Much of the world is fascinated by Kim Jong-Un and the mode of travel he used to meet President Trump in North Vietnam. Jong took the train. His train. To get there Kim had to cross North Korea, China and then North Vietnam itself. I don’t know about you but I had no idea you could even do that. I got out maps. It was hard to fi gure out how KIm-Un made it, but I guess it did take 60 hours of riding this “slow train to China”. I also noted that China allowed the train to attain speeds up to 50 MPH. With trains in Europe and Japan easily making 200MPH (and more) and ours in the US still puffi ng along at 78 MPH the speed in China seemed slow. But not really. The rails only support 28 MPH speeds in North Korea itself.

Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, and even his grandfather favored travel by train. It’s a long family tradition. Kim Jong il brought North Korea’s traveling presidents to a new level of luxury--and safety. He made sure his train was well equipped with “Lady Conductors”, expensive French wine, lots of lobster and other goodies the dictator might crave. Kim’s trips to China included invites to his favored inner circle and they probably enjoyed these train trips a lot. These “inner circle” folk enjoyed a style of life separate and totally different than their impoverished subjects live back home. A state of near starvation stalks North Korea’s lands while these elite enjoy a life style totally unlike theirs.

Strange how these dictatorial societies, such as that of Josef Stalin’s in Russia get to power preaching equality and everything free and then wall themselves away from the suffering masses. Korea is a good example of this. Kim’s train is symbolic of their entire society a good measure of how his special class views the rest of the people. And why the upper class fear the underlings. Security for Kim’s bureaucrats is nationwide and necessary. These people live apart from the ordinary people in North Korea and live totally different lives. They drive their own cars down the mostly empty freeways and boulevards of Pyongyang. They shop in special supermarkets and stores to get the items from the “West” they want.

And of course, the big armored train catches most of the attention. There are 21 beautiful decorated passenger cars, pink leather seats, ivory shades and trim forming the main part of this traveling palace. Kim has for his use a conference room, an office car and of course his own bedroom car. The train is loaded with all the latest communication devices for Kim’s use as he zips down the tracks at 28 MPH. Another car brings his bullet-proof Mercedes Limo along for the ride. Of course we are talking about the main train. The one Kim rides in. There are said to be three of them. The first one checks to make sure the track is safe and secure. The 100 man security team on train #1 inspect stations and junctions and make sure they are safe. About train #2? Well, let me say, just more of the same. Security is tighter in Korea than it is in China, where Kim apparently feels somewhat safe.

Regardless of how I feel about the way Kim travels or treats his people I just wish I could afford to fl y first class here in America. Maybe when Bernie gets elected President he can fi x that, too. And yes, he will have us all fl y free like God intended. Well, just sayin’.

I hope all of you are having a good week and enjoying the little taste of spring that has teased us this week. Enjoy your weekend and be sure and go to church this next Sunday. It’s Easter Sunday.

Wayne Bullard, DPh

waynebullard@sbcglobal.net