Datong, one of the ancient cities of China

Datong, in Shanxi province of China is located 375 kms from Beijing. It might be famous today as the  coal capital of China. But, once it was the capital for 3 dynasties and has a history of more than 1600 years. Obviously, we expect the ancient city to have monuments to remind us its glorious past. It is there all over the old city, only to understand that most  of this is not the  original but completely recreated  to bring back its past and to boost tourism. I was told that old Datong looked totally different till a few years back. There was not much  left from ancient times. Datong Government  decided to rebuild everything including the city wall.

Datong is a very unique city.I haven’t seen any city with such a mishmash of modern buildings and ancient architecture going hand in hand in creating cityscape. There is a total contrast between  old and the new city. Old city is completely full of pagodas, temples, archways, city walls, shining green glazed roofs and typical traditional Chinese buildings. Some old lanes will give you the feeling as if you are living in  an ancient past. At the same time, some old  monuments with fresh appearance make you think about its age.

 

Yungang Grottoes

Datong is mostly visited for its UNESCO world heritage site, Yungang Grottoes and Hanging monastery. After visiting these sites I took a walk through the city. Here is Datong captured in my camera.

Datong during night

Datong during night was enigmatic due to its lighting effects. Buildings of Datong  are lit on top of the roof during night. I wondered this might be  statutory requirement for all buildings to have lighting running all around the building on roof top to maintain uniformity. Night skyline was  amazing, I could not capture many pictures though.

Lights at night

Skyline during evening  light

 Nine dragon wall

600 years old dragon wall is said to be the oldest glazed wall of the country. This has nine colorful dragons on the wall. They charged 10 Yuan as entry fee. Once you  enter inside, there is nothing except this  wall. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to see and come back unless you can appreciate each one of the dragons.

9 Dragon wall

Interesting intersections

Most of the intersections in Datong have very interesting monuments. Either pagoda or some interesting structure which stops you to click a picture for sure. I liked this structure. Clear blue Sky was serving as a background.

Structure at the intersection in Datong

Reconstructing the  ancient structures

 Apparently, one of their Mayors had started this work of recreation just 6 years back and now he has been transferred to some other post. So all the construction is going very slow leaving behind construction activities through out the city.  This palace was under construction and glazed tiles were telling the story of recreation.

 

Ancient palace under re construction-Datong

Glazed tiles for construction

Traditional Chinese style buildings

Traditional Chinese style buildings have been reconstructed. Some of them looked like commercial space.May be this area is built to create shopping complex.A banner read ' available for rent'.

Re-created streets

This construction was pretty new in traditional Chinese style

Old city square

This place was bustling with locals in leisure on a fine Saturday evening. It was fun to watch them having fun. Some were dancing, some were busy in skating, some were practicing plays and some practicing Tai Chi. I spent good time here watching all the happenings and people around me

New Datong
Once we come out of the old re- created Datong, Datong looks like any  other industrial city with  high rise buildings, cranes and construction sites.

New Datong

How to reach

Datong has connectivity from Beijing by bus, train and by air. Flight options are very limited. I traveled by  flight as I didn’t have enough time to go by bus or train.  Over night train journeys are preferred I heard.

Where to stay

There are plenty of hotels available. For budget travelers youth hostel is available

Best way to see Datong

For Hanging monastery and Yungang Grottoes taxi can be hired. Best way to explore the city is by walk.

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5 tips for vegetarian food in Beijing

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5 Facts+5 tips for Vegetarian food in Beijing

I  am back from 2 week’s travel visiting 3 countries. Ever since I came, I am hogging the food as if I hadn’t had for months. Thanks to Beijing travel. I starved for few days mainly due to my poor planning.

When I visited Beijing for the first time a few years back, being a vegetarian  I was clueless and anxious how Beijing would treat me. Initial couple of days I managed to ask for only vegetables in the restaurants. After couple of meals, what landed on my table forced me to turn into a fruitarian and few muffins helped me to survive. In my next visits, I ensured to carry MTR ready to eat packets. 

Now, after 4 years when I had to travel last week, I didn’t want to carry food from home. Wanted to explore vegetarian food in China.I was successful only to some extent. Next time when I go there, exploring vegetarian food will be the first thing in my list.

How did you survive in China being a vegetarian is a frequently asked question from my friends. Here I am presenting 5 facts about vegetarian food and 5 tips for veggies traveling to  Beijing
  

1. Vegetarian concept in Beijing

In China, they don’t have the concept of only vegetarian food.They have wide variety of vegetables which I will not even find in my own land where vegetarian food is a staple food. But it is just that they mix veg and non veg while cooking. It is not like India where we find separate menu for vegetarian and Non vegetarian.  If you are thinking of finding some restaurants where vegetarian food is cooked separately, don’t even think so. If you ever tell  someone to use separate vessels and spoons to prepare food, you will be looked as an insane person in China

You can see majority of the food is vegetables except central meat.But even vegetables were not tasting made of vegetable oil

       2. Ordering vegetarian food

As language is a big barrier in China, it is very difficult to communicate in many of the restaurants unless it is upmarket restaurant. I was explaining to one of my colleagues in Beijing that I need ‘veggie food no meat, no fish and no egg’. She asked me ‘how about pork ?’  Now this made me speechless.  I was told that they use Pork oil for many of the dishes especially raw salads. I found lot of improvements in the menu from my last visit. This time I found veggie section as well in the menu. Most of the menus come with pictures. So you can visualize before ordering.

These vegetables were one of my meals

3. What you order may not be served
It happened  once during my first visit.My colleagues took me to a Japanese restaurant and they ordered vegetarian food for me. When got it, I suspected something not vegetarian which was used   for garnishing the dish even by looking at it. When we called the waitress she said ‘it is vegetarian’. I was doubtful. So we called the chef. He confirmed that it is vegetarian dish. But as a value add he has put meat flakes into it.

Vegetables along with some or the other non veg pieces

4. Typical Vegetarian Plate
A typical vegetarian dish will have bowl of rice and either hot pot or boiled vegetables in some    sauce having beans, mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, sea weed in coastal, carrot and lot of green vegetables.

This hot pot in one of the restaurants was spicy. They used some spice which made tongue numb

5. Buddhists and Vegetarian trend 

As per one of my Chinese friends, Chinese during their hard time started eating everything that crawls. Buying vegetables and meat was expensive. Now things are changing. Rich people are turning out to be vegetarians twice or thrice in a week in the name of Buddhism. There are an increasing number of restaurants across the city for Buddhists. We can even find Vegan restaurants. Go vegetarian is a budding trend

These mushrooms were there in every vegetarian dish.

5 tips to survive in Beijing as a veggie 

1. A card mentioning ‘ I am vegetarian ‘ in Chinese is a must to carry

Get it in writing from your hotel concierge desk in Chinese that you need only vegetarian food. If possible mention all possible meats to be on a safer side for NO:  no egg, no fish, no sea food, no pork, no beef and very importantly no non vegetarian oil. 

2. Store some fruits and vegetables

Go to nearby super market and  buy vegetables, fruits  and juices as an alternative if you don’t find anything outside. You can prepare salads by yourself at hotel. I do this often. Some good supermarkets have some imported breads as well. I am a chocoholic. I can survive on chocolates for couple of weeks.  

Fruit shop

3. Rice bowl 

Order for a rice bowl which is available in all the restaurants. Which will be for sure meatless. I have heard people saying it has meat stock. However, have checked with many restaurants that it is boiled only with water.   

4.  International Chain of coffee shops

Don’t expect Starbucks, Costa coffee to have vegetarian sandwiches. But you will find some muffins and desserts ( Of course not egg less)

5. Organic Vegetarian restaurants
There are a few organic vegetarian, Vegan restaurants across the city. They serve only vegetarian food. Some restaurants have mock meat made of tofu and are delicious. Though some of them are priced high. .  A meal would cost you close to 100 Yuan whereas in any other restaurants it will cost about 20-25Yuan. But they are tasty and pure vegetarian.

Veggie table - Picture from internet. I lost my pics as i lost my phone

Good planning is required before you travel in finding them in the locality where you stay. I tried  ‘ The veggie table’  restaurant near Lama temple. I must food was delicious and place is clean. While searching for veggie restaurant found this link useful  http://www.happycow.net/asia/china/beijing/  .

 If you are a little flexible and plan well, you can explore China even being a  vegetarian.

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Have you travelled to China and you have any more tips to add. Pls share .
Or have you faced similar experience in any other country ? Pls share. I am all ears and eyes 
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