Loading...
Start a new Travel Blog! Blogabond Home Maps People Photos My Stuff

Day 32: Datong

Datong, China


Nuestro amigo Da nos ayudó organizando este viaje a Datong en la provincia de Shanxi. Salió muy bien. Tan pronto como llegamos a la estación de tren, fuimos recogidos por un muchacho local. El no hablaba una palabra en inglés pero, como empieza a ser lo normal, pudimos comunicarnos.

Primero, fuimos a las Grutas de Yungang (cuevas). El lugar tiene 45 cuevas que contienen alrededor de 51.000 tallados antiguos budistas del siglo V. ¡Es impresionante! La estatua más grande de Buda mide 17 mtrs de alto.

Para almorzar, nuestro guía nos llevó a un lugar donde nos dieron una sopa. Adentro tenía un tipo de jalea hecha de papas. En China algunas personas utilizan esta jalea durante el verano en vez de tallarines (noodles). Es bastante rica.

Después, fuimos al Monasterio Colgante Budista, que fue construido en el lado de un acantilado. Da un poco de miedo ver cómo todo el monasterio está apoyado en zancos largos y delgados. Aparentemente, fue construido para evitar las inundaciones que eran regulares y para evitar la persecución oficial del budismo en el siglo IX. La vista es muy bonita pero no creemos que querríamos pasar la noche en el monasterio.

=====================

Our friend Da helped us organising this trip to Datong in the Shanxi province. It worked out really well. As soon as we arrived to the train station, we were picked up by this local guy. He didn’t speak one word in English but, as it’s becoming the norm, we were able to communicate.

First, we went to the Yungang Grottoes (caves). The place has 45 caves containing around 51,000 ancient Buddhist carvings from the 5th-century. It’s impressive! The biggest Buddha statue measures 17 m high.

For lunch, our guide took us to a place where they gave us a soup. Inside it had some type of jelly made of potatoes. In China some people use this jelly during summer instead of noodles. It was quite nice.

Afterwards, we went to the Buddhist Hanging Monastery, which was built into the side of a cliff. It was a bit scary to see how the entire monastery is supported by long and thin stilts. Apparently, it was built in this way to avoid the regular floodings and to avoid the official persecution of Buddhism in the 9th century. Nice view but we don’t think we would like to stay the night at the monastery.






permalink written by  patryandjose on September 3, 2009 from Datong, China
from the travel blog: Resumen de dónde estamos y para dónde vamos? - Summary of where we are and where are we going to?
Send a Compliment


comment on this...
Previous: Days 136 - 139 (16 Dec 09 - 19 Dec 09) Next: Days: 33 and 34 - Wutain Shan

trip feed
author feed
trip kml
author kml

   

Blogabond v2.40.58.80 © 2024 Expat Software Consulting Services about : press : rss : privacy
View as Map View as Satellite Imagery View as Map with Satellite Imagery Show/Hide Info Labels Zoom Out Zoom In Zoom Out Zoom In
find city: