Ancient & Industrial Datong

Wooden Pagoda
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After 3 memorable days in Beijing and a 6 hour trip by train we arrived to Datong at 9pm. The whole train thing was an incredible experience: imagine half of Beijing's population (18 million) packed in a railway station trying to push their way into their respective platform with huge bags packed of presents for the family members they are visiting in their originary provinces...and Ramon and I just dizzy about it. Then imagine a train packed with Chinese and Ramon and I, obviously everyone was trying to get a glimpse of the foreigners, some of them even took pictures of us with their mobiles. Very funny. Even the travel agent who was waiting for us in the wrong platform was advised by one of the passengers the correct carriage where we were descending from.

Hanging Monastery
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The next morning we started our own private tour - of course no other tourist comes in this time of the year!- with Lee and May to the Ancient Wooden Pagoda and the Hanging Monastery in the outskirts of Datong. The first one has more than 1,500 years, is the tallest and oldest pagoda. The monastery although not as old is magnificent.

Datong is an industrial city knowned by its coal mines that generate power for Beijing and Shangai, several industries and its ancient history as it was China's capital before Beijing.