Xi'an

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Continuing our journey around China at a rather speedy rate, we took an overnight train from Beijing to Xi'an. Getting to the railway station proved unexpectedly tricky as no taxi drivers were willing to take us, for reasons which remain unknown due to the language barrier. Apart from that, having only taken two taxis in Beijing, we haven't experienced any other problems, but many of our group have found themselves stranded in various parts of the city for the same reason.

It definitely doesn't pay to be on the last minute when catching a train in China. After passing through a surprising amount of security checks, including scrutinising of passports, tickets and bags, and nudging our way through the crowds, we finally made it on to our train, which was scheduled to depart at 8pm. There are three classes to choose from on the sleeper trains; seating, hard bunk and soft bunk. We were in the hard bunk carriage where there were two lots of three tiered bunks in each little compartment. Getting to the upper bunks was a slight test of strength and flexibility, but once up we found them to be surprisingly comfortable.

After a lot of activity on the train for the first two hours of the journey, including almost constant carts of food and drink, the lights were suddenly turned out at 10pm and we were left munching through our snacks and beer in the dark.



Arriving in Xi'an, capital of the Shaanxi Province, a little after 9am, we were keen to stretch our legs after the long journey and had a quick wander around the town centre to orientate ourselves. The main square in the centre of the city is dominated by the ancient Drum and Bell Towers, which were historically used as a means of marking the start and end of the day, and thus when the city gates would open and close. Both can be explored, and if you arrive at the drum tower at the right time, you also get to hear a drum performance in addition to the great views of the skyline.

A short walk from the main square, past Starbucks and a Haagen Daz cafe which we frequented during our stay to escape the heat and indulge in some air conditioning, is the Muslim Quarter, home to a bustling souk-style market and tranquil mosque which houses a number of artefacts as well as some of the best preserved Arabic text carvings in China.



We quickly learned that there was lots to see and do in Xi'an, but like most tourists to this area, the main draw is the Terracotta Warriors which are located approximately two hours by bus out of town. Discovered by a farmer in 1974 during the construction of a well, the sculptures date back to the 3rd century and were painstakingly created by an estimated 700,000 workers to protect Chinas first emperor in the afterlife. His actual tomb is over a kilometre away from the sculptures which are currently displayed, and it is thought that thousands more remain un-excavated.

Our ticket entry time was 1530 and we really could of done with some extra time. The site is huge, with three pits, a cinema and museum with a number of different exhibitions. Having spent too much time wondering around the pits, we had to rush through the museum to get a quick view of the chariots,which was a shame as the museum looked very informative and well displayed. In hindsight, we wished we had hit the museum first to learn more about the history and excavation process before visiting the pits and missing out the cinema if you are short on time, as it shows a very dated video with no subtitles (apparently the same video has played since the site opened in the 70's!)

It goes without saying that the warriors themselves are an awesome sight. Each one is different from the next, from the hairstyle, facial features and uniform. The first and largest pit displays the majority of the reconstructed warriors and horses, whereas the other smaller pits are contain mainly partial reconstructions and unexcavated areas, so it's probably best visiting them in reverse order to get a full appreciation of the enormity of the task facing the archeologists and their incredible skill, as most of the figures were destroyed by fire shortly after the emperors death.

Squeezing in a bike ride around the city walls, an oasis of calm above an otherwise bustling city, it was time for another overnight train journey to Chengdu, somewhat more painful than the first, mainly due to the duration (17hours) and constant jerking of the train.

A comparatively young city, the main reason for stopping in Chengdu was to visit the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Centre, which is the birthplace of our new neighbours in Edinburgh zoo. We have had several bad zoo experiences overseas, but couldn't resist the chance to see pandas up close and we were not disappointed- this is an excellent facility build around a lovely lake. Home to giant pandas of all ages, as well as red pandas and an impressive panda hospital/maternity ward, the enclosures were large with lots of vegetation and the pandas were all munching away happily in an array of amusing dining positions!



Next stop- Mt. Emei where we will stay in what our guide describes as "a temple with extremely basic facilities"!



Until then xx

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