China part 3: The Hero's Journey Continues

After the debacle of yesterday, I pulled my sorry self out of bed at 5:15am feeling both shame and nausea...though I suspect the nausea was more related to throwing up in the middle of the night (cause unknown) than to the day before. After checking out, I soon discovered that either the hotel forgot to book my taxi or the person checking out before me took it.   Either way, I was down a taxi and ran to find one.  I made it to station in time (thankfully) and got some breakfast for the train. After a few minutes, I was settling into my seat on the high-speed train and I was off to Xi'an!  Six hours, one coffee, the discovery that I had lost my micro SD card and hundreds of smoggy miles later, I arrived and grabbed a taxi to the Xi'an Citadine hotel. My luck seems to be situated around hotels as I soon discovered that I now had two breakfast coupons with my rooms (I didn't before).  I went up to my room and was as pleased with it as I had expected: it was spacious, comfortable and bright.

After settling in, I headed to the Muslim Quarter, an old ornate street filled with tourist shops and Xi'an street food, in search of lunch. The street itself was beautiful which made it a real pleasure to walk down. Even better, the sellers in the street weren't in the least bit pushy. This way, I was able to enjoy my 'Chinese Pizza' (some sort of beef pressed in fried naan) in peace.

Stomach satisfied, I made my way to the Drum Tower: an ancient tower in the centre that used to be used for sounding alarms (via drum of course) and is now a beautiful centre piece for the entire square and also a house for a variety of Chinese drums. After walking around the outside for a while, I entered into the small museum and found out that I was just in time for a short drumming show, made up of 4 guys and 1 girl on a variety of drums. Hugely impressive and entertaining to watch whilst surrounded by ancient drums.

Next up was the Bell Tower (Advice: you can buy a combo ticket for the drum and bell tower) and so, I head off in the general direction whilst walking through a small park which made a nice change from the touristy areas. After getting lost in the underground labyrinth that leads to the tower...fine it's a circle but it has multiple exits and no English. After getting lost, I arrived in just time in time for a show. Summing up the remaining strength in my Great-wall weary legs, I ran up the stairs just in time for the start and again and was treated to a beautiful show filled with classical Chinese instruments and Chinese dancing. I can now proudly tell people that I've heard Auld Lang Syne on the Chinese Shimansen and trust me, I will. With a large smile on my face, I explored the tower a little, looking through the small art gallery that was built into it. This showed some traditional art works made with almost no colours and made with thousands of tiny smears. This is perhaps one of my favourite art styles and it was nice just to take a while and enjoy them.

Realising I had made good time (I had arrived late), I headed back to the Muslim Quarter to check out the Grand Mosque. I'm pleased I did this as I was treated to a quiet and serene courtyard away from the bustle of Chinese life, plus the walks and stonework had some beautiful carvings that were worth seeing. Sadly I couldn't enter the temple as there was a prayer session but I just enjoyed the calm of the courtyard instead.

After a quick refuel and a latte from Starbucks (so sue me, I like a coffee), I walked down to the City Wall: the same City Wall that meant Xi'an had never fell. I bought my ticket and head up in to the wall itself. Now, this won't make the best reading I'm afraid but I spent a great hour and a half just wandering along the wall itself whilst enjoying the small alleys below and the the ornate roof above. As I said, it doesn't make the most enjoyable read but it as a relaxing time as I sauntered along this ancient city wall. However, I hope that you enjoy the pictures at least!

Dinner time and I was in a quandary what to do! There are so many different options to choose from and I've always been awkward at choosing.  It doesn't happen much as we've learned by now but I actually made a good choice! You see, when heading to the Grand Mosque which was down another alleyway, I had noticed some tables with small gas hobs on each table. I remembered this and decided to check it out. Turns out the are for Mongolian hot-pot, a dish famous in the area and is utterly delicious.

First of all, you choose the broth you want, in this case you can choose either chilli broth or three seasoning broth. This is then delivered and put on the hob at your table to boil. You then choose the sesame paste you want, which is used for dipping your food in. I went for the chilli sesame paste which seemed be made up from sesame paste, sesame seeds, oil, chilli and garlic which you mix yourself. Third is the optional choices e.g. flat bread or noodles. This time, I opted for some traditional flat bread which you dip into the paste. Finally, you go to the refrigerators and pick up the items (on kebab sticks) that you want to eat: this ranges from fish to beef to vegetables to tofu. You then take these back to the table and cook them in your hot-pot for a couple of minutes, dip them into the paste with your chopsticks and eat. Repeat with however many items you pick. It has been a long while since I've had to be taught how to eat something but this just added to the experience (thank you to my waitress for teaching me). As for the cost, well, it cost less than £2.50 for the entire thing. It really goes to show that if you go off the beaten path when travelling, you can find something wonderful.

After the meal, I lazily strolled/rolled back down the Muslim quarter to the Drum Tower, where I sat for a short while in the park listening to a guitar player: a nice end to a nice evening. Last but not least, I headed for a bar near my hotel (the first I've found) and had a Tsing Tao stout whilst finishing this entry. Much better ending to the day than yesterday.

I have to admit though, I'm pleasantly surprised by Xi'an and how nice it is. Yes, it's still busy and yes, it is still a little polluted but it has such a nice to feel to it. I arrived not knowing what to expect from it but the area that I'm staying has a nice bustling but not busy feel to it. In addition, there seems to be much more green space through the place and it seems more natural, whereas in Beijing, it feels a little forced. I've thoroughly enjoyed the entire time that I've been here and have enjoyed just walking through it as much as visiting the sights. I would highly recommend it.

So, I have some time to type as I trundle along the railway back to Beijing and as such, it's time for me to write about my second day in Xi'an: Day 5. That is if I don't kill the man directly behind me who is explosively snoring/snorting so loud, it is drowning out the train and my head phones..

Anyway, I digress. After getting up and enjoying an ok (but free!) hotel breakfast, I headed out to make my way to the Terracotta museum and tried to find a taxi, with little knowledge of where it actually is. I approached the first taxi: 400 RMB (about £40). 'Ah, I'm a silly foreigner, so they want to make some money' I foolishly think. I approach the 2nd one, this time for 500 RMB. Hmm something is amiss. I start to worry so I approach the Tourist Information Centre and they tell me it is quite far away and that I should get the 611 bus then the 306 bus. 'Ok, I shall', I say whereas I should have said 'Might I bother you with one more question but which direction should I go take these buses?'. Can you see where this is going? Indeed, I got the correct bus but the wrong direction. I saw the end of the line, where the buses go to die. Nobody should see the end of the line. I've seen thing no man, woman or child should see.

Regrouping from my disturbing trip, I eventually got to where I wanted to go (turned out to be very faraway, like next town faraway) and I was at the Terracotta Warrior Museum. Word of warning: the museum is significantly more expensive than any other I've been. For example, the Forbidden Palace was 40 RMB whereas the Terracotta Army is 150 RMB. Well worth it though. You enter through the gate into a spacious courtyard surrounded by buildings. There are signposts but really, you should just enter into each one.

I started off buy heading to the right-most building, which took me to a large museum displaying various items found from the pits themselves. Although not as dramatic as the actual pits themselves, it is good for getting an actual close-up of the Terracotta soldiers and chariots. It's amazing to see how much detail went into each soldier, especially as they were just being buried with the Emperor.

After the museum, I headed to Pit 2 (out of 3) which was a large but empty archaeological pit that was being worked on. Ultimately, it was to show you the various stages of the archaeological process and did a good job of it as well.

After looking around for a short while, I headed to Pit 3: a much smaller bit but the first I had seen with actual warriors in it. Some whole and some broke, it was easily apparent that each was formed into units and regiments, even with leading officers. These were beautiful to see and a good introduction but this wasn't the main show.

No, the highlight of this trip was Pit 1 and it took my breath away. The sheer scale of this pit was humbling and it was filled with row after row and column beside column of Terracotta warriors. It is easily in my top 5 sights that I have seen, this stoic and still army created to follow their emperor into the after life only to be discovered, near intact, thousands of years later. To think each one was individually designed as well and that so many survived. As I said, humbling. I've left some pictures below but I don't think they can truly convey the sight of the army nor can anything I say. All I can recommend is going to see them yourself.

After a quick lunch made up of some fried things and one of my favourite snacks, coal-roasted sweet potato, I took the bus back to Xi'an and then the next bus to the Drum Tower, so I could work out my next plan. I had originally planned to head to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda but it was much later than I had planned and it was over an hour walk each way. I tried to decide what to do but my muscles ached from tiredness after all the other walking I had down and it was getting cold, but at the same time, I didn't want to waste my time in Xi'an. I thought back to the Terracotta Army and wondered what they would do. Well, if it meant following their beloved Emperor, they would follow him to the end of the earth! I couldn't shame them, so I began to walk.

I stumbled onwards, this lone warrior in search of his final goal: the distant pagoda. Time flew past me as I kept on, hungry and weary, never stopping except to find my bearings. Waves and waves of people clashed past me, attempting to stop me and drag me down to depths of the earth and prevent me from reaching my destination but I fought through them. I saw sights of wonder: the might and evil McDonaldsaurus reared it's ugly head; great metal beasts sped past me at a 1000 miles an hour; and mountainous castles loomed all around me but I did not stop. I kept walking on but my energy was drained...my leather boots had worn away and my sword had been blunted from battle. I kept on but after being lured by a siren pretending to be the pagoda, I fell to my knees and yelled to the skies. I was a broken man: both morally and physically exhausted. I couldn't continue but then I spotted it...a single sign but that was all I needed. I knew that songs would be sung about this day: either songs of victory if I made it or songs of failure if I didn't. Energy renewed, I stumbled to my feet and walked on for what seemed like miles and then, like an oasis to a man in the desert, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda rose out of the ground. I fell to my knees again...I had made it.

For those interested in a song about my heroic tale, I've wrote the first verse of 'The Ballad of Brave Basford and the Wild Goose Chase' for you:

Twas a brave hero indeed, to embellish such a tale

This young lad, in search of his fabled Pagoda knew,

That unlike other areas of his life, he could not fail,

He stumbled on and on, without a trace

Until his heart an' strength both went to break,

but hark, a sign did appear,

the way he had to go it did shine

*Disclaimer: None of these events actually happened. All Robbie did was walk for a long time and no songs should be sung about him. Ever. - Ed.

So having found the tower, I had a wander round the illuminated garden and fountains, enjoying the night ambiance as I did so. Although it would have been nice to have gone up the pagoda (it was night when I arrived), I'm pleased that I got to see it at night due to the lighting. Getting cold and hungry, I wandered through a nearby open-air arcade which included some of the smallest dodgems I had ever seen before heading to 'First Noodle Under the Sun' for dinner. Little did I expect another interesting dining experience.

'So, what did I have for dinner that night?' you may ask. 'Well, I had a noodle' I would reply. 'You surely mean noodles', you may enquire. 'Not at all, my dear friend' I would cheerfully respond. Indeed, I did have a noodle that night but seeing as it was 3 metres long and over an inch wide, I can be forgiven for just having one. Having ordered a beer and the noodle set, I was presented with two bowls of soup and one large bowl with the incredibly long noodle and shown what to do. Using your chopsticks, you pull some of the noodle into one of the bowls and then saw that section off: this gives you some extra flavour to each bit of noodle. Perhaps not the easiest way to have noodles but fun for the first time!

After the meal, I contemplated my return journey back to the hotel.   Did you know that if you continue far enough with a story or a myth of a hero, that they often perish or fail in the return journey? I began walking back...

Pick of the Week

Boston Legal - I don't often recommend a TV show but this 'zany' show is well worth a watch.  Introduced to me by Susan, it follows lawyer Alan Shore and Denny Crane (William Shatner) as well as the rest of the Crane, Pool and Schmidt law film.  Equal parts comedy and drama, it perfectly mixes hard-hitting court cases with the unusual personal lives of the lawyers and judges.  A clear highlight is Denny Crane: a lawyer living off his reputation and no longer gives a damn and is just having fun.  Get it watched.


Music of the Week

A video game track this week and one of my favourites from the entire series.  It brings back the memory of one Christmas when I was younger and I was sleeping on the floor as my Nan was visiting and had my bed. I was surrounded by decorations and felt snug against the winter cold when I played it:  Final Fantasy 8 - Liberi Fatali.

A quick announcement before we finish: I am going home next week!  However, I actually plan to have a post next week because I love you all so much!  Now, I actually have something planned for next week and if I can pull it off, there will be a brief delay in my China trip but it will be worth it.  If it doesn't work, then it will be the finale of China.  We will all know next week!  Until then!