Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces, China
China is roughly the size of continental United States, so it often takes a long time to travel between cities. Bullet trains and flights have made many cities much more accessible, but there are still some that can only be reached by regular trains. My parents, Kathy and Tony got to experience the unique adventure of an overnight train from Xian to Datong. We all settled in for a 16 hour (yes-16 hours!!) train ride. Luckily we had sleeper cars that allowed for some privacy, a bit of sleeping, and some fun stories. The girls loved the adventure of the sleeper cars and the ride.
Arrival in Datong
When we arrived in Datong, our driver and guide took us to the city center. Because it was Chinese New Year, we witnessed a wonderful display of local culture and dance. The city of Datong is considered small for China at just over 2 million people. The city center has been rebuilt in the style of ancient architecture so many call it ‘new-old’. It was cold in the open square so we found a cafe to enjoy some warm drinks before we made our way to our hotel for the night.
