Marco Polo (..yet another lying Eye-talian) Datong as a 'grandiose and beautiful city' - well a lot has changed in 700 years my friend. The Datong that greated us is like something from Dickens 'Hard Times'. A sprawling ugly city almost entirely dependant on the local coal industry (Datong supplies 1/3 of China's coal each year). There are open holes all over the place (Gary Lyons - you wouldn't last an afternoon here fella!) & a thick layer of smog wherever you go. Maybe I'm just bitter because there was nowhere, in a city of 4 million people, to watch the Champions League Final. In short, it's a bit grim.
Two fine sites about 2 hours outside of Datong did make the stop off worthwhile though..
The Yungang Caves are carved in sandstone from about AD 460. caves consist of over 53 grottoes and 50,000 statues that include Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and flying Apsara. They were carved by 40,000 workmen over a hundred-year period. Up close the Buddhas are very impressive at nearly 45 feet tall - it's hard to get your head around how they were constructed over 1500 years ago without the benefit of any of our modern technical advances (such as over-sized builders crack jeans & little plastic lunchboxes for a bit of a mid-afternoon munch)
Two fine sites about 2 hours outside of Datong did make the stop off worthwhile though..
The Yungang Caves are carved in sandstone from about AD 460. caves consist of over 53 grottoes and 50,000 statues that include Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and flying Apsara. They were carved by 40,000 workmen over a hundred-year period. Up close the Buddhas are very impressive at nearly 45 feet tall - it's hard to get your head around how they were constructed over 1500 years ago without the benefit of any of our modern technical advances (such as over-sized builders crack jeans & little plastic lunchboxes for a bit of a mid-afternoon munch)
The Hanging Temples (aka the wonder of the Hengshan Mountai) are Buddhist monasteries built in the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the ground. Built in 491 AD again its amazing to think how these were constructed by hand by Buddhist monks literally absailing off the side of a gorge. Impressive stuff. The lads who c0cked up wembley could learn a lot from these fellas.
On the whole, continual staring aside, the Chinese that we've come across have been really 
friendly. There's a fair bit of banter to be had. Whenever we respond to their "Harrow" with "Hello" they absolutely crease themselves laughing - I'm beginning to think the two of us could have a lucrative side-market in stand-up comedy if the funds run low...they've even brought out a soap in our honour (...nudge nudge, have a wash lads)...we'll excuse the minor spelling mistake!
friendly. There's a fair bit of banter to be had. Whenever we respond to their "Harrow" with "Hello" they absolutely crease themselves laughing - I'm beginning to think the two of us could have a lucrative side-market in stand-up comedy if the funds run low...they've even brought out a soap in our honour (...nudge nudge, have a wash lads)...we'll excuse the minor spelling mistake!
2 comments:
oh dear...what is that thing on your chin???
No need to worry Scotty, it's not what you think..I swear. They are just a serious of unfortunately-placed smudges on your screen...I repeat it is NOT what you think.
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