Tittikaka takes a trip to North Korea

Welcome to the most isolated country on earth.

A lonely country that has not changed much through the years...its main goal is still the idea of complete self reliance from the outside world...

We are greeted by the self proclaimed 'eternal president' Kim Il Sung, in the form of a 20 metre bronze statue, erected in 1972.

While traveling through the highways, one notices a lack of cars, busses and even bicycles.

You will also be hard pressed to find any people in the rural areas...

Much of the time the sky is a depressing overcast blanket, with melancholy shades of grey.

Every single personal decision is controlled by the Worker's Party of the D.P.R.K. (the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea).

The city-centre of Pyongyang, the countries only capital city is amass with Brutalist concrete structures in various states of disrepair. One of the countries main natural resources is concrete...and here its used for everything. A true socialist paradise, there is no working electricity and they suffer from constant power shortages.

In the distance we can see the disturbingly tall and unfinished brutalist pyramid that resembles something some super villain might build if he only had limited materials and labour.

This evil monstrosity is called the Ryugyong Hotel, and it is a major embarrassment even for North Koreans who air brush it from photographs, and just plain ignore it when giving tours of Pyongyang.

This last image represents something positive to me at least. The people of North Korea seem so desperate to be reunited with the South. Even if this is not in the way they expect it to be with the DPRK, or through complete self reliance. I am sure once they are together they will be finally grateful and happy, even if it's without the guidance of their beloved Worker's Party and Dear Leader Kim Jong Ill.

Some of the Artwork displayed is available to buy from ArtImport, who specialises in Communist Propaganda posters and artwork. There are alot of very cool and striking images available here and is well worth a look see.

http://www.artimport.co.uk/artist_details.html?id=1265

You can also book your own 'Holiday' to Northern Korea, full of fun sight seeing, with a healthy dose of propaganda, through the DPNK's very own website. Its a very interesting read, in itself...

http://www.korea-dpr.com/