When Justin Ames went to North Korea as a Western tourist, he was expecting the drab, Stalinist, and isolated nation which many think of when they think of life in the DPRK.

But in fascinating pictures kindly shared with NK News, Justin experienced another side to life in North Korea: when North Koreans let their hair down and enjoy an afternoon of drinking and seafood barbecue at the beach.

Having gotten used to the constant supervision of overbearing minders that many complain about when they visit North Korea, Justin writes on his blog The Velvet Rocket, “we were