Sitting, standing, or sleeping

My time here lately is counted by the train rides.
A short summary before the time on the internet expires:

Beijing to Datong: 6 hours, bottom bunk of a hard sleeper
A personal tour of the Datong Buddhist cave sculptures (the colors were still visible after 1500 years) and the Hanging Monestary (carved into a cliff). It was -22 C in Datong, and we were the only ones crazy enough to go further into the mountains.

Datong to Louyang: 16 hours, top (of 3) bunk of a hard sleeper
Dragon Gate Grottoes and park. The continuation of work on Buddhist cave carvings that accompanied the move of the capital from Datong to Louyang during the Northern Wei dynasty. Absolutely amazing. The weather was warm, the park was beautiful.
White Horse Monestary. A fully functioning Buddhist monestary. The first Buddhist temple established in China.

Louyang to Xian: 6 hours, standing in the passageway between the train cars and in the aisles (Spring Festival break is ending...)
Drum Tower, Bell Tower, Muslim quarter. I ate things that I have no idea what they were. Warm jello, lamb stuffing, and something sweet.

Randomness:
-I was approached no less than 12 times at the Louyang caves to buy these little sets of stone Buddhas or a dragon. 12 different women, the same exact things.
-I watched two people get hit by a car walking across the street in Louyang. Traffic rules are guidelines, not laws in China.
-Some guy tried to pickpocket Jungmin in the market. I saw him and slapped his arm. There was nothing in her pocket anyway.
-We were followed for 15 minutes by a guy trying to sell us bus tickets. He kept at it even after we walked into the train station and bought train tickets. A woman did the same thing when we were heading for the train to leave.
-Passing through the countryside of China on the train, I could see the HUGE difference between the city and the country. Coal mines everywhere, much of the transportation of it using mules; old stone houses that look like they could fall down at any moment; broken down trucks and rusted bicycles everywhere.
-Rating the cities we have been to, they have gone from bad to best. Beijing being the worst (smog), then Datong (cold and coal), Louyang (warm, small), Xian (warm, vibrant city).
-The word "Hello" is beginning to annoy me. It is used by inquisitive kids, when they see the white person (not bad); it is used by hawkers to get me to acknowledge their presence (incredibly annoying)
-The Buddhist cave carvings were just absolutely wonderful. They were carved over hundred's of years, and in such detail, from the 20 meter tall Buddha gazing across the river, to the 10,000 20cm tall little Buddhas decorating the walls of a cavern. Incredible.

I'm in Xian for 3 days, and then I'm off to Nanjing, where I meet up with an old BU frisbee player for a day or two before heading to one of the most inspiring mountains in China for a sunrise hike.