They hadn’t thought of everything

So, the inn was very comfortable. The room was old-fashioned but charming; the futon was nice, the blankets warm enough, and the only problem was that pillow, right there on top of the pile. It was full of sticks and weeds! I slept on my special Patagonia pillow case stuffed with my down coat. Much better!

I checked in with my guides the next morning. They told me that, truly, all North Koreans sleep on pillow cases stuffed with sticks and weeds, which work very well for them.

The tourism-section of the government hadn’t yet thought to put in western-style pillows in this inn.