Datong and Mt Wutai
Trip Start
Sep 27, 2004
1
4
15
Trip End
Feb 01, 2006
Shanxi Province, China
Monday, October 18, 2004
Thursday morning arrive in Datong, get off the train into a freezing city with lots of smog, I was warned about it being an industrial city, with the biggest coal production in China!! This was confirmed when i witnessed a train with 121 carriages carrying coal out of the valley!! Got to the hotel in middle of a really run down area so felt bad for being in a cab, its no wonder they just think western people are rich with us swaning about in taxi's all the time but i wouldn't have been able to walk into town is was about 5kms. Got some more rest then headed to the Yangang Caves, were absolutely incredible, milled about for 4 hours as I just couldn't believe the buddha's were about 20 metres high, some so highly coloured and well carved it was unreal. Snapped a few wicked photo's!! Got the same cab back, good money for him but took ages to organise before i left. Got dropped off in a local area of the city & wandered around and found a litle place to have some noodles, a local speciality, also they don't have any rice!! nearly burnt my mouth off as soo spicy, definately the most spicy meal i've ever eaten but i couldn't face the ordering of an alternative dish so plugged on. Went for a swim and had a hot bath, making the most of 4 star facilities and crashed early.
Friday, after getting sent to the wrong bus station on the other side of the city i managed to get to the correct bus station to go to Mt Wutai. After buying my ticket that like everything else took a crowd of people, my phrase book, writing numbers down and a really kind taxi driver i was sorted. Then met 2 cute colombian brothers who showed me a good place to eat and had a chat, will hopefully hook up with them when i hit Colombia!!
Onto the bus took 6 hours as set off late, got charged 45 yuan to enter mountain region, thankfully student card gave me half price discount!! Checked into worst room so far and had worst nights sleep but thats over with now.
Saturday, went strolling about Mt Wutai, its a really famous buddhist mecca in China and so many temples and monasteries I didn't have the time or the funds to check them all out. Went into a Tibetian Buddhist one and felt amazing, spoke with a chinese lady who had meet a monk from her home town, as I left she gave me some buddhist beads which I will treasure. Back to the hell hole, no, met 2 chinese girls who helped me escape and get a cheaper hotel, nice one, but as you can imagine that caused a right stir but i couldn't face another night in there!!!
Sunday up at the crack onto the bus by 7am, back to Datong, arrived about 2pm, with a sore bum and back into the land of people staring at me! my pretrip book said try blend in, well it's impossible a back pack is the biggest giveaway ever!! Afternoon spent killing time with a 9 dragon wall, largest in China! Then stretch out dinner to 2 hours, give my rainbow ring away as the waitress broke hers trying to give it to me to try it on. Jacq's i'm sorry but freakily it was just like the jewellery i gave you from Athens. 3 hour wait in the train station, so gave myself pedicure, i thought what the hell people are going to stare anyway. Onto the train ok, getting the hang on pack safe and back pack, think i've got it sorted now!!
