A glimpse of the hidden from the comfort of Dandong

Darjeeling, a mountain city in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Indian state of West Bengal, is a popular tourist destination known for its panoramic view of Mount Kanchenjunga. It is also a place from where Indian tourists (other nationalities excluded) are able to cross the border to Nepal to visit the bustling market in the town of Pashupati Nagar.

Pashupati Market is a bustling place with rows of shops selling cheap, imported electronic goods, clothes, jackets, and perfumes.

Keeping that in mind, I scoured the internet. That's when I discovered Dandong, a city in Liaoning province that borders the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I had finalized my holiday destination for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

A river separates the two nations, and across it lies the country that many people are curious to learn about. I chose Dandong because of the element of adventure involved. And, it's nice to brag to friends that I got close to the DPRK.

The three-day holiday was quite a packed one.

Day 1 was spent in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, where I arrived by noon, and began to explore the city, while hurriedly making arrangements for next day's trip.

Day 2 was the most eventful. No seats were available on the high-speed train to Dandong, but I didn't mind the 1 hour, 30 minutes ride standing, and sometimes sitting on the floor, by the door, which brought back memories of my travels back home.

As the train came to a halt at Dandong station, I hurriedly got off and made my way to the exit. The temperature outside was warm — better than in Shenyang, which had been a bit nippy. I quickly booked a Didi, headed to the hotel, checked in, and rushed out to see the city's most happening place — the Yalu River Broken Bridge — before dusk.

A picturesque sight greeted me as I arrived at the waterfront near the bridge: a river in full flow, and a row of buildings on the far side. A huge, pink-colored building with big letters in Korean caught my eye. I was indeed looking at the city of Sinuiju in the DPRK.

It was time to take a closer look. All I had to do was buy a ticket — it costs 30 yuan ($4.14) — at a designated counter at the waterfront, and get onto the bridge, a steel marvel built by the Japanese in 1911. During the Korean War, the US forces bombed it. It wasn't repaired after that, and has now been turned into a tourist site.

I stepped on the bridge, which was teeming with tourists trying to capture a slice of history on their cameras or mobiles, or to get a closer view of Sinuiju.

I kept walking along the bridge until I reached a point where barricades had been placed. Visitors weren't allowed any farther. I moved over to the side where I got a better view of the buildings, and a Ferris wheel inside what seemed like an amusement park, across the river, while capturing them on my mobile.

A rail-and-road bridge, also called the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, runs parallel to the broken bridge. It connects Dandong and Sinuiju, and serves as a key link between the two countries.

With the bridge tour having been completed, it was time for some coffee. The street across the waterfront is lined with several restaurants and coffee shops, where I energized myself with a latte. It was time to bid adieu. Bye, Dandong!

Contact the writer at manjunath@chinadaily.com.cn