Tiangui International Hotel Datong

Today, we first took in the marvelous Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) along with everyone else in China. Honestly, the crowds here weren't as bad as those at the Hanging Monastery, but probably only because there is so much more room to move at Yungang. There is no easy way to get to Yungang if you don't take a taxi because the road that leads immediately to the grottoes is (no surprise) being worked on. Therefore, we took a bus as far as we could, then shoved ...

... so Lonely planet claims).<br><br>Went out to Yungang caves on Sunday, which turned out to be a pain (possibly due to being a sunday..?!). Ended up taking a cab that we thought was 40p but turned out to be 4 pounds.. The caves were immense though, (more like massive niches in the cliff than caves though). Many housed enormous buddhas (17m being the tallest).

... SWEET! <br> <br>It was a great trip we managed to communicate via a range of pictionary, sign laungage and smiling alot to get one seat while the other sat on the bag - in addition we managed to teach some builders how to play '********' and had 76 games of '21's' in order for Alex to be the 1st to 21. Other excitement included the following;<br> <br ...

... 15 03; &#1500;20 &#1493;&#1500;&#1488; &#1500;2. &#1500;&#1512;&#1493;&#1506; &#1502;&#1494;&#1500;&#1497; &#1500;&#1488; &#1492;&#1497;&#1492; &#1500;&#1497; &#1513;&#1496;&#1512; &#1513;&#1500; 2 &#1511;&#1493;&#1488;&#1497; &#1488;&#1494; &#1488;&#1495;&#1512;&#1497; &#1511;&#1510;&#1514; &#1510;&#1506;&#1511;&#1493;&#1514; &#1504;&#1514;&#1514;&#1497; &#1500;&#1493; 10, &#1497;&#1510;&#1488;&#1514;&#1497; &#1500;&#1488;&#1512;&#1490;'. &#1488;&#1495;&#1512;&#1497; &#1513 ...

... We went to the Badaling section of the wall, which is the most reconstructed, most touristy and nearest to Beijing. But it was actually dead good. When we got to the wall we turned left and not lucky right, henceforth avoiding the chinese. Though actually it wasn't heaving as it was off season, so brown and more brown. Got lots of pictures including a group shot which required the tripod Tom's been carrying around not using for ...

... looking closer.  The carved statues, stone pagodas, and frescoes would be almost impossible to build, carve, and create now using modern technology and tools.  But thinking about the conditions, the lack of modern technology, and the types of tools used during the 5th century makes reality of the caves even more impressive.   The caves were numbered from 1-40 something but there were hundreds of smaller caves in between and along another cliff that we could not reach.  The entrance ...

... us to find a hotel. The next day we went by bus to the yungang caves, which are probably the thing Datong is most known for, temples carved out of the rock. Afterwards we walked back along the road to the Jinguo something coal mine. Simon had told us you could pay to do a tour, which was true, but we were too late for that day. However we weren't told this until after we had got changed into the gear you need to wear to go down there! That ...

... happy with me at all. I have seen several things out of the city so today it was time to do what I do best and that is to leave the hotel and zig zag my way around as much of the inner city as possible. I left the hotel nearing eleven this morning and got home around nine this evening. Like most Chinese city's Datong has several parks, the inner glitzy shopping streets and ...

... what your life's goals are and what your life is about. Mine is all about travel so I think I am pretty bloody lucky! Jiang Ni and I were up early and half past eight found us sitting out front of the train station waiting for her train. We said our sad goodbyes and soon after I was haggling with a group of taxi divers to get the best price possible for a taxi for the ...

... station like we are you can actually take Bus Number 3 - 2. Yes, that is right, it is how I have written it 3 - 2. Some Chinese will tell you 222 but that doesn't mean bus number 222 like I thought and for twenty mintues I was looking for bus number 222. They will say San Gar Er which doesn't mean bus number 32 or 222! It simply means bus ...