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Published: April 11th 2008
I'm in the smokiest PC room ever, I've been here about 10 minutes and I've probably smoked a pack, so I will be brief.
The overnight train to Xi'an was good. I met a Chinese man who could speak some English and we chatted for quite a while on the train. The bunks were really squishy- 3 high. Me and 5 Chinese guys in our section...they were pretty nice though. And the bunks obviously weren't meant for Westerners...quite small, but it was fine. I arrived at about 6:30am, and I had some noodles and caught a bus to a small town 1 hour from Xi'an where the Terracotta Warriors are. It was incredible: over 7000 unique warriors made from terracotta over 2000 years ago for an Emperor's tomb, in case he needed to fight a battle in death. It was really amazing and apparently 10, 000 of the workers were buried alive with him. So that was cool...pics later.
I met a nice 19 year old guy from Norway and we went back to Xi'an together where we saw the Big Goose Pagoda which houses sacred tablets from a Buddah who travelled to India and settled in Xi'an. It was pretty- beautiful, fragrant gardens.
Then we checked out the city walls of Xi'an. The only original remaining city wall in China (although it has been restored). The guy had to catch a train so we hired a crazy golf cart who drove us to the other side of the city wall, where we had to take a ladder down the side of the wall!!! The wall is super high, and only in China would they allow you to do this! The golf cart driver told me to put my backpack on my front and that it is ok...I must have looked scaried..haha. It was insane, but I made it!
Oh and I also saw a woman get hit by a car...drivers are insane here. (don't worry, Jose, I have learned my lesson, I will watch where I'm going!) Just because cars have brakes doesn't mean they will use them! "We aren't in Kansas anymore, Toto".
And I forgot one more funny bit about the ferry from Korea. I had to switch beds because there was a woman in the bed across from mine peeling a commercial-sized amount of garlic. The smell was so strong I moved to an empty bed near one of the British girls. There were signs posted all around saying that it was illegal to bring any produce into China...I wonder how she got away with that! She had suitcases full...she worked all day and night! Only in Asia!
I also checked out the bell/drum tower, but then it started to rain, so I headed back to the train station to wait. All the sleeper compartments were full, so I'm in a hard chair...this is the lowest class, so it will be very interesting..also overnight in a chair...SUCKS! but atleast I saved some money. After all the walking I did, and the crappy sleep with snoring Chinese men, I should definately sleep anyway.
Time for some Chinese food!
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Kay
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Garlic....
Doesn't garlic ward off vampires?! Maybe you should have stayed next to that lady!! I love the blog and I can't wait to read all of your updates and follow your adventures. Be careful and have fun!! xoxox