To the Bat Cave

I wake up and try to look presentable as I have a Skype call with my parents soon. Apparently they can’t wait till 8 like we agreed– 2 missed calls. Sending an email to hold on got me no where but it was great to talk to them. 

The owner comes by to surprise me with breakfast. Awesome!  

 I’m dawdling again and remember that I have to check out! I throw my stuff together trying to anticipate what I might need handy for the overnight train. 

I meet up with my fellow German companion from yesterday to visit the Yangang Caves via public bus. Quite convenient with the bus right outside the building and the last stop at the caves. It doesn’t take that long and we pass a coal mining town which reminds me of the book I’m reading, Socialism is Great! 

The whole area surrounding the caves was recently built in the last five years or so. They have a write up about it. The coal miner’s village was destroyed and now it’s a park/temple grounds. Everything is new in China.  

   
The ticket office looks like a five star hotel. The temple grounds leading up to the caves are nice but it’s all new.  

    
   
Oh, the caves…! The caves were built in 453AD by forty thousand craftsmen, coming from as far as India. Only some of the caves are open to the public but there’s plenty of giant buddhas to look at.  

    
   
We take a detour to the top to the dragon king temple. I convince him to do some kung fu poses and it’s awesome. For some reason the shrine has a lot of open water bottles as offerings.  

   
There’s a view of the coal mine and its town.  

    
 
We head back down to see more of the caves. These openings have the wooden facades based on the originals.  

    
   
In one section you’re not suppose to take photos but some other tourists were doing it and we snuck some too.    

  Then there’s one where no one is hiding their blatant rule breaking. 

   

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

We’re almost done. We take a break and I have a mango ice pop.  

  

it’s not cold, I ‘m too lazy to carry my jacket

   

     
    

   
  

   

  

Back on the bus to Datong! Time to eat! The restaurant we want to go to is closed because it’s too early for dinner. We find another spot to fill up. 

I have a few hours to kill before the train so it’s a good time to catch up on blog posts. I wanted to buy a couple steamed buns to take on the train but was feeling more lazy then hungry. In the end it’s better that I didn’t.