to have "buffet lunch" where we were given plastic plate to fill up with the food in a line. A bit like army lunch line. There are vegetarian and non vegetarian options and you can go for the line again if you feel like it.

This is the only eatery nearby and we do not have other choice. The funny thing that happen here is there are alot of television broadcasters on standby here and our group is a bit freaked out thinking that something major had happen since the broadcasters are camping here.

We kept asking our guide and she had no choice but to go ask 1 of the campers to calm us down. Imagine if there is some provocative actions by the North and we are just at the border! Scary thoughts. Haha

Turns out there are some talks for the wages of the North Korean workers for Kaesong Industrial and the broadcasters are going to repor the results.

Our lunch

Then we moved on to Dorasan Train station where this the last station in the South before moving into North's territory.

Brief introduction of Dorasan station

There isn't much train services to this station and I am not sure whether your required special passes to board the train since it is near to the border.

You can however pay a nominal fee to buy a ticket to the platform to take pictures. Clever way of earning monies I say. Everyone in the group did so to go down to platform.

Ticket counter

Waiting to go into the platform

Next available train to Seoul

There was this map of the projected Trans Siberian railways where they hope one day the North will open it's door to allow trains to pass through and connect up the railways. Then Dorasan station will be the first station towards North, no longer the last station of South.

Trans Siberian Railway map

Station name at platform

I think the DMZ train is a kind of tourist train where you need purchase special tickets to board. Didn't look up the details since I have booked this tour.

But then again if you have taken the train here, there is basically nothing else here to see and the only thing you can do is wait for the return train.

Distance to Capital of both Koreas

The track to North

This is by far the most dead train station I have been to in the places I visited. There is practically no activity here and station is located in middle of no where. Quite a sad station to me.

Hopefully someday the routes towards North will open up and the Trans Siberian railways will take place and we get a chance to jump on the train to take in the sights. Then again will I ever have the chance to see this happening? I don't know. Afterall, the North had shut its door for so long and had no indication when it will open up.

Front of train

Maybe during the next visit when we have more time on hand I will book the train trip on this DMZ train just to see what it is like for the journey to here. Shouldn't be too long since it is 56km away from Seoul, the East Coast train we took had a much longer journey.