The Ryugyong Hotel

My first view of the hotel, on my way to the actual hotel where I'd be staying.

A typical Pyongyang street.

This woman was our guide into the hotel. She gave us a very hard to understand lecture about safety that really wasn't helpful.

This was taken pretty well at the edge of the hotel property.

Now, nothing between me and the most monolithic abandoned hotel ever.

I wasn't allowed to stop as we marched quickly up to the base of the hotel. You can see some machinery and building materials lying around.

This is the base of the hotel at one of the edges.

There were all sorts of little walls like this erected.

That crack does not look good.

The only other foreigner with me was my friend Grant from Australia.

This room was a huge mess, not a good first impression for prospective investors. It turns out this was rainwater. Funny, as it hadn't rained in the previous 24 hours I'd been in town.

Getting out of the lobby where it was brighter.

Time to start climbing. That wood looks newer than the rest of the building. Do you suppose my generous donation maybe helped pay for that?

On the third floor looking out onto the town.

This must've been about the fifth floor. Note that they had the lights on just for us.

Fifth floor. This is what a hotel room would've looked like.

Considerably higher, up on the tenth floor (I think).

The hallway.

Looking out over Pyungyang.

The last image I got before our guide told us it was time to leave.

Read more about my trip to North Korea.