Train Planes and dumplings

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Well cyber hitch hickers we are safe and sound and back on the air at least for the moment.I am sitting in a hotel at the Xi'an airport.Our 4:30 flight has been delayed till 7:30 so they have given us a room and hence internet access. Interesting feature in the room the usual toiletries are here including comb and slippers but this one featres mens briefs and socks as well.Not sure of the cultural significance to that but can imagine a number of things from very acccomodating for travellers diahorrea to some afternoon delight with a concubine.Anyway I am not sick and married so won't need a change.Not likely to fit anyway.
We left BOb'and Nadias yesterday and as we drove to the train station marvelled at the red sun shini9ng through the polution in Beijing.The train station there is enormous and a bustle of people but not that dificult to navigate and we quickly found ourselves in a sea of travellers getting on our train.We had a soft sleeper and luck would have it two lower berths.Not much conversation in the room as the young man upper bunk and business type other upper shared smiles and some wods but definatrely no campfire songs as the suns et and the tyrain pulled out exactly on time. They had slippers for each of us and a pot of hot water for tea.I wandered down to the WC (water closet) and my worst fears realized a squat model. Now picture me squatting down on a moving train!!! Neeedless to say I am no Olga Corbet and do not bend as perhaps I should.It just sends my sphincter into a spasm.Later on I went to the other end of the train and found a thing of beauty when I opened the other WC door and saw the western toilet in all its porceline splendor. The evening ended early with us both asleeo by 8 .Comfortable duvet and pillow but stil a restless night up and down all night.We arrived at 7:50 and were met by a friendly face attached to a Speak sign and our Xi'an trip was underway. Actually we both would have enjoyed a rest and shower but no,our diminuitive guide had other plans for us and off we went to see some souvenir place where they made Terra Cotta Warriors,and furniture and carpets and on and on.From there to the Warriors and it really was worth thre trip. The day was rainy and it was a steady rain throughout.The warriors are all coveren in huge structures and are quite a sight.They were only discovered in 1964 and to think of them standing guard for a couple of thousand years is remarkable.Most have been smashed but many have been reconstructed and some are idtact .There are thousands of them and the visit was wonderful. From there top see the Emperiors hot springs another lovely sight with sulfer springs bubbling and steaming away.We visited pagodas and drove around till 4. The evening was spent at a dinner theatre with a dumpling banquet.20 different types of dumpling delights were briought out steaming hot.Eachg one was made a little differenmt with pork oves havins snouts and tails fish with fins etc. After the banquet we watched a show of music song and dance .Extraordinary music with a top notch group of musiciand playing traditional and ancient instruments.Really wonderful as well.The dancers did portrayals of stories about tigers and ducks and who knows what.Reminded us of the June Taylor Dancers on Eed Sullivan at times. Back to the hotell and an early night. This motrning we hear there have been changes to our schedule with somer complications caused by the travel surge around October 1st which is China day here. Not sure what it will turn out like but there is a bus trip in our future it seems. We had breakfast in the hotel and met a couple from Israel doing a round the world ina year trip.They had just come down from Mongolia and were moving through Asia for the next few months. Our guide met us and we visited the old city and the Drum and Bell towers used as warning alarms for the residents of the walled city. This place has been here for thousands of years and was a great city when r
Rome was first founded and has been a trading center for ever. They found weapons on the terra cotta warriors which had been covered in Chromium and preseved against the elements.This metalurgy was not discovered by the west for thousands of years after these craftsmen had been making them.
As I said at the front end we are in transit but hung up for the moment.All is well and we have not been sick though Ann has a sore throat today.
Again the cities are clean and bustling with life,chinese people are curious about us and many stare openly.Not mush english anywhere and it is definately a challenge for us but so far so good.Oh yes and I had an appetizer of fried eel last night, very fine!!!
We are on the biat for a few days now cruising on the Yang tze river through the Three Gorges so wil perhaps not surface till Nanjing. Not really sure
Bye from Xi'an

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