25 September 2010 ~ Please, No Speeling!

I try not to speel, but sometimes I just can't help it!

Found this sign on the Yalu River Broken Bridge in Dandong. Your guess is as good as mine!

24 September 2010 ~ Friendship and Broken Bridges

After finding our way back to Jack, our wonderful driver, Nancy and I were then taken back into Dandong to Broken and Friendship Bridges along the Yalu River. The China-North Korea Friendship Bridge connects the cities of Dandong, China and Sinuiju, North Korea. Constructed by the Japanese between 1937 and 1943, it is one of the few ways to enter or leave North Korea. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross, only automobile and rail traffic. About 100 meters downstream is the Yalu River Broken Bridge, constructed between 1909 and 1911. Both bridges were repeatedly bombed by American aircraft during the Korean war in 1950 and 1951. During the war, the bridges were continuously repaired, but after the war only four spans of the 1911 bridge remained on the Chinese side of the river. It was left in this state and given the name Broken Bridge. In 1993 these four remaining spans were opened to the public. Nancy and I walked out to the end of Broken Bridge to view the bomb damage close up.

On the left are two of the last four remaining spans of Broken Bridge. You can then see the four supports where the bridge used to be on the Korean side.

A memorial for peace...

The entrance to Broken Bridge.

Standing on Broken Bridge looking through China-North Korea Friendship Bridge at the buildings of Dandong.

Standing at the "end" of Broken Bridge looking out over North Korea.

This was interesting....

Nancy and I were very intrigued by the ferris wheel in Sinuiju, North Korea. It was in stark contrast to what we were seeing--very run down buildings and desolate landscape. Nancy had an awesome zoom lens on her camera and after downloading the pictures we saw that it is only a facsimile of a ferris wheel...a two dimensional version.

The mangled devastation...what wars do. I felt a deep sense of sadness and sent out a prayer of world peace as I stood out on the end of that bridge.

The bomb damage looking toward North Korea.

Long arm shot standing on Broken Bridge with the Friendship Bridge in the background.

A beautiful shot of the Chinese flag...

23 September 2010 ~ North Korea

After climbing the Great Wall over the peak of Tiger Mountain, Nancy and I found ourselves at the Hushan Great Wall History Museum. Everything was written in Chinese, so we were unable to get the full gist of the story, but we came across some beautiful murals that made for fun China Pictures of the Day!

A map of the Great Wall.

Here we are at the eastern most section just north of Korean Bay.

An artist's rendition of what the Great Wall looked like before it was rebuilt.

Steppin' out on the Great Wall!

Yep, we did it!

Our good friend Brandi (who had taken this same trip with her family last October) informed Nancy and I before we left that there was a boat back along the Yalu River. We like this idea much better than climbing all the way back up and over Tiger Mountain. Coming out of the museum, we asked a few people standing around, "Boat?" and they pointed down toward a dirt path along the river. It was a beautiful walk, but we had little faith that we were going in the right direction or even if there was a boat out here in the middle of what looked like nowhere! A group of four young Chinese girls and a young couple came along who looked just as lost as we felt. With their limited English and my even more limited Chinese, we communicated that we were all heading in the same direction and looking for the boat. We walked together for quite a distance when I finally pulled out my cell and called Brandi. She reassured us that even though it didn't seem like it, we were indeed headed in the right direction. I then tried to communicate this to our new friends, but no one believed me...even when I pointed at my phone and said, "My friend...boat...this way!" But off they all went back from where we came. Guess they didn't trust us Americans. Nancy and I took one look at each other, giggled, and kept going...

...until we came across this sign and realized we were awfully close to North Korea! We had heard stories about how close we would come, but didn't realize it would be this close! We assumed that the small boat ramp with the banner above was were we needed to be, but we were still a bit on the unsure side.

"That's North Korea, Nancy!!"

"Sure is, Kimberly!"

We didn't know it yet, but this was another option back to the beginning of our journey...a picturesque trail that hugged the cliff. Next time!

We waited and waited for a boat to come, reading and rereading the sign and sitting in quiet reflection to the reality of how close we were...

Another group of people walked up, pulled out a cell phone, called the phone number on the banner above the boat ramp, and before you knew it we could hear the wonderful sound of a boat engine...

Just as we were about to cast off, the group of young girls we met earlier came running down the trail and hopped on too. They were all smiles and finally believed me! : )

A great shot of Nancy looking out over North Korea.

You may have heard about all the flooding a few weeks back in the northern part of China. This area was all under water during that time...

More of the trail back...

I learned later that this narrow branch of the Yalu River is called Yibukua (One Step Crossing). One could cross easily if it were not for all the warning signs and the metal fences recently installed on the DPRK side of the riverbank. And my camera is not on zoom folks...this is actually how close we came as we cruised along in the boat. Spitting distance!

On your left, China. On your right, North Korea.

Yet another gentle reminder to mind your p's and q's....

What a truly awesome and unbelievable experience!

22 September 2010 ~ A Dream Come True: The Great Wall of China

After a bit of a sleep in (we were on holiday, after all!), Jack picked us up at the Crowne Hotel at 9:00 am. We headed north through Dandong toward Tiger Mountain where the eastern most section of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty awaited. I was ever so excited when I caught my first glimpse through the car window...

The signs...they crack me up!

Ahhhh!!!! It's me...on the Great Wall!!

Beautiful!

That little speck with her arms outstretched...it's me!

The Great Wall is traditionally known to the Chinese as the Wan Li Chang Cheng, which translates to "Ten Thousand Li Long Wall." Li is a Chinese unit of measure, with two li being equivalent to one kilometer. This eastern starting point of the wall is a representation of what the old wall would have looked like if a good number of centuries hadn't taken their toll. (In future installments, I'll post the pictures I took in the museum.) Renovations started in 1989 on this one kilometer long section and were completed in the year 2000.

Nancy walking along....

Look Mom...I did it!

That little blue speck...it's Nancy. : )

Ah...the pictures! Nancy and I are going to be in about 30 photo albums throughout China. One person after the other came up and asked if they could take their picture with us.

I must find out what this Chinese character represents.

The wall wound up the very steep Tiger Mountain. The weather Goddesses brought us the most spectacular day...you could see forever! And once at the top of the incredibly steep staircases, I stood in awe of where my feet were planted. I was standing on the Great Wall of China looking out over a 360 degree view of the most incredible countryside of Liaoning Province, North Korea's Ulju County, and the Yalu River!

Looking out over North Korea...

Me and my shadow...on the GREAT WALL!

This may look like a part of the wall, but it's actually steps...VERY steep steps!

Down the back side of Tiger Mountain...

We did it!

It may be missing a few letters and the grammar may be a bit off, but you get the picture!

Unbelievable!

What a day!

I am ever so please that I have these pictures (and many, many more!), but the pictures I have in my mind and the feelings I have in my heart will live with me forever.

Next installment...a river boat trip back that was within spitting distance of North Korea!