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I thought my kid's roommate was crazy when she said she wanted to visit North Korea and Cuba. Now I know she's not alone. But it's all talk for her because she doesn't have money to go anywhere. When she does, she may think twice about where to spend her money.
Cuba is nowhere near as bad as North Korea as far as human rights are concerned, and for decades Cuba was already a popular tourist destination for millions of Canadians and Europeans who visit the island without encountering any issues.
A part of me thinks you are incredibly naive and foolish.
If they want to make an example out of you for political reasons, they will. They'll concoct an excuse for detaining you.
If Korean culture is something that interests you, visit South Korea. The infrastructure is much better, the people are not malnourished, and you don't have to worry about coming back to the U.S. in a coma.
I wouldn't visit North Korea if you paid me, but I consider Cuba to be enormously different. Absolutely nowhere near the level of danger that accompanies a trip to North Korea; and as noted above, Canadians visit Cuba all the time as a holiday destination. I would have zero qualms about visiting Cuba but would never even consider North Korea under the present circumstances.
I wanted to go just to see either the opening or closing ceremonies of the Arirang Games. Other than that, the closest I'd get is the DMZ and that would be pushing it...
Luckily, there are other places in the world that one can go to experience aspects of North Korea without nearly as much personal danger.
Want to experience Korean culture? Go to South Korea.
Grinding, starvation-level poverty? Haiti
The blatant failure of communism to provide anything more than a baseline existence? Cuba
Being spied upon by the government? Any of the former Eastern Bloc countries surely must have museums illustrating that experience.
All-encompassing cult-of-personality for the leader? Romania used to have that, back in the Ceausescu days. Maybe they have museums that show what it was like.
The feeling of being imprisoned? Alcatraz
Grand public monuments alongside drab apartment blocks? Moscow
I suppose, though, if one wants to experience all of these things all in the same place, at the same time, then only North Korea will fit the bill.
For a tourist, North Korea is hardly as scary as many of you make it to be (as if you have been there). A friend of mine went there a few years ago (he visited Syria, Iraq too) and there were no horrible story whatsoever.
Just be a tourist and not point fingers and make comments about politics. It is easy to do.
It is natural for people to be curious about N Korea. Cuba hardly cut it. Only Americans would think it is dangerous to visit Cuba, which has a higher life expectancy than the US. But there are millions of ignorant brainwashed people out there who only read US news, what can you do.
For a tourist, North Korea is hardly as scary as many of you make it to be (as if you have been there). A friend of mine went there a few years ago (he visited Syria, Iraq too) and there were no horrible story whatsoever.
Just be a tourist and not point fingers and make comments about politics. It is easy to do.
It is natural for people to be curious about N Korea. Cuba hardly cut it. Only Americans would think it is dangerous to visit Cuba, which has a higher life expectancy than the US. But there are millions of ignorant brainwashed people out there who only read US news, what can you do.
It may not be scary but who cares! There are so many beautiful and interesting places in the world to go instead of N Korea.
Part of what makes traveling abroad fun is getting to interact with the locals. Like watching a Soccer match in a bar, or participating in a pub hoedown song, or flirting with the ladies on a beach.
Good luck trying any of that in North Korea. Sadly the devil who runs that country has malnourished his own people into thinking that he is God, and executes anyone who doesn't abide by his bronze-age laws, including his own family members. I feel awful for the residents of NK, unfortunately most of them will never know any better.
The world would be a much better place without that vile mouth-breather.
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