Travel Information

Getting There:

From 太原市Taiyuan city, the provincial capital of 山西省Shanxi province, take the bus to 太谷县Taigu county at the 建南汽车站Jiannan Bus Station (South Bus Station).

When I made the decision to visit the 曹家大院 - 三多堂Cao Family Compound, I first came to Taigu because I knew it was near this county. I had no idea of where the mansions were nor where I should stop in the town. I just popped in. I asked the driver to stop anywhere nearest to the town, and he just dropped me off on the national highway just outside the town. After something like that I would usually get in a restaurant to think of what to do while I eat. Since I am giving them business I would ask the workers where things are. In Taigu I went in the nearest restaurant by the road. While I sat waiting for my meal. I saw the owner stood observing a camera crew doing a video commercial of his restaurant. When he seemed not busy I called him over and asked for the whereabouts of the Cao compound. He sat down beside me and immediately drew a simple map of Taigu on a piece of napkin. I could just hire a cab on the road and get there in half an hour or so. He then looked at me curiously and asked if I knew there is also the 孔家大院Kong family's compound in this town. Of course I knew none of this and was very thankful for the information. 

After I was done with the impressive Cao residence, I went to look for the Kong mansion. On the way I came to the Drum Tower. From a distance just after a turn on the old streets, this lofty tower loomed like general in a shiny armor. As I wandered further I was enticed into an old narrow street about a meter wide. Here I found a surprising entrance to a pagoda. A stone tablet identified it with the these characters: "无边塔"( Wubianta: Wubian Pagoda or Boundless Pagoda ). But like all things not planned, you take whatever comes. Both the compound and the pagoda were closed for the day. Next time then.

Accomodations:

I don't go around town looking at hotels and noting them like your normal travel guide, but I can judge whether a place will have decent hotels if you do look for them. Taigu was not as commercialized as other towns that I visited in the area, so their accomodations did not appear to be as upscale as 祁县Qixian or 平遥Pingyao. Right from the roadside where I was dropped off from the van, I saw a few hotels. I justed picked the one next to the restaurant I first had my meal.  Most of the better accomodations are in the town center, which isn't very far away. There was bus stop right near the highway, so just hop on and stop whenever you see something good.