Pyongyang is a superb example of the regime's determination to project its image of progress,
discipline and the well being of its citizens. Don't expect a bustling Asian capital alive with street hawkers and televisions being carried on the backs of
bicycles. Don't even expect bicycles. It is said that only those with the proper 'class background' and proven records of unswerving loyalty to the country's
leaders are even allowed to live there, and until recently people with disabilities, the very old, animals, street vendors and even pregnant women were just
never seen there.
The city is built around the banks of the Taedong River. The most amazing thing about the river is the two mid-river fountains that rise
to a height of 150m, reputedly the highest in the world. Your first day out in the city will undoubtedly be a guided tour by car. One of the main monuments
is the Tower of the Juche Idea, a 170m (557ft)
high needle on the east bank of the Taedong. You will also surely be taken to see the Arch of Triumph, which
marks the spot where Kim Il-sung made his rallying speech after the Japanese were routed. You'll be reminded that it is fully three metres taller than its
counterpart in Paris.
The Kim Il-sung Stadium is one of the world's largest, and the Chollima Statue, a bronze Pegasus representing the high-speed progress of
the North's reconstruction, are both worth a look. There is a generous handful of museums and monuments to Kim Il-sung and the Revolution, but you may wish
to see more traditional sights, such as two of the old city gates, the Chilsong and Taedong Gates. The State Circus, run by the People's Army, is housed in
a large circular building, and upon entering you'll probably be treated to the spectacle of the whole audience turning their heads as one to stare at the
foreigners. You should also definitely visit a metro station if you get the opportunity, if only to gawk at the extravagance with which they were built. They
are adorned with bronze sculptures, murals, mosaics and chandeliers, and the pillars, steps, corridors and platforms are marble.
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