This morning I trained from Zhengzhou to Taiyuan (with a connection there on to Pingyao). I took my seat and shortly after a young lady took the next seat and proceeded to eat her yummy-looking takeaway dumpling soup. Then she produced a plastic glove; rather strange. Then she unwrapped a few ducks feet so my curiosity was answered. They look somewhat dessicated so the webbing could have been quite like jerky, I imagine – but pity about having to spit out the bones.
While the train appeared to be like the bullet trains I’ve been on but it only travelled at a top speed just over 180km/h.
I arrived at Taiyuan 5h later and had 1h20 minutes to connect to the next train. That gave me time for lunch across the busy street; little did I know that this station was well equipped with many eateries including another branch of the one I had just eaten at. Chinese Railway stations can be very busy. The queues for security check stretched into the baking city square because the station appeared to have built at a time when these checks weren’t envisaged; there simply wasn’t enough room.
For the 1h30 minute leg to Pingyao, I had a hard sleeper (6 beds per partially-open cubicle) because I couldn’t find a seat ticket. It was warm compared to the bullet trains as there was no air-conditioning.
Upon arrival I walked to my the Zhengjia Hostel & Hotel. The railway station was in the new town which surrounded the old town. The old town has an intact city wall and the buildings inside remain true to its age without ugly modern modifications. It was postcard material. My hotel oozed atmosphere (like the rest of Pingyao’s old town) with its courtyard, reception/lobby and to a lesser extent the room itself. The bed was big enough for four people!
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- Lovely courtyard of the Zhengjia Hotel.
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- Lovely courtyard of the Zhengjia Hotel.
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- My bed is wide enough for 4 people.
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- Yamen St on which Zhengjia Hotel is located. Oozes charm and atmosphere.
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- Lounge area of Zhengjia Hotel.
