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Published: February 23rd 2006
Datong - 17.02.06
We planned to stay 4 days in Datong but quickly cut it down to 2 once we'd experienced the bitter wind nearly taking our faces off! Our 2 must-sees were the Yungang Caves, which while being similar to the Longmen caves were still a fantastic sight and the Hanging monastry which is built into a cliff face where it has withstood the forces of gravity for nearly 1400 years.
The Yungang Caves, though not in as scenic location as the Longmen caves are equally, if not more so, impressive. We walked around for as long as we could bear whilst my hands and feet turned to blocks of ice and we also had a stroll around what we think may have been Inner Mongolia! Check out some pictures below and don't be fooled by the blue sky, the max temp for the day was -2!
The Hanging Monastry was pretty cool, you can walk around it and look down to the land below. Parts of it felt a bit creaky and not too well secured but we figured if it's been there since 500 AD it's not about to fall down just because some chunky
westerners are clambering up the stairs. We didn't start tapdancing or anything though, just in case.
Other than this we didn't find Datong a particularly nice place, we managed to find some good Peking Duck and we had a fun ride in a police landrover looking for Wills lost camera but it's pretty cold, dusty and lacking a friendly atmosphere. Bit like our hotel staff.
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Eve
non-member comment
I've been rubbish! Sorry!
I have been and there's no excuse (other than having a crazy demanding job that makes me stressed beyond belief) but I have now spent every spare minute I have reading all of your entries back-to-back and comments - Hi Jen! Hi Thomas and Lisa and everyone! It's been a very funny, interesting and saddening experience reading of your adventures. I say saddening because it is making me miss you horribly and in a really patronising way I'm also so proud of you - I ran through a tiny bit of Asia in one month bothered and covered in insect bites! You are far braver than me! Anyway, this is a great journal and I hope you get to keep it in some form - you'll love looking back at it. All my love, Eve (see you in a few weeks - enjoy your last stint x)