Location: Beijing & Datong
Today our day started at six in the morning as we had to go to Datong. We happily got on the bus and got ready for our five-hour drive. We stopped on the way to eat lunch at a restaurant, where we learned with great surprise that it is legal to smoke indoors in China. A while after we headed to the Buddhist caves. During this visit, we got to walk around and see several different caves. Some of the Buddhas were very impressive as they were carved with great detail despite their massive heights. Also, we learned in the museum that there is a collection of smaller Buddhas that represent the events of the larger Buddhas’ lives. After a long walk, we went back to the bus and went to the hotel. There we got to rest for a bit before having dinner at a western buffet. Overall we were very satisfied with our day as we got to step out of our comfort zone.