Sunny Resort Hotel

Disparity between China and DPRK

by DSwede

Having visited both China and DPRK, the photo on my Dandong page and this photo I believe give the best visual impression of the disparities between the two countries.

I've commented within my North Korean pages how dissimilar the two Korean countries are, but the comparison between the bustling Chinese cities and the quiet expanses of North Korea are numerous as well.

During the day time, you can see the occasional North Korean worker, farmer, boat or other doing their daily routine. But the movement is rare and always fairly quiet. The Chinese side on the other hand is a loud, bustling city, full of cars, people, tourists, shopping, and everything that our minds can think of.

At night, China is a glow with lights and the sounds of people, festivities and life. The other side of the Yalu river is a dark, invisible land that might as well be a void looking over the expanses of an ocean.

Boarder town to DPRK

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.

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.)

A peaceful town with very friendly people

by bbkbbk

I enjoyed my trip to DanDong even if I had to work. The people were very friendly and very gracious. My host company was a very larg construction company that say to my needs and very mutually finished our work and enjoyed the sites in and around DanDong. I stayed at the Zhonglian Hotel which was very nice and enjoyable.