Datong

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We visited the famous UNESCO site at the Yugang Grottoes and were lucky to have a gorgeous morning. The grottoes were carved out and the statues sculpted about 435AD. It was really an amazing sight, and I have some terrific photos--they will have to wait on a better Internet connection,tho.

I thought you might enjoy some food notes. We have had the most interesting mushrooms--black ruffly ones, clear ones that look like sea anemones, long skinny ones that look like twigs, and your standard morrels--all quite tasty. I am not hallucinating...yet. The food here has been much better than in Beijing--fresher and different. Last night we ate lotus seeds and the best snow peas that were very sweet. Today at lunch we had this sweet potato dish that had some kind of sugar syrup on it; when you dipped the pieces in cold water, the coating hardened and crackled like toffee--most wonderful.
Tomorrow we leave early for the Hanging Monastery and on to Wutai Shan (a holy mountain) for the night. There probably won't be Internet out in the mountains.

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Photos

On the grounds of Datong monastery
Quiet, please, the monks are napping.