Datong Business Hotel

... rooms, no power to the electronic locks, and no water in the bathrooms or toilet! Still, at least the cockroaches were a little less obvious in the dark...<br><br>Close to Datong we visited Xuankeng Si, the 1400 year old Hanging Monastery, a rickety wooden structure that clings precariously to the sheer cliff face. It was quite fun to explore the many levels, steep narrow staircases and walkways, peering over ...

... had started in Beijing but here on the train I really began to take notice. At one point I was approached by a gentleman (possibly around my age) who spoke to me in broken English. We chatted briefly but immediately I had become suspicious. What was the catch? Was he going to try and sell me something? Suggest a hotel he conveniently receives a commission for referals? Offer me a ride for some exorbitant fee?! He handed me his card (written completely in Chinese ...

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Datong, Datong...What can I say about this city...it has one of the most memorable destination during my trip and the most photogenic temple I ever seen. But, was it worthed to make the long trip, which included two sleepless train ride on hard sleeper (in and out), inhaled sulphurous air and the unattractive city centre? You decide,,,<br><br>Finally, arrived in Datong at 6:00 in the morning from an overnight train from ...

... buffet, I chose by pointing at what a chinese man was eating, it worked pretty well. Declan somehow got Tofu not chicken, fail. We met an american and a turkish girl who had been to the caves earlier in the day and said they were well worth the trip to Datong. They were hanging around the station as theyd met someone who said he could get them on a train to Beijing. This morning, Friday we went to the caves, aka the caves of 50 ...

... I personally cannot believe this thing holds up because sometimes you look down and really just feel like you are being held up by this slender piece of wood below you.  But I calm myself by thinking logically about how long it has held up compared with the chances of it actually falling down on the day that I come to visit! I'm no math major (Willie) but the chances are slim.  The construction was interesting to discover because you would really see the wood foundation going into the ...

... went to a restaurant and had 2 noodle soups and 2 beers for an extortionate 12 kwai (about 80p). The next day was spent at the hanging temple, then walking up heng shan, one of the most holy mountains in taoism. I somehow got roped into writing my name, where i'm from, and a wish i want down into a book and giving a 10 kwai donation to the temple for the wish to come true. The gods probably won't make my wish come true though as the going ...

... that never actually use Mandarin. Oh the irony! Oh the damn irony! This morning after leaving the hotel I went in search of breakfast and all that was on my mind was Yangzhou Chao Fan (or simply, fried rice). But what you must remember is this one simple fact, I am no longer in the south and here in the north the main diet is noodles. For those that have never been to China ...

... cliff face of Taoism's sacred northern mountain, Heng Shan. Supposedly the temple was much lower to the ground but had to be raised due to continuous flooding. No matter if you have visited a hanging monastery before Xuankong Si really is an eye opener. Though I expected it to be higher on the mountain when I got out of the cab I skipped a few heart beats. The same ...

... in and those that didn't jump moved their carving equiptment to the new capital of Louyang City. For the next two hundred years they and some other freaky people carved over one hundred thousand Buddha images into the stone cliff faces at Louyang City. Then one day The Big Guy sat up and said, Hey, I'm sick of this place, its time for some ...