"Boarder town to DPRK" Dandong by DSwede

Dandong is a thriving Chinese city located just over the Yalu River from North Korean town of Sinuiji.

Dandong is as different from the opposite bank of the river as one can imagine. Despite the historical ties that bind the two together, today, China and DPRK have evolved quite differently.

China was a strong communist state, just as DPRK was. They even fought side by side during the Korean War. However, China as opened its mind and eyes to the outside world. They have embraced competitive industry, tourism, and much more personal freedoms than their Korean neighbors.

Nothing can show this difference as simply as looking from the river banks to the prosperity, vitality and movement on the Chinese side. On the opposite side, there is little to no motion, reminding you more of a ghost town if nothing else.

At night, the bridges that span the river and illuminated by the Chinese until the mid-span. After that, all is dark. On a calm night, if you did not know any better, you would not think you are looking over a river, but rather looking into the vast emptiness of an ocean at night.

Central plaza, by train station

For more general thoughts on my visits, feel free to visit both my China pages and my North Korea (DPRK) pages.

(for more pictures, feel free to visit my China Gallery. If you enjoy the pictures, please leave a comment.)

• Pros:The evidence of the war and the DPRK situation is everywhere.
• Cons:Unless you have aquired onward DPRK Visa's, this may be the end of the road for you.
• In a nutshell:At no other place is the disparity of DPRK's (non) existance and Chinese prosperity so palpable!