TACKY DESERT THEME PARK, FLASH FLOODS AND HOTPOT

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We went back to Ping Liang after leaving Xian, Angus and I were not in the mood to climb the Kong tong mountains again, it was cloudy and good sense on our part as it started raining. We met up with the rest of the groupt later at the night market for dinner. From Ping Liang we visited the Bin Great Buddhist Temple, though it was raining it was well worth a visit, there was a big Buddha and I just love the colors.. We also visited a weird temple whose name I can't remember, it was in Shapotou, it has a torture chamber and it was gross and funny at the same time. Then we stayed at a resort place near the dunes, the accommodation is very good but on our first night the utilities did not come on until 830pm, so we spent time hanging out near the truck some played soccer and later basketball. We had a good dinner then the next day did all the activities we can that is available, some did jet skiing, flying fox, sand dune slide etc. By the afternoon we left for Yinchuan, another good accommodation, I did food shopping with Bev and Andrea for our only one time bush camping in this leg as we try to get as close to Hohhot as possible. The next day was a long drive, we try to find a place to bush camp but is very difficult as most places are farming areas, we found a quarry and had a look, we ended up camping on the riverbed, as we prepare dinner lots of locals stop to watch us, in the evening there was lightning and thunder and Claire decided to move the truck up the higher ground just to be on the safe side, we have to carry our tents up and set up again near the road, having done that the rain started and within a few hours as I lay in bed I heard this roar coming from afar, i thought it was the trucks passing through on the way to the quarry, but to our disbelief it was the roar of water coming down the valley where we just had dinner, it was around 12 midnight and most of us were staring down below where we could have been trapped in water and Gisele would have been under water . Next day we stopped in Hohhot and had a look at the Inner Mongolia Museum, they have exhibits of fake dinosaurs and some fossils, and also about their history especially during the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, would have been more interesting if we could read Chinese, no English explanations on most of the exhibits. In the afternoon we reached Datong, soon as we pulled in to the hotel a crowd had gathered to investigate us. We are here to visit some attractions in the area first we went to the quite impressive caves of Yungang Grottoes, in my opinion is better than the Bingling Si caves. Then after lunch in town where we had a massive hotpot thing(great food) we drove to the Hanging Monastery, the view was vertigo inducing, i have to remember not to look down too much, somehow i made it up but did not stay long and linger because i already felt my legs were wobbly. That night we had a fabulous dinner at one of the best restaurants in China according to LP called Yonghe Da Jiudian. we pigged out ! A Chinese woman sitting on the next table approached me and started talking to me in Chinese, when she realized I am not a local she stopped, but they keep watching us as hordes of dishes piles up on our table, they are so amused how we can eat all those food! 12 hour drive the next day to try and make it to Chengde, it was gloomy for most of the day and grew darker and darker and finally it rained heavily, we stopped for lunch at a service stop but was too crowded with local truck drivers we moved on, we found another service stop with buffet for lunch but we only got left overs, as it was late in the day but we had our fill nevertheless.visited some temples with Joe and Zoe the very hip American couple, we went to two sites then Angus and I decided to head back as it was too hot to continue, then we just walked around town and have a look at the shopping district. That night we went to a hotpot place,it was so hot inside with the flames and all, the locals had their shirts off or pulled up to their chests, so just for fun I decided to do the same.



INFO:

Sixteen kilometres west of Zhongwei, SHAPOTOU is a kind of tourist resort by the banks of the Yellow River. Most people come on a day trip, but you can easily spend an enjoyable night or two here. The main pleasure of the place is in the contrast between the leafy, shady banks of the river itself, and the harsh desert that lies just beyond. There's also some dramatic sand-dune scenery, and the spectacle of sandy desert actually in the process of being reclaimed: the Shapotou Desert Research Centre has been based here for forty years, working on ways to conquer the sands, and some of the fruits of their labour can be seen en route to the resort. Travelling either by bus or train between Zhongwei and Shapotou, you'll see the chequerboard grid of straw thatch implanted to hold the sands in place. Into this painfully constructed grid, trees are then planted. It's a slow process, but several thousand hectares have already been treated in this way, and all the trees you see along the way are the results of this work.

Arriving at the train station , facing the river, turn right and walk a few hundred metres along the road to the entry point to the tourist resort, marked by a couple of kiosks. Stepping through the gate , you'll find yourself on the top of a gigantic dune from where you can look down onto the research institute, surrounded by an entire plain of reclaimed greenery. Reaching the resort area from here is easy - simply slide down the dune (the reverse journey can be done by a kind of ski lift. It's quite a charming place, with shady trees, cafes and outdoor restaurants. There are also activities such as camel-riding and, more unusually, sheepskin rafting . These traditional rafts comprise sewn-up sheep skins, pumped full of air like footballs with legs, and tied together. You'll see a lot of these rafts in various stages of production and maintenance.



The journey from Zhongwei to Shapotou takes thirty to forty minutes, either by minibus from the bus station, or by the daily slow train that leaves Zhongwei at around 11.30am. This train actually originates at Yinchuan at 7.30am - so you could even come to Shapotou as a day trip from there. The return train passes through Shapotou at 5.40pm.


YUNGANG GROTTOES:

Yungang Grottoes, one of the three major cave clusters in China, punctuate the north cliff of Wuzhou Mountain, Datong. The area was excavated along the mountain, extending 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west, revealing 53 caves and over 51,000 stone statues.

The Caves are divided into east, middle, and west parts. Pagodas dominate the eastern parts; west caves are small and mid-sized with niches. Caves in the middle are made up of front and back chambers with Buddha statues in the center. Embossing covers walls and ceilings.

Started in 450, Yungang is a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Absorbing Indian Gandhara Buddhist art, Yungang sculptures developed traditional Chinese art melded with social features of the time.

During the reign of Emperor Xiao Wen a monk named Tanyao took charge of the construction of Yungang Grottoes. The largest cave is No.6. In the 20-meter (65.6-foot)-high cave stands a 15-meter (49.2-foot)-high pagoda-like column decorated with Buddha statues and designs. On the four sides of the tower pillar, and on the east, south and west walls of the cave, 33 embossed panels depict the story of Saykamuni.

Caves worth special attention are No.16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Upon Tan Yao's suggestion, five statues of Emperors Taizu, Taizong, Shizu, Gaozong, and Gaozu as Buddha express the religious theme that the Emperor is Buddha. Caves housing these statues are known as the Five Tan Yao Caves, similar in style but not identical. The statue in Cave 20 is martial and stately, No.19 handsome and elegant, while No.18 is dignified but lively. Their similarity lies in their thick lips, big noses, slanted eyes and broad shoulders depicting the ethnic culture of the time.

Yungang Grottoes graphically tell the story of past glory.



Hanging Monastery stands at the foot of Mt. Hengshan, 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of Hunyuan County, and 65 kilometers (40 miles) from downtown Datong City. Since it hangs on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the ground, it is called Hanging Monastery.

Hanging Monastery, built in 491, has survived more than 1400 years. The extant monastery was largely rebuilt and maintained in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

How could a building like this withstand the winds and storms of so many years? Hanging Monastery is an architectural wonder. A unique mechanical theory was applied to building the framework. Crossbeams were half-inserted into the rock as the foundation, while the rock in back became its support. Seen from below, Hanging Monastery appears to be a tumble-down castle in the air. Inside, Hanging Monastery provides the same scene as other temples.
Construction experts from countries including Britain, Germany, and Italy, come to see the monastery. In their words, Hanging Monastery, which mixes mechanics, aesthetics, and Buddhism, is rare. The monastery and everything it symbolizes embodies a great cultural achievement of Chinese people.

The second attraction of Hanging Monastery is that it includes Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Inside the monastery, the sculptures of Sakyamuni, Confucius and Laotzu appear together, which is unusual. There are 40 halls and cabinets, which contain about 80 sculptures made of copper, iron, terracotta, and stone. The features are vividly carved.

Why build a monastery like this? Location is the first reason; building a monastery on the cliff could shield it from floods. In addition, the mountain peak protects it from rain and snow; and the mountain around it also diminishes damage from long-time sunshine. The second reason is that the builders followed a principle in Taoism: no noises, including those from rooster crowing and dog baying; so from the upper ground, all noises drop away.


CHENGDE:

With a pleasant climate, time-honored history, beautiful natural sceneries and historical sites, Chengde well deserves its position as one of the most famous tourist cities in China. It is an ideal place for sightseeing and hunting, as well providing welcome relief from the summer heat.

Just as the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the key scenic spot in Xian, the Mountain Resort, the largest royal garden in China is the hot place of interest in Chengde.

To the east and north of the Mountain Resort are the Eight Outer Temples, the largest cluster of royal temple in the world, with the architectural styles including the Han, Mongolian, Uigur and Tibetan, etc.

UNESCO listed the Mountain Resort and the Eight Outer Temples as a world cultural heritage site in 1994.

The Kuixing Pavilion is a tourist spot newly that was built upon the foundations of a former, ancient pavilion that had fallen into ruin. It is located atop Banbi Mountain in the south of city, the three main areas of this complex comprise a palace, square and garden zones. The whole architectural style is bright and colorful, and some cultural sights can still be seen in this beautiful scenic spot.

There are also many forest parks in and around Chengde, including Qingchuifeng and Liaoheyuan National Forest Parks, Beidashan Stone Sea Forrest Park, and Liuliping Forest Park, etc.

The Qingchui Cliff National Park, lying to the east of the city, is a natural park that features with a dramatic, lofty and steep formation called the Danxia Landform. The highlight of the park is the Qingchui Cliff, which is nearly 60 meters (197 feet) high and looks like a wooden club in the upper part. More than 100 species of wild flower, including rhododendron, peony, rose, lilac, cherry, and pinks, etc. can be found all over this area creating an intoxicating ambiance of scent and color.

If you are interest in horse riding or hunting, you may well enjoy Mulan Imperial Hunting Park situated in Weichang County. It is cool in summer when you can enjoy riding, gathering mushrooms, and grass sliding; while in winter it is covered with snow and is a good place for both hunting and skiing.

Other sceneries such as the Town God's Temple, Shuangta Mountain, Jingbei No. One Grassland and Jinshanling Great Wall are all in or around the city are of tourist value likewise.

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