Slow Train to Xi'an

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We arrived at the station feeling a little worse for wear after a rough, loud night on the train from Beijing. My nostrils still burning from the foul encounter I'd had in the uncleaned squat toilet onboard, we stepped out onto the streets of Xi'an and into the real China that both Andrew and I had anticipated since landing. It was marvellous.

In the last 28 hours we'd gotten up stupidly early to see the flag raising ceremony and been disappointed when we discovered that the time was wrong, and frozen to the bone headed back to the hotel. Andrew grabbed some disturbed sleep while I opted instead to listen to music, snooze a little and watch the sunrise. We headed to the market for the final time, grabbing bread and some 'snaaacks' as our tour leader Dragon instructed, then went back to Tian'enmen Square for a quick history lesson and look around. The Forbidden City came next - an awe inspiring example of majestic ancient Chinese engineering and architecture, and we wandered aimlessly for a few hours before heading to the Birds Nest for a quick look.
Sod's law dictated that though we were solicited for tuk-tuk rides the entire way to the stadium, the moment we decided that we wanted one on the way back none were to be found. For the best really - tres exercise.
For all my sins i dozed off when we hit the hotel waiting to leave for the train which meant that my sleep was patchy at best. The squat toilet aboard was foul as someone had left it filled with excrement, and at 8am when you're feeling terrible anyway it's hard not to feel sick at the sight. Retching, I headed back to the sleeper car - I could hold in it anyway!

Xi'an is the ancient Chinese capital and as such the buildings are very typically classical architecture. Just like the pictures I guess, and the city itself was wonderful compared to the stranglehold of Beijing. We both commented that we preferred Xi'an, and this was proved by two things:

1) The food shop - the prices in Beijing seemed extortionate! For 74Y we could do a shop for 2 days for 2 people...7 pound 50 each! Mad

2) The Muslim Quarter - we FINALLY found our taste of China! On a whim we stepped down a side alley, and into a scene from a film. The market was ALIVE with people, colours, smells, sights - it was an incredible moment and just wandering around (though in the dark and bricking it for pick-pockets) was one of the best experiences of everywhere we'd been in China. I imagine that this and the Great Wall will personify this leg of the journey for me.

We hit the hay as soon as we got back - a lazy day anyway - chowed down on noodles and bread and then crashed until the sounds of a street parade woke us up this morning.

The Terracotta Warriors were quite something - a real feat of human energy that they were completed and unbelieveable how many of them there were! Something about the Q'ing dynasty (The 1st Emperor who was responsible for these, the Great Wall and a massive pyramid maseoleum) is beyond impressive!

So that's everything up to date! We're off to a charity school in an hour to meet the workers there and then leaping aboard another overnight train to Sudong for the day. Then to Shanghai and from there is Oz! Christmas day in 3 days as well seems a touch mad...feels like we've been away for ages but have only been on the road 6 days.

Peace out for now and love to your mothers xx

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Photos

Terracotta Warriors
One of the warriors unearthed about an hour from Xi'an, the ancient Chinese capital

Arriving in Xi'an
The Bell Tower, centrepiece of the ancient capital