I visited North Korea in late 2014 for 16 days, right before the absolute lockdown caused by Ebola.

Most tourists experience only the political smokescreen of Pyongyang, but I had the privilege of visiting all its corners on one of the longest tours ever offered to foreigners in the hermit kingdom.

It was an eye-opening experience. Upon exiting the country, my cameras were searched for over two hours in Sinuiju. Many photos were deleted — but I had backups.

Here are some of the photos taken during my time in North Korea.