Got off the train at Luuyan at about 8, + had absolutely no trouble finding the bus across to Dunhuang as it was sitting waiting for us right outside the stn, almost like a getaway car. Just as well really, for it was pissing down. 3 hrs to Dunhuang, but a comfortable enough ride on a modern bus. The hotel there was a big surprise, a brand new affair, mock Internationalese, even down to a huge fountain in the lobby. After some questions answered + a little thought about how we wanted to spend our time, we checked in. Very cheap (as such places go) +, as I said, new. So new that our rooms didn’t yet have beds in, just 3 mattresses. But the mattresses were thick, the sheets + quilts were clean, there was hot water + a socket to plug the radio in to – we were content.
But we abandoned our refuge almost immediately, to plod back thro’ the rain to the dumpling house to sample their fare. I’m growing a little bored with bowsers – have I mentioned this before? – after eating so many recently. We’d thought to while away the time until the bus went out to the caves at 2 by looking around town, but there was so little to see that we shortly drifted back to the hotel + sat around the lobby. When the time came to get on the bus again, we had great difficulty finding it. It was, in fact, largely our own fault, but that didn’t make us any the less infuriated. Distressingly, we are losing our tempers more + more – it’s usually because of circumstances, but it’s each other that have to bear the brunt. Bearing this in mind, we get along together reasonably well.
The caves were hugely disappointing. Partly it was my own ignorance, because I had been expecting naturally formed caves, whereas these were more hollowed out from a cliff face, dedicated to the glory of the Lord Buddha, similar to those at Luoyang. Impressive, of course, if only in view of the immense labour involved, but artistically I was not struck, with the ones we were allowed to see at any rate. For security + conservation reasons, the vast majority of the caves were padlocked, so we only saw the few on public display, plus, by tagging on the end of various tour groups, a few more. But the themes were dull + repetitious, there was little or no lighting to highlight it, much of it was in poor condition, + there were no explanations or commentaries that we could understand. On this last point, however, we really just had ourselves to blame, for we should have hired a guide ourselves. As it was, the two and a half hours allowed by the bus schedule was more than enough, + we were pleased when the bus pulled out. Doubly pleased, because we’d considered staying at the hotel out at the caves to give ourselves more time.
Val wasn’t hungry, so I ate dinner alone back in town. The restaurant had finished serving actually, but as a favour they agreed to cook me some food. So I was in no position to complain when I received 2 huge platefuls of stuff that was pretty indifferent – I ate as much as I could manage, + left.
Seems to be a virtually identical attraction to Luoyang, and we weren’t all that impressed with that either. Still, we do feel that we have to tick virtually everything off the list. But it may account for the fact that I can find no pictures of Dunhuang at all. Hence the slightly bizarre poster (foot and mouth?)
