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Eric Lafforgue: “The highways in North Korea are huge and carless. Planes could land there. You can even see kids playing in the middle of the road. Security is a major problem because children and old people are not used to seeing cars, so they cross over the roads at any time, without watching out for oncoming traffic. The only cars you can see sometimes on highways are military ones, and most of them are stopped by the side of road, broken down. Or you can also see brand new Mercedes cars belonging to the North Korean officials passing by at very high speeds.” (© Eric Lafforgue) #

 

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Eric Lafforgue: “Pyongyang view, taken from Yanggakdo hotel. You can find a famous satellite picture on the net showing a map of the Korean peninsula by night, with a huge difference between the north and south. In North Korea, there is no public lighting, and people use very low wattage bulbs in their houses. The North Korean capital is as surreal by night as it is by day. Due to the fuel crisis there’s hardly any traffic to be heard after dark, and nightlife is virtually non-existent. Only monuments are lit during local festivities. Every hour, on the hour, from 6 am to midnight, loudspeakers blast out a patriotic song. Tourists are totally forbidden from leaving their hotels to walk around town, even though Pyongyang is safe, that’s the rule.” (© Eric Lafforgue) #

 

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North Korean citizens and soldiers participate in celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of North Korea in Pyongyang, September 9, 2008, in this picture distributed by North Korea’s official news agency KCNA, September 10, 2008. (REUTERS/KCNA) #

 

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Female soldiers and their antiaircraft artillery parade through Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008. North Korea marked the 60th anniversary of its founding Tuesday amid news reports that the communist country’s leader Kim Jong Il did not attend a closely watched parade amid recent speculation that he may be ill. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) #

 

 

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Eric Lafforgue: “A ray of light during ‘Prosper Our Country’ Mass Games in Pyongyang stadium… I think there was more people on the ground than in the audience! Amazing show to see.” (© Eric Lafforgue) #

wow this stuff blows myy mind!!!

 

 

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Not only does North Korea stage Mass Games, it also has Mass Dances. Here, a young woman participant is seen on April 15, 2008. Eric Lafforgue: “More than 100,000 dancers were standing on the giant square. The audience was invited to join them. The music was performed by a live band. The show lasted for one hour, then the lights were turned off, and less than 5 minutes the square was empty and everybody goes home in the dark streets of Pyongyang.” (© Eric Lafforgue) #