Datong

Our conductor woke us and handed back our tickets, taking her card back. Nice system. She had to wake us again as we arrived at the station. Good thing I'd slept in all my clothes and she was so conscientious,  else who knows where we'd have woken up. Datong was colder than Beijing and we arrived at 6.15 so it was still dark. A particular taxi driver was vevery insistant and we tried telling him we'd come back later as  just wanted to get our bearings and find some breakfast. We walked to the CITS travel agency which the guide book said was just around the corner. It all looked a bit dingy and the taxi followed us in. At the hotel receptireception we saw the CITS information sign but nobody was behind the counter. The taxi drivedriver handed us his phone where someone agreed the day price for him was 360. When we got off the phone we realised a man was now standing at the sign and we asked him about the tours. Unlike the taxi driver he spoke English and seemed a real gentleman and said we could have a taxi for the day at 350 and we accepted. He advised the taxi driver who finally left us. While he was too persistent, it's also hard seeing people try so hard to make a living. The gentleman said we wewere welcome to sit in the CITS lounge and he brought us some hot watewater so we could make ourselves coffee while he went for his morning run. Before he left he asked if we would be interested in sharing the taxi with 2 ladies for 100 each and wwe said sure. They also agreed and soon 2 lovely girls from Serbia arrived. They both speak perfect English as well as Chinese. They have been studying language and just completed 6 months studying Chinese at Beijing university. We all used the toilets and chatted until our taxi arrived at 8.
The drive to the hanging temple took over an hour, with one near head on with a truck. Our driver was a little crazy. Even people in other cars advised us of such (Maria translated he shouted comments for us). At the temple it was really cold. Instant frozen fingers. The wind was the problem.

At the hanging temple, frozen waterfalls

But the temple was quite something. First we walked past the frozen waterfalls, then up the hill to the temple.

I was terrified walking along these planks of wood hanging over a VERY high cliff, but was glad I did it.
The drive to Yungan caves was as perilous until the ladies asked him to slow down and Roy gestured no rush ( see, please stop overtaking trucks on blind corners!) He took us to a restaurant for lunch and we ordered fish and chicken. The girls warned us the chicken sounded dodgy, but we think it was just badly cut. Not much got eaten. The fish was very tasty but too full of bones. The hogs in the garden out back looked very sweet and I was glad I don't eat them.  Satisfied, we headed off for Yungan caves, avoiding toll roads by driving through the dodgy areas of Datong. Lots of dust and stray dogs, then through and industrial area full of trucks. We made it there alive and walked up to the caves which were lovely. The air pollution was bad here, unlike Beijing which surprised me. Apparently the Siberian wind blows it away in winter. So the smog made good lighting for photos and we all ambled along the path enjoying the statues.

We viewed the temple afterwards before heading back to CITS lounge by 5 where we are now relaxing until our train.

Working temple at the statues

The gentleman confirmed with Olia and Maria that the bus trip they wanted was definitely not running due to the snow, so they went to the station and got tickets back to Beijing for later in the evening. I chatted with the gentleman for a while about property development and was surprised how expensive Beijing is. He regrets his decision to not buy a few years back as prices have since gone up 20 times! He explained that families will work together and all help so one person in the family can buy. He is helping his daughter. The girls went off to dinner so we said goodbye and the gentleman kindly allowed us to stay in the lounge until our train.

Olia and Mar

This has made the day so much nicer, although I would really enjoy a shower soon! Haven't had one since Harbin, which was 3 days ago!
We bought some water and a beer at the station and boarded our train. The cabins now feel like home and back is slowly adjusting to the rocks for mattresses so I slept well. On the top bunk was a mother and daughter with a large musical instrument.

more photos to follow