went to shaolin si early this morning…opens 8:30 am …entry Y40…this allows you into the gates beyond shaolin temple tagou martial arts academy..liu boashan s’ school…(awesome sight !!more on that in a sec)..where you can pay to be robbed blind every few meters …everything is very expensive here comparitively to elsewhere, but remember it is now more a tourist sight than much else 
This becomes immediately obvious as soon as you arrive…there are shops, foodstalls and a public toilet only steps away from the temple entrance…locals will sell you their best "genuinine " merchandise for only 3x normal prices…more if yu’re a foreigner…but as far as I’m concerned, this is the deal with the govt. at present, and if this keeps shaolin si open, I’m happy to contribute what I can…
unfortunately digital camera was not working so for Y99 picked up a cheapy from local store in dengfeng…and for your convenience you can have these developed directly in front of the temple…
it’s like a big estate with guards and police at the base of songshan…security is huge and police presence is strong…
walking through the temple, I was getting increasingly excited to visit the martial monks of shaolin si…you think I could find one ???..no word of lie..there were maybe 6 total brown robed (?) monks scattered ( and we’re talking huge peice of property..many buildings or halls)…through-out the temple, some ringing bells and others available to offer you blessing in return for small donation (Y60 ish)…they are generally happy to answer your questions but time and language are both factors…
you can for fee included in admission catch a show by a smaller local school on saffron gear similar to traditional shaolin training clothes, and there is a hall with many photos of martial monks and tours abroad on display, so you would be totally forgiven for thinking they were actually monks…sorry to dissappoint
most of the monks now live or have schools in dengfeng…Gene was right…they are everywhere!!!
did the huge looking ( but in reality not so far or half as hard) walk up to Damos’ cave..where you can visit on of the shaolin nuns who spends her days in there giving readings simlar to I-ching also for a donation…it is not neccessary to do this but don’t quote me, but I think it’s fairly obvious they live off donations, as siddartha guatama ( forgive spelling) (sakyamuni)(buddha)so if you have any interest in shaolin, it probably a very kosher and respectable thing to accept..her words are chinese but inspire many people…when the reality of their humble situation became apparent later, on my way back down…I wished I left more..and vowed to return often with contribution…
before you come to damos cave ( damo dong)…you find ( besides very small displays of local wares scattered on the mountain from food to buddhist statues..postcards etc ( wtf with that…but it all helps keep these people alive and shaolin also…good investment…just don’t get carried away )…as I was saying, you come to a building that housed the greatest surprise of my day…there are 5-6 shaolin nuns …living, breathing, meditating, gongfu practicing shaolin nuns!! twas very cool…you can also pay donation here and pay homage to a staute of damo ( with three bows or kotos..(head to knee/floor..while on your kness)…I’m glad I had my friend with me here because I had no idea what I should do…so take note..you will want to know that if you come here…
the nuns are great and will also talk to you freely…they have this great look in their eyes and I have no doubt they are extremely satisfied and at peace with their world…although they seem to value their individual privacy and try to avoid any photos…pls respect their wishes…
then you get to the top of the mountain, past damo dong, and you get this great panaromic view of the whole of songshan and the vallyes and lake below…you can also buy refreshments here …pics to come asap…
I easily used nearly four rolls of film…on the temple, tagou early morning training( more in a sec), the views, the halls etc etc…
the school in traning is extremely cool to watch…they are spilt into several groups scattered on various fields and alot of the school ground…you can walk right to any of these groups and watch them practice…I’m not sure how acceptable it is..but group shifus saw me and didn’t seem to mind..in fact I was greeted with great cheesy grins and cheery neehaos from many students also interested in the curious foreigner…
most of them are tiny…well ..maybe 7-8-10 ish up to about 18…some of the little dudes are very very good…I saw alot of weapon training ( stick, pole and some extremely exellent varied swords)…don’t be too intimidated to come though by their skill because some are begginners and there are lvls to accommodate everyone…
also saw some average, and some less average - quite good displays of boxing …the takedowns were a very good watch…I think I have pics of some of those…did I mention their aerials…the most impressive display of skill here…together with sword…awesome stuff !! foreigners cannot train with these folks though because their instruction is in chinese…the school doers offer classes for foreigners ( at present abot 20 foreign strudents…various ages and skill)…your intsruction will not be from a monk, but you can learn shaolin styled gongfu here for now US 600/mth or US 24 a day…room is included food is not…
Still haven’t made it to dechengs as phone is disconnected…lucky kfm provided us with a map of dengfeng in the shaolin special…which IO still have and brought with me…so tommorow I will take a cab here…taxi dengfeng to shaolin >40 rmb…20 iof you’re lucky…double if you’re foreign and alone ;
food is good…coffee hard to find…have been mainly eating chillied fish or soup w/ something green..noodles are as good as Gene would have believe ! 
accommodation…deposit Y400 , room 178 standard room…respectable and clean…rm service available respectable hrs…oh…and no turtle in sight for anyone who wondered…lucky for donatello 'cause I prepared to eat 
more later
amitoufo