Monday 6 May 2013 - Dandong, China
This morning we drove up the Yalu River and went to some more points close up to North Korea, then had a guided tour around a power station which generates electricity for both countries and stretches right across the Yalu River.

After lunch a jet boat ride on the Yalu River, sweeping right up to the NK river bank , where you could see NK villages, a port and soldiers guarding the banks. So long as you stay in the river then you are legally not in the DPRK. In the middle of the Yalu River is an island which belongs to NK and there is a settlement of houses there and some armed soldiers on duty. We passed a boat load of NK civilians and some of them discreetly put out their hands, wanting cigarettes I guess. All this would have been exciting if you had never been in DPRK, you would feel you were on the edge of the Cold war or something, but because we had just been in the DPRK for 7 days, then this felt rather tame.

We then drove about 20km further south along the Yalu River and looked at a lot of new apartment blocks being built by developers during the boom years but now standing empty. Also, in the same place is a new bridge being constructed jointly by China and the DPRK. Construction began in 2011, with construction costs provided by China and it is expected to be operational in July 2014. This indicates just how much increased trade is expected in the future between these 2 countries despite supposed trade sanctions on DPRK.

By now it was about 5:30 so back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and onto Dandong Station for the 6:30pm train to Beijing where the 4 of us will be sharing a compartment for the 14 hour journey.