Datong

Today is the day for my first trip outside of Beijing. I woke up at around 8 o'clock, got my stuff together and left to go to the trainstation. It would take me about one and a half hour, and then I would still be in Beijing. You can cross half of the Netherlands in the same time?
I managed to arrive at the train station and found my way quite easily. I only checked at the busstation if I was going the right way. I hate that about busses..
The trainstation was really big and very crowded. Not really easy with my two full bags.

The train itself.. well, also crowded, very long and dirty. For the six hour train trip I got a bed to lie on. Sitting wasn't really possible, because I would bump my head if I do that. The trainride was oke. I tried to sleep a lot, take a good rest and enjoyed to view from the train. The scenery around me was undergoing a big change.
I arrived in Datong around 5 o'clock. I paid too much for the taxi, but found my way to the hotel. At the hotel, the checking-in proved to be more difficult than I expected it to be. Here in Datong, they do not speak English that much, or that good. So we used the phone help with some translation. The wife of the man at the front desk could speak better English, so she helped with some things. Her roommate even speaks better English, so she also helped out. When I asked them about some places I wanted to visit, the roommate told me she would go to one tomorrow. She told me I could join her if I would like to and if I trust her enough. She was very nice and helped me a lot. So I decided to go with her tomorrow. We exchanged phone numbers and she would call me tomorrow to let me know what the plan is.

After all of this I finally went to my room. Getting internet on my computer turned out to be just as difficult. But this I also managed to work out. I went for a walk around the hotel and bought myself some drinks and dinner. Went back to the hotel for a nice warm shower (which I don't have in Beijing) and skyped with my boyfriend for over one and a half hour (without internet failing on us, which I can not do in Beijing).

Tomorrow I will go to the Hanging Moastery with Shannon (the roommate of the wife of the man who works at the front desk in my hotel; does this still make any sense ?).

Oh, and on the picture: Me, with my bags, in my nice hotelroom. This is how I walked around all day.

Btw: I added all the texts to my previous blips, for the fateful readers among you ;)
Check out these: karaoke, luguo bridge, temple of heaven.