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Published: February 28th 2007
Countries: 2
Current City: Beijing, Pop. 15 Million, Current Capital
Previous City: Xi'an, Pop. 6 Million, Ancient Capital
Transport employed: Plane, car, boat, bus, train, bike and foot
Currency: RMB Yuan
Weather: Getting colder
So what has all this got to do with the price of fish?
Well I’m glad you asked…
Most valuable lesson thus far: The humble finger is a powerful, incalculably useful and potentially destructive device that should be wielded with extreme caution when traveling abroad. Read on to learn more.
Our final day in Yangshuo was one in which we could not possibly have crammed any more. Up at 6am to venture into the enormous Longji Rice Terraces (home of a minority tribe boasting the world record for town with longest average hair length - 1.8m), back to Guilin for a 9:30pm flight to Xi’an via Kunming, touching down at 2am the next morning. As we were left with only one day in Xi’an because of a cancelled flight there was no time for rest - woe is we. So, showered and splendidly recuperated with 4 hours of hostel dorm bed sleep we head off in search of the World
Famous Terracotta Warriors. These magnificent life-sized statues were the brainchild of an over-anxious emperor 2200 years ago who figured they could protect him in the afterlife. They have found over 8000 in all and were discovered by a local farmer who we were lucky enough to meet as we were there during New Year festivities.
Exhausted but desperate to see as much as possible we attempted to navigate our way around the Xi’an streets, keen to spot any interesting sites. This task we accomplished with an amazing amount of accidental success. First the Traveling Monk and Goose Pagoda, then a random thoroughfare self titled 'Red Lantern Street' and a stroll around the old Muslim quarter - a throwback to the old Silk Road trade route - which finally brings me back to the fish.
Surrounded by delectable smells from an assortment of street stalls, we ventured into one nondescript but popular looking establishment. With none of us able to communicate beyond the now perfected greeting grunt, the ever-reliable Linn boldly wielded her powerful digit. Little more than 5 minutes later our famished souls were joyously united with a plethora of meat and veg on a stick,
traditional pita-like bread and the aforementioned, heavenly scented fish. With no clue as to the price of fish we devoured our late night feast with slight apprehension. I have no poetic way to deliver the punch line so I’ll leave you simply with the astronomical cost for the whole meal - - - SIX Australian Dollars!
From one gastronomic experience to the next. We are now in Beijing and although experiencing such joys as the Silk Market, the Summer Palace and the purchase of tickets for the first leg of our Trans-Siberian odyssey, the most notable is without doubt last night’s dinner. We ate at a restaurant which has been graced by such dignitaries as Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro, George (not W) Bush, Pele and Yanni, amongst others. The restaurant was Quanjude, World renown roast Peking (Beijing) Duck joint. Our lip-smacking treat was the 310,822nd served since the opening, some 140 years ago (we have the certificate to prove it!)
As the old adage goes - “When in Rome…”. Well, perhaps a little foolishly (considering her recent 11 year hiatus from meat) Mel decided to nibble on a slither of delectable flesh. I write “foolishly” because
A life-size army
Terracotta Warriors - Xi'an, Chinanow, not 24 hours later, she is holed up in bed with a bad dose of the duck sweats. I’ve got a feeling she is going to be a vegetarian for a few years to come!
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Larry & Mel
non-member comment
6 aussie dollars?
Now you have a little extra cash to buy me a present. :-) Did you like Guilin or Xi'an better? Can't wait to here about Beijing, more pictures please.