Prior to heading to North Korea, I spent a few days in Beijing. Here are photos from my visits to Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall (Juyongguan section), and the China North International Shooting Range. Separate posts for each of those once I finish writing about North Korea in five years or so.

I arrived back in Arlington last night (and two hours early, thanks to a very nice Continental Airlines representative) from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China. I’m still trying to process everything, but this was definitely the most bizarre and interesting trip I have ever taken. It will take me awhile to sort through the 1,500 pictures and assorted videos I shot while over there, but I should have plenty of stuff to blog about (finally!).

Here’s a short overview of some things I did in each country and will expand on later.

China: Impressed Chinese tourists with my command of their People’s Liberation Army light machine gun, climbed the Great Wall, walked across Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City, visited various other touristy sites, saw Chairman Mao lying in state, and bought Mao kitsch right after doing so (like Disneyland!).

North Korea: Listened to our flight attendant deliver a political speech before takeoff, ate the worst airline food in the history of mankind, had my iPhone confiscated, watched the Arirang Mass Games performed by 100,000 North Koreans, woke up to air raid sirens followed by snappy revolutionary music, played the slots in the Egyptian-themed “Casino Pyongyang”, got my ass kicked in bowling by one of the North Korean guides, ruined any chance of a future career in politics by being filmed by the North Korean propaganda, uh, I mean, news channel, danced with a bunch of locals in a park on their national holiday, cheated death by riding a corroding roller coaster, saw Kim Il-Sung lying in state, attempted to reclaim the USS Pueblo, sat through a lot of propaganda about the “U.S. Imperialists”, drank fruit beer at a microbrewery, visited the demilitarized zone and stood with one foot in North Korea and one foot in South Korea, sang “Dancing Queen” during a 1am karaoke session with two of our guides…etc, etc.

I’m catching a flight from DCA to Newark tomorrow morning and then a direct flight to Beijing, which is going to be a hellish 14-15 hours. I’m sure I’ll be sitting next to several screaming children as well. Arrive in Beijing on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday I plan to shoot AK-47s and other communist firearms and then hike part of the Great Wall (one of the steepest parts, which I’m sure is awesome when you are jet-lagged). If my visa is approved for North Korea I will be there September 8-12 and then back to DC late night on September 13. I have a 10 day supply of cipro and plenty of imperialist Yankee candy, beef jerky, and trail mix. Should be an interesting trip.