The Moranbong park in the middle of Pyongyang is the place to be for two reasons. On weekends the elder inhabitants of the capital find their way to a complex on top of the hill to perform folklore dances. A very nice place to have a picknick with a few bottles of beer after another day of photographic excursion in this secluded area of the world. On my way up to the hill I met a 88 year old professor from university who spoke surprisingly good english. Despite his age he was very informed about the current developments in the western world. He was a member of an scientific exchange committee and had visited Germany, Japan, the United States and more.
The place to be
This old man had the right sense of humor. He was very present and able to talk between the lines. A sense of wisdom and calmness I have discovered in many people I met on my travels that were in their later years. Many of the participants in the dance performance appeared to be retired professionals. Their presence and way of movement revealed their ancestry.
The second reason to be at this park is rather simple. Rumor got spread young people would escape their homes at night to the park as there is no surveillance going on. Here you could date a potential partner without the imminent presence of the big brother. As simple as that.








