The little town inbetween the BIG cities

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Pingyao is a small fortressed city inbetween Beijing and Xian。We took a sleeper train from Beijing at midday and arrived in Pingyao at around half 2am。　Ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｏｒｇａｎｉｓｅｄ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｔｏ　ｐｉｃｋ　ｕｓ　ｕｐ　ｓｏ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｇｒｅｅｔｅｄ　ｂｙ　ａ　ｔｕｋ　ｔｕｋ　ｄｒｉｖｅｒ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔａｔｉｏｎ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｕｂｓｅｑｕｅｎｔｌｙ　ｔｏｏｋ　ｕｓ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ａｎｄ　ｗｏｋｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｎｉｇｈｔｗｏｒｋｅｒ　ｕｐ。Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｐｌｅｓｅａｎｔｌｙ　ｓｕｒｐｒｉｓｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　ｈａｄ　ｕｐｇｒａｄｅｄ　ｕｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｃｈｅａｐ　ｄｏｒｍ　ｒｏｏｍ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｌｏｖｅｌｙ　ｄｏｕｂｌｅ　ｒｏｏｍ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａｉｒ　ｃｏｎ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｉｇｇｅｓｔ　ｂｅｄ　ｓｐａｃｅ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｅｖｅｒ　ｈａｄ。　　The　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　Ｂｏｂ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｐｏｋｅ　ｉｍｍａｃｕｌａｔｅ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｏｒｇａｎｉｓｅｄ　ｏｕｒ　ｔｒａｎｓｐｏｒｔ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｄａｙ　ｔｏ　Ｘｉａｎ。Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅｎ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｄｏ　ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｅｘｐｌｏｒｉｎｇ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｗｎ　ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｓｅｅ。　　To　ｖｉｓｉｔ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｅｖｅｒｙｗｈｅｒｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｏｎｅ　ｏｆｆ　ｐａｙｍｅｎｔ　ｏｆ　１５０Yuan，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｗｏｒｔｈ　ｉｔ。。。　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｉｔｅｓ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｓｉｍｉｌａｒ　ａｆｔｅｒ　ａ　ｗｈｉｌｅ。　　Ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｈａｓ　ｓｏ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｆｅｌｔ　ｓｏ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｌｉｋｅ　Ｉ　ｗａｓ　ｉｎ　Ｃｈｉｎａ　ｔｈａｎ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｉｎ　Beijing。
Ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｍｕｓｅｕｍｓ　ｄｅｄｉｃｔａｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｉｓｏｎｓ，　ｃｏｍｍｅｒｃｅ，　ｉｎｄｕｓｔｒｙ， the town， treasures， accountancy，transport，　ｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｔｅｍｐｌｅｓ，　ｇａｔｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｗａｌｌｓ　ｔｏ　ｃｌｉｍｂ， lots of shops selling any merchandise， food stalls and other bits and bobs。　We had a good day of touristing from around 10am till 5pm。 Ｗｅ　ａｒｒｉｖｅｄ　ｂａｃｋ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｔｏ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｂａｓｈｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｒｕｉｔ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｏｎｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｒｅｅｓ　ｓｏ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｐｒｏｖｉｄｅｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｆｒｅｅ　ｆｒｅｓｈ　ｆｒｕｉｔ！

Despite the city being pretty cool to wonder round for the day， I am glad that we didnt plan anymore time here as unless we were to go out on some tours， we wouldnt really have much else to do。 However，I am glad that we stopped here as it has been a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of Beijing。

Additionally to wondering around the town is Pingyaos own cuisine。 You can get really outrageous dishes like Dog stew and Cat ear curry。。。 we werent that farfetched but did try some of the other local dishes that the city has to offer。　　Unfortunately，　ｗｅ　ａｒｒｉｖｅｄ　ｉｎ　Ｐｉｎｇｙａｏ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｗｅｅｋｅｎｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ａｌｌ　ｔｈｅ　ｋｉｄｓ　ｇｏ　ｂａｃｋ　ｔｏ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ，　ｓｏ　ｗｅ　ｃｏｕｌｄｎ＇ｔ　ｇｅｔ　ａ　ｔｒａｉｎ　ｔｏ　Ｘｉａｎ，　ｂｕｔ　ｗｅ　ａｒｅ　ｇｅｔｔｉｎｇ　ａ　ｂｕｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｔｏｍｏｒｒｏｗ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ。　　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｎｏｔ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｗｒｉｔｅ　ａｎｙｍｏｒｅ　ａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ　ｉｓ　ｃｏｎｖｅｒｔｉｎｇ　ｅｖｅｒｙ　ｗｏｒｄ　iＩ　ｗｒｉｔｅ　ｉｎｔｏ　Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ　ｓｏ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｂｌｏｇ　ｉｓ　ｔａｋｉｎｇ　ｍｅ　ｆｏｒｅｖｅｒ　ｔｏ　ｗｒｉｔｅ！

Ｐｅａｃｅ　ｏｕｔ。

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