Bach's Chinese Rail Tour : May 23, 2013 Luoyang - Shaolin Temple- Zhengzhou

May 23, 2013

Luoyang - Shaolin Temple- Zhengzhou – Suzhou

We had a very tight schedule today so our guide, Izirin said that we had to meet him at 7.30 AM to get everything done. So we got up 5.30 AM so we could have breakfast at 6.30 AM and then have time to meet our guide at 7.30 AM. We made it on time to meet Izirin so that we would have time to get to the Shaolin Temple, have lunch and catch our train from Zhengzhou to Suzhou.

It was quite a long drive to the Shaolin Temple and it was raining off and on but it was quite interesting as we had a chance to see the country side and how the people were living. Just seeing large cities can give the wrong view on how people are really living. The Shaolin Temple is located in the mountains so our driver, Sun drove up the winding mountainous road very quickly as he knew the road very well. The view was beautiful but not for taking pictures as there was a mist on the mountain. When we got into the mountains the rain had stopped and this was fortunate for us as we had a lot of walking to do outside.

Izirin told us that we had to hurry after he got the tickets in order to see the Kongfu show. We had quite a steep walk up the hill from the entrance gate. On the way we passed over about 2 hundred students dressed in red shirts doing various Kongfu exercises. We got to the theatre for Kongfu show in time and Izirin got us excellent seats in the front row. The Kongfu show was just a spectacular. It was just amazing to see what a human body is just capable of doing after Kongfu training.

After the show we saw many Buddhist temples. The temples were placed up the mountain side so the most important temple was at the very highest point. On the way up the mountain side, we saw a tree that was over 1500 years old. We were fortunate that we were able to take a small bus down the mountain from the temples to the entrance gate where our driver, Sun was waiting patiently. He drove us to a restaurant up to another part of the mountain. Here we enjoyed a vegetarian lunch prepares in the Buddhist Monks way as they practice abstinence of meat. We were served the lunch in a private dining room.

After lunch, our driver, Sun drove us to Zhengzhou Railway Station. Once down the mountain, we drove on a toll expressway that was very well built. The Zhengzhou Railway Station is very big and we were fortunate that Izirin knew how to get us to the right gate to catch our high speed train to Suzhou.

We got another CRH high speed train but for Zhangzhou to Yazhou it was not on a high speed track so it’s speed was limited to 247 KM per hour. From Yazhou to our destination Suzhou we were on the high speed track but because of the schedule we only travelled at 247 KM per hour. When we arrived at Suzhou we were met by our new guide, William and our driver Dxang, We finally got to our hotel at about 10 PM and were tired and ready to go to bed after quite an exciting and interesting day.

Dorothy in front of the entrance gates to the Shaolin Temple.

The beautiful overhead lights in the Kongfu Theater shaped like a Lotus flower.

A very dexterous performer at the Kongfu show.

A performance of Kongfu.

Dorothy and Con in front one of the many temples at Shaolin Temple.

Dorothy in front of 1500 year old tree.

A scary protector of a Buddha.

A historic stone plaque at the Shaulin Temple.

A golden Buddha with attendants.

Dorothy at the top of the stairs leading to a temple at Shaulin Temple

Dorothy and our Guide, Izirin before one of the many temples at Shaulin Temple.

Another very old tree in the temple area at Shaulin Temple

Another temple at Shaulin Temple.

Dorothy and our Guide Izirin at the foot of a decorative staircase leading to another temple at Shaulin Temple

An interesting Buddha.

A temple with many floors at Shaulin Temple.

Over 200 students of Kongfu doing training exercise at Shaulin Temple

Dorothy and Con leaving the entrance gates at Shaulin Temple.

Dorothy and Con in a private dining room for lunch near the Shaulin Temple.

Zhengzhou main street with a complex of high rise apartment in the background.

Dorothy and Con with their luggage in front of the Zhengzhou Railway Station

Dorothy in the waiting area for our train to Suzhou.

People lined up in the waiting area ready to go down to the train for Suzhou and Shanghai.

Track at the line between Zhengzhou and Xiazhou was ballasted concrete ties with continuous welded rail. The train speed was reduced to 247 KM per hour on this type of track.