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At the China–North Korea border, Ben and Rian hike a steep, original section of the Great Wall to its eastern end, then visit the Broken Bridge and cruise the Yalu River. They see different reactions from people on the opposite bank, eat northeastern Chinese and North Korean dishes, and try North Korean beer. The trip gives them views of North Korea’s dockyards across the river from Dandong’s modern high-rises.
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The eastern end of the Great Wall
Ben and Rian travel to Dandong, on the China–North Korea border, and hike a steep, original section of the Great Wall to its eastern end. From the wall, they look across the river toward North Korea. They also visit the Broken Bridge, a historic site from the Korean War and the closest land-based viewpoint described in the trip.
Views from the Yalu River
The couple take a boat cruise on the Yalu River. From the water, they look toward a North Korean dockyard and observe people on both sides. Their attempts to wave receive mixed reactions: some people look over, while others do not respond. Across the river, modern high-rises in China stand opposite more rural-looking buildings and dockyards on the North Korean side.
After the cruise, Ben and Rian eat northeastern Chinese and North Korean dishes at a local restaurant. They describe a baby chicken soup stuffed with rice and side dishes, try baijiu, and finally drink a North Korean beer. The day combines the Great Wall, the Broken Bridge, the river crossing route and the food they find in Dandong.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the most surprising thing about the border?
- A: The two sides of one river seemed to live very different lives. China has modern high-rises, while North Korea looked more rural, with rundown buildings and dockyards.
- Q: Could they wave to people on the North Korean side?
- A: They tried. A few people looked toward them, but nobody waved back; the travelers could not tell whether they were not allowed to respond or simply chose not to.
- Q: What did they eat at the local restaurant?
- A: They had a whole baby chicken soup stuffed with rice and many side dishes. They also tried baijiu and finally got to taste a North Korean beer.
