Dears,

When I checked my email this morning, this fascinating message was waiting for me:

This is Choi from dmztours. On 22nd, 23rd Jau 2014, Panmunjeom tour is available. Since there are numbers of seats limited for this tour so, please check this message and write me back with above informations as soon as possible. And please make sure that child under 12 years old are not available to join this tour.

TOUR.02
* Panmunjeom (JSA) Tour.
– Time: 09:00 am (Pick up time can be changed depends on your hotel location) ~ 17:00 pm (Drop off at Lotte Hotel).
– Itinerary: Hotel Pick up – Mt. Odu Observatory – Lunch – ID Check Point – Camp Bonifas (Slides Show and Briefing) – JSA (Freedom House, Conference Room, Bridge of no Return) 
– Note: Please make sure to bring your passport for ID check. Certain dress code applies.Normal blue jeans are OK to wear but no sleeveless shirts, t-shirts without the collar, short pants & skirts, sandals, military looking clothes and T-Shirts with flag or name of the nationality on it. 

To confirm this reservation, please write me back with below informations.

1. Full Name.
2. Passport Number.
3. Nationality (Asian Country (except Philippines, Japan, Thailand) needs to send us the passport color scan).

I am especially interested in this instruction: no sleeveless shirts, t-shirts without the collar, short pants & skirts, sandals, military looking clothes and T-Shirts with flag or name of the nationality on it. I mean, this is the most hostile, most heavily armed border in the world. Let us not antagonize the North Koreans! I shall comply, especially when the Bridge of No Return is involved! 

Then, this too is worth noting: Nationality (Asian Country (except Philippines, Japan, Thailand) needs to send us the passport color scan). What does it mean with all those parenthesis? Why do people from Asian countries need a color scan of their passports? 

I went to the DMZ in 1988 and I don’t remember these types of rules. They’ve beefed up security on the most beefy security ever. Woa.

In other unrelated and slightly more amusing news, I’ve been reading a fascinating biography of Lucian Freud, one of my favorite painters. (Thanks Allan for giving me this book for Christmas!) On page 48, the following line actually exists: Lucian liked feuds.  I can’t even begin to say how much that sentence delights me. I wonder if Freud ever slipped. 

Well, I guess I’d better write Choi back ASAP RE: DMZ.

Love,

Me