Happy Birthday Kim Il Song

April 15th is my brother's birthday (Happy Birthday Ross) and also the 100th birthday of the late Great Leader and Eternal President, Kim Il Song. Preparations for this day have been going on for years and we are ready to join them - except that we don't have permission to go to the military parade.

Oh well - we start at the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery. We dress in our finest and go lay the obligatory wreath and bow.

 This is Kim Il Song's wife - herself a revolutionary martyr - although she apparently died in childbirth.

 The we turned around and saw hundred's of military come to pay their respects. I took a couple of quick shots before we could be told "No Photos!"

 Click on the photo above to see even more military.

 Next up we went so some park where they were having some corny Friendship Games. I had the feeling that we were missing the real action of the day but the kids were cute...

 the adults also in traditional costume...

 and Peter Jackson, eat your heart out. A real movie camera!!! To be fair the North Koreans also had the digital ones too.

We then drove through the deserted streets (everyone was at the main square for the celebrations) and headed to lunch. We stopped to see a band playing on a street leading away from the square - and  local people were hanging around waiting for the parade.

 I just loved the self-possession of the conductor. They were a high school band.

And then - out of the blue - came The Military Parade. And no one told us not to watch, no one said not to take photos. So we cheered and took photos. The military guys were all very cheery; smiling and waving.

 Ski patrol...

 And an ambulance photo for my sister.

 The hardware got bigger...

 The crowds cheered

 And then came the tanks - you'd need good sturdy roads for those.

Their emissions left a little to be desired

 And that was it - all over. We went to get back on the bus and go get our now very late lunch. But wait! there's more - so out we got again.

 Bomb things... planes

 Bigger bomb things/missiles

 Double bangers

 Ones with babies

 Oh and there was a ginormous one at the end but it had been covered in camouflage netting by the time it reached us and I think I was back on the bus again.

After a late lunch we went to the circus - my first ever circus experience. It was pretty good. Lots of ice-skating and acrobatics. A few monkeys/chimps and one very sad bear.

Then it was the Children's Concert. The ones with talent go to this school for 3 hours every

 afternoon to develop their talent.

 And after dinner we caught the end of the fireworks show ...

and then we went home and went to bed. What a day!