An Italian tourist who calls himself “Russian to the bone” didn’t get to see North Korea’s grand parade for the ruling party’s 80th anniversary this month, but he says he still sensed during his travels in Pyongyang that citizens are confident in the direction of their “strong, independent” country. 

Marco Maggi was born and raised in Italy but has lived in St. Petersburg for more than two decades, running his own tour agency that brings Italian travelers to Russia.