Andrew Aigner-MuehlerChapter 20..My weekend away to Xian/ Luoyang and Zhengzhou
June 8th 2009 15:45
Another long weekend gone by which meant another short break away. This time I headed off to Xian, Luoyang and Zhengzhou for a quick 72 hour road trip to see what I want to see.
On the Friday afternoon, I hadn’t my normal classes, so I was fortunate to hop on the 13:30pm train from Chengde to Beijing (service number K7712 costing 41rmb for a hard seat) before making my way to Beijing West station to take train number T43 to Xian at 21:36pm (costing 256rmb for a hard sleeper). This train arrived into Xian just minutes before 9am. From there, I walked out the station and to my left where all the long distance buses congregate, where bus number 306, of which is a coach takes you to the Terracotta Army. It will take around one hour by coach as it drops off a few people along the way at the Hot Springs. The coach cost 7rmb each way.
Once at the Terracotta Army, you may need to go to the toilet, wait until you are inside the gates as the toilet outside will charge you for using a dirty toilet.
On the way to the ticket booth, as well as past the entry gate, you will be greeted by many apparent English tour guides wanting to show you around. You can purchase English audio from the ticket booth, but if you like me, and you rather read than listen, and do it at your own pace, you just then buy the admission ticket. The Terracotta Army will set you back 90rmb.
One you walk through the gates, you then have a 10 or 15 minute walk to the vaults/ pits or site.
Once at the site, the building to your right, the exhibition hall, will only let you in once, but the rest of the buildings you can re-enter when you want.
Pit one to your left as you approach the buildings (opposite side to the exhibition hall) is what most people go there to see, but toward the back of the hall at Pit one, they are still working.
Pits two and three also still have excavation work going on, but they are not as good as Pit one.
Really, to be honest, when you go there, you need to have an open mind; it was nothing like I thought it was going to be like. Firstly, I did not expect the pits to be under modern roofs or sheds. Thought it was still impressive and you need to go.
After the Terracotta Army, I headed back into town, and boarded a local bus (one Yuan) to head down to the Big Goose Pagoda, Small Goose Pagoda and Bell Tower. I do not know how they get people to go into the Big Goose Pagoda as it is a very unattractive building from the outside, the only good thing down there was the fountain display.
Really, I am not going to say much about Xian as it is a very over rated city which is full of pollution, has not got the places to eat ie the outdoor barbecues that all the other cities have and noticeable gangs on the streets. I was not even in the city of Xian for 30 minutes walking around before witnessing a gang running and chasing a man on a bike, pulling him of the bike and forcing him into a van, with many on lookers looking on. Not a site you want to see as a tourist.
I honestly do not know why foreign students want to go and study in Xian.
That night I boarded the train T198 from Xian to Luoyang at 00:28am costing 101rmb for a hard sleeper. The train gets in around 5:30 in the morning where you exit the station, walk to you the left of the concourse and board local bus number 81 for 1.5rmb which takes you to the Longmen Caves. You do not have to worry about where to get off as the start of the route is the train station and the terminus is at the Caves, but expect a long walk to the gates past many stalls.
There is nothing else to see in Luoyang but the Longmen Caves, so if you are on a tight schedule, I suggest arriving by train into Luoyang, then visit the caves and head straight out again. A perfect stop over city on route to Xian or Zhengzhou.
While I was at the Longmen Caves the stalls were not open.
You will arrive at the gate some 30 minutes before the gates open. Where you can take a sit on the bench and watch the many anglers with their rods trying to fish. The Longmen caves are set in a bit of a valley on either side of the river and the early morning fog or smog.
The Longmen Caves will set you back 120 Yuan. They do accept union pay cards, but make sure you have cash on you, as I could not see a ATM.
Honestly, if you have been to Yuncang Caves in Datong or are planning too, do not worry about Longmen Caves. Yes! There are more caves, but the detail is not as good, and most of the Buddha’s heads are missing. It just is not as well preserved as the Yuncang caves.
At the Longmen Caves, expect a lot of walking up and down the side of the mountain, as it is the only way to view the caves.
The best time to view the caves would be at 7am when the gates open, as there is no one around but you.
There are a few caves on the other side of the river, which I could not see, as I did not know how to get in. The only negative about doing it early, there are no staff showing you the way.
To sum up the Longmen caves, to me they were not worth the money; I would rather pay 120rmb at the Yuncang Caves instead of the 60rmb. On the other hand, the scenery and the surroundings at the Longmen caves is much better than at Yuncang.
From the Longmen caves, I headed back into the city of Luoyang where I jumped on a long distance bus to Zhengzhou which cost 40rmb for a 3 hour bus trip. From Luoyang, you can buy a seated ticket on the train, so I suggest pay the extra 20 rmb and go by bus.
By lunchtime, you should have made it into Zhengzhou. You will be dropped of at a long distance bus station somewhere in Zhengzhou, but just in front of the bus you get of will be a bus taking you into the train station.
If you walk to the train station, face it and then turn around, walk to you left diagonally and there will be bus number 16 that takes you to Yellow River Park for 5rmb in each direction. This bus is full all the way for the 45 minute or so journey. If you do not get a seat on the bus the first time, wait until the second bus.
The park closes at 6pm, so I suggest as soon as you get into Zhengzhou, board the bus to Yellow River Park, to see everything here you need probably 6 hours. DO NOT READ ANY BOOKS ABOUT THIS PLACE. I WARN YOU. I am travelling with Rough Guides, and almost did not go. I only went there to chew up time, and am I glad I went now. The park was the highlight of the three cities that I went too.
Yellow River Park will cost 30 rmb to get in. You can pay an extra 20 rmb for a ride on one of those golf caddies if you are lazy and do not feel like the walk up there. There is a lot of walking up and down the mountains to check out different views of the river, also to check out temples that sit at the top of the peaks. Some of the trails are quite steep to climb. All the trails are stepped and cemented though. Definitely have a bottle of water on you. You can walk down to the river and relax on the river bank and even have a picnic down there. After visiting the park, I am now looking forward to travelling south China. I now have the insight of what China can look like when it is green.
If you have time and a normal weekend free head down to Zhengzhou and go to Yellow River Park. Tickets to Zhengzhou to and from Beijing are very hard to get, I warn you. I tried to get tickets over a two month period. They sell out very quickly. With Zhengzhou, there is not much to visit there, though there is a lot of hustle and bustle around the city with heaps of shops and cheap markets. Good for any girl who likes to shop. When walking around the main part of the city in front of the train station beware of turning buses turning behind buses.
Try the food in Zhengzhou as well, there are so many choices of places to eat especially down the alley ways or even set up in many of the shops. The street to the right of the station, if you have your back to the station, is lined with food stalls on the pavement.
A ticket back to Beijing from Zhengzhou leaving at 22:16pm in the evening will cost you 167rmb for a hard sleeper.
On the Friday afternoon, I hadn’t my normal classes, so I was fortunate to hop on the 13:30pm train from Chengde to Beijing (service number K7712 costing 41rmb for a hard seat) before making my way to Beijing West station to take train number T43 to Xian at 21:36pm (costing 256rmb for a hard sleeper). This train arrived into Xian just minutes before 9am. From there, I walked out the station and to my left where all the long distance buses congregate, where bus number 306, of which is a coach takes you to the Terracotta Army. It will take around one hour by coach as it drops off a few people along the way at the Hot Springs. The coach cost 7rmb each way.
Once at the Terracotta Army, you may need to go to the toilet, wait until you are inside the gates as the toilet outside will charge you for using a dirty toilet.
Front of the building of Vault/ Pit 1..Terracotta Army
On the way to the ticket booth, as well as past the entry gate, you will be greeted by many apparent English tour guides wanting to show you around. You can purchase English audio from the ticket booth, but if you like me, and you rather read than listen, and do it at your own pace, you just then buy the admission ticket. The Terracotta Army will set you back 90rmb.
One you walk through the gates, you then have a 10 or 15 minute walk to the vaults/ pits or site.
Inside Vault / Pit one...Terracotta Army
Once at the site, the building to your right, the exhibition hall, will only let you in once, but the rest of the buildings you can re-enter when you want.
Pit one to your left as you approach the buildings (opposite side to the exhibition hall) is what most people go there to see, but toward the back of the hall at Pit one, they are still working.
Pits two and three also still have excavation work going on, but they are not as good as Pit one.
Really, to be honest, when you go there, you need to have an open mind; it was nothing like I thought it was going to be like. Firstly, I did not expect the pits to be under modern roofs or sheds. Thought it was still impressive and you need to go.
After the Terracotta Army, I headed back into town, and boarded a local bus (one Yuan) to head down to the Big Goose Pagoda, Small Goose Pagoda and Bell Tower. I do not know how they get people to go into the Big Goose Pagoda as it is a very unattractive building from the outside, the only good thing down there was the fountain display.
Really, I am not going to say much about Xian as it is a very over rated city which is full of pollution, has not got the places to eat ie the outdoor barbecues that all the other cities have and noticeable gangs on the streets. I was not even in the city of Xian for 30 minutes walking around before witnessing a gang running and chasing a man on a bike, pulling him of the bike and forcing him into a van, with many on lookers looking on. Not a site you want to see as a tourist.
Just out the front of Xian railway station looking down the street
I honestly do not know why foreign students want to go and study in Xian.
That night I boarded the train T198 from Xian to Luoyang at 00:28am costing 101rmb for a hard sleeper. The train gets in around 5:30 in the morning where you exit the station, walk to you the left of the concourse and board local bus number 81 for 1.5rmb which takes you to the Longmen Caves. You do not have to worry about where to get off as the start of the route is the train station and the terminus is at the Caves, but expect a long walk to the gates past many stalls.
There is nothing else to see in Luoyang but the Longmen Caves, so if you are on a tight schedule, I suggest arriving by train into Luoyang, then visit the caves and head straight out again. A perfect stop over city on route to Xian or Zhengzhou.
Outside the main gates of the Longmen Caves at around 6:30am in the morning
While I was at the Longmen Caves the stalls were not open.
You will arrive at the gate some 30 minutes before the gates open. Where you can take a sit on the bench and watch the many anglers with their rods trying to fish. The Longmen caves are set in a bit of a valley on either side of the river and the early morning fog or smog.
The Longmen Caves will set you back 120 Yuan. They do accept union pay cards, but make sure you have cash on you, as I could not see a ATM.
Longmen Caves
Honestly, if you have been to Yuncang Caves in Datong or are planning too, do not worry about Longmen Caves. Yes! There are more caves, but the detail is not as good, and most of the Buddha’s heads are missing. It just is not as well preserved as the Yuncang caves.
Longmen Caves
At the Longmen Caves, expect a lot of walking up and down the side of the mountain, as it is the only way to view the caves.
Longmen Caves
The best time to view the caves would be at 7am when the gates open, as there is no one around but you.
There are a few caves on the other side of the river, which I could not see, as I did not know how to get in. The only negative about doing it early, there are no staff showing you the way.
To sum up the Longmen caves, to me they were not worth the money; I would rather pay 120rmb at the Yuncang Caves instead of the 60rmb. On the other hand, the scenery and the surroundings at the Longmen caves is much better than at Yuncang.
From the Longmen caves, I headed back into the city of Luoyang where I jumped on a long distance bus to Zhengzhou which cost 40rmb for a 3 hour bus trip. From Luoyang, you can buy a seated ticket on the train, so I suggest pay the extra 20 rmb and go by bus.
By lunchtime, you should have made it into Zhengzhou. You will be dropped of at a long distance bus station somewhere in Zhengzhou, but just in front of the bus you get of will be a bus taking you into the train station.
If you walk to the train station, face it and then turn around, walk to you left diagonally and there will be bus number 16 that takes you to Yellow River Park for 5rmb in each direction. This bus is full all the way for the 45 minute or so journey. If you do not get a seat on the bus the first time, wait until the second bus.
Yellow River Park
The park closes at 6pm, so I suggest as soon as you get into Zhengzhou, board the bus to Yellow River Park, to see everything here you need probably 6 hours. DO NOT READ ANY BOOKS ABOUT THIS PLACE. I WARN YOU. I am travelling with Rough Guides, and almost did not go. I only went there to chew up time, and am I glad I went now. The park was the highlight of the three cities that I went too.
Yellow River Park
Yellow River Park will cost 30 rmb to get in. You can pay an extra 20 rmb for a ride on one of those golf caddies if you are lazy and do not feel like the walk up there. There is a lot of walking up and down the mountains to check out different views of the river, also to check out temples that sit at the top of the peaks. Some of the trails are quite steep to climb. All the trails are stepped and cemented though. Definitely have a bottle of water on you. You can walk down to the river and relax on the river bank and even have a picnic down there. After visiting the park, I am now looking forward to travelling south China. I now have the insight of what China can look like when it is green.
Yellow River Park
Yellow River Park
If you have time and a normal weekend free head down to Zhengzhou and go to Yellow River Park. Tickets to Zhengzhou to and from Beijing are very hard to get, I warn you. I tried to get tickets over a two month period. They sell out very quickly. With Zhengzhou, there is not much to visit there, though there is a lot of hustle and bustle around the city with heaps of shops and cheap markets. Good for any girl who likes to shop. When walking around the main part of the city in front of the train station beware of turning buses turning behind buses.
Railway station square, Zhengzhou at night
Try the food in Zhengzhou as well, there are so many choices of places to eat especially down the alley ways or even set up in many of the shops. The street to the right of the station, if you have your back to the station, is lined with food stalls on the pavement.
A ticket back to Beijing from Zhengzhou leaving at 22:16pm in the evening will cost you 167rmb for a hard sleeper.
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