Those crazy Buddhists.

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So, onward to Datong from Beijing, a six hour train ride on a hard seat. When they say the class is hard seat they mean it, three people on a seat designed for two. But for 2 pounds it's not so bad. There are a few different classes to choose from; Hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper (6 bunks, 3 each side, about 90 people per train carriage in compartments open to the aisle) which is the most popular with tourists and pretty good value, you can get 10 hours on a hard sleeper for about 7 pounds. Then there's soft sleeper (4 bunks in closed compartments) and deluxe soft sleeper (2 bunks, closed compartment, private toilet!) A soft 4 berth ticket for 16 hours will set you back around 35 pounds.

Datong, as promised by the Lonely Planet guide was a toxic cocktail, thanks to the extra coal mines and coal fired power stations nearby. Sat outside eating delicious tea eggs (eggs boiled in tea and a bit of soy sauce) you could see the flakes of coal and dust land on your arms. Mmmm, PM10 particles.

We were mainly in Datong to get to the Hanging Monastery and the Buddha caves, which were truly impressive. The Temple was originally built 100 meters above the ranging river below but as the river silted and flooded the land rose so the temple is only 50 meters from the ground now. The river has been dammed up but the monastery is no less impressive for being closer to the ground and it must have been a mission to get workers up there, suspended on ropes from a sheer cliff face.

The Buddha caves were built around 2,000 years ago, millions of carvings in the sandstone telling the story of the Buddha and Buddhism as well as absolutely bloody massive single Buddhas, most representing Emperors of each Dynasty. They were truly impressive, every square inch of cave not taken up by giant Buddhas was carved with tiny Buddhas in their own niches. Marvellous. Met three very nice people from New Zealand who made the day even nicer.

Then the five of us, plus a couple from Belgium, piled onto the sleeper train with my newly acquired Communist party propaganda playing cards and enough vodka for the eight hour trip to Pingyao

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Photos

Beijing West Train station
About the size of Luton airport, but busier

Datong
View from hotel to train station square

Hanging Temple
It's in a cliff!

Caves 1
One of the huge carvings into the rockface, about 50 foot high

Caves 2
One of the windows cut by workers for light, who would then work down into the rock.

Inside cave1
Every inch is covered with carvings, once painted in bright colours