Stephanie (a guide from Shanghai Fareast) joined us at the Novotel, Beijing to help us find the proper train and seats on the “soft seat” fast train from Beijing West Railway Station to Datong, a 6-hour ride. On the taxi ride, Stephanie gave us a few statistics:

- There are over 70,000+ taxis in Beijing.

- Beijing population is now 16 million (give or take a few)

West Station, Xi Zhan, is Asia’s largest rail terminal. A huge, beautiful and what turned out to be, easy to navigate train station. Large displays showing train number, track, departure time, etc. A “soft seat” waiting room. The routine for West Station was:

- Go to soft seat waiting room. They will not allow you to even step one foot in this area without showing your soft seat train ticket.

- Put all bags, handbags, backpacks through x-ray and have a seat.

- Twenty to 30 minutes before departure, rail staff open the entrance to the tracks and off you go.

- Find your numbered car

- Surrender the train ticket to the employee at the train car entrance. She gives you a cardboard facsimile in return which you exchange for the real ticket before arriving at the destination.

- Find your “soft seat” and that’s it.

We had never trained on our own in China before and it was worth the extra cost to have someone show us the ropes.

West Train Station, BeijingIt was a surprise to find out that the “soft seats” were actually “soft berths” in the 4-person compartment. Two uppers, two lowers. They give you pillows and blankets and since no one else materialized, we spent the 6-hours sleeping on and off. No worries about missing Datong. It was the end of the line.

ex-Marine in the train compartment, Beijing to Datong, China 

Shanxi Province was one of the earliest centers of Chinese civilization and had many highlights to see. The northern half of this province is loaded with temples, monasteries and cave temples and we were going to visit the caves at Datong, the well preserved Ming dynasty town of Pingyao and Wutai Mountain.

The train pulled into Datong Station. We schlepped bags down the narrow aisle (good thing I didn’t buy the table in Beijing), and guide Jenny was standing on the platform. The guides know exactly what train car you are in. A long walk on the platform, dragged the bags upstairs and showed our tickets to leave the train station. ALWAYS hold on to your train ticket or you won’t be allowed to leave. Mr. Wong (driver) and Jenny transfered us to the Yungang International Hotel for two nights. They would be with us for the next 7 days.

The Yungang International Hotel was lovely and we were starving. Unpacked and went up to the Chinese restaurant in the hotel for a little dinner. I turned page after page of the menu in English as well as Chinese with pictures and there was nothing for “ordinary” people like us to eat. There was donkey meat…and bird’s nest…and intestines…and monkey…(no dog)…and fish heads…and duck’s feet… sheep stomachs…etc. All righty then. Into the Western Restaurant for something recognizable…pork schnitzel. Honest…we are adventurous but….