Back at the bus station, we sat outside using the bus as shade, providing us with some views of some weird buildings!!!
The bus journey from Shenyang to Dandong was really cool - we were expecting it to be quite barren and dry, but it was absolutely beautiful with lush green fields, forests and mountains everywhere!We rolled into a hectic Dandong, where it seems that buses might outnumber the population and that everywhere and anywhere is a bus stop! But we both immediately got a good vibe from the city, which improved when a lovely hotel hawker led us to her hotel. In the beginning of our travels we were weary of these people, but when you know what you want and how much you're willing to pay, they can be extremely helpful. Her rooms turned out to be clean, airy, in an awesome location, and within our budget - what more could you ask for?!
Again, we did something unusual for us - we planned ahead! After a few to-ing and fro-ing from the bus station to the train station we soon had our tickets for tomorrow's excursion, our onward bus ticket to Tonghua for Tuesday, and the train ticket from Tonghua to Baihe on Wednesday. What this means is that come Wednesday night, we'll be in Jilin province, ready to explore Changbai Shan National Park!
We headed down to the Yalu Riverfront, from where we could see across into North Korea - we were almost giddy with excitement - North Korea is still such a closed country, we felt privileged that we could peer across into this hidden land.
Our first sight was to walk out onto the Sino-Korean Friendship bridge, that was blown up by American bombs during the Korean War, and now stops abruptly half way across the river, in a tangle of metal. From this end, you can look across at the remains of the Korean half of the bridge - which are now only just columns sticking out of the water. 
While staring across at the unmoving Ferris Wheel, we caught a glimpse of some Korean Soldiers marching along the riverside. There was nothing much more to see really, and the differences between the Chinese and Korean sides are vast. On the Chinese side is a huge bustling city, with skyrises and lots of commotions - on the Korean side people occasionally came into sight, and only a few buildings dotted the hilly landscape.Later, after taking the opportunity to indulge in some Korean cuisine, we walked along the bustling riverfront, which truly comes alive after dark! Looking through the water / light show, we could barely see anything on the other side of the river - it seems that while China lights up at night, Korea goes to sleep. An obvious demonstration of the difference is that the railway bridge between North Korea and China is lavishly lit up with flashing lights, until halfway, where it plunges into darkness, making you unsure whether the other half exists!!
We ambled through the parks, watching kids to grandmas and grandpas playing hackey-sac, badminton, and even practising tai qi together. Later on we saw a group of people doing aerobics in the train station square, under the watchful gaze of a huge Mao statue. Back to the riverfront - we stopped to watch a live concert, with children playing in an open space in front of the stage, surrounded by the large crowd. Further down, we enjoyed some more music, but this time much more subdued, as a group of friends gathered under a pagoda to play and sing together. A highlight of our night was seeing a new member being welcomed into the informal group - this particular man was standing on the edge joining in, and when one of the group leaders saw and welcomed him in to play with the group. The smile that spread across the man's face as he was accepted into the group was priceless. 
This riverfront scene was enhanced, as people sent lanterns into the dark night sky. These lanterns look like mini red hot air balloons with a flame sending them floating far away.After such an exciting day, we were reluctant to go home, but exhaustion had set in and bed called.
Almost adlibing North Korea.
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