Two or more families share homes with no indoor plumbing. Tin stovepipe chimneys indicate the means of cooking and heating. Nobody is riding vehicles. We saw only one small tractor after passing a number of hamlets. Even bicycles are scarce.
People mostly walk.
Farm animals are also few and far between. We saw only one mangy-looking cow on splayed legs. Village entrances are dominated by posters and murals of Kim Il-sung, often talking to children. During his 46 years in power, Kim created a personality cult far exceeding that of Josef Stalin or Mao Zedong. He toured incessantly, offering guidance on every subject imaginable.