How do you say " Xian" ?
Trip Start
Jan 24, 2004
1
18
31
Trip End
Apr 01, 2004
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Xi'an,
Shaanxi,
China
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
3rd March 2004
I've decided to move on and my next stop will be the ancient walled city of Xian. First , there is a visit to the Summer Palace which is a little awkward to get to on public transport. It was disappointing . A rather grey day and decidedly off-season. Construction work dominating the otherwise attractive grounds bordering the lake. I liked the small high arched bridges and the full-sized steamboat fashioned from marble . Impressive, if a little pointless. They sold nice sausages in the cafeteria.
Some of my new friends are a group of Swedes. Peter looks like Doctor Who in his velvet jacket and big stripy scarf. His girlfriend Julie has bright red hair in pigtails and wears funky clothes . They have confessed to being vegans - which should be very interesting. Since here in China, people's diet consists of meat, offal and every other part of every animal.
The 17.25 train to Xian , with Peter, Julie and their friend Robert. You will have probably guessed by now, that I am changing everybody's name to hide their identities - it's highly unlikely you would ever meet three Swedes with the names I have selected. It's a clean and comfortable six berth set-up . Chinese trains have parallel bunks 3 beds high. They continue like this down the carriage at right angles to the direction of travel. The top bunk is not favourable since one's ears are too close to the public address system. But its more secure of course. The lower bunks are also not favourable because they quickly become the communal area for all six occupants.
The no goose pagoda
And more. The middle bunks are sardines-ville. Since four of us are travelling together, we take two lower bunks into our overall allocation plan. And there are no dramas. Chinese travellers wander about like they are at home. In their pyjamas gripping that ever present large plastic beaker full of herbal tea. Leaves rotting slowly away at the bottom of the tepid liquid. They smoke . They spit on the floor. Thus it's always necessary to wear shoes when walking from place to place, to the toilet for example. I have brought along some nice food acquired earlier after a visit to a supermarket. Train food should be avoided really. Especially by vegans or the generally squeamish. Around about 7am the next day we arrive in Xian and are met at the station by a rep from the hostel. This is the reciprocal arrangement thing between hostelries on the travel circuit. Beijing hostel sends customers to Xian hostel and visa versa. It makes good sense because everybody wins. Except perhaps hostels not yet 'in the know'. The hostel is at the south gate of the walled city and immediate impressions are good. We have coffee in the bar and travellers communal doss area, and by strange coincidence a young student named Alice happens to be there just as we arrive. She likes to do a bit of part time work as a tour guide and offers to take us all out on an excursion. We listen some more and hear a suggestion to go along and visit a place called The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda . It's amusing enough to get my vote.
There is no giant goose to be found but I'm sure the legend is a good one. The pagoda and Buddhist temple are a picture of tranquillity and the gardens well tended. We climb the 64 meter pagoda and take in spectacular aerial views of the city below us. It has become a hot day and the bus ride back to the walled-in part of the city is a sweaty stop and start hassle which we could do without, after such a nice day among spacious gardens. Later at the hostel bar, I get chatting with several guys , Dutch and French, who invite me to join them on a late-night excursion to the Muslim quarter of town. Here we uncover a hive of activity and a very satisfactory outdoor supper venue. Stuffing ourselves silly with flat breads and spicy meats on sticks.
Next ; Fake warriors
